DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR HEADWORKS OF HYDROPOWER PROJECTS

5. FORMULATION OF GUIDELINES

5.1 GENERAL
The design guidelines for headworks of run-of-river hydropower projects were
formulated based on standard engineering practices and a study of several run-of-river
hydropower projects in Nepal. The basis, nature, structure and content of the guidelines
are discussed in this chapter.

5.2 BASIS OF DEVELOPMENT

The guidelines are based on internationally accepted norms, standards and codes of
practice for two reasons. Firstly, irrespective of their country of origin, the basic
principles of design, construction, operation and maintenance of headworks for run-of-
the-river schemes remain unchanged. Secondly, efforts aimed at conducting innovative
research and development will be costly and time consuming and will only result in
“reinvention of the cycle”. Therefore, the basic effort in developing the guidelines for
Nepal was concentrated on incorporating the implications of typical Nepali conditions
into internationally accepted practices through the knowledge and experience gained
from hydropower projects studied and/or developed in Nepal.

5.3 NATURE OF GUIDELINES

The guidelines were intended to be developed as practical and useful tools for headworks
development. The principal characteristics of the resulting document are as follows:
 The guidelines are broad based and well founded. This was achieved by preparing
the guidelines in consultation with standards and guidelines prevailing in different
countries and practiced with sufficient confidence in Nepal and other countries with
similar conditions.
 The guidelines incorporate the knowledge and experience in the design, construction,
operation and maintenance of headworks in Nepal. This was achieved by preparing a
data and information base from the records and documents available at operational
and under-construction hydropower projects in Nepal.
 They clearly spell out the objectives and requirements of each phase of headworks
development considered.
 They contain tools or mechanisms to ensure uniformity and exercise quality control
in the activities conducted by developers.

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 They have provisions to monitor and ensure, within practical limits, strict adherence
to the guideline requirements.
 They are comprehensive enough to cover the entire range of parameters and variables
associated with headworks for hydropower projects. Nevertheless, they have room
for flexibility for slight deviations from their provisions provided such deviations can
be reasonably justified by the developer.
 They are sufficient to act as a base for further development of detailed guidelines or
standards covering all aspects of headworks development in Nepal.

5.4 ORGANIZATION OF GUIDELINES

According to the nature of activities involved, the guidelines are divided into four parts,
viz.:
Part 1: Survey and Investigations
Part 2: Design
Part 3: Construction
Part 4: Operation and Maintenance
Part 1 of the guidelines consists of the following six subparts that cover different
surveys, investigations and studies needed for engineering and design of headworks
These parts are:
Part 1A: Topographical Survey
Part 1B: Hydrological Investigations
Part 1C: Sedimentological Studies
Part 1D: Geological and Geotechnical
Investigations
Part 1E: Seismological Studies
Likewise, Part 2 consists of ten subparts, each of which covers the planning and/or
design of various components of the headworks of run-of-river projects. These subparts
are:
Part 2A: Headworks Planning and Layout
Part 2B: Concrete Diversion Structures
Part 2C: Energy Dissipators
Part 2D: Embankment Dams
Part 2E: Fish Pass Structures
Part 2F: Intake
Part 2G: Approach Canal
Part 2H: Desander
Part 2I: Gates
Part 2J: Hydraulic Modeling

5.5 CONTENTS OF GUIDELINES

The guidelines are detailed enough to cover all major aspects and parameters required to
define the various aspects listed in Section 5.4. In general, the guidelines cover the
following aspects of headworks investigation, design, construction and operation and
maintenance:
 Types and sources of data required.
 Methods of data collection, analysis and interpretation.
 Types of headworks structures and their selection criteria.

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 Design philosophies and procedures, including hydraulic modeling.

 Construction requirements and oversights for various components of headworks.
 Operation and maintenance requirements and oversights for headworks structures.
 Environmental considerations in each phase of development.
The specific contents of each part of the guidelines are discussed in the following
sections.
5.5.1 Survey and Investigation
The guidelines for survey and investigation cover topographical survey, hydrological
investigations, sediment studies, geological and geotechnical investigations and
seismological investigations. The guidelines these activities contain the aspects listed
below:
Topographical Survey
 Survey planning, including survey planning and data sources.
 Control survey in headworks area, including procedures for horizontal and vertical
control survey, monumentation and documentation.
 Engineering site plan survey, including procedures and requirements (extents, scales,
contour intervals, detailing and documentation, etc.).
 Reservoir surveys for pondage run-of-river projects.
 River surveys, including cross-sectional and longitudinal profiling procedures and
requirements (numbers, locations, scales, etc.).
 Accuracies and permissible errors;
 Data reduction and preparation of maps.
Hydrological Investigations
 Establishment of reliable hydro-meteorological database.
 Extension of hydro-meteorological database.
 Catchment and channel characteristics.
 Study of snow and glaciers.
 Empirical methods for prediction of flood flows.
 Long term hydrology.
 Low flow hydrology.
 Flood hydrology.
 Rating curves for headworks site.
 Water surface profiles for headworks site.
 Documentation and reporting.
Sediment Studies
 Collection of field data and information.
 Seasonal variation.
 Classification of sediment particles.
 Sediment data requirements.
 Regional sediment studies.
 Sediment sampling.
 Estimation of sediment.

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 Documentation.

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Geological and Geotechnical Investigation

 Investigation planning, including survey planning and data sources.
 Surface investigations, including surface mapping, rock mass classification,
geophysical investigations (extents, scales, details, etc.).
 Subsurface investigations, including drilling, test pits and trenches, etc.
 Large scale prototype tests, including test adits, test grouting, etc
 Field and laboratory tests on disturbed and undisturbed samples of soil and rock.
 Construction material investigations.
 Data reduction, interpretation and presentation.
 Protection of environment.
Seismological Studies
 Investigation planning.
 Geologic, seismologic and neotectonic considerations.
 Statistical and deterministic methods of hazard analysis to estimate seismic
evaluation parameters (Operating Basis Earthquake, Maximum Credible Earthquake,
etc.).
5.5.2 Design
The guidelines for design cover aspects that are requisite to ensure hydraulic sufficiency
and structural adequacy of the headworks. These aspects consist of the following:
Headworks Planning and Layout
 Types of run-of-river projects.
 Functional requirements of headworks.
 Typical headworks components.
 Data requirements.
 Selection of headworks site.
 General arrangement.
 Selection of river diversion scheme.
Concrete Diversion Structure
 Design philosophy.
 Typical elements.
 General arrangement and layout.
 Design data requirements.
 Non-overflow section, including determination of its profile.
 Hydraulic and structural design of overflow sections.
 Hydraulic design of undersluice.
 Considerations for permeable foundations.
 Stability analysis of overflow and non-overflow sections.
 Static and dynamic stress analysis of overflow and non-overflow sections.
 Hydraulic and structural design of piers and divide walls.
 Contraction joints.
 Galleries and other openings.

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Energy Dissipators
 Design philosophy.
 Types of energy dissipators.
 Selection of type of energy dissipators.
 Hydraulic and structural design of hydraulic jump type stilling basin.
 Hydraulic and structural design of solid roller bucket.
 Hydraulic and structural design of deflector bucket.
 Drainage arrangements for energy dissipators.
 Hydraulic and structural design of training walls.
 Downstream protection including protective pitching.
Embankment
 Design criteria.
 Typical embankment profile.
 Types of embankment dams.
 Selection of type of embankment.
 Dam cross-sections.
 Strengthening of embankment slopes.
 Seepage flow design.
 Stability of embankment slopes.
 Settlement of dam body and foundation.
 Rockfill dams.
 Seismic evaluation of embankment dams.
Fish Pass Structures
 Types of fish pass structures.
 Selection of type of fish pass structure.
 Design data requirements.
 Location of fish pass.
 Design requirements.
 Hydraulic design of fish pass structures.
Intake
 Design philosophy.
 Types of intakes.
 Selection of type of intake.
 General arrangement.
 Hydraulic and structural design of side and frontal intake.
 Hydraulic design of drop intake.
 Hydraulic and structural design of trash racks.
 Design of control gates.
Approach Canal
 Hydraulic design of approach canal.
 Hydraulic design of gravel trap.

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Desander
 Design philosophy.
 Types of desanders.
 Selection of type of desander.
 Typical components of desanders.
 General layout of desander.
 Hydraulic design of inlet transition.
 Hydraulic and structural design of desander and its flushing structure.
 Hydraulic design of outlet transition.
 Hydraulic and structural design of emergency spillway.
 Model test and mathematical simulation.
Gates
 Design philosophy
 Types of gates and hoisting arrangements.
 Materials.
 Design of gate components.
 Structural design of vertical lift gates.
 Structural design of radial gates.
 Design analysis and detail requirements.

Hydraulic Modeling
 Objectives, scope and need of modeling.
 Modeling philosophy.
 Selection of physical model scale.
 Physical model instrumentation.
 Design of physical models.
 Construction of physical models.
 Operation of physical models.
 Numerical modeling.

5.5.3 Construction
The guidelines for construction cover the following issues:
 Coordination between design and construction.
 Construction layout.
 River diversion for construction.
 Foundation mapping.
 Foundation treatment.
 Concreting, including temperature control.
 Structural safety during construction.
 Post construction requirements.

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5.5.4 Operation and Maintenance

The contents of the operation and maintenance guidelines are as follows:
 Preparations for operation and maintenance.
 Performance prediction.
 Hydraulic operation.
 Operation of hydro-mechanical installations.
 Inspection and maintenance.
 Instrumentation and monitoring.
 Data collection during operation.
 Development of information database.

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