nfi@EoRc@E ltF#BltS

Recent Dam Projects by Motor-Columbus

by
N. J " S chni tte r, Executive" Vice-President,
Dr. H. Kreuzer, Department Head,
R. Bischof, Section Head,
and
U. Spinnler, Section Head,
Geotechnics and Dams Department
Motor{olumbus Consulting Engineers, Baden,
Switzerland

Reprinted from
"WORLD DAMS TODAY - 1977 Edition"
Published by The Japan Dam Foundation
Tokyo, L917

Republication and translation by others is subject to the approval of the author and subject to the citation of original publication
in WORLD DAMS TODAY '77.
Recent Darn Projects by Motor-Columbus
N.J. Scirnitter, Se nior Vice-Pre siden t,
Dr. H. Kreuzer, Depaftment Heatl,
R. Bischof, Sectiott Head and
U. Spinnler. Sectiotz Head, Geotechnics and Dams Department, Motor-Cohrmbus Consultittg Engineers, Baden,
Sttitzerland
Introduction
.A, first review of Motor-Columbus' activities in dam
engineering since its foundation in 1895 was given in the
1967 issue of "lVorld Dams Today" (l)*. Since then its
engineering departments became an independent com-
pany and have grown on their own and through the
acquisition of affiliated companies to a total staff of
roughly 1200 persons, of whom one third is working on
ovelseas projects. In addition to the traditional activities
in hydro-power other fields have been strongly devei-
oped such as nuciear and conventional thermal power,
energy transmission and distribution, irrigation and
water supply, highways and tunnels etc. The company's
activities are rounded up by economical, ecological and
sociai studies.
Completed Dams
The last decade of Motor-Columbus' dam engineering
rvas dominated by the 180 m (590 ft) hiCh Emosson
arch dam eompleted n 1973 (FiS. 1) (2 to +). tt is
located on the Swiss-French border between Martigny
'(t g2,OOO
and Chamonix. Its 225 million m3 aift)
reservoir has the fourth highest energy content in the
Alps and is also very favourable in energy stored per unit
Fig. 1 Aerial view of Emosson arch dam
Max. height: 180 m (590 ft)
Crest length: 555 m (1820 ft)
Concrere votume: 1,090,000 m3 {1,425.000 cuyd}
Completed in '1974 for Eiectricitd d'Emosson SA.
Martigny/Switzer land
of dam volume. This is due to the excellent suitability of
the dam site, which has, however, a striking pecuiarity in
that its abutments are not tbrmed by the valley sides
proper, but by the remnants of an enormous rock
barrier. These constitute an integral part of the water
retaining structule and are calle.d upon, principally on
the right-hand side, to resist a substantial direct water
pressure in addition to the tbundation reactions of the
dam. Layout and design were therefore checked not
only through analyses and conventional structural model
tests but also in a special geotechnical model test based
on comprehensiye rock quality investigations. Upon
filling of the reservoir the behaviour of the rock barrier,
into which the grout and the drainage curtains under the
dam were prolonged, was carefully monitored by means
of geodetic surveys iui well as piezometric and seepage
measurements" While the latter proved the effectiveness
of the impermeabilization and drainage provisions, the
former showed a downstream deformation of the rock
barrier of up to 2.5 cm (1.0 in). In comparison the
maxirnum downstream deflection of the dam's crest
attained 9 cm (3-5 in)"
The 352 MW, two stages Emosson scheme comprises
also the compensating reservoirs o{ Les Esserts and
Chätelard (5). Whiie the latteris located at the foot of a
rock cliff and enclosed by a reinforced conörete wall, the
Les Esserts basin (Fig" 2) is partiy cut into morainic
deposits and partly formed by an earth and rock fill dam
of up to 29 m (95 ft) heieht. The whole basin is lined
with bituminous concrete, a system which has often
been used by Motor-Columbus since the late i930s and
was also adopted for the lower pond of the 7g MW
Barberine pumped storage plant now being grafted on
the Emosson reservoir. This basin is located also near
Chätelard in a small lateral valley closed by an earth
dam of 28 m (92 ft) maximum height" In both cases the
lining consists of a single layer of dense bituminous
concrete of 6 to 9 cm (2.4 to 3.5 in) thickness" On the
I : 1.75 siopes the lining rests on 5 cm (2.0 in) of
precoated gravel and a penetration stabilized drainage
layer of 7 cm (2.8 in) thickness, under which follow
10 cm (3.9 in) of filter where required by the fineness of
the subsoil. Below the basin bottoms there is just one
20 cm (7.9 in) thick penetration stabilized drainage layer
as well as drainage collection pipes iaid out on a
fish-bone pattern-
A cement concrete lining was used on t\e Huinco
rockfill dam buiit in 1970 to form a compensatilg
reservoir on the Santa Eulalia river east of Lima/peru
(Fig.3) (6)" Sloping l:1.5, rhe lining is 30 cm (il.8 in)
Numerals in brackets refer to the list of references
at the end of the paper.
417
 ),5, PRESSURE SHAFT
'o TO CHATELARD PLANT
1540.-'- )\ \
) VALVE HOUSE

$20/
,o%
1517.00

LLING
IN
DRAINAGE PIPES . aOU

GATE HOUSE

A
GATE HOUSE

1 540 SPI L

ol VEßSIO N
151 7.00
PECH EUX
"oo
t\
EUX
0 50 100 m
INTAKE
I 560

SECTION A - A
1530_ VALVE HOUSE

1520-- M6.oo srLLrNG BAstN 1516.00 1517.00

VALVE
INTAKE
i510- - 1506.00
1502.40 HOUSE
1500- ADDUCTION
1490.- TUNNEL -- 1490
- PSESSURE SHAFT
TO CHATELARD PLANT
Fig. 2 Plan and composite sectionof Les Eserts compensating basin
Max. height of dam: 29 m (95 ft)
Crest length of dam: 310 m (1017 ft)
Fill voluma of dam: 90,000 m3 (118,000 cuyd)
Completed in 1973 for Electricitd d'Emosson SA, Martigny/Switzerland

thick, reinforced in the center in both directions and

subdivided into l0 rn (33 ft) wide strips by joints
extending tiom the dam's clest to the cut-off wail at its
heel" There are no horizontal joints and the cut-off
wall penetrates only partially into the alluvial subsoil.
The percolation paths through the latter were
lengthened by a clay blanket extending 150 m (492 ft)
into the reservoir. Iioreover a iilter layer was provided at
the dam's base and three relief rvells were installed near
its toe. Piezometer readings at various depths in several
boreholes under the dam as well as seepage measure-
ments demonstrated the adequacy of the very economi-
cal design.
Dams under Construction
The floating foundation principle used for Huinco
dam also had ro be adopted ior the barrage of the
Bremgarten-Zufikon run-of-river power piant on the
Reuss river in norrhrvestern Srvirzerland (.Frg. 4) (7).ln
fact there is no rock anywhere near the darn site, which
lies compietely on rapidly alternating strata of clayey
sands to low plasticity clays. The barrage as weil as the Fig. 3 Downstream view of Huinco rockfill dam
adjoining porverhouse, equipped with two 9 MW- Max. height: 25 m (82 ft)
Crest length: 63 m (2O7 ftl
turbines of the modern tubular type, are founded on Fill volume: 124,000 m3 (162,000 cuyd)
rigid slabs. To guarantee the necessary safety against Completed in 1970 for Empresas Electricas
piping and sliding cutoff walls are provided under the Asociadas, Lima/Peru

418
 F IIIECHANICAL RAKE
I ,rruO STOP LOGS CAANE
38 r.30
N.S.W.L.

CAB SPILLWAY FLA2

CAIE
'AINI€F
STOP LOGS
OPERATING
GALLEAY
GALLERY H.W.L.
BOTTOilt
i-+ STOP LOGS
L.W.L.368.r5
Mrft. wat€R tw€L

STILLING BASIN ,)'

ao 8UO(Er

RIP RAP EOFOM

C'.i.0FF '/VALLS F€CULANilG
s€cto8 calE
0 5 10 15m
2'l M& WATEI

Fig. 4 Cross sectionthrough barrage of Bremgarten- NORMAL

Zufikon power plant -t€VU
GROUilO
:/ax. height: 19 m t62 ftl
Crest length: 74 m 243 ttl
Concrete volume: 13,000 m3 (17.000 cuyd)
Completed in 1975 for Aargauisches Elektri-
zitätswerk, Aarau/Switzerland
scat E

0l0d!d
Gnout E---i-

Fis. 6 Cross section through spillway.bry of Al Massira

main buttress dam
Max. height : 82 m (269 ftl
Crest length (incl.
auxiliary dams): 2,270 m lT4/;6ftl
Concrete volume
(main daml : 326,000 rn3 (426,000 cuydl
Fill volume (aux.
dams): I,184,000 mr (1,548,000 cuydl
Under construction for Direction de l'Hydraulique,
Rabat/Morocco
. :.:'tr*n&
!:a* i11' a 300 m (984 ft) long section of the downstream river
bed. The model attained the considerabie total length ol
35 m (115 ft). The tests showed that sedimentation can
be avoided by periodic purges, through two ample
bottom outlets at the dam's base. Moreover the intake to
the headrace tunnel was located immediately above the
bottom outlets. For the largest avalanche likely to reach.
the reservoir the equivalent ice volume. is.estimated at
200,000 m' (260,000 cuyd), rvhich rvould enter the
reservoir at the rate of 5,000 m3 1s 1176,700 cfs). The
simulation of this process in the model permitted to fix
the additional freeboard required in winter time to
contain any waves generated by an avalanche (9).
Fig. 5 9ownstream view of Ferden arch dam
!,4ax. height:
67 m (22Q ttl Quite diiTerent climatic conditions prevail at the arid,
Crest length:
126 m (413 ft) site of the Al tulassira (formerly Sidi Cheho) darn on the
Concrete volume: 36,000 m3 {47,000 cuyd} Oum er R'bia, 160 km south of Casablanca / ÜIorocco.
Completed in 1975 for ttaftwerk Lötschen AG, Its 2800 million mx 12,270,880 acft) reservoir will
Steg/Switzerland suppiy water to the whole coastal area between
Casablanca and Safi, irigate 80,000 ha (198,000 acres)
up- and dorvnstream edges of the
barrage foundation and produce 120 MW of peaking power (10). The
slab and uncier the upstream side of the power house. On huge reservoir will moreover reduce the 1000 year-flood
the downstr3am the latter rests on piles. Each of the five peak tiom 6,000 (121,000) to 3,500 m3/s (12j,700 cts).
bays of the barrage is equipped with a radial bottom gate The site requires a total of three dams: a g2 m (269 ft)
capable of- discharging 195 m3/s and a spillway äap irigh main dam and two auxiliary dams of 26 m (g5 ft)
rated at 45 mr/s. All gates are operaied irydraulically maximum height and 1,880 m (6,166 ft) total length"
from a galler.v in the intermediate concrete beam. These were designed as rockfill dams since they rest on
Hydrauli;s piayed also an important part in the fangiomerates. For the main dam founded on quarzite
design of the Ferden arch dam (Fig.51, which forms the rock the arch, buttress and rockfill types were con-
head-pondage for a new hydro-power scheme on the sidered and aiternative tenders invited for the lattertwo.
Lonza river h southwestern Srvitzerland replacing three The buttress dam proved to have some l5 % lorver costs.
run-ot'-river plants buiit between i897 and 1945 (g). The The buttresses have 15 m (49 ft) rvide diamond heads
main h;rdraulic-problems were the sedimentation of the and 6 m (20 ft) thick shafts. They slope 0.4;l upstream
1.7 million m' (I 395 acft) reservoir and the waves a,rd 0.5:1 downstream. The gated spillway bays occupy
generated b1.' snow avalanches. Both probiems as well as
the tops of four buttresses; three pairs of large bottom
the detailed design of the spilhvay and outlet works were outiets are arranged between them (FrS 6). A special
studied on a l:50 scale model of the whole reservoir and problem is the diversion of the river flow during

419
 6.00
F.W.L. 1069.00
N.S.W.L.
1065.00
_ ___ __ 1060.00

-- ---'€-:
-tr-.,.- r 040.00 \ 1040.00

D.!rJ.L.
--
101
5.00
FEINFORCEO CONCRETE 1000.00
FACI NG

4.00
1061.00
y_-

5.00 940.00
928.00
923.00 r - 914.00

RIP RAP R OCKF I LL ROUT CURTAIN 200cm DRAINAGE

50cm FILTER
O
H
50 1OO 15O m

Fig. 7 Cross section through Palo Quemado rockfill dam

Max. height : 150 m (492 ft)
Cress length :
Fill volume :
Designed
construction, lvhich must discharge up to 2,600 m3/s
(9 1,900cfs). In view of the limited space availabie an
l8 m (59 ft) wide and up to 30 m (98 ft) deep channel is
to be excavated into the left abutment. It will be used
until the beginning of the 1978 dry season, when the
bottom outlets become available for river diversion.
Advanced Designs
Again different climatic conditions prevail at the Palo
Quemado dam site on the tropical rvestern slope of the
Andes rvest of Quito I Ecuador. The recently completed
feasibility study for the 225 NIW Toachi-Pilaton hydro-
power plant considered several alternatives for the
l5ü m (492 tt) high dam. Concrete slructures proved to
be uneconomical due to the considerable depth of
alteration of the rock on the right abutment and the
scarcity of natural concrete aggregates, respectively the
long distance to a suitable quarry. Two rockfill dam
F.W.L.
.N.S.W.L. 809.0
420 m {1 378 ft)
6,300,000 m3 (8,200,000 cuyd)
f or I nstituto Ecuatoriano de Electrificacion. Ouito/Ecuador
alternatives were retained: one with an upstream con-
crete facing (Fig. 7), the other with a central earth core.
While the former wouid still require some 100,000 m3
(130,000 cuyd) of concrete aggregates, the latter calls
for over 600,000 m3 (780,000 cuyd) of core material.
For this a soil very common in the project area and
thought to be a light clay was considered at first. Upon
testing, holvover, it turnod out to bo a volcanic ash with
a specific gravity below one. Investigations were there-
fore directed towards an altered tuff breccia exposed in
large quanti.ties above the right dam abutment. Labor-
- atory testing revealed the. excellent properties of this
material, but it is still uncertain whether it can be
excavatöd without blasting and whether norfial compac-
tion procedures will break it down sufficiently to obtain
the required imperviousness.
The above mentioned two rockfill dam alternatives
were aiso considered for the Pueblo Vieio dam on the
12.O
812.0

0,9 4O
41
D.W.L. RIP BAP
760.7
.J a^
d
:
a .D
'J ?q
.:L . ROCKFI
^
LL' KFI
LA NO MAL OUAL ITY ST OUA L ITY t.
CORE o
o F.W.L.
5.0 3 4. 720.o
71
l_ A

FINE
FILTERS
675.0

650.0 60

CONTACT GFOUTING 42.5

GALLERY
Ao*ou, cuRrArN
50 15O m

Fig, 8 Cross section through Pueblo \/iejo rockfill dam

Max. height: 110 m (361 ft)
Crest length: 24O m (787 ft\
Filt votume: 2,700,000 mr (3,500,000 cuydl
Designed for lnstiruto Nacional de Electrificacion, Guatemala

420
 Chixoy River in northeastern Guatemala, now in the
tendering stage. The dam site is located at the entrance
to a narro*. canyon in partly karstified limestone, the
bottom oi rvhich is covered with an overburden of up to
35 m (115 fr) extending on the right abutment halfway
up to the dam's crest. Detailed investigations revealed
this overburden to be extremeiy heterogeneous and to
vary frorn strongly cemenred alluvium to lenses of loose
sand and silty to clayey ralus deposits with limestone
bouiders of up to 2 m (6.6 lt). Its impermeabilization by
means ol grouting or a diaphragm built in a slurry trench
had tnerelore to be abandoned in lavour of a cut_off
trench down to bedrock" Short of removing all the
overburden this also precluded a concrete facing on the
dam, rvhich would be endangered by the considerable
and not uniform settlements expected in the overburden
remaining in piace. The solution adopted has a slightly
inclined central core extending to the bedrock tf,,:g. Aj.
Trvo graded tiiter zones of at least 3 m (10 ft) thicineis
each prorect the core against internal erosion and drain
the seepage waler to a drainage layer extending to the
dorvnstream toe of the dam" Rockfill and ripiap will
consist of ümestone from the excavation for the spiilway
on the lefr abutment"
In contrast to these two projects a concrete arch dam
proved to be more economical for the 215 m (705 ft)
fugh Caiott dam in northwestern Honduras (Fl.g. 9). Th; Fig,9 Downstream view of model of Caion arch dam
appurtenant underground power plant with a capacity of Max. height: 215 m (705 ft)
390 MW wiil constitute the backbone of the Fiondüran Crest tength: 360 m ( 1 ,1 g0 ft)
Concrete volume: 1,000,000 m3
and Nicaraluan powef grids, whiie tire +,OOO miIi;;;t
ß,244,00 acft) multiannual reservoir contributes to the Desisnedf orEmpresa*f;,1??iooo.oÄ"Jronl"r,..
flood protectisn of the fertile Suia vailey downstream. ctrica, Teguciigalpa/ Honduras
The topographical and geoiogical conditions at the dam
site are favourable. Although this part of Honduras is
widely covered by thick layers of volcanic deposits at Energiewirtsch aft" 797 4, p" 27I - 286.
the dam site, the Humuya River denuded the limestone e) P. Volkart Modellversuche über die durch Lawinen
subbase and cut through it a natrow canyon with almost
verursachten Wellenbewegungen im Ausgleich-
verticai walls. Thus a compact and only lightly karstified sbecken Ferden im Lötschental. ..Wassei- und
rock is available as dam foundation, while the imper_ Energiewirtsch aft'" 197 4, p. 286 - 292.
viousness of the reservoir is assured by the volcanic l0) W. Wilü: Ein Wasserwirtschaftsplan für Marokko.
däposits. This was checked by a öetailed geological *Wasser-
und Energiewirtschaft,' 1972" p. 133 -
survey of the whole reservoir ares, which also paid 144.
special attention to possible iandslides. The extensive
investigations at the dam site were especially concerned
with the clay-filled faults parailelling the river in both
abutments. Comparative studies showed that complete
remoyal of the rock in front of the faults is the best
solution from the technical and economic point of view.

Bibliography
l) N.J. Schnitter: Dams Engineered by Motor-
Columbus. "World Dams Today" 1967 , p. 86 - 91.
2) N.J. Schnitter: Emosson Arch Dam.."World Dams
Today'" 1970, p. 182 - 187 .
3) N.J. Schnitter and T.R. Schneider; Abutment
Stability Investigations for Emosson Arch Dam.
Trans. lOth Int. Conf. on Large Dams" 1970, vol.
II, p. 69 - 87.
4) N.J. Schnitter: The Emosson Arch Darn. "Water
Porver" 1974, p.77 - 87.
5) J.L. llottier: L'am€nagement hydro-6lectrique
franco+uisse d'Emosson" "Bulletin technique de la
Suisse romande" 1970, p.249 -266.
6) H. Helter and F. Molina: Seepage Control Provi-
sions for Huinco Reservoir. "Trans. I lth Int. Conf.
on Large Dams" 1973, vol.Itr., p. 541 - 550.
'7) P. Fischer; Das Kraftrverk Bremgarten-Zufikon.
"Wasser- und Energiervirtschaft" 1974, p. 149 -
1 54.

8) C. Fux: Das Kraftwerk Lötschen. "Wasser- und

421