Indian Institute of Technology Jammu

Department of Civil Engineering, Jammu, J&K 181221

CVL 381: Design of Hydraulic Structures

Lecture 6

Gravity Dams

Dr. Chembolu VINAY

Hydraulics and Water Resources Eng. Division
Winter Semester, 2021

chembolu.vinay@iitjammu.ac.in
Lecture notes for B. Tech. Design of Hydraulic Structures
@indianrivers 9085857565 ©ChemboluVinay
Design of Hydraulic Structures

Lecture 6: Gravity Dams

 Reference Textbooks

Dr. P. N. Modi Dr. K. R. Arora

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 Contents

• Gravity Dams
• Forces acting on Gravity Dams
• Analysis of forces
• Design guidelines for gravity dam
• Stability Analysis of Gravity Dam
• Failure Mechanisms
• Galleries in Gravity Dams
• Exercise Problems
 Gravity Dam
Gravity Dams
1. A gravity dam is a masonry or concrete dam constructed across a river to create a reservoir.
2. Gravity Dam resist the forces exerted upon it by its own weight. Thus stability of the dam depends upon it weight.
3. Gravity dams are generally straight in plan and approximately triangular in cross-section with apex at top.
4. Very suitable for gorges with very steep slopes, which require strong foundation.

Length of Dam

Non-Overflow Overflow
section section

Heel Toe

Non-Overflow section Overflow section

 Rana Pratap Sagar Dam
• Chambal River Rajasthan
• Stone Masonry Gravity Dam

Non- Overflow Section

Overflow Section
 Forces Acting on Gravity Dam
A Gravity dam is subjected to the following
main forces:

• Weight of the dam

• Water pressure
• Uplift pressure
• Wave pressure
• Silt pressure
• Ice pressure
• Wind pressure
• Earthquake forces
 Forces Acting on Gravity Dam
1. Weight of the dam

• The weight of the dam is the main stabilising force in a gravity dam.

• The weight of the dam per unit length is equal to the product of the area of cross-section of the
dam and the specific weight of the material.
Water pressure
• The water pressure acts on the upstream and downstream faces of the dam.
Water Pressure on Inclined Faces of Dam:
 Forces Acting on Gravity Dam
2. Water pressure
• The water pressure acts on the upstream and downstream faces of the dam.

𝑤 𝐻 ′ 2
𝑃𝐻′ =
2

If U/s face vertical If U/s face inclined

upstream face of the Dam PH = upstream face of the Dam Down𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑚
𝑤𝐻 2 ′
𝑤 𝐻′ 2
𝑃𝐻 = 𝑃𝐻 =
2 2
𝑃𝑣 = 𝑃𝑣1 + 𝑃𝑣2 𝑃𝑣′ = weight of water in
triangle KFG
Example by Solving
 Forces Acting on Gravity Dam
3. Uplift pressure
• The water enters the pores, cracks and fissures with in the body of dam and at the interface between dam and
with in foundation. The water which is under pressure creates a uplift pressure on dam.

• The uplift pressure, which is acting vertically upward reduces the effective weight of dam.
Intensity of Uplift pressure without Drainage Gallery

Total uplift force on the base of the Dam

w(H − H′ )B
U = U1 + U2 = wH′ ×B+
2

Uplift Pressure in the body of the dam

w(h+h′
U= × (1 × b)
2

The uplift pressure acts through the centroid of respective diagrams

Intensity of Uplift pressure with Drainage Gallery

Effect of the drains on uplift pressure force

The uplift force U is area of pressure diagram 8-2-3-4-5-7
U = U1 + U2 + U3 + U4

1 1
U = w (H − Hd )a + Hd a + H (B − a) + (Hd − H′ )(B − a
′
2 2

Effect of the drains on uplift pressure in body of dam

1
whd = w h′ + (h − h′
3

Hd is the uplift pressure head at drainage line and a is the

distance of the line of drain from upstream edge
Intensity of Uplift pressure with Tension Crack

Effect of the tension crack

1
U = w B′ H + (H + H′ )(B − B′
2
 Forces Acting on Gravity Dam
4. Wave pressure
• When wind blows over water surface of reservoir, ripples and waves are formed. When these waves strike
upstream face of dam they cause a force on upper portion of the dam.
• The force due to wave pressure is horizontal.

Height of the wave (Molitor Formula)

hw = 0.0322 FV + 0.763 − 0.271 F 1 4 if F≤32
hw = 0.0322 FV if F>32
hw is in m, F is fetch of reservoir in km and
V is wind velocity in kmph

Total water pressure force per unit length

1 5
Pw = x hw x 2.4 w hw = 2.0wh2w
2 3
The line of action of Pw is at the centroid of the area abc, which is at a
height of 0.375hw above the still water level
 Forces Acting on Gravity Dam
5. Silt Pressure
• The silt deposited on the upstream face of the dam exerts earth pressure on the dam.
• As the silt is submerged, the silt pressure is computed assuming the submerged conditions using Rankine’s theory.

If U/s face vertical

𝑤𝑠 × ℎ𝑠2 1 − sin𝜙
𝑃𝑠ℎ =
2 1 + sin𝜙

ws = submerged unit weight of soil

Φ = angle of shearing resistance of silt

If U/s face inclined

IS 6512-1984: Criteria for
𝑤′𝑠 × ℎ𝑠2 Design of Gravity Dams
𝑃𝑠ℎ =
2
𝑃𝑠𝑣 = weight of the
equivalent liqid in the area abcd over inclined surface ad
u/s face vertical u/s face inclined
w′s is specific weight of equivalent liqued
k𝑁
= 13.34 according to IS 6512 − 1984
m3
6. Ice pressure
• At high altitude and in cold climates, ice is formed in reservoir and reservoir surface gets covered
with sheet of ice.
• The magnitude of the force due to ice pressure depends upon the following factors:
• Thickness of ice
• Restraints of rim walls
• Rate of rise of temperature
 Gravity Dam Design
Load Combination for Design of a Gravity Dam
All forces discussed in the preceding slides may not act simultaneously on the dam. The design of the dam
is based on the most adverse combination of loads which have a reasonable probability of simultaneous
occurrence.

• Load Combination A: Construction condition or reservoir empty condition -when reservoir is at FRL

• Load Combination B: Non operating condition -when reservoir is at MWL

• Load Combination C: High flood condition

• Load Combination D: Load combination A + Earthquake forces

• Load Combination E: Load combination B + Earthquake forces

• Load Combination F: Load combination C + Extreme uplift forces occur when drains are inoperative

• Load Combination G: Load combination E + Extreme uplift forces occur when drains are inoperative
Reaction of Foundation and Distribution of Vertical Stress at Base of Dam
Middle Third Rule
∑V be sum of all vertical forces and ∑H be sum of all
horizontal forces acting on dam above the base and R
be resultant of all forces.

For the Dam to be in static equilibrium, the resultant

R must be balanced by equal and opposite reaction of
foundation.

O be the centroid of the area of the base of the dam

and O’ be point of intersection of the resultant with
base.

The base of dam is subjected to eccentric loading, which is similar to the case of “Columns subjected to
Eccentric Loading” and the vertical stresses at any point on base is obtained by combining the direct
stresses and bending stresses.
𝑉 6𝑒
𝑓= 1±
𝑏 𝑏
 If Reservoir is full,
Resultant Strikes towards the Right of Centre
𝑉 6𝑒
At toe (d/s edge) 𝑓𝑦𝑑 = × 1+
𝑏 𝑏

𝑉 6𝑒
At heel (u/s edge) 𝑓𝑦u = × 1−
𝑏 𝑏

If Reservoir is Empty,
Resultant Strikes towards the Left of Centre

𝑉 6𝑒
At heel (u/s edge) 𝑓𝑦u = × 1+ +
𝑏 𝑏 𝑏
+
𝑒< 𝑏
6 𝑒<
𝑉 6𝑒 6
At toe (d/s edge) 𝑓𝑦𝑑 = × 1−
𝑏 𝑏
𝑏 + +
𝑒= 𝑏
6 𝑒=
The suffixes u and d are used for upstream and downstream edges. - 6
-
Suffix y is used for vertical stresses.
+ +
𝑏
𝑒> 𝑏
For NO TENSION to develop at any point on the base of dam, 6 𝑒>
6
eccentricity e </= b/6
• The magnitude of compressive stress increases with increase
in eccentricity (resultant shifting towards toe)
• At the point where tension occurs, a crack occurs, which
looses the area of contact with foundation.
• This reduces the effective width and results in increase in
maximum compressive stress at toe.

• In addition increase in uplift pressure due to tensile crack

further causes resultant to shift more towards toe results in
increase in compressive stress.
• At a particular stage, compressive stress exceeds allowable
stress and leads to failure of dam by crushing or overturning
Shih Kang Dam Failure

• Dam failure caused by strong motion of earthquake and remarkable

rupture of fault.

• Large displacement of ground surface

• New Dam construction away from the fault followed adequate site
investigation after the failure.

Recommendation

1. Adequate site investigation

2. Construction monitoring
3. Periodical long term monitoring.
 Gravity Dam Design
REQUIREMENTS FOR STABILITY

• The dam as a whole should be structurally safe and stable.

• Moreover every part of the dam should also be safe and stable.
• It should be able to withstand the stresses developed due to imposed loads.
• The foundations should be strong enough to carry the loads.
• Modes of failure of a gravity dam
• Overturning failure
• Sliding failure
• Tension failure
• Crushing failure (or compression failure)
 Over Turning Failure
 Failure due to overturning
• A dam would overturn about its toe, if the resultant of all forces
acting on dam passes outside the base.
• In actual case, dam may overturn, if the toe fails by crushing due
to excessive compressive stress resulting in reduction in effective
dam width causing resultant to pass outside dam section

 Mr 
FO  Stabilising or resisting moments
 Mo  overturning moments

A factor of safety between 1.5 to 2.5 is usually available and the dam
does not fail in overturning
 Sliding Failure
 Failure due to sliding
factor of safety against sliding

 V 
Fs  sum of vertical forces including uplift

H  sum of horizontal forces

μ = coefficient of friction between the material above and below the horizontal section
The factor of safety against sliding should be greater than 1.0

If the factor of safety against sliding is less than unity it does not mean that the dam will fail due to sliding. In that case the shear
friction factor (SFF) should be determined. If SFF is within the safe limits the dam is considered to be safe against sliding.

  V  bq where b = width of the dam

SFF  q = average shear strength of good rock (1400 kN/m2 to 5000 kN/m2 for good rock)
H SFF should not be less than 5 (usual condition) , 4 (under unusual condition)
Design Procedure for Gravity Dams
Design Procedure for Gravity Dams
Design Procedure for Gravity Dams
Design Procedure for Gravity Dams
 RHINOCEROS
Kaziranga, Manas, Pobitora