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CONSTRUCTION FEATURES OF
HYDROPOWER PROJECTS
Dereje A(MsC)
School of Hydraulic and Water Resource Engineering

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Main feature of hydropower project:

 Storage
 Conveyance
 Power house

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 Reservoirs
o Purpose: to stabilize the flow of water in order to satisfy
a varying demand from consumers or of regulates water
supplied to a river course.
o Investigation of reservoir sites:
In an investigation of a potential reservoir site,
consideration must be given to the amount of rainfall,
runoff, infiltration, and evapotranspiration which occurs
in the catchments area. The climatic, topographical
and geological conditions are therefore important, as is
the type of vegetation cover.
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 Basic data for reservoir design studies:
1. Topographical Map
2. Hydrological records
o Leakage from reservoirs:
The most attractive site for a large impounding reservoir
is a valley constricted by a gorge at its out fall with steep
banks upstream so that a small dam can impound a large
volume of water with a minimum extent of water spread.
However, two other factors have to be taken in to
consideration:
I. The water tightness of the basin and
II. Bank stability 4
Exclusions:
 Troubles from seepage can usually be controlled by
exclusion or drainage techniques.
1. Cut of trenches
2. Grouting
3. Impervious lining – Asphalt membrane
4. Clay blankets
Drainage gallery:
 Any seepage water through the foundation will be
intercepted by the drain hole and brought up to a
collection drain from where water is pumped out.
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 Concrete Dam Construction
I. Inspection galleries
II. Transverse joints (Inter block joints): vertical
contraction joints are formed at regular intervals of 12-
15m along the dam axis.
The joints are made necessary be the shrinkage and
thermal characteristics of mass concrete.
They permit minor differential movements between
adjacent blocks, and in their absence major transverse
cracks will develop
I. Construction joints (inter life joint):
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 Cont…
 individual concrete pours within each monolith
must be limited in volume and in height to reduce
post construction shrinkage and cracking.
 the objective is to maximize shrinkage before
pouring abutting lifts of concrete in adjacent
blocks.

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 Stages in dam site appraisal and
project development Activities:
ACTIVITY TIME SPAN (YEARS)

Strategic planning:
project initiation
3-20
Field Mapping, surveys,
Reconnaissance data collection

Feasibility studies Technical

1-3
and report resources, options,

Phase 1: Dam site Resrvoir site

evaluation evalaution
2-4
Confirmation of dam
type

Phase 2: Dam site

investigation
1-2

Dam design

Foundation feed
Construction 2-6 8
back
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Cont…
Sequences of Concret dam Construction

Formwork Erection

Surface preparation and placing concrete

Compaction by vibrators

Interval for initial shrinkage

Curing of the completed pour

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 Cont…
 The desirable characteristics for a mass concrete for use in
dam can consequently be summarized as follows.
 Satisfactory density and strength
 Durability
 Low thermal volume change
 Resistance to cracking
 Economy
 Ordinary Portland cement is not recommended in dam
construction. The resulting temperature rise and heat gain in
large pours is unacceptable in relation to consequent problems
of shrinkage, heat dissipation and cracking. It is therefore
preferable to employ a low heat or modified Portland cement.11
 Cont…
 Aggregate :( Cheap, inert)
A maximum size of coarse aggregate of 75-100 mm is
considered the optimum with rounded or irregular natural
gravels generally preferable to crushed rock aggregates. In
fine aggregate range, i.e. <4.67mm size natural sands are
similarly preferable to crushed fines. Aggregates should be
clean and free from surface weathering or impurities.
 Water:
Water for use in concrete should be free of undesirable
chemical contamination, including organic contaminates. A
general standard is that the water should fit for human
consumption. 12
Cont…
 Admixtures:
Air entraining agent, (AEA) is added to the concrete
which helps in reducing the water contents, and
handling becomes easy. Water reducing admixture
(WRAs) is sometimes employed to cut the water
requirement, typically by 7-9%. They are also
effective in delaying setting time under conditions of
high ambient temperatures.

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 Concrete mix parameter:
 The parameters which are principally responsible for
controlling the properties of concrete manufactured with
specific cement and aggregates are cement content, C (kg/m3);
water content, w (kg/m3)and water: cement ratio (by
weight).
 Some further influence can be exerted through the addition of
the use of other admixtures such as AEA and WRA.
 The in-situ properties of the mature concrete are dependent
upon attaining maximum density through effective compaction.
The ability to achieve this is largely controlled by the physical
characteristics of the fresh concrete, notably its cohesiveness
and workability which is related to the mix proportions,
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principally in terms of the water, cement and fines contents.
Cont…
 Handling and placing of concrete:
 Controlling concrete temperature:

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Tank You

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