Dams

Engr. Christian J Crehencia

Dams are structures that block the flow of a river,
stream, or other waterway.
Dams are build for the following purposes:

1. Irrigation and drinking water

2. Power supply (hydroelectric)
3. Navigation
4. Flood control
5. Multipurposes
 Gravity Dam
◦ Use only the force of gravity to resist water pressure.
 Embankment Dam
◦ A gravity dam formed out of loose rock, earth, or a combination of
these materials.
 Arch Dam
◦ Are concrete or masonry structures that curve upstream into a
reservoir, stretching from one wall of a river canyon to the other.
 Buttress Dam
◦ Consists of wall, or face, supported by several buttresses on the
downstream side.
1. Consider 1 unit length (1m) of the dam (perpendicular to
the sketch.
2. Determine all forces acting:
• Vertical Forces
• Weight of the dam
• Weight of the water in the upstream side (if any)
• Weight of permanent structures on he dam (if any)
• Hydrostatic uplift
• Horizontal Force
• Total Hyrostatic force acting at the vertical
projection of the submerged portion of the dam
• Wind Pressure
• Wave Action
• Earthquake Load
3. Solve for the Reaction
3. Solve for the Reaction
• Vertical Reaction, Rx
• Horizontal Reaction, Ry
4. Moment about the toe
• Righting Moment, RM
• Overturning Moment, OM
5. Location of Ry, (X)

FACTORS OF SAFETY

Factor of Safety against sliding, FSs

FSs = fRy >1

Rx
Factor of Safety against overturning, FSo

FSo = RM
OM
For e ≤ B/6

A
(
q = - Ry 1± 6e
B
) B/3 B/3

B/6 B/6
B/3

qH
qT

Cg

B/2 B/2

B
For e > B/6

q = - 2Ry
3x
B/3 B/3 B/3

B/6 B/6

qT
e a/3

Cg

B/2 B/2
 b
In the figure shown, find the width b
of the concrete dam necessary to
prevent the dam from sliding. The
specific gravity of concrete is 2.4 and
the coefficient of friction between the 6m
base of the dam and the foundation is
0.4. use 1.5 as the factor of safety 4m

against sliding. Is the dam also safe

from overturning?
A dam is triangular in cross-section with 6m
the upstream face vertical. Water is
flushed with the top. The dam is 8 m
high and 6 m wide at the base and
weighs 2.4 tons per cubic meter. The
coefficient of friction between the base 8m
and the foundation is 0.8. determine:
a) The maximum and minimum unit
pressure on the foundation.
b) Factors of safety against overturning
and against sliding.
A. Neglecting hydrostatic uplift: 4m
1. Find the base width B of the dam so that the
resultant force will cut the extreme edge of
the middle third near the toe.
2. Compute the factors of safety against sliding
and overturning. Use f = 0.5

B. Considering uplift pressure to vary

20 m 22 m
uniformly from full hydrostatic pressure
at the heel to zero at the toe:
1. Find the base width B of the dam so that the
resultant force will act at the extremity of the
middle third near the toe.
2. Compute the maximum and minimum
compressive stresses acting against the base B
of the dam.
The section of the masonry dam is as shown. 7m
The specific weight of water is 9.81 kN/m3 El. 52
and that of concrete is 23.54 kN/m3. El. 50
assuming uplift pressure varies linearly from 1
maximum hydrostatic pressure at the heel to 1
zero at the location of the drain, determine 10 2
the following;
a. Location of the resultant force,
b. Factor of safety against sliding if
coefficient of friction is 0.75
c. Factor of safety against overturning
d. The stress at the heel and at the toe El. 0
e. The unit horizontal shearing stress at the
base B