spillway is hydraulic structure that by pass surplus water

that cannot be contained in the allotted storage space in the

reservoir behind a dam or diverted flow from a reservoir to
a conveyance channel to meet demand .
Aspects involved in spillway design
 Spillway types
Depending on the site conditions and hydraulic particularities
an overflow structure can be of various designs:

1- overflow spillway
2- Side-channel spillway
3- Siphon spillway .
 Overflow spillway
An overflow spillway is most often constructed as part of
a gravity dam or a buttress dam. The spillway section is
lower than the other sections of the dam allowing water
to flow over its top and down its front face.
Main types of overflow structure

Frontal overflow Side overflow Shaft overflow

Frontal overflow
Shaft overflow spillway
Shaft
spillway
Side channel overflow spillway
 Over flow spillway design
The height of the overflow is usually a small portion of the dam height.
Further, gates may be positioned on the crest for “overflow regulation”.
During the floods, if the reservoir is full, the gates are completely open
to promote the overflow.
A large number of reservoir with a relatively small design discharges are
ungated.
The overflow structure has a hydraulic behavior that the discharge
increases significantly with the head on the overflow crest.
𝟑
𝑸 = 𝑪𝑳( 𝟐𝒈)𝑯𝑫 𝟐
where;
H=HD+(v^2/2g)
bc = spillway crest length (m)
HD = total energy head above the crest ( usually approximated as the
depth H , above the crest assuming negligible approach velocity in the
reservoir )
The discharge coefficient Cd can approximated by ( Vischaner and Hager
1998 )
𝟐 𝟒𝜷
𝑪𝒅 = (𝟏+ ) for 𝟎 ≤ 𝜷 ≤ 𝟑
𝟑 𝟑 𝟗+𝟓𝜷

𝑯
Where ,𝜷 = , ratio of actual operating head to the design head .
𝑯𝑫
 Crest Shape
.
Several description of the crest profile geometric have been presented some
examples are :
𝒀 𝑿
= 𝟎. 𝟓 ( )𝟏.𝟖𝟓 Creage-scimemi equation I
𝑯𝑫 𝑯𝑫
𝒀 𝑿 𝟏.𝟖
= 𝟎. 𝟒𝟕 ( ) Creage-scimemi equation II
𝑯𝑫 𝑯𝑫
𝒀 𝑿
= 𝟎. 𝟒𝟔𝟏 ( )𝟏.𝟖𝟓 Smetana equation
𝑯𝑫 𝑯𝑫
𝒀 𝑿 𝟐
= 𝟎. 𝟓𝟓𝟔 ( ) Demarch equation
𝑯𝑫 𝑯𝑫
Where :
X = horizontal distance from the original at the apex of the crest in the
downstream direction vertical distance D.S from the origin .
The water ways experimental ( WES , US army crops of engineering )
Present the following profile on the downstream side
𝒀 𝟏 𝑿
= ( )𝒏
𝑯𝑫 𝑲 𝑯𝑫
(K) and (n) vary with the slope of the upstream face of the downstream spillway
as shown in the accompanying figure .
Elementsh of Crest Profile
a

h0 HD
xc x
yc
R1 y
P R2
Where K and n are constants whose values depend on the
upstream inclination and on the velocity approach head, ha.
Value of K
Value of n
Value of Xc
Value of Yc
 Side channel spillway design
The discharge through any section of the side channel
distance x from the upstream end of the channel is
𝟑
𝑸=𝑿∗𝑪∗ 𝑯𝑫𝟐

The following equation is used to compute the water

surface profile in side channel
𝑸𝟏 𝒗𝟏 + 𝒗𝟐 ∆𝑸
∆𝒅 = ∆𝒗 + 𝒗𝟐 + 𝑺𝕠∆𝒙 − 𝑺𝒇∆𝒙
𝒈 𝑸𝟏 + 𝑸𝟐 𝑸𝟏
Siphon spillway
By applying Bernoulli equation between D.S & U.s
𝒑𝟏 𝒗𝟏𝟐 𝒑𝟐 𝒗𝟐𝟐
+ 𝒛𝟏 + = + 𝒛𝟐 + + 𝜮𝒉𝒍
𝜹𝒈 𝟐𝒈 𝜹𝒈 𝟐𝒈
Where
𝒗𝟐𝟐 𝒗𝟏𝟐
& = zero
𝟐𝒈 𝟐𝒈
P1 & p2 atmospheric pressure
𝜟𝒛 = 𝜮𝒉𝒍
𝜮𝒉𝒍 = major losses+ minor losses
𝒗𝟐 𝒍
Major losses =𝒇 ∗ ∗
𝟐𝒈 𝒅
Minor losses= inlet losses + head losses+exit losses
 Gated spillway
Currently most large dams are equipped with gates to allow for a
flexible operation.
Improper operation and malfunction of the gates is the major
concern which may lead to serious overtopping of the dam.
In order to inhibit floods in the tailwater, gates are to moved
according to gate regulation.
Gates should be checked against vibrations.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of
Gates
The advantages of gates at overflow structure are:
Variation of reservoir level
Flood control
Benefit from higher storage level

The disadvantages are:

Potential danger of malfunction
Additional cost, and maintenance
Three types of gates are currently favored;
Hinged flap gates
Vertical lift gates
Radial gates

Flap gate Vertical Radial gate

gate
According to Hager & Bermen (1998) the flow over a spillway
with vertical sluice gate is ;
1/9
2
0.5 𝐻𝐷 3
3 3 1
𝑄 = 𝐶𝑑 ∗ 𝑏𝑐 ∗ 2𝑔 𝐵2 − 𝐵−𝐴 2 +𝐴
6
Where,
B= H/HD ,A=a/HD

For radial gates

0.5
𝑄 = 𝐶𝑑 ∗ 𝐺𝜊 ∗ 𝑏𝑐 2𝑔
Where,
𝐺𝜊; gate opening
bc; crest length
Cd; discharge coefficient
Effect of Abutment & piers on spillway
discharge
The effect of abutment & piers on the efficiency of the flow over the soillway
is addressed through the use of an effective crest width, the dimension
perpendicular to the flow
𝒃𝒆 = 𝒃𝒄 − 𝟐 𝒏𝑲𝒑 + 𝑲𝒂 𝑯
Where ,
Kp ; pier contraction coefficient
n; number of Piers
Ka; abutment contraction coefficient
bc; net crest width

𝑸 = 𝑪 ∗ 𝒃𝒆 ∗ 𝑯𝟑/𝟐