Design of Concrete

Buttress Dams
Typical Concrete Buttress Dam
Lake Tahoe Dam impounds the Truckee River in northern California
Concrete Buttress Dams
Are rigid structure with a slopping upstream
membrane (Deck) supported by buttresses.

Are adaptable to an overflow or a non-overflow type.

Are suitable where bearing pressures of the rock is 2
- 3 MPa.
Compared to their Gravity
counterpart,
Threat of deterioration of concrete is more likely,

require 1/2 to 2/3 of the concrete [economical for dams of h 14m],
hence may be used on weak foundation

formwork needs skilled labor,

Increased surface area to volume ratio,
Better heat dissipation,
Increased speed of construction,

More safety against overturning and sliding [because of the larger vertical
component of hydrostatic force exerted on the dam (highly inclined u/s face)]

More equal distribution of stresses of foundation.

Eliminate a good deal of uplift pressure ( if no spread footing, joining the
buttresses is used)
Classification of Buttress Dams
Two ways of classification
A. Based on the type of deck
1. Deck/flat slab or Amberson type
2. Multiple-arch type
3. Multiple-dome type
4. Massive/bulk head type

B. Based on the joint between the deck and buttresses
1. Rigid buttress dams
2. Articulated buttress dams
3. Intermediate or semi-rigid buttress dams
The various methods for the
structural design of loaded
deck and its supporting
buttresses is a
READING ASSIGNMENT.
Loading
Considers possible service loading
Stability of dam and foundation
Stresses with in allowable limits
Satisfactory water-tightness
Structural integrity
Loads on Buttress Dam
The loads are the same as that of gravity dams.

Uplift forces are less important.

Internal stresses caused by temperature
changes and yielding of abutments need to be
considered.

Wind blowing diagonal to the buttress axis is
critical.

Foundation stresses are generally small.
Design of Flat-slab Buttress Dam
Involves:
Determination of economical
Buttress spacing and
Upstream slope

Design of Deck slab and other details

Preliminary design of Buttress

Check for overall stability.

Economic factors in Design of Flat-
slab Buttress Dam
The mean height of the dam
The presence of
Continuous footing or
Mat foundation

The presence of spillway over the dam

The unusual foundation or sidehill conditions

The slope of upstream face of the dam.

Disadvantages of Buttress Dams
needs reinforcement and expensive
shuttering
needs more skilled labor
slabs and columns are highly stressed;
danger of deterioration of concrete of the
upstream deck
more susceptible to damage by sabotage