Maroon Dam Performance and

Upgrade Design using Percentage

of Acceptable Flood Capacity Are
we there yet?
Malcolm Barker | GHD Principal Engineer Dams
Alireza Mojami | GHD Senior Engineer Dams
Colin Thompson | Seqwater Senior Project Manager

Presentation Contents
- General Description
- Issues
- Geotech Investigation
- Risk Analysis
- Acceptable Flood Capacity %

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

AFC Definition
The minimum required
acceptable flood capacity
(AFC) all proposed and
existing referable dams in
Queensland must be able
to safely pass.
Fallback (PMP-DF)
Risk basis satisfy ALARP
Cost/Benefit Ratio <1.0
Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

The Issues

Slope failure right abutment during construction

Low strength clay horizons (8 friction - 13 J.Barry-Cooke)
Pore pressure uncertainty for high floods
Low slope stability factors of safety Normal and Flood
loading
Inadequate spillway capacity (36% to 51% AFC)
Abutment piping Normal and Flood loading
Spillway back erosion into reservoir
Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

What did we do - Winston Churchill

True Genius resides in the capacity for the

evaluation of
uncertain,
hazardous and
conflicting
Information

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Embankment Boreholes and Cross Sections

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Clay Occurrences
Three main sources of clay:
Landslide Clay thicker up to 10 cm
Shear zones thinner up to 2 cm
Extremely low strength claystone or clayey siltstone

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Claystone

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Investigation findings Clayey

Layers
Detailed examination (samples pulled apart)
Weathered fissured/shattered siltstone or
claystone.

Some polished surfaces and/or slickenslided

surfaces.
Striations on some surfaces.
Little effort is required to break down the
shattered/fissured stiff clay fragments to a soft
silty clay.

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Clay Variation along Potential Failure Plane

Zone
Landslide

Lower Strength
weighting
30%

Expected Strength
weighting
20%

Upper Strength
weighting
17%

Clay Zone

60%

50%

36%

Shear Zone

10%

30%

47%

Potential Failure surface

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Strength Test Results

50

200

400

800
Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Risk Analysis
Be thankful for the problems for if
they were less difficult, someone
else with less ability would have
your job

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Risk Analysis Flood Hydrology and %AFC Approach

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Risk Analysis Failure Modes

Flood Normal Failure Mode Description
F1

Flood overtopping

F2a

F3a

Downstream stability main dam

F2b

F3b

Downstream stability left abutment

F2c

F3c

Downstream stability right abutment

F4a

F5a

Piping through embankment dessication cracking

F4b

F5b

F4c

F5c

F4d

F5d

F6

F6

Piping through embankment poorly compacted layer

Piping through embankment poorly compacted layer along
conduit
Piping through embankment cracking induced by
foundation movements
Piping through embankment cracking induced by foundation
movements during earthquake
Piping through foundation right abutment

F7

F7

Spillway Back Erosion

E5d

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Existing Risk

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Existing Risk Contributions

Piping Foundation 68.3%

Slope Stability 29.2%
Overtopping 1.5%

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Proposed Solution

Stage 1
Stage 2

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Risk Contributions after Stage 1 Upgrade

Slope Stability 81.1%

Overtopping 10.3%

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

AFC Schedule for Upgrade Works

Tranche

Required minimum flood

discharge capacity

Date by which the required

minimum flood capacity is to be in
place for existing dams
1 October 2015

25% of AFC or at least

1:2000 AEP for erodible dam
embankments (whichever is
the bigger flood)

65% of AFC

1 October 2025

100% of AFC

1 October 2035

AFC Fallback Compliance

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Cumulative Risk Contribution

95% at RL 218.65m

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Reservoir Start Level for Probabilistic Analysis

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Percentage AFC Compliance (Fallback)

Description
Initial water level
Peak water level
Peak inflow
Peak outflow
Hydrograph duration
Percentage AFC

Start Reservoir Level

217.5 m AHD
AFC guideline start level
218.65 m AHD
516 m/s
252 m/s
6 hours
15.7%

215 m AHD
probabilistic analysis start level
218.65 m AHD
1,075 m/s
252 m/s
6 hours
32.7%

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Risk Analysis Flood Hydrology and %AFC Approach

Reduction

25%

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

AFC % with Risk Analysis URS 25%

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

URS 25% Compliance Flood Frequency data

25%

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Staging Compliance
AFC requirement

25% AFC

65% AFC

100% AFC

Date for Compliance

2015

2025

2035

URS

<25%
Abutment upgrade

65% OK

<100%
Slope stability upgrade

GHD

OK
60% AFC

<65%
Abutment
upgrade

<100%
Slope stability upgrade
Overtopping upgrade

Probabilistic analysis
existing spillway
RL 217.5 m

OK
60% AFC

<65%
Abutment
upgrade

<100%
Slope stability upgrade
(overtopping upgrade
may not be required)

Flood frequency data

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Conclusions
Maroon Dam upgrade required by 2015.
Extensive geological modelling and analysis was used to
evaluate the nature and extent of low strength clay.
Probabilistic flood frequency used for Risk Analysis and
AFC compliance analysis.
The percentage AFC compliance using the risk analysis
approach was successfully used to confirm the proposed
staging of the works
This approach has also identified the potential for
deferral or elimination of part of the final stage of the
upgrade works in 2035 on a risk basis.

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013

Stage 1 by 2015
Abutment grouting and pressure relief systems to EL 219.5 m
Stability upgrade with a 33 m wide berm using material
borrowed from the spillway chute

Maroon Dam NZSOLD 2013