CEL351: Design of Hydraulic Structures

Gravity Dams
Stability requirement
Load Combinations
Modes of failure of a gravity dam
Overturning
Sliding
Crushing
Tension
Principal and Shear Stresses
Elementary and Practical Profile

GRAVITY DAMS
Load Combinations
Gravity dam design should be based on the most adverse load
combination A, B, C, D, E, F or G given below using the safety
factors prescribed
9Load Combination A (Construction Condition) - Dam
completed but no water in reservoir and no tailwater.
9Load Combination B (Normal Operating Condition) - Full
reservoir elevation, normal dry weather tailwater, normal uplift;
ice and silt (if applicable).
9Load Combination C (Flood Discharge Condition) - Reservoir
at maximum flood pool elevation, all gates open, tailwater at
flood elevation, normal uplift, and silt (if applicable ).

GRAVITY DAMS
Load Combinations
9Load Combination D - Combination A, with earthquake.
9Load Combination E - Combination B, with earthquake but
no ice.
9Load Combination F - Combination C, but with extreme uplift
(drains inoperative).
9Load Combination G - Combination E, but with extreme uplift
(drains inoperative).

GRAVITY DAMS
Requirements for Stability
Modes of failure of a gravity dam:
Overturning
Sliding
Compression or Crushing
Tension.
The design shall satisfy the following requirements of stability:
9The dam shall be safe against sliding on any plane or
combination of planes within the dam, at the foundation or
within the foundation;
9The dam shall be safe against overturning at any plane within
the dam, at the base, or at any plane below the base; and
9The safe unit stresses in the concrete or masonry of the dam or
in the foundation material shall not be exceeded

GRAVITY DAMS
Requirements for Stability
The shape of a dam and curvature in its layout are pertinent in
regard to the stability and more favourable stress conditions.
Wherever possible dam and foundation designs should take
advantage of the favourable conditions accruing from curved
shapes, gradual transitions and fillets. For consideration of
stability the following assumptions are made:
9That the dam is composed of individual transverse vertical
elements each of which carries its load to the foundation without
transfer of load from or to adjacent elements. (NOTE - However.
in the stability analysis of a gravity dam, it becomes frequently
necessary to make an analysis of the whole block, wherever
special features of foundation and large openings so indicate).
9That the vertical stress varies linearly from upstream face to
downstream face on any horizontal section.

GRAVITY DAMS
Reaction of Foundations
The resultant of all horizontal and vertical forces should be
balanced by an equal and opposite reaction at the foundation
consisting of the total vertical reaction and the total horizontal
shear and friction at the base and the resisting shear and friction
of the passive wedge, if any.
For the dam to be in static equilibrium the location of this force
is such that the summation of moments is equal to zero.
The distribution of the vertical reaction is assumed as
trapezoidal for convenience only, with knowledge that the elastic
and plastic properties of both the foundation material and the
concrete do affect the actual distribution.
The problem of determining the actual distribution is
complicated by the horizontal reaction, internal stress relations
and other theoretical considerations.

GRAVITY DAMS
Overturning
The overturning of the dam section takes place when the
resultant force at any section cuts the base of the dam
downstream of the toe.
In that case the resultant moment at the toe becomes clockwise
(or -ve).
On the other hand, if the resultant cuts the base within the body
of the dam, there will be no overturning.
For stability requirements, the dam must be safe against
overturning.
The factor of safety against overturning is defined as the ratio
of the righting moment (+ ve MR) to the overturning moments (ve M0) about the toe

M R
Righting Moments
FS =
=
Overturning Moments M 0

GRAVITY DAMS
Overturning
The factor of safety against overturning should not be less than
1.5.

IS Code Recommendation
Before a gravity dam overturns bodily, other types of failures
may occur, such as cracking of the upstream material due to
tension, increase in uplift, crushing of toe material and sliding.
A gravity dam is, therefore, considered safe against
overturning if the criteria of no tension on the upstream face, the
resistance against sliding as well as the quality and strength of
concrete/masonry of the dam and its foundation is satisfied
assuming the dam and foundation as a continuous body.

GRAVITY DAMS
Sliding Resistance
Many of the loads on the dam are horizontal or have horizontal
components which are resisted by frictional or shearing forces
along horizontal planes in the body of the dam, on the foundation
or in the foundation.
A dam will fail in sliding at its base, or at any other level, if the
horizontal forces causing sliding are more than the resistance
available to it at that level.
The resistance against sliding may be due to friction alone, or
due to friction and shear strength of the joint.
Shear strength develops at the base if benched foundations are
provided and at other joints if the joints are carefully laid so that
a good bond develops.
Shear strength also comes into play because of the interlocking
of stone in masonry dams.

GRAVITY DAMS
Sliding Resistance
The stability of a dam against sliding is evaluated by comparing
the minimum total available resistance along the critical path of
sliding (that is, along that plane or combination of planes which
mobilizes the least resistance to sliding) to the total magnitude of
the forces tending to induce sliding.
Sliding resistance is a function of the cohesion inherent in the
materials and at their contact and the angle of internal friction of
the material at the surface of sliding.
The junction plane between the dam and rock is rarely smooth.
In fact, special efforts are made to avoid this condition.
There may be some lower plane in the foundation where sliding
is resisted by friction alone especially if the rock is markedly
stratified and horizontally bedded.

GRAVITY DAMS
Sliding Resistance
The factor of safety against sliding shall be computed from the
following equation and shall not be less than 1.0.

FS =

(W PU ) F + c A Fc
FH

where FS = factor of safety against sliding, W = dead load of

the dam, PU = total uplift force, = tan = coefficient of
internal friction of the material (varies from 0.65 to 0.75 for
concrete), c = cohesion of the material or permissible shear
stress at the plane considered (=1.4 N/mm2 for concrete), A =
area under consideration for cohesion, F = partial factor of
safety in respect of friction, Fc = partial factor of safety in
respect of cohesion, and FH = total horizontal force.

GRAVITY DAMS
Sliding Resistance
The partial factor of safety in respect of friction and partial factor
of safety in respect of cohesion are follows

For final designs, the value of cohesion and internal friction shall
be determined by actual laboratory and field tests.

GRAVITY DAMS
Compression or Crushing
In order to calculate the normal stress distribution at the base, or
at any section, let FH be the total horizontal force, FV be the
total vertical force and R be the resultant force cutting the base at
an eccentricity e from the centre of the base of width b, which is
equal to wherex is the distance of the resultant force R from the
toe given by

x = ( M R M o ) FV
FH

b
e= x
2

Fv

Heel

e
b/2

b/2

Toe

GRAVITY DAMS
Compression or Crushing
The normal stress at any point on the base will be the sum of the
direct stress and the bending stress. The direct stress cc is

cc

FV
=
b 1

FH
Fv

Heel

and bending stress cbc at any fibre

at distance y from Neutral Axis is

cbc

M y
=
I

M = FV e

R
e

b/2

b/2

Toe

cc

cbc,heel = - ve
b/2

cbc,toe = + ve

GRAVITY DAMS
Compression or Crushing
For rectangular section of 1 m wide and b m deep

I = 1 b 12
3

and for extreme fibre at toe or heel, y = b/2 hence the total
normal stress pn is given by

p n = cc + cbc

FV 6FV e FV 6e
=

=
1
2
b 1
b
b
b

The positive sign will be used for calculating normal stress at the
toe, since the bending stress will be compressive there, and
negative sign will be used for calculating normal stress at the heel.

GRAVITY DAMS
Compression or Crushing
The normal stress distributions for a
general case when e < b/6 the stress at
both toe and heel are compressive.
Evidently, the max compressive stress
occurs at the toe and for safety, this
should not be greater than the
allowable compressive stresses both
for the dam and foundation
materials.
When the eccentricity e is equal to b/6
we get
p n ,toe

2FV
=
;
b

FH
Fv

Heel

R
e

b/2
pn,heel

b/2

Toe

e < b/6

pn,Toe

e = b/6

pn,Toe

pn,heel = 0

pn,heel = - ve

e > b/6

p n ,heel = 0

lc

pn,Toe

GRAVITY DAMS
Tension
If e > b/6, the normal stress at the heel will be -ve or tensile.
When the eccentricity e is greater than b/6 a crack of length lc
will develop due to tension which can be calculated as

cc = cbc

FV M y
FV 12FV e b

=
lc
3
b 1
I
b 1
b

b
b
l c = 1
2 6e
9No tension should be permitted at any point of the dam under
any circumstance for moderately high dams.
9For no tension to develop, the eccentricity should be less than
b/6.
9Or, the resultant should always lie within the middle third.

GRAVITY DAMS
Tension
In case of extra high dams, 230 to 260 m, small tension within the
permissible limit is generally permitted for comparatively small
periods of loading such as heavy flood or earthquake. No tensile
stress shall be permitted at the u/s face for load combination B.
Small values of tension on the d/s face may be permitted since it is
very improbable that a fully constructed dam is kept empty and
d/s cracks which are not extensive and for limited depths from the
surface may not be detrimental to the safety of the structure.

GRAVITY DAMS
Since concrete cannot resist the
Effect
tension, a crack develops at the
heel, which modifies the uplift
pressure diagram.
Due to tension crack, the uplift
pressure increases in magnitude
and net downward vertical force or
the stabilizing force reduces.
The resultant force gets further
shifted towards toe and this leads to
further lengthening of the crack.
The base width thus goes on
reducing and the compressive
stresses on toe goes on increasing,
till the toe fails in compression or
sliding.

of Tension Cracks

GRAVITY DAMS
Principal and Shear Stresses
Consider an elementary triangular section at either the heel or
the toe of the dam section such that stress intensities may be
assumed to be uniform on its faces. The face of the dam will be a
principal plane as water pressure acts on it in the perpendicular
direction, with no accompanying shear stress.
Since the principal planes
are mutually at right
angle, the plane AB, right
angle to AC, will have only
a normal stress on it, and
will be the other principal
plane. The forces acting
on the elementary section
are shown in Fig

GRAVITY DAMS
Principal Stresses
Let ds, dr and dy be the lengths of AC, AB and BC; p = intensity
of water pressure; 1 = principal stress on plane AB; = shear
stress; and pn = normal stress. Considering unit length of the
dam, the normal forces on the planes AB, BC and CA are
respectively 1 dr, pn dy and p ds. Resolving all the forces in the
vertical direction, we get

p n dy = pds sin + 1 dr cos

dr = dy cos

ds = dy sin

p n dy = pdy sin 2 + 1 dy cos 2

1 = ( p n p sin 2 ) cos 2

1 = p n sec 2 p tan 2

1 = p n sec 2 ( p + p e ) tan 2

p n = p sin 2 + 1 cos 2

Earthquake Case

GRAVITY DAMS
Principal Stresses
The principal stress relationship is applicable to both u/s and
d/s faces.
It should be noted, however, that for the u/s face 1 will always
be less than p. Hence 1 is the minor principal stress and p is the
major principal stress for the u/s face.
For the d/s face 1 will always be greater than p, so 1 is the
major principal stress and p is the minor principal stress.
For the d/s side, the worst condition will be when there is no
tailwater, and hence p will be zero and 1 will be maximum.
If pe is the intensity of hydrodynamic pressure of tailwater due
to an earthquake the principal stress at the d/s becomes

1 = p n sec 2 ( p p e' ) tan 2

GRAVITY DAMS
Shear Stresses
Resolving all the forces in the horizontal direction, we get
dy = 1 dr sin pds cos

dy = 1dy cos sin pdy sin cos

Substituting the value of 1 we get

= ( p n sec 2 p tan 2 p )cos sin

= ( p n p ) tan

9The above equation is applicable for d/s side only.

9For the u/s side, the magnitude of will be the same but its
direction will be reversed.
9If tailwater is neglected (p = zero), the shear stress at the d/s
side will be maximum.
9Considering the hydrodynamic pressure due to earthquake, the
shear stresses at d/s and u/s are given by

= ( p n ( p p e' )) tan

= ( p n ( p + p e' )) tan

GRAVITY DAMS
Elementary Profile of a Gravity Dam
In the absence of any force other
than the forces due to water, an
elementary profile will be triangular
in section, having zero width at the
water level, where water pressure is
zero, and a maximum base width b,
where the maximum water pressure
acts.
The section of the elementary
profile is of the same shape as the
hydrostatic pressure distribution
diagram.

GRAVITY DAMS
Elementary Profile of a Gravity Dam
Consider main three forces acting on
the elementary profile of a gravity
dam viz weight of the dam
W = bH c 2

water pressure
PH = w H 2 2

and uplift pressure

PU = CbH w 2

where C = uplift pressure intensity

factor

GRAVITY DAMS
Base width of the Elementary Profile
No Tensile Stress Criterion: For the
reservoir full condition, for no tension
to develop, the resultant R must pass
through the outer third point. Taking
the moment of all forces about M2 and
equating it to zero (since the moment
of R about M2 is zero), we get
b
H
b
W PH
PU = 0
3
3
3

S c b 2 H 2 Cb 2 = 0

b=H

bH c b w H 2 H CbH w b

=0
2 3
2 3
2
3

Sc C

b=H

where Sc = specific gravity of dam material

Sc 1

c = S c w
b=H

Sc

GRAVITY DAMS
Base width of the Elementary Profile
No Sliding Criterion: For no sliding to occur, horizontal force
causing sliding should be balanced by the frictional forces
opposing the same. Hence
PH = (W PU )

b = H (S c C )

w H 2 2 = (bH c 2 CbH w 2 )
b = H S c

b = H (S c 1)

The width provided for the elementary profile should be greater

of the width given by the both criteria. If both criteria are
satisfied simultaneously then
=1

Sc C

= 1 Sc 1

= 1 Sc

GRAVITY DAMS
Stresses developed in the Elementary Profile
Case 1: Base width from No Tension Criterion:
Principal Stress:
For full reservoir condition in elementary profile e = b/6 and
Fv = W PU = bH c 2 CbH w 2 = bH w (S c C ) 2
Hence, the normal stresses at the toe and heel are
p n ,toe

2FV
=
= H w (S c C );
b

p n ,heel = 0

Corresponding principal stress at the toe (tan = b/H and no

tailwater or p = 0) will be
1 = p n sec 2 = H w (S c C )((b H )2 + 1)

1
+ 1 = H w (S c C + 1)
Sc C

1 = H w (S c C )

GRAVITY DAMS
Stresses developed in the Elementary Profile
Case 1: Base width from No Tension Criterion:
Shear Stress:
Following similar procedure, shear stress at the toe will be

= ( p n p ) tan = H w (S c C )b H
Substituting b from no tension criterion
= H w (S c C )

S c C = H w S c C

Since the normal stress at the heel is zero, the principal stress
and shear stress will be zero at heel.

GRAVITY DAMS
Stresses developed in the Elementary Profile
Case 1: Base width from No Sliding Criterion:
Principal Stress:
For full reservoir cond. in elementary profile the eccentricity is
Fv = W PU = bH w (S c C ) 2

M toe

2b
2b b 2
H
H3
=W
PH
PU
=
w
H w (S c C )
3
3
3
3
6

1
b
b
b
H2

e = x = M toe FV = 2
2
2
3 b (S c C ) 2

Substituting b from no sliding criterion

p n ,toe

FV 6e
H2
2
=
= H w ( ( S c C ) )
1 + = H w (S c C ) 2
b
b
b (S c C )

p n ,heel =

FV
b

6e
2
1 = H w (S c C ) 1 ( S c C )
b

GRAVITY DAMS
Stresses developed in the Elementary Profile
Case 1: Base width from No Sliding Criterion:
Corresponding principal stress at the toe (tan = b/H and no
tailwater or p = 0) will be

1 = p n sec 2 = H w ( ( S c C ) )2 (b H )2 + 1

1 = H w ( ( S c C ) )2 (1 (S c C ))2 + 1 = H w 2 (S c C )2 + 1

Shear Stress:
Following similar procedure, shear stress at the toe will be
= ( p n p ) tan = H w ( ( S c C ) )2 b H

= H w (S c C )

Following a similar procedure, procedure, the principal stress

and shear stress at the heel can be computed.

GRAVITY DAMS
Stresses developed in the Elementary Profile
Reservoir Empty Condition:
When the reservoir is empty, the only force acting on the
elementary profile will be its weight, acting through the first
third point M1. Hence, FV = W, and e = -b/6 so shear stress is
zero and the maximum compressive normal stress equal to
principal stress at the heel or toe thus
pn ,toe = 1 = 0;
2W
= HS c w ;
b
=0

pn ,heel = 1 =

toe = heel

GRAVITY DAMS
Limiting Height of a Gravity Dam
The only variable in the expression for the principal stress 1 at
the toe is H. The maximum value of this principal stress should
not exceed the allowable stress per for the material ie 1 per.
In the limiting case

1 = H w (S c C + 1) = per

From which, the limiting height Hlim is

H lim = per w (S c C + 1)

Hlim

Limit of Low
Gravity Dam

For finding Hlim, it is usual not to

consider the uplift. For C = 0, we get
H lim = per w (S c + 1)

High Gravity Dam Zone

GRAVITY DAMS
Limiting Height of a Gravity Dam
9If the height of the dam is more than Hlim, the max
compressive stress will exceed the permissible stress and that
condition is undesirable.
9Classification of gravity dam
Low gravity dam (H < Hlim )
High gravity dam (H > Hlim )
9For a concrete dam (Sc = 2.40 and per = 3.0 N/mm2), the
limiting height is about 88 m.
9If higher grade concrete (per = 3.0 N/mm2) is used then the
limiting height would be more.
9If the height of the dam to be constructed is more than that
Hlim , the section will have to be given extra slopes to the u/s and
d/s sides, below the limiting height, to bring the compressive
stress within the permissible limits.

GRAVITY DAMS
Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam
9The elementary profile of a gravity dam is triangular in shape,
having zero width at the top.
9However, a truly triangular section is not practical nor is it
necessarily the most economical section.
9The elementary profile of the gravity dam is only a theoretical
profile because such a profile is not possible in practice.
9Deviation from the elementary profile is due to the provision of
freeboard
top width or roadway at the top
additional loads due to the roadway

GRAVITY DAMS
Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam
Effect of Freeboard
9Freeboard is the margin provided between the top of dam and
H.F.L. in the reservoir to prevent the splashing of the waves over
the non-overflow section.
9 It also takes care of any unforeseen floods in the reservoir.
9The freeboard adopted shall be 1.5 times the corresponding
wave height hw above normal pool elevation or maximum
reservoir level, whichever gives the higher crest elevation for the
dam.
9 The freeboard above maximum reservoir level shall, however,
be in no case less than 0.9 m.
9Current practice is to provide a max freeboard equal to 3 to 4
% of the dam height, though free board equal to 5 % or more
might prove economical.

GRAVITY DAMS
Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam
Effect of Topwidth
9If some top width T = AD is provided for the elementary
section ABC, the resultant of the dam section will be shifted to
the u/s when the reservoir is empty.
9AM1 is the inner third point line, and MI is the line passing
through the centroid of the added triangle ADE. Both these lines
intersect at point H.
9For all sections below plane FHG, the resultant will, therefore,
be shifted to the left of line AM1, causing tension at the down
stream face when the reservoir is empty.
9This will require the provision of u/s batter FC1 below the
plane FHG.

GRAVITY DAMS
Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam
Effect of Topwidth
In order to find the depth h' of the plane FHG below which u/s
batter is required, we have
FH = AM =

2
T
3

FG = 3FH = 2T

h ' = AF = FG S c C = 2T S c C

Thus for heights greater than h, u/s

batter will have to be provided. The
centroidal line MIJ intersects with the
outer-third point line AM2 at J. Hence,
when the reservoir is full, the resultant
of all sections below the plane KJE is
shifted to the u/s side.

GRAVITY DAMS
Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam
Effect of Topwidth
In order to bring the resultant back to
the outer third point line, for the sake of
economy, the slope of d/s face may be
flattened, bringing it from EB to
position EB1.
Thus, due to the provision of some top
width T, the net economical section will
be ADEB1C1F
It can be seen that as the top width is
increased, the u/s batter is increased
while the d/s slope is decreased.

GRAVITY DAMS
Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam
Effect of Topwidth
Increase in concrete volume due to provision of top width is
counter-balanced by the reduction in the d/s slope at lower levels.
The concrete added for the provision of top width decreases,
rather than increases, the total concrete volume in the dam.
However, the most economical top width is the function of
height of dam.
Creager has shown that the most economical top width,
without, considering earthquake effects, is found to be about 14
% of the height of dam.
However, for dams of low height, the top width provided on the
basis of economy (ie.14 % of height) may have to be increased
from other practical considerations, such as provision of
roadway on the top etc.

GRAVITY DAMS
Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam
Thus due to provisions of
freeboard and top width, some
concrete is to be provided to the
upstream side and some concrete is
removed from the downstream side
to eliminate tension and/or to
economize.
Fig. shows the starting dimensions
of the practical profile of a gravity
dam.
The final dimensions should be
fixed after checking stability in all
the load combinations