#Design of Ogee Spillway#

Problem statement:
Design a suitable section for the overflow portion of
a concrete gravity dam having the downstream face
sloping at a slope of 0.7H:1V . The design discharge
for the spillway is 8000 cumecs. The height of the
spillway crest is kept at RL 204.0m. The average
river bed level at site is 100m. The spillway length
consists of 6 spans having a clear width of 10m each.
Thickness of each pier may be taken to be 2.5m.

Elementary section of Ogee spillway

Solution:
For the given spillway the coefficient of discharge may be
assumed
Now ,
Q= C.L.He3/2
Where ,
Q= Discharge from the spillway
le=Effective length of the spillway crest
C=Coefficient of discharge which depends upon
various factors such as relative depth of approach (i.e d/Hd
ratio , relation of actual crest shape to the ideal nappe shape
,slope of upstream face downstream apron interference, and
submergence , etc )
He = total head over the crest including the velocity head SD

8,000=2.2 * 60 (He)3/2
He3/2 =8000/(2.2*60)
He = 60.62/3
He = 15.5m
The height of the spillway above the river bed = h= 204100= 104m
Since h/hd ,i.e. 104/15.5>1.33
It is a high spillway, the effect of velocity head can,
therefore ,be neglected.
Since (hd+ d)/H e =(Hd +h)/He =(15.5+104)/ 15.5>1.7;
The discharge coefficient is not affected by tail water
conditions, and the spillway remains a high spillway

# Design criteria for effective length:

Le = L - 2[N.KP + Ka ] He

Where;
Where
Le = effective length of the crest
L= net length of the crest
N= number of piers
Kp= pier contraction coefficient
Ka= abutments contraction coefficient
He= Total design head on the crest including velocity
head

# Value of Kp for different cases:

S.No.

Pier shape

1.

Square nosed piers

without any rounding
Square nosed piers with
corners rounded on radius
equal to 0.1 pier thickness

2.

Contraction
coefficient
0.1
0.02

Rounded nose piers and

900 cut water nosed piers

0.01

Pointed nose piers

0.0

# Value of Ka for different cases:

S.No. Shape of abutment
1.

2.

Square abutment with

head wall at 900 to the
direction of flow
Rounded abutment with
head wall at 900 to the
direction of flow

Contraction
coefficient
0.2

0.1

Effective length of spillway (Le ) :

Le can be worked out as follows:
Le = L-2[N.KP + Ka ] He
Assuming that 90 cut water nose piers and rounded
abutments shall be provided , we have
Ka = 0.01
and
KP = 0.1
No. of piers = N = 5.
Also assuming that the actual value of He is slightly
more than the approximate value worked out (i.e. 15.5
m), say, let it be 16.3 m, we have
Therefore , Le = 60 -2[50.01 + 0.1]16.3 =55.1 m.

Hence Q = 2.2 55.1 He3/2

or
8000 = 2.2 55.1 He3/2
He3/2=
8000
2.2 55.1
He3/2 = 66.0
He = 16.4 m 16.3 m(assumed)
Hence, the assumed He for calculating Le is all right. The
crest profile will be designed for

Hd = 16.4 m (neglecting velocity head).

Note : The velocity head (Ha) can also be calculated as

follows :
Velocity of approach = Va =
8000
(60 + 5 2.5)(104 + 16.4)
Va = 0.917 m/s
Velocity head = Ha = Va2 /2g
Ha = (0.917)2 = 0.043 m.
29.81
This is very small and was, therefore, neglected.

Design criteria Crest profiles for inclined u/s face:

Based on extensive experiments conducted by U.S.B.R, U.S.
army corps of engineers have developed several standard
crests of overflow spillways at its waterways experiment
station (W.E.S) at Vickesburg. These shapes, given in fig for
both vertical as well as inclined face, are known as WESstandard spillway crest. IS 6934-1973 has also adopted and
recommended these shapes. These shapes can be represented
by the following general equation:
xn= K Hdn-1 .y
Where,
(x,y) are co-ordinates of the point on the crest profile with the
origin at the highest point
Hd is the design head including the velocity head
K and n are constants depending upon the slope of upstream
face.

Different values of K and n:

Slope of u/s face of
spillway

Vertical
1:3 (1H:3V)
1:1 (1H: 1 V)

2.0
1.936
1.939

1.84
1.836
1.810

# Downstream Profile :
According to water experimental station (W.E.S.) , for a
vertical u/s face the d/s profile is given by:
x1.85 = 2. Hd0.85 y (K and n from table)

So,
y=

x1.85
= x1.85
2 (Hd )0.85 2 (1.64)0.85

y=

x1.85
21.6

Before we determine the various co-ordinates of the

d/s profile, we shall first determine the tangent point.
The d/s slope of the dam is given to be 0.7H:1V
Hance,
dy = 1
dx
0.7
Differentiating the equation of the d/s profile with
respect to x, we get
dy =
dx

1.85x1.85-1
21.6

x0.85 =

21.6
1.85 X 0.7

= 16.7

x= 22.4m
y = (22.4)1.85
21.6

= 14.6 m

The co-ordinates from x=0,x=22.4m are worked out in

table
X(meters)

Y=x1.85 /21.6(meters)

0.046

0.166

0.354

0.60

0.905

1.274

1.710

2.162

2.684

X(meters)

Y=x1.85 /21.6(meters)

10

3.240

12

4.575

14

6.020

16

7.88

18

9.74

20

11.85

22

14.35

22.4

14.60

DESIGN CRITERIA FOR THE U/S CURVE OF

THE OGEE SPILLWAY :
According to the latest studies of U.S. Army Corps,
the u/s curve of the ogee spillway having a vertical
u/s face have the following equation:
y = 0.724(x + 0.27Hd)1.85/ Hd0.85 + 0.126Hd
- 0.4315 Hd0.375 X (x + 0.27Hd)0.625
The u/s profile extends upto

X = -0.27 Hd
By the equation we can easily design the u/s side with
the help of X & Y co-ordinate.

The u/s profile . The u/s profile may be designed as per

equation
Y=0.724(x+0.27Hd)1.85 +0.126Hd 0.4315Hd0.375
(x+0.27Hd)0.625
Hd 0.85
Using Hd = 16.4m ,we get
Y= 0.724(x+0.27X16.4)1.85
16.40.85
+0.126(16.4) 0.4315(16.4)0.375(x+0.27X16.4)0.625
Y=0.07(x+4.44)1.85 +2.07 -1.234 (x+4.432)0.625
Or,
This curve should go up to x=-0.27Hd
Or,
x=-0.27X16.4=-4.443m

X in meters

Y in meters

-0.5

0.020

-1.0

0.063

-2.0

0.27

-3.0

0.65

-4.0

1.34

-4.443

2.07

DESIGNED PROFILE

The profile of the spillway has been determined

and plotted in previous figure.
A reverse curve at the toe with a radius equal to
h/4 = 104/4 = 26m can be drawn at angle 60o, as
shown in figure.