FLOOD MANAGEMENT AND RIVER ENGINEERING (CE 805) 8th sem (for secA &B )

Date: 16/5/20

BUTTRESS DAM

Buttress dam mainly consists of a number of piers or buttresses dividing the total length of the dam
into a number of spans. All the spans are covered with inclined concrete slab or arches on the
upstream side of the piers. When the spans are covered with flat inclined slab, it is known as deck
type buttress dam. When the spans are covered with arches, it is known as multiple arches buttress
dam. The buttresses are equally spaced, triangular walls proportional to transmit to the foundation
the water load and the weight of the structure.

The elements of this dam are the sloping slab, buttresses, mat foundation and lateral braces. The
function of the braces is to reinforce the buttress. To prevent seepage cut-off walls may be provided.
Fig 7.4 shows section through concrete buttress dam.

Buttress dam are of the following types:

i) Rigid type: In this case sloping deck slab is cast monolithically with the buttresses. No allowance is
made for settlement of the foundation. Multiple arch dam and multiple dome dams fall under this
group.

ii) Articulated buttress dam: These are the flexible dams. The slab is not cat monolithically with the
buttresses. Flat slab buttress dam is of this type.

iii) Semi-rigid dam: Round head buttress dam and diamond head buttress dams are such type dams.
In the design of this dam no undesirable rigidity is considered.
.
.