Example:

For the gravity dam shown on figure below, determine:

A. The factor of safety against sliding.
B. The shear friction factor.
C. The factor of safety against overturning.
D. Check whether there is tension.
E. The maximum (at the Toe) and the minimum (at the Heel) vertical stress.
F. The principal and the shear stress at the Toe.

Consider reservoir full condition. Take = 0.7, = 24 / , = 1000 / and =

1400 /
Solution:
1. weight of the dam
=
= 24 /
= ∗ 15 ∗ 20 = 150
= 6 ∗ 20 = 216

= = 24000 ∗ 150 = 3600000 = /

 Acting at 10 from the toe
= = 24000 ∗ 216 = 5184000 = /
 Acting at 18 from the toe
Considering the toe as a rotation point

2. Water pressure
2.1.External water pressure
Upstream water load

= = ∗ 10000 ∗ 27 = 3645000 = /

 Acting at 9 from the base

Since there is no tail water we will not consider downstream water load.
2.2.Uplift water load
 1 1
= ∗ = 10000 ∗ 27 ∗ 21 = 2835000 = /
2 2
 Acting at 14 from the toe

A. the factor of safety against sliding

∑
. .=
∑
 Summation of vertical forces
+ − = 3600 + 5184 − 2835 = /
 Summation of horizontal forces
Only = /

. ∗
. .= = . > 1 ………….Safe

B. the shear friction factor

∑ ( . ∗ ) ( ∗ )
. . .= ∑ = ∑
= = . > 5………. Safe
C. the factor of safety against overturning
Moment is calculated considering the toe as a rotation point.
= =

 Only and have restoring effect.

= ( ∗ 10) + ( ∗ 18) = (3600 ∗ 10) + (5184 ∗ 18) =

 have overturning effect

= ( ∗ 9) + ( ∗ 14) = (3645 ∗ 9) + (2835 ∗ 14) =

= = = . > 1.5…………………..Safe

D. Check whether there is tension.

Maximum stress: Taking the moment of all the forces about toe

∑ = ( ∗ 10) + ( ∗ 18) − ( ∗ 9) − ( ∗ 14)

∑ = (3600 ∗ 10) + (5184 ∗ 18) − (3645 ∗ 9) − (2835 ∗ 14)
∑ = −

ℎ ℎ = (∑ ) ∗ , where is the distance of

the point where the resultant strike the base.
 Therefore: = ∑
= = .
21
, = − =
− 9.55 = .
2 2
 For no tensile stress eccentricity ( ) should be less than
21
= = .
6 6
< ↔ 0.94 < 3.5, there is no tension.

E. The maximum (at the Toe) and the minimum (at the Heel) vertical stress.

∑
/ = 1±

∑ ∗ .
= 1+ = 1+ = . / ………at the Toe.

∑ ∗ .
= 1− = 1− = . / ……….at the Heel.

F. The principal and the shear stress at the Toe.

Principal stress at the Toe:
= ∗ ∅
∅ = ∅ + 1 = 0.75 + 1 = 1.5625
= 360.12 ∗ 1.5625 = . / < / …..Safe

Shear stress at the Toe:

= ∗ ∅ = 360.12 ∗ 0.75 = . /