Principal and Shear Stresses

Principal Stress: 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, considered at right angles to
the face AC, well also 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.
Let ds, dr and dy be the lengths of AC, AB and BC; p = intensity of
water pressure; .σ1 = principal stress on plane AB; .τ = shear stress; and
pn = normal stress. Considering unit
length of the dam, the normal forces
on the planes AB, BC and CA are
respectively . σ 1 dr, pn dy and p ds.
Resolving all the forces in
the vertical direction, we get

But therefore

Hence
1
If pe is the intensity of hydrodynamic pressure due to an earthquake,
then the principal stress is given by

This equation is known as the principal stress relationship, and is

applicable to both upstream and downstream faces. It should be noted,
however, that for the upstream face σ 1 will always be less than p.
Hence σ 1 is the minor principal stress and p is the major principal stress

46
for the upstream face. For the downstream face σ 1 will always be
greater than p, so σ 1 is the major principal stress and p is the minor
principal stress. However, for the downstream side, the worst condition
will be when there is no tailwater, and hence p will be zero and σ 1 will
be maximum. If pe’ is the intensity of hydrodynamic pressure of
tailwater due to an earthquake the principal stress at the downstream
becomes

Shear Stress: Resolving all the forces in the horizontal direction, we get

Substituting the value of σ 1 we get

.
The above equation is applicable for downstream side only. For the
upstream side, the magnitude of . will be the same but its direction will
be reversed. If tailwater is neglected (p = zero), the shear stress at the
downstream side will be maximum. Considering the hydrodynamic
pressure due to earthquake, the shear stress at downstream is given by

Similarly, the shear stress for the upstream side is given by

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Gravity Dam Design steps
Step 1
Consider 1 unit length (1 m length) of dam perpendicular to the cross section.

Step 2
Determine all the forces acting:
1. Vertical forces
 = Weight of dam
 = Weight of water in the upstream side (if any)
 = Hydrostatic uplift
 Weight of permanent structures on the dam
2. Horizontal forces
 = Horizontal component of total hydrostatic force
 Wind pressure, wave action, floating bodies, earthquake load, etc.

Step 3
Solve for the reaction
1. Horizontal component of the reaction

2. Vertical component of the reaction

Step 4
Moment about the toe
1. Righting moment,
= Sum of all rotation towards the upstream side
2. Overturning moment,
= Sum of all rotation towards the downstream side

Step 5
Location of as measured from the toe

Factors of Safety
Factor of safety against sliding,

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Factor of safety against overturning, = RM/OM > 1.5

Where = coefficient of friction between the base of the dam and the
foundation.

Foundation Pressure
Eccentricity,

If , is within the middle third and the foundation pressure is

trapezoidal (triangular if is exactly ) acting from heel to toe.

For the sign of , use (+) at point where is nearest. From the diagram
above, use (+) for and (-) for . A negative indicates compressive stress
and a positive indicates tensile stress. A positive will occur when .
In foundation design, soil is not allowed to carry tensile stress, thus, any
will be neglected in the analysis.

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If , is outside the middle third and the foundation pressure is
triangular.

- See more at: http://www.mathalino.com/reviewer/fluid-mechanics-and-hydraulics/analysis-gravity-

dam#sthash.UaVEbNe7.dpuf

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Some of calculations
Example 1: The following figure gives profile of a gravity dam with reservoir level as
shown. If the coefficient of friction is 0.75, is the dam safe against overturning and
sliding?

Calculate the maximum vertical stresses at the heel and toe of the dam? Also, check if
there is tension will be developed or not? Justify your answer?

Assume weight of concrete at 24 KN/m3 and for water (γw = 9.81 KN/m3).

7m

(1300.0 m)
m)
(Max W.L. 1297.0 m)
(1290.0 m)

W1

W2
P

(1200.0
m)
75 m

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Forces acting on the dam

Name of designation Magnitude in KN Lever Moment about

force arm in toe in KN.m
m

down ward: W1 (7)(100)(1)(24)=16800 71.5 +1201200

weight of
W2 (0.5)(68)(90)(1)(24)=73440 45.33 +3329280
dam
U (0.5)(951.57)(75)(1)=35683.875 50 -1784193.75
Uplift
pressure

Water P (0.5)(951.57)(97)(1)=46151.145 32.333 -1492220.355

pressure on
u/s face

∑V=54556.13 ∑M=1254065.895

Net Moment = 1254065.895 KN.m

M+ve= 4530480 KN.m ; M -ve = 3276414.105

The various forces and their moments about the toe are then calculated and tabulated
in the table before. From the table we have:

Distance of resultant from the toe (X’)

X’= (∑Mnet)/ ( ∑V)

X’= (1254065.895)/(54556.13) = 22.987 m

Eccentricity (e) = (B/2) – X’ = (75/2)-22.987 = 14.513 m

B/6 = 12.5  [e > (B/6)]

Some tension will be developed, where the resultant force lies outside the middle third

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 PV = (∑V/B)[1+(6e/B)]

PVmax =(54556.125)/(75)[1+ [(6)(14.513)]/75)] = 1571.973 KN/m2

PVmin =(54556.125)/(75)[1- [(6)(14.513)]/75)] = -117.143 KN/ m2

Factor of safety against sliding: = (µ∑V /∑H)

= (0.75)(54556.125)/46151.145)

= 0.886 < 1.0 (not safe)

Factor of safety against overturning:

= ( ∑M+ve /∑M-ve )

=4530480/3276414.105

=1.383 < 1.5 (not safe)

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Example 2: The following figure gives profile of a gravity dam with reservoir level as shown and
the following data are as follows:
The coefficient of friction is 0.70, the specific weight of concrete is 24 KN/m3 and for water (γw =
10 KN/m3). Assume the fetch length (F) =35 km and the wind speed (V) = 22 km/h. Also assume
the silt reaches up to level= 110.0 m. Neglect the effect of the earthquake forces. Take the
sediment saturation unit weight= 20 KN/m3 and the angle of internal friction of the soil as
Φ=30O.
Draw with neat sketches` all the forces diagrams which act on the Dam
Determine if the dam is safe against overturning and sliding?
Determine if there will be tension or not?
Calculate the maximum vertical stresses at the heel and toe of the dam.

H s  0.032 V .F  0.763  0.274 F for F< 32 km

H s  0.032 V .F for F> 32 km

Pwave  2 w H s2 1  sin s
Ka 
1  sin  s
Psilt  12 K a  s' hs2

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 Name of the force Designation Magnitude (KN) Arm Moment about the

of given toe (KN.M)

Downward W1 (+) 0.5*2*20*24= 480 15.67 7521.6

Wight
Of the dam W2 (+) 5*20*24*=2400 12.5 30000

W3 (+) 0.5*10*20*24=2400 6.67 16008

Wight of water supported on Water (+) 0.5*1.8*18*10=162 16.4 2656.8

U.S face

Wight of water supported on Water (+) 0.5*1.5*3*10=22.5 0.5 11.25

D.S face
Total=5464.5 Total=56197.65

Uplift pressure
U1 (-) 30*13=390 6.5 2535-

U2 (-) 4*80=320 15 4800-

U3 (-) 0.5(80-30)*13=325 8.67 2817.75-

U4 (-) 0.5*100*4=200 15.67 -3134

Total= (-)1235 Total= (-)13286.75

Horizontal forces:

Name of the force Designation Magnitude (KN) Arm Moment about the toe
(KN.M)
of given

Water pressure
P (-) 0.5*(10*18)*18 6 -9720
= 1620
P' 1 45
(-) 0.5*(10*3)*3
= 45

Total=1575 Total=(-)9675

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 Silt pressure Ps
Ka=0.33
P= 0.5* Ka* γs*hs2
= 0.5*0.33*10*102
= -166.65 3.33 -555.5

Wave pressure Pw Hs=0.032(22*35)0.5=0.888

Pwave=2*γwater*Hs2
= 2*10*0.8882= -15.77 118.333 -289.12

Ʃ H = 1757.42 Ʃ M3 = (-) 10519.62

Ʃ H=1757.42KN, Ʃ V = 4229.5 KN
Ʃ M+ve = 56242.65 KN.M, Ʃ M-ve = 23851.37 KN.M, Therefore, Ʃ Mnet = 32391.28 KN.M

Check against overturning:

F.S. =
M 
M 
56242.65
F.S. = = 2.36 > 1.5, Safe
23851.37

Check against sliding:

 V
F.S. =
H
0.7 * 4229.5
F.S. = = 1.68 > 1.0, Safe
1757.42

Distance of resultant from toe:

X 
M net
=
32391.28
= 7.65 m
V 4229.5

B 17
e= X= – 7.65 = 0.85 m
2 2
B
e< =2.83 ( No Tension)
6

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Vertical Stresses:

Pv =
 V 1  6e 
B  B

4229.5  6 * (0.85 
Pv (max) = 1   = 323.42 KPa
17  17 

4229.5  6 * (0.85 
Pv (min) = 1   = 174.16 KPa
17  17 

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