Methods of design of Arch Dams

Commonly used methods are:

i. Thin cylinder theory
ii. Thick cylinder theory
iii. Elastic arch theory
iv. Trial load analysis
v. Finite Element Method
 Methods of design of Arch Dams
i. Thin cylinder theory –
• Use restricted by wall thickness-to-radius
ratio:
– According to theory, Thin-wall Theory is justified

– In practice, typically use a less conservative rule,

Methods of design of Arch Dams
i. Thin cylinder theory –
• the arch dam is assumed to behave as part of a thin
cylinder ring-

F  R / t   w . H .r / t ___ t / m 2

•If dam thickness = t at any level

Fallowable  70  100 ____ kg / cm 2
•Assuming uniform stress along t t   w . H .r / f
Methods of design of Arch Dams
ii. Thick cylinder theory

Giving the stresses as a function of radius:

These are known as Lamé’sequations.

Methods of design of Arch Dams
iii. Elastic arch theory: the analysis is similar to
that of the arches used in buildings and bridges
• can take into account
– Rib shortening
– Temperature changes
– Shrinkage of concrete
 Methods of design of Arch Dams
iv. Trial load analysis
• is based on the assumption that an arch dam
is made of two systems of structural
members:
– horizontal arch units and
– vertical beams or cantilever units

• the waterload is divided between the arch

and cantilever units
– the resulting arch and cantilever
• deflections and
• rotations at any point in the dam are equal
Methods of design of Arch Dams

Fig. 1 Arch and cantilever units in Trial Load

Method
 Methods of design of Arch Dams
• The preceding agreement is
accomplished by subjecting
arch and cantilever units to a
succession of self-balancing
trial-load patterns and solving
the simultaneous equations
involved.
• The resulting load
distributions required to
achieve geometric continuity
are then used to compute Fig. 2 Translations
stresses in the dam. and rotations of arch and
cantilever units.
 Interaction of Arch/ and Cantilever
Units
• The representative arch and cantilever units are
assumed to be connected at their intersection volumes.
• Figure 2 represents one of the arch and one of the
cantilever units in Figure 1 which intersect in a common
volume A.
• The load applied on the face of this volume will be
resisted partly by the arch, with the remainder going to the
cantilever.
• Similar load distributions also take place at other
points on the faces of both the arch and the cantilever, with
the result being a deflection of the arch
and cantilever units to a new position.
 Interaction of Arch/ and Cantilever
Units
• The intersecting volume A moves from its initial
position to A2 in such manner that the new position A2 in the
deformed cantilever coincides with its position in the
deformed arch.
• This movement generally consists of three
translational and three rotational components.
• But as illustrated in Figure 2, two translations in the
radial and tangential direction and two rotations in horizontal
(v) and vertical ( h) planes are the most important
components.
• Vertical movements and rotations in vertical
tangential planes are considered to be negligible.
 Types of Trial Load Analyses
• from the simplest to the most comprehensive
1. crown-cantilever adjustment,
2. radial deflection adjustment, or
3. the complete adjustment, which includes
adjustments for the radial and tangential
translations as well as rotations.
 Types of Trial Load Analyses
• The crown-cantilever and radial deflection
analyses are usually used for the preliminary
and feasibility studies of new dams.
• For safety evaluation of existing arch dams only
the complete trial load analysis should be
attempted
• Used for static load only and simple geometry.
 1. Crown-cantilever Analysis
• The most important factors in division of external
loads between arch and cantilever units are
– the radial loads and radial deflections.
• involves adjustment of radial deflections at the
crown cantilever with the corresponding deflections
at the crown of the arches.
• Assumptions are:
– a uniform distribution of radial loads on the arches
– neglects the effects of tangential shear and twist.
• Results are a crude estimate of the actual stresses,
• But it is usually adequate for preliminary studies,
particularly in a constant radius dam.
Reading Assignment

2. Radial Deflection Analysis

3. Complete Adjustment Analysis
 Analysis Procedure
1. Divide the arch dam into a representative series of arch
and Cantilever
2. The actual dimension of these units are obtained from
the layout drawing of the dam.
3. The analysis then proceeds with a division of loads
between representative arch and cantilever units
4. The trial load method assumes elastic material
properties for the dam and employs the theory of
elasticity to fulfill the requirements for:
– equilibrium,
– continuity, and
– boundary conditions that must be met to obtain correct
stress results.
 Analysis Procedure
6. Compute the deflection at a few representative point
which are common to both systems of the unit.
– Deflection for horizontal arch is determined by elastic
theory of arches
– Deflection for cantilever is determined by simple bending theory
 Analysis Procedure
7. Match the deflections on the common points
8. Repeat the whole procedures by assuming another
division of loading if the deflections don’t match
9. Determine the stresses due to loads on the arch element
and cantilever element
10. Superimpose the stresses determined in the two systems
obtained by step 9 to obtain the total stress at various
points
11. Compare the computed stresses with the allowable one.
If the computed stresses are much d/t from the allowable
stress, revise the section and repeat the analysis
 Types of Loads
• External Loads
• Internal loads
• Unit loads

Reading Materials:
• Theoretical Manual for Analysis of Arch Dams
• From Pathfinder to Glen Canyon: The Structural Analysis of Arched, Gravity
Dams
Cantilever unit load pattern
Arch unit load pattern