TVM 5115 Planning and design of dams

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Dam Engineering and Investigations
Week 34, lecture 3

Fjóla Guðrún Sigtryggsdóttir

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Content
• Dam engineering
• Reservoir/dam site assessment
– General
– Site evaluation
• Hydrological conditions
• Topography and accessibility
• Geological and geotechnical investigations
– Maps
– Site explorations
– Field tests
– Laboratory tests
– (Dam type selection (See lecture W34.2))
– Cost
• Dam construction
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Dam life cycle phases

1. Preconstruction phase
– Investigations
– Impact on: Environment, Society and Economy
– Risk assessment
– Design
2. Construction phase
3. Operation and maintenance phase
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Dam engineering
Dam engineering process include but is not limited to:
• Select site and dam type
• Cost estimates
• Define necessary investigations
• Define design criteria (e.g. loads)
• Design (height, head, volume)
• Application of guidelines, regulations and codes
• Optimization of design
• Detail design, drawings, descriptions, design memorandum
• Instrumentation
• Construction (unforeseen cases during construction, improvement of
design to suit actual site conditions).
• Safety monitoring during operation
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Geology/geotechics
Stability of slopes

Hydraulics: Spillway structure

Hydrology: Magnitude of floods
Hydrology

Geology: erosion

Hydraulic: bottom outlet

DAM

Foundation
Tectonics Geology Dam structure
Geology/Earthquake engineering: Material, dimensions, stability, etc.
Identify active earthquake fault
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Basic knowledege for dam engineering
• Hydrology
• Fluid mechanics
• Engineering geology
• Soil mechanics/Geotechnical Eng.
• Earthquake engineering Dam engineering draws
• Structural mechanics together a range of
disciplines, and is a broadly
• Concrete technology
based and specialist
• Hydraulics
discipline.
• Finance/Economy/Cost Engineering
• Environment
• Practical experience
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Reservoir/Dam planning and design

• A process to present design solution with optimum balance of: technical,
economical and environmental considerations, however, without compromising
safety.
• The challenge of dam planning and design is the joint consideration of :

The three pillars of sustainability, all of which are

• Society dependent upon
• Economy SAFETY
• Environment
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Reservoir/dam site assessment

1. General site appraisal
2. Reservoir/Dam site evaluation
• Hydrological conditions.
• Topography and accessibility
• Geological and geotechnical investigations
i. Foundation properties at dam site
ii. Materials for dam construction (availability of the materials)

3. Dam type selection

4. Cost
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General reservoir/dam site appraisal

• Functional suitability
▪ catchment hydrology,
Hydrology, Topography, Geology
▪ available head & storage volume
▪ Accessibility to the site
• Technical suitability
▪ Presence of satisfactory dam site
▪ Presence of satisfactory site/solution for a spillway Hydrology, Topography, Geology,
▪ Availability of dam construction material Geotechnical characteristics
▪ Sediment transport conditions
▪ Integrity of the reservoir basin with respect to leakage
▪ Geohazards
• Environmental issues
▪ Assessment of the anticipated environmental consequences
• Societal/political factors
• Cost - Economy of the project
10 Illustrative time in years
Strategic planning:
Project initiation
Stages Field
reconnaissance
• Mapping, surveys, data collection
3-20

in dam site Feasibility studies

1-3
appraisal and and report
• Dam site evaluation
project Phase 1 • Reservoir site evaluation
2-4
development Confirmation of dam
type

Phase 2 • Dam Site Investigations

1-2

Dam design

Dam construction • Geological investigations, foundation feedback. 2-6

Reservoir • Close inspection of dam behaviour and reservoir

impounding surroundings

Dam operation • Monitoring and surveillance / Rehabilitations

See e.g. Novak, fig. 1.6
Example
Overall
construction
schedule
for an actual
project
(625 MW)
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Dam site evalatation
General/Hydrological conditions
• Rainfall-runoff characteristics (inflow hydrograph)
• Historical flood conditions
• Reservoir capacity curve
• Length and shape of spillway
• Spillway capacity (rating curve)
• Spillway operation and potential risks
• Water use right and other projects developed upstream and
downstream of the selected dam site.
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Dam site evaluation
Topography and accessibility
• Valley shape:
– Find best location to minimize volume of construction material required
to build the dam.
– Gradient of abutment of the valley
– Bottom width of the valley.
– Changes in the valley cross section
• Accessibility: How simple is it to construct an access road
– First for investigations and then for the construction work.
• Practical considerations during construction, such as access at
to the dam site at different construction stages/levels.
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Dam site evaluation
Geological and geotechnical consideration
Dam site evaluation bases on geological and geotechnical investigations
conducted to determine the following:
• The general geologic setting of the area at and near the project.
• The geologic conditions related to selection of the site.
• The characteristics and properties of the foundation soils and rocks.
• Any other geologic conditions that may influence design, construction, and long
term operation.
• Seismicity of the area.
• Geohazards in the area
http://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower.asp
• The sources of construction material. FERC Ch 5
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Dam site evaluation
Investigations should include

• Mapping/Maps/areal
photos
• Site exploration
• Laboratory testing
• Field tests
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Dam site evaluation
Intensity of investigations
• The extent of required investigations should be dictated by hazard classification, nature of
the structures and quantity of data already available.
• Existing dams without adequate data should be evaluated as carefully as proposed
structures; not to do so is to be dangerously presumptive.
• Geotechnical investigations for proposed sites should be generally divided into three
separate phases to minimize costs and for developing the necessary data at each stage
of the approval, design, and construction of a project:
– Preliminary Investigations (Adequate information to justify site selection and
preliminary cost estimates).
– Initial Design Investigations (Information necessary to obtain regulatory approvals,
refine cost estimates, and develop engineering and environmental data).
– Final Design Investigations (Information necessary for developing plans and
specifications, obtaining bids, and constructing the project).
http://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower.asp FERC Ch 5
Dam site evaluation
Foundation properties
• Conditions of bearing capacity
• Compression strength
• Shear strength
• Modulus of elasticity
• Tectonic stress
• Permeability and conditions for foundation grouting
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Dam site evaluation
Geological and geotechnical investigations
During geological and geotechnical investigations the following must be answered/identified:
• What is the depth of overburden that must be removed to reach an acceptable foundation?
• What are the rock types constituting the foundation and to what extent are they affected by surface
weathering?
• What are the geological structure of the foundation?
– Existence of faults and lineaments in the dam area. Identify potential active earthquake faults.
– Presence of soluble material
• What are the engineering properties of the foundation rock: Strength; Deformability; Durability?
• How permeable is the dam foundation?
• Groundwater conditions
• What type of spillway structure is possible, considering the geological conditions? Is concrete lining
of this required? Is an energy dissipation structure required?
• Potential existence of rock block failure in foundation or in the reservoir area?
• Availability of construction material
– Construction material should be obtained as close as possible to the dam site
– Is it possible to use rock excavated at the dam site as a construction material in the dam
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Dam site investigations
Important geological/geotechnical investigations
before start of final design
• Surface and subsurface investigations
– Geological section of the selected dam site
– Shearing strength of the material of overburden and of the dam material.
– Quantity and quality of the overburden material for construction purpose.
– Presence of joint planes, caverns, solution channels.
– Quality of rock when planning to build a concrete dam
– Depth to which rock is weathered
– Presence and extent of seams and joint planes
– Strength of the rock
– Groundwaterlevel
• Sampling and laboratory testing
– Laboratory and field tests are carried out to obtain the foundation and abutment material
properties and the suitability of the construction material.
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Dam site investigations
Methods commonly used to explore sites
• Geological mapping
• Borings/Core drilling in soil and/or rock
– Provide a core sample of ~50 mm in diameter from depths of a few to hundreds of meters.
– Provide sub-surface information
– Recovery of the penetrated material is of importance. (Little recovery of little value).
• Special excavations.
– Trenches, test pits, tunnels, shafts, and/or adits
– These excavations expose large areas of subsurface material, thus permitting examination of in-situ
subsurface conditions, sampling, in-situ testing, installation of instrumentation, etc.
• Geophysical measurements.
– Indirect method of obtaining generalized sub-surface geologic information by using special
instruments.
– Complement core drillings and special excavations and can provide a rapid evaluation fo certain
geological conditions. (Core drillings and excavations required to control the geophysical
measurement).
– The cost is generally low compared to drillings and special excavations.
– Seismic refraction can for example be used to determine depth of overburden.
• Boreholes to measure groundwater.
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Kárahnjúkar dam

Concrete faced rockfill dam

(CFRD)
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Kárahnjúkar

Héraðsflói

Krafla

Kröflulína 2 Egilsstaðir
132 kV

Fjarðaál
Stöðvarhús 2x400 kV Reyðarfjörður
háspennulínur

Hafrahvamma-
gljúfur

Hálslón Ufsarlón
Snæfell
Kringilsár- Kelduárlón
rani

Brúarjökull Eyjabakka-
jökull

Vatnajökull Glacier
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Exploration trenches

Ditches to look for signs of tectonic

movement

Fig. Jardfraedistofan ehf and

Ekra
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Fig. Jardfraedistofan
ehf
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Fig. Jardfraedistofan
ehf
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Laboratory tests
• Laboratory testing of foundation material may include tests as: direct shear,
unconfined and triaxial compression, sliding friction, modulus of elasticity, tensile
strength, natural and dry density, moisture content, consolidation, Atterberg
limits, grain-size analysis, and permeability.
• For unusual or difficult geological conditions other tests may be needed.
• Laboratory tests may be needed to provide information regarding the behaviour
of foundation rock under the various construction conditions to which it will be
subjected, such as, rebound due to removal of load, application of load, scour,
exposure to weather, wet-dry, and freeze-thaw cycles.
• Laboratory tests are also necessary to establish the quality of construction
materials such as concrete aggregate, impervious material, rockfill, and riprap.

http://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower.asp
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Field tests
The most important field tests performed are permeability and grouting.
• Permeability tests can be done either by pumping out or
hydraulic pressure.
• Test grouting consists of performing experimental grouting
operations on exploratory boreholes to determine, during the
design stage, the extent to which subsurface materials are
groutable.

http://www.ferc.gov/industries/hydropower.asp
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Dam construction
• The construction work is carried out at:
– The dam site itself
– Spillway site
– Rock fill quarry, clay and gravel borrow areas
– Road works
– Tunneling
Diversion tunnel
• Prior to construction the dam site is normally submerged by the river that will be
dammed.
– No work can be carried out in the river bed area until the river has been diverted,
usually through a tunnel or a channel.
– Cofferdams may be required
– After diversion the construction site is dry and construction can commence
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Dam construction
Dam foundation preparation includes:
• Stripping the dam foundation of overburden
• Removal of pockets and seams of weak material
• Replacement of removed material by „dental“ concrete.
• Grouting.
– Drilling holes in the foundation
– Pump cement grout mixture into the holes
– The purpose of grouting is to fill up open cracks in the foundation to
reduce leakage. Some videos of dam construction:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKb1I6c_gJE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoJb4lWkXxw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDOw1XAotoQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfpAXqPsXuQ
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGdcv6LGN5M)
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Cost estimate
• Determine quantity of items
For example for a dam on a rock foundation:
– Preparation of construction site (control of water, building cofferdam/diversions, access
roads etc.)
– Removal of overburden in dam foundation
– Foundation preparation (cleaning and grouting)
– Volume of dam material
– Formwork and reinforcement (in case of the use of concrete material).
– Instrumentation of the dam
– And more
• Determining unit cost of items
• Uncertainties in volume and unit cost
• Total cost estimate of the dam is obtained by summing up the total cost of
different items.