CHAPTER - 3

Design of hydroelectric power

system
SITE SELECTION FOR A HYDRO POWER PLANT
• The various factors to be considered while selecting the site for
hydro-electric power plant are as follows:

1.Availability of water: Daily, weekly and monthly flow of

water over a period of years should be recorded.
• These factors are necessary to decide the capacity of the hydro-
electric plant

2. Water storage: Water used in the hydroelectric power plant is

mainly dependent on the rain and since the rainfall is not regular
throughout the year, therefore, it is essential to store water to afford a
uniform output.

Thus, a storage reservoir is constructed at the site.

 Cont.…
3.Water head: The level of water in the reservoir for a
proposed plant should always be within limits throughout the year.

4. Distance from Load Centre. It is desirable that the

power plant should be setup near the load centers, so that costs of
erection of the transmission lines and their maintenance are low.
However, in HEPP it may not be possible because HEPP will be
located where sufficient quantity and head of water is
available
 Cont.…
5. Access to site: for transportation of construction
materials and heavy machinery rail way lines or roads may
be needed
6.Multi Purpose: the stored water is used for power
generation, irrigation, flood control, fisheries and
recreation Purposes.
 Turbine Design
• The aim for turbine design is to increase the efficiency and to
avoid cavitation and fractures during operation.
Efficiency
Different types of efficiencies used in connection with hydraulic
turbine are as follows
(i) Volumetric efficiency

(ii) Hydraulic efficiency

(iii) Mechanical efficiency

(iv) Over all efficiency

 Volumetric efficiency
• Some of the water flowing to the turbine may leak through the
joints or some water may not be effective in imparting its energy
to the turbine.
• The leakage of water reduces the efficiency of the turbine
𝝓 −𝝓𝑳
• Volumetric Efficiency is given by: 𝜼𝒗 =
𝝓𝑳
η𝑣 = volumetric efficiency
Where: ϕ = Discharge doing useful work
ϕL = Leakage from the turbine
 Hydraulic efficiency
• Hydraulic efficiency takes into account the loss of head that
takes place in the turbine due to incomplete conversion of head
over the blades into useful work.
𝐻 −ℎ
• It is defined as follows: η𝐻 =
𝐻

Where η𝐻 = Hydraulic efficiency

H = Net head utilized
h = Head not effectively utilized
 Mechanical efficiency
• Mechanical efficiency takes into account the power loss
due to friction.
𝑷𝟏 −𝑷𝟐
𝜼𝒎 =
𝒑
• Where P = Power produced by the turbine
𝑷𝟏 = Shaft power
𝑷𝟐 = Power loss.
Overall efficiency (𝜼)
Overall efficiency of the hydraulic turbine is about 90%
and is given by
𝜼𝒐𝒗 = 𝜼𝒗. 𝜼𝒉 . 𝜼𝒎 . 𝜼𝒆
• Where: ηe is the efficiency of the electrical generator.
 Performance of Water Turbine
• Performance of a turbine means working of the turbine under
different loading conditions.
• Although turbines are required to run at constant speed but this is
difficult to achieve because of fluctuations in load.
 To accommodate varying loads at constant speed the discharge
should be regulated .
 The important parameters for any particular turbine are
(i) Discharge (ii) Head
(iii)Efficiency (iv) Speed
(v) Power.
 Cont.…
• It is desirable to study the behavior of these quantities with
respect to one another.
• Such studies can be carried out under unit quantities like unit
power, unit speed and unit discharge.
• The term ‘Unit Power’, ‘Unit Speed’ and ‘Unit Discharge’ are
frequently used to study the operational characteristics and
performance of hydraulic Turbine.
 (a) Unit Power (Pu).
• It is defined as the power produced by the turbine when
running under unit head (a head of 1 meter)
𝝎𝑯𝑸
P=
𝟕𝟓
Where P = Power produced by a turbine
Q = Discharge in 𝑚3 /sec
H = Net Head is meters
𝛚 = Unit weight of water 𝑘𝑔 /𝑚3
Q =A x V = 𝐾1 .𝐷2 .V
D = diameter of the runner
V= Velocity
 Cont.…
•V𝛼 𝟐𝒈𝑯 , V = 𝑲𝟐 𝑯
• Q = 𝐾1 𝐾2 𝐷 2 𝑯 = K 𝑫𝟐 𝑯
𝜔𝐻 𝝎𝒌
 P= xQ= 𝑫𝟐 H 𝑯 = 𝑲𝟑 𝑫𝟐 𝑯𝟑/𝟐
75 𝟕𝟓
 For unit power (Pu).
H =1
𝑷
Pu =
𝑯𝟑/𝟐
 (b) Unit speed (Nu)
• It is the speed developed by a turbine when operating under a
unit head (a head of 1 meter)
𝞹𝑫𝑵
V=
𝟔𝟎
Where N = speed of turbine in R.P.M
g = Gravity which is constant= 9.81m/𝑠𝑒𝑐 2
Now V 𝜶 𝟐𝒈𝑯
V = 𝑲𝟏 𝑯
𝞹𝑫𝑵
= 𝑲𝟏 𝑯
𝟔𝟎
𝑯
N= 𝑲𝟐
𝑫
 For unit speed (Nu).
H =1
𝑁
Nu =
𝐻
 (C) Unit Discharge (𝝓𝒖 )
• The Unit Discharge, ϕ𝑢 is the flow rate that the turbine work
under a head of one meter.
Q =A x V = 𝐾1 .𝐷2 .V = 𝐾2 𝐷2 𝑯

𝑄=𝐾 𝐻
Where K, 𝐾1 and 𝐾2 are Constants,
For unit discharge (𝑄𝑢 )
H =1 m
𝑄𝑢 = 𝐾2 .𝐷 2
𝑄𝑢 1
=
𝑄 𝐻
𝑄
𝑄𝑢 =
𝐻
 (d) Specific Speed (Ns)
• It is the peed of a geometrically similar turbine running under a unit
head and producing a unit power .
• Specific speed is quite useful as flows:
(i) It helps in selecting type of turbine to be used for a particular power
station.
(ii) It permits to visualize the performance of turbine
(iii) Specific speed being known the normal running speed can be
determined.
𝝎𝑯𝑸
P= 𝜶 QH
𝟕𝟓
Q 𝜶 𝑫𝟐 H
𝟑ൗ
P 𝜶 𝑫𝟐 𝑯 𝟐 …………………………..(i)
𝞹𝑫𝑵 𝑯
Also V= and V 𝜶 𝟐𝒈𝑯 Therefore, 𝑫𝜶
𝟔𝟎 𝑵
 Cont.…
Substituting in equation (i),
5ൗ
𝐻 3Τ 𝐻 2
P𝛼 2𝐻 2 or P 𝛼
𝑁 𝑁2
5ൗ
2 𝐻 2 𝐻 5/4
𝑁 𝛼
𝑃
and N𝛼 𝑃
𝑯𝟓/𝟒
𝑵=K
𝑷
If p=1kw, H=1m and k is equal to Ns called specific speed
𝑵 𝑷
Ns =
𝑯𝟓/𝟒
Where Ns = Specific Speed
N= Normal speed of the turbine in RPM
P = turbine output in metric horse power
H= Net or effective head in meters
 Cont.…
The specific speeds for different turbines are given below

Types of Limit of head Classification Specific

Turbines in meter speed

Pelton turbine Over 150 Impulse 10-45

Francis turbine 25 to 450 Reaction 45- 450
Kaplan turbine 1 to 70 Reaction 450 -1000
or propeller
 Out put power of a 3ϕ Generator
• The out put power of a three phase alternator is given by

𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 3 𝑉𝐿 𝐼𝐿 Cosϴ or 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 3 𝑉𝑝ℎ 𝐼𝑝ℎ Cosϴ

Where: 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 = output Power
𝑉𝐿 = Line Voltage in volts
𝐼𝐿 = Line Current in amperes
Cosϴ = Power factor
 Calculation of the Generated Power
• The mechanical energy is utilized to run an electric generator
which is coupled to the turbine shaft. The power developed in
this manner is given by:
𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 (𝑷) = Q 𝝎𝑯. 𝜼
Where: H = net head of water in meters
Q= discharge 𝑖𝑛 𝑚3 /sec
η = overall efficiency of hydro power plant
𝛚= specific weight of water in kg/𝑚3
 Power Generated or developed in horse power is given by:
Q 𝝎𝑯.𝜼
Power in h.p =
𝟕𝟓
(Taking 1 metric H.P. = 75 kg m/sec)
one horse power = 746 watt
 RUN-OFF
• Rain fall or “precipitation” may be defined as the total
condensation of moisture that reaches the earth in any form.
• It includes all forms of rains, ice, snow, hail or sleet etc.
• “Evaporation” practically includes all the rainfall that is returned
to the atmosphere from land and water surfaces.
• Thus total evaporation is:
1. Evaporation from land and water surfaces.
2. Evaporation by transpiration which is the vaporization of water
from the breathing pores of vegetable matter.
3. Atmospheric evaporation (evaporation while precipitation is
falling).
 Cont.…
• Rain-fall is measured in terms of centimeters of water over a
given area and over a given period (usually one year).
• Out of the total precipitation, some water is evaporated and
penetrated into soil to form underground storage.
• Portion of the total precipitation that flows over the ground
surface which makes its way towards the stream, lakes, rivers
and sea is known as “Run-off”.
R = P– E
Where: R = Run-off
P = Total precipitation
E = Total evaporation
 Cont.…
Runoff can be described as part of the rain water flows over
land as surface water instead of being absorbed into
groundwater or evaporating, thus
Total run-off = Direct run off over the land surface + Run-off
through seepage.
Precipitation includes all the water that falls from
atmosphere to the earth surface.
Mainly precipitation is of two types.
(i) Liquid precipitation (Rainfall)
(ii) Solid precipitation (Snow, Hail storm).
• The unit of run-off are 𝑚3 /sec or day-second meter.
 Cont.…
• Day-second meter = Discharge collected in the catchment area at
the rate of 1 𝑚3 /sec for one day
= 1 × 24 × 60 x 60 = 86400 𝑚3 /day.
• The run-off of a catchment area is the total quantity of water
which flows into a stream or into reservoir during specific
period.
• It is measured in terms of centimeter of water over catchment
area.
• Thus, the total volume of water can be calculated as:
Volume of water available per year
= Catchment area (A) x Average rainfall x Total Run Off (R)
• It helps in designing and planning of power plant.
 Example:1
1. A reaction turbine is supplied with 100 𝑚3 of water per second
and works under a maximum head of 120 m at 350 R.P.M.
Assuming overall efficiency of the plant 80% and specific weight
of water 1000kg/𝑚3 ; Calculate the horsepower developed and
power in kW.
Solution. H = 120 m
Q = 100 𝑚3 /sec
w = 1000 kg/ 𝑚3
η= 0.8
Q 𝝎𝑯.𝜼
The developed in H. P is : 𝑃𝑜𝑢𝑡 in H.P =
𝟕𝟓
100 𝑚3 /sec 𝑥1000 kg/ 𝑚3 𝑥 120𝑚 𝑥 0.8
= = 128,000
75
Power in Watt is = 128000 x 746 = 95,488 KW
 Exercise 1.
Calculate the power that can be developed from a hydro-electric
power station having the following data
Catchment area (A) = 100 sq. km
Average rain fall = 120 cm
Run-off = (R) = 80%
Available head (H) = 300 m
Overall efficiency of the power station = 75%
w = 1000 kg (as 1 cum of water weight = 1000 kg/ m3 )
 Choice of Turbines
• The hydraulic turbine is selected according to the specific
conditions under which it has to operate and attain the maximum
possible efficiency.
• The various factors to be considered while selecting a turbine
are as follows
1.Working Head 2. Nature of Load
3. Output 4. Specific Speed
Kaplan turbine may be used under variable head and load
conditions, whereas propeller turbines work satisfactorily when
the head remains constant.
Pelton turbine has the advantages that it works quite
satisfactorily even under variable load conditions
 Cont.…
Turbines are never classified by their actual speed but always on
the basis of the specific speed.
The various factors influencing the choice between horizontal and
vertical type of turbines are as follows
1. Relative cost of the plant. 2. Layout of the plant
3. Site conditions, i.e. space available for foundations &buildings
 Vertical shaft turbines require smaller foundations and fewer
machines for a given output.
 Horizontal shaft turbine is easily accessible. There is not much
difference in the efficiency of these two types of turbines.
 Coupling of Turbine and Generator
• A hydraulic turbine is coupled with electrical A.C. generator in
the following two ways:
(i) Direct Coupling (ii) Gear Drive.
• Direct coupling system is used for low speed turbines. In this
system both the turbine and generator shaft are directly coupled
and run at same speed. Any fluctuation in turbine shaft speed is
directly reflected in generator.
• In gear drive system spur gears or bevel gears are used to
connect turbine shaft with generator shaft. This arrangement is
quite commonly used.
 Cont.…
• The generator coupled to the turbines produces electric power
corresponding to the power developed by the turbines less losses
in the set. The speed of the power generating set depends on:

(i) Head (iii) power of the unit (ii) specific speed of the turbine

• Reaction turbines are vertical and at the power plant sufficient

substructure and super structure is needed to accommodate the
necessary arrangement of draft tube etc.

• The impulse turbines are either horizontal or vertical and do not

require special substructure.
 Synchronous Speed
It is defined as the speed of turbine which corresponds to
the generator speed or some multiple of the speed of the
generator.
It depends on the way the turbine is coupled with the
generator.
120 x f
𝑁𝑠 =
𝑷
Therefore, the turbine speed is determined by the generator
speed.
 Example- 2
• A turbine develops 18,000 H.P. working under a head of 520 m
when running at 400 R.P.M. Calculate the specific speed of the
turbine. Specify the type of turbine to be used.
Solution
Head = H = 520m
N = 400 R.P.M
P = Horse Power = 18,000
𝑵 𝑷 𝟒𝟎𝟎 𝟏𝟖,𝟎𝟎𝟎
Specific Speed, Ns = = Ns = = 21.4
𝑯𝟓/𝟒 𝟓𝟐𝟎𝟓/𝟒

 For this specific speed Pelton turbine is used

Exercise 2.
• Calculate the specific speed of a turbine and suggest the type of
turbine required for a river having a discharge of 250 liter/sec
with an available head of 50 meter. Assume efficiency of turbine
as 80% and speed 450 R.P.M
 Dam
• The primary function of the dam is to provide a head of
water.
• Hydro projects are developed for the following purposes:
• Generation of power.
• Storage of irrigation water.
• Storage of the drinking water supply
• To control the floods in the rivers
• Fishery and Recreation

• Recreation
 Selection of Site for a Dam
• The selection of site for a dam depends upon the following
factors
(i) Function of dam
(ii)Type of dam.
(iii) Cost of dam
 The cost of construction and cost of maintenance of dam should
be low.
(iv) Geological features :
Sub soil investigations should be carried out to check that soil or
rock strata would provide entirely satisfactory foundation.
(v) Safety :
The dam should be safe against floods and catastrophes like
earth-quakes.
Components of Gravity dam
 Parts of a dam
• Heel is the upstream edge of the base
• To is the downstream edge of the base
• Abutment: Sides of the valley on which the structure of the dam
rest
• Galleries: small rooms like structure left within the dam for
checking operations.
• Diversion tunnel: Tunnels are constructed for diverting water
before the construction of dam. This helps in keeping the river bed
dry.
• Spillways: It is the arrangement near the top to release the excess
water of the reservoir to downstream side
• Sluice way: An opening in the dam near the ground level, which is
used to clear the silt accumulation in the reservoir side.
 CLASSIFICATION OF DAMS
 Dams are classified on several aspects, some of the important
aspects are as follow:

1. Based on Hydraulic Behavior :

Over flow dams water is allowed to flow over top of the dam.
Non over flow dams :water is not allowed to flowover top of the
dam
2. Based on functions of Dam
• Storage dams are mainly for storing water
• Diversion dams are constructed to raise the water level and to
divert the river flow in another direction.
• Detention dams are primarily used to store flood waters.
 3. Based on shape
Based on shape the dams may be of trapezoidal section, and arch
type.
4. Based on Construction materials
Concrete dams may be plain as well as steel reinforced,
Earthen and Rock fill dams
• The various structural material used for dams may be concrete or
stone masonry, earth, rock pieces or timber.
• The type selected depends upon topography of the site,
foundation condition and economics.
• The foundation should be sufficiently waterproof to prevent
leakage of water under the dam.
• Timber dams are rarely used and need constant inspection to
keep them in good condition.
 5. Based on Structural Behavior :
 Gravity dams
 Arch dams
 Buttress dams
Earth Dams
Composite Dams
• A gravity dam is one in which the retained water thrust is
resisted by gravity action whereas in arch dam the thrust
is resisted by the arch action.
• A buttress dam resists the water thrust with the help of
buttresses which support the water through an inclined
structural member such as a buttress.
 1. Masonry Dam.
Masonry dams are quite popular and are of three major types:
i. The solid gravity dam
ii. The buttress dam
iii. The arched dam
a)Gravity Dam:
• A gravity dam is an engineering structure that resists the forces
exerted upon them with a desired factor of safety by its own
weight.
• The construction material used for this dam, is solid masonry or
concrete.
• As the entire load is transmitted on the small area of foundation,
such dams are constructed where rocks are competent and stable.
• Bb
 Cont.…
• The base width of gravity dams must be large enough to
prevent sliding.
• Gravity dams are satisfactorily adopted for narrow
valleys having stiff geological formations.
• They are classified according to the material used for
constructing them:
 Masonry Dams: This type of dam is constructed
with masonry. It could be either of rubble or coursed
masonry.
 Concrete Dams: They are constructed block by
block by pouring good quality concrete.
 Advantages of Gravity Dam
• Gravity dams are more suitable in narrow valleys.
• Maintenance cost is lower
• Failure of these dams is not very sudden.
• Gravity dams may be built to any height.
• Loss of water by leakage in gravity dams is less
Disadvantages of Gravity Dam
 Initial cost for construction of gravity dams is very
higher
 Gravity dams of greater height can only be constructed
on sound rock foundations.
 Require skill labour for construction.
 Design of gravity dams is very complicated.
Fig. Gravity dam
 b) Butress dams
• Is a gravity dam reinforced by structural supports
• Buttress is a support that transmits a force from a roof or wall to
another supporting structure
• This type of structure can be considered even if the foundation
rock is little weak

Fig. . Buttress dam

 c)Arch dams
 It resists the pressures of water partly due to its weight
and partly due to arch action.
 Arch dam is located in relatively narrow valley with steep
slopes suitable for arch support.
• The main advantage of using an arch dam is that the
amount of masonry or concrete required is much less than
a gravity dam of compared height, consequently the
material cost is much less.
• Masonry dams have the advantages of maximum height,
longest life most economical in water conservation and
lowest maintenance cost as compared to earth dam.
Fig . Arch dam
 2. Earth Dams
 They are trapezoidal in shape and used for smaller power plants.
They can be built safely and economically on all types of
foundations of earth and rock.

Earth dams are constructed where the foundation or the

underlying material or rocks are weak to support the masonry dam
or where the suitable competent rocks are at greater depth.

Earthen dams are relatively smaller in height and broad at the

base. They can be further sub-classified as follows

(a) Earth Dam (b) Rock Fill Dam.

 Earthed dams are used when effective height of dam is not large,
river banks are not steep and the site is unable to take the weight
of gravity dam.
Rock Fill or Earth Fill Dams are also called Embankment dams

Earth Dams
 Composıte dams
• Composite dams are combinations of one or more dam types.
Most often a large section of a dam will be either an earth or
gravity dam, with the section responsible for power generation
being a buttress or arch.

Gravity & Rock Fill

 DESIGN OF GRAVITY DAMS
INTRODUCTION:
 Safety of dams is a very important aspect for safeguarding
national investment and benefits derived by the project
 Unsafe dams constitute hazards to human life in the
downstream reaches
 Safety of dams and allied structures is an important aspect to
be examined to ensure public confidence and to protect
downstream area from any potential hazards.
Technically, a concrete gravity dam derives its stability from
the force of gravity of its materials.
 The gravity dam has sufficient weight so as to withstand the
force and the over turning moments caused by the water
impounded in the reservoir behind it.
 Forces Acting on Dams
To design a dam, various forces must be considered to insure the
safety of the dam.
The most important forces are:
1.Self Weight
2.Water Pressure
3. Uplift
4. Wave pressure
5. Earthquake forces
 .
1. Weight of Water (Self Weight)
• The self-weigh of gravity dam is the main stabilizing force which
counter balances all the external forces acting on it.
• For construction of gravity dams the specific weight of concreate
and masonry shouldn’t be less than 2400 kg/𝑚3 and 2300kg/ 𝑚3
respectively.
• The weight of the dam is calculated as follows:
W   m xVolume
• elf we The self weight of the counter balances all the external
Where: γm is the specific weight of the dam’s material.
 2. Water Pressure
• Water Pressure is the most major external force acting on a gravity
dam.
 Water pressure on the upstream face is the main destabilizing (or
overturning) force acting on a gravity dam.

Water pressure acts perpendicular to

the surface of the dam and is h Pw
calculated per unit width as follows:
h/3
1
P   wh 2

2
Where γw is the specific weight of water and h is the height of water.
 3. Uplift
• Uplift pressure is the pressure exerted by water as it seeps
through the body of the dam or its foundation.
• The water stored on the upstream side of the dam has a
tendency to seep through the soil below foundation.
• While seeping, the water exerts a uplift (upward) force on the
base of the dam depending upon the head of water.
• This uplift pressure reduces the self weight of the dam.
• To reduce the uplift pressure, drainage galleries are provided on
the base of the dams.
1
U   w hB h

2
Where B is the width of the base of the dam U
B/3
B
 4. Wave Pressure
• When very high wind flows over the water surface of the
reservoir, waves are formed which exert pressure on the
upstream part of the dam.
• The magnitude of waves depend upon –
• The velocity of wind.
• Depth of Reservoir water.
• Area of Water Surface.
 The maximum wave pressure per unit width is:

Pw

0.375 hw hw
Where hw is the wave height
 5. Earthquake Forces
• Dams are subjected to vibration during earthquakes.
• Vibration affects both the body of the dam and the water in the
reservoir behind the dam.
• Vibration forces are function of both the intensity and its
duration.
• The most danger effect occurs when the vibration is
perpendicular to the face of the dam.

.
 6.Body Forces
• Body force acts horizontally at the center of gravity and is
Pem  W
calculated as:

• Where α is the earthquake coefficient and W is the weight of the

dam. α is taken 0.2 for practical reasons

0.1 W1

0.1W2
W1

W2
Body Forces
 7.Water Force:
• Water vibration produces a force on the dam acting horizontally;

2
Pew  Ceh 2
h Pew
3
2/5 h

Water Forces

Where Ce is another coefficient (0.82) and h is the height of the

water
 Example:
Calculate the forces on given dam if;
γm = 2.5 t/m3, γw =1 t/m3, hw = 1.5 m

Solution
1. Weight of water
W1= γm x Volume
= 2.5 * 6 * 40
= 600 t
W2 = γm x ½x 18 x 30
=2.5 *0.5*18*30
= 675 t
 2. Water Pressure

P = ½ x γw x h2
= 0.5 * 1.0 * (33)2
= 544.5 t

3. Uplift
U = ½ x γw hx B
= 0.5 * 1.0 * 33 * 24
= 396 t
 4. Wave Pressure
Pw = 2.4 x γw x hw
= 2.4 * 1.0 * 1.5 = 3.6 t
5. Earthquake Forces
a. Body Forces
Pem1 = α W1
= 0.1 * 600 = 60 t
2
Pem2 = α W1 Pew  Ceh 2
3
= 0.1 * 675 = 67.5 t
b. Water Force
Pew= 2/3 x Ce x α x h2
= (2/3)*0.82*0.1 (33)2 = 59.55 t
 PROCEDURE OF GRAVITY DAM DESIGN

• In the gravity dam calculations one should proceed through the

following steps:

1. Determination of all expected acting loads

2. State the combination of acting loads for each case of loading

3. Check stability against overturning for all possible cases of

loading (cases of full reservoir)

4.Check stability against forward sliding for all possible cases of

loading (cases of full reservoir)

 Can't
5.Determine normal stress distribution at dam base and
any given sections for all cases of loading
6.Determine maximum and minimum principal and shear stresses
at dam base and any given sections for all cases of loading
7.Compare results with corresponding factors of safety and
allowable stresses
8. approve the dam profile or redesign for a new profile
Classification of loading for design
• Normal Loads
They are those, under the combined action of which the
dam shall have adequate stability, and the factors of
safety and permissible stresses in the dam shall not be
exceeded
• Abnormal Loads
These are the loads which in combination with normal
loads encroach upon the factor of safety and increase
the allowable stresses although remaining lower than
the higher emergency stress limits.
 Classification of loading for design
Usual loading Unusual loading

Water pressure corresponding to full Higher water pressure during

reservoir level. floods
Weight of dam and structure above it. Earthquake force

Uplift. Silt pressure

Wave pressure
Ice thrust and Thermal
stresses
 STABILITY CRITERIA
a)Usual Loading
Hydrostatic force (normal operating level)
Uplift force
Temperature stress (normal temperature)
Dead loads
Ice loads
Silt load
b) Unusual Loading
Hydrostatic force (reservoir full)
Uplift force
Stress produced by minimum temperature at full level Dead loads
Silt load
 c)Extreme (severe) Loading
 Forces in Usual Loading and earthquake forces

The ability of a dam to resist the applied loads is ensured by

some safety factors.

To offset the uncertainties in the loads, safety criteria are chosen
sufficiently beyond the static equilibrium condition.

However, since each dam site has unique features, different

safety Factors may be derived considering the local condition.
 SAFETY OF CONCRETE GRAVITY DAM

Thus a dam profile should be safe against:

1. forward sliding and translation

2. Settlement or tilting
3. forward overturning or rotation
4.Tensile stresses
5. failure due to over stresses
6. Cracks & material failure
7. Higher responses than allowable limit according to codes
Thank You