ENGINEERING

GEOLOGY
ELSEVIER EngineeringGeology46 (1997) 93 104

Geological conditions, seepage grouting, and evaluation of

piezometer measurements in the abutments of an earth dam
E.C. Kalkani
Faculty of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Patission 42, Athens 10682, Greece
Received 6 February 1996; revision 5 September 1996; accepted 5 September 1996

Abstract

The geology of the abutments of the Bakoyianni earth dam in Greece, and the seepage problems of the abutments
are described. The driving of grouting and drainage adits was intended to seal and drain the middle and lower
conglomerate layers in the abutments. At both abutments and at the middle conglomerate the piezometric levels are
higher upstream from the adits than downstream, while at the lower conglomerate a smaller drop in piezometric
pressure is present. The behaviour of the abutments of the dam with a reservoir level at an elevation of 275.5l m is
satisfactory, and the same is expected for reservoir levels up to 284 m. Hence, a complete control of the abutment
seepage that will contribute to the safety of the dam is under way.

Keywords: Seepage; Leakage; Grouting; Piezometers; Abutments

1. Introduction 1959). The project was commissioned in 1966. It

The earth dam for which seepage measures and
the evaluation of piezometric measurements is
presented is the Bakoyianni dam (formerly
Kremasta dam) in Greece, which belongs to the
Public Power Corporation. It is located in a narrow
gorge on the Acheloos river, 55 km north of the
town of Agrinion, and 300km north-west of
Athens. The reservoir is a multi-purpose storage
reservoir, serving mainly hydro-power, but also
irrigation and flood control.
The history of the project goes back to 1960,
when the Public Power Corporation of Greece
engaged Engineering Consultants, Inc., as project
consultants to prepare the final design, the supervi-
sion and inspection of the construction activities,
and the purchase of major equipment (Ebasco,
has a peaking capacity of 437 MW, mean annual
firm energy generation of 958 GWh, and a reser-
voir volume of 4.75 billion m 3.
The dam is a zoned earthfill dam with a volume
of 8.1 million m 3, the crest length is 460 m, and
the maximum height is 160 m. The upstream slope
of the dam is 2.5:1.0, and the downstream slope is
2.0:1.0 (horizontal to vertical). The foundation
rocks are interbedded siltstone, conglomerate, and
sandstone. A plan of the general arrangement,
indicating the diversion tunnel, the dam embank-
ment, the power intakes, power tunnels, and pow-
erplant, is shown in Fig. 1.
The geological conditions, the dam foundation
grouting, all the remedial grouting, the effect on
leakages, and the processing and evaluation of
piezometer measurements are presented.

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94 E.C. Kalkani ' Engineering Geo/o,e ' 46 (1997) 93 104

ACCESS

SPILLWAY

~s -_ " TUNNELS
AD#T C _'% 1!/

150 - - -
/) % /'
1UNNELPLUG /
/' J '
/ I .:
, i
INTAKES" "
!
RESERVON
\. OlVERS~n.~EL ~ ' ",
/~/' '
•4" (' "/i <,
LEFT ABUTMENT
!
o.... m ,,~o
~ . .,4,

Fig. 1. Plan of the general arrangement, with indications of the diversion tunnel, the dam embankment, the power intakes, the power
tunnels and powerplant, and the existing faults in the area.

2. Geology and tectonism
The site is in the Pindos mountain range, which
was thrown up during the Tertiary period. The
range continues into the Balkan countries with a
north-northwest to south-southeast trend. It con-
sists mainly of an ophiolite series, with an abun-
dance of mesozoic sediments, mainly limestone.
More specifically, the project is situated in the
rock formation known as the G a v r o v o zone of the
Upper Cretaceous to Tertiary Age. The formation
includes flysch that consists of cherts, shales, and
limestones.
The types of sedimentary rock at the abutments
of the dam are interbedded siltstone, conglomerate,
and sandstone. The dam is positioned in a narrow
canyon with both abutments rising on a slope of
1.5:1.0 to the top of the dam. Along the dam axis,
the siltstone and the conglomeratic siltstone are
about equal in thickness to the conglomerate and
sandstone sections and occur mainly in the upper
two-thirds of the abutment sections. Near the toe
of the dam the stream channel was confined in a
very narrow gorge cut into very compact
conglomerates.
A vertical section on the centerline of the dam
embankment indicating the three levels of con-
glomerate (upper, middle and lower) and the cross-
sections of the structures (spillway, diversion
tunnel, and headrace tunnels) is shown in Fig. 2.
The three strata of conglomerate present stand out
as cliffs along the canyon, as these rocks are more
resistant to weathering than the others, but are
more susceptible to seepage.
The conglomerates are composed mainly of
limestone cobbles in a dense calcareous matrix and
 E. C Kalkani / Engineering Geology 46 (1997) 93-104
3o0-- ~, F SRU.WAY
~o ~ "
2> ~ ~ - ' - . . . . * : . : . . . . : , . , . o , °.' ". .~~ ." ~F' "
sol " '/"
Fig. 2. Vertical section o n the centerline o f the d a m e m b a n k m e n t a n d g r o u t curtain (not in scale), i n d i c a t i n g the three levels o f
conglomerate (upper, middle and lower).
small amounts of flint or chert cobbles. These are
dense rocks with a high modulus of elasticity,
which grade into weaker conglomeratic siltstones
in which the matrix changes to marls and siltstones.
The sandstone members are calcareous, dense,
and hard. The thickest occurs at the river level on
the dam axis; however, it is transposed below
stream by a fault towards the left abutment. Lenses
of sandstone as well as thin beds occur through
the siltstone and conglomerate layers.
The siltstone layers are present in the gentle
slopes of the valley and weather very rapidly at
the surface. The rock is always dense and compact
when fresh and unweathered. Laminations and
fissile features similar to shale are present. The
cementation is made by a marly material.
Saturation creates a reduction of strength, and
yielding takes place under prolonged loading and
saturated conditions (ECI, 1974a).
Folding at the site is of the Miocene age, with
intensity decreasing from east to west. One major
fold traverses the area parallel to the Acheloos
river and to the west of the reservoir. Neither the
fold nor the faults at the project area are of recent
origin. Since most of the earthquakes occurring in
the area are due to subsidence of rift valleys, the
design earthquake at the site was taken as a factor
of 0.1 × g for the horizontal acceleration from
seismic waves.
A broad fold is present a short distance down-
stream from the dam site in the form of an
anticline, with the downstream limb dipping south
in the downstream direction. The dam axis is along
the upstream limb of this fold. Hence the beds are
dipping upstream by 4 ° at the axis and are steeper,
up to 15°, 1 km upstream. Also, there is a dip to
95
U DAM CREST,a. 287m / ,~_
! .... ' ~ 1 - t~I~4.0MERATE
" "*'° ''*°" Lo ~
....... "t- A~__ XI~_TELYLI~IT . J
UP GkNTF.:RGROUT LI~E ....
the east with the result that the left abutment
layers are slightly lower in elevation than those of
the right abutment.
Several near-vertical faults striking parallel to
the dam axis are present, designated with the
letters A, B, C, D, E, F in Fig. 1. In most fault
zones there is topsoil and overburden, so that the
scarcity of exposed rock surfaces and of fault
traces makes it difficult to correlate the faults.
Fault A upstream of the dam and fault E down-
stream have throws in the order of 25 m, while
faults B - F have smaller throws or indicate highly
fractured fault zones instead of clear rock displace-
ment. The character of the faults changes from
one abutment to the other, while most of them
have side branches. The fault fissures range from
a few millimeters to some meters wide, and the
filling material varies from gouge, clay, silt, and
sand to broken rock (ECI, 1974b).
The water tests indicated that the faults are
impermeable in siltstone but pervious in the con-
glomerate. Fault A upstream of the dam is at the
natural entrance of water from the reservoir, while
fault F downstream acts as natural drainage. Fault
D with a downstream throw of 2-3 m, has infilling
material of loose sand, and smaller amounts gravel,
silt, and broken rock in a wide zone of disturbance,
and Fault E with a downstream throw of 2 m, has
a wide zone of broken material extending deeply
into both abutments. These are the main leakage
carriers (ECI, 1968).
Vertical jointing is present in the conglomerate
and sandstone striking north 70 ° west. Jointing is
less obvious in the siltstone, and discontinuities
are tight or sealed with carbonates. Strong vertical
jointing striking northeast and northwest is evident
96 E. C. Kalkani ,. Engineering Geology 46 i 1997) 93 104
in the sandstone and the conglomerate. Many of
the joints are closed or healed with calcite deposits.
Small local sulphurous springs existed in both
abutments near the river level with moderately
warm water seeping t¥om fractures and joints in
the conglomerate and sandstone, and these were
successfully sealed by the grouting program under
the dam ( ECI, 1968).
Solution channels evident at several positions,
with irregularities in size, shape, and alignment,
are found more frequently in the lower conglomer-
ate or in the siltstone beds with overlying conglom-
erate. After the impoundment of the reservoir
these channels indicated that they extended
through great distances and could carry water
from the reservoir downstream from the abutments
of the dam.
At the location of the dam, a concrete cutoff
was constructed at the core foundation shown in
Fig. 2, to penetrate the upper portion of the clay
material, which was a product of the siltstone
weathering. The sandstones and conglomerates
and some of the conglomerate siltstones were well
cemented, and very little excavation was needed
for the cutoff trench.
3. Dam foundation grouting
The foundation treatment under the dam
included the cleaning of overburden under the core
and rock excavation to sound rock (ECI, 1968).
The rock surfaces were cleaned before placing the
clay material. A slab of concrete was placed on
heavily broken rock, and contact grouting between
concrete and rock followed. The warm sulphurous
springs were grouted with a water-cement mix
containing bentonite.
The grout curtain under the dam, shown in
Fig. 2, was designed as a vertical extension of the
centerline of the core of the dam. This was con-
structed as a single line of grout holes to varying
depths. The upper 20 m of the grout curtain was
complemented with additional line holes on either
side of the curtain to increase the sealing capacity
of the grout curtain immediately under the core.
The grouting was performed from the river
channel upwards and was followed by the place-
ment of the clay layers at the core. Additional
grout holes were placed in case of high grout takes.
In all grout holes, packer grouting was used from
the bottom upwards, while grout pressures varied
according to the locations of the packers. Mixtures
of Portland-type cement was used containing 10%
pozzolan, with water-cement ratios from 10:1 to
0.8:1 depending on the grout takes (but seldom
lower than 1:1 ). After the completion of parts of
the curtain, water pressure tests at holes drilled
indicated tight rock formation.
In the siltstone zones the grout takes were
generally low. Large grout takes occurred in the
middle conglomerate layer. Because the grout cur-
tain was located between two faults (D and C) in
a relatively undisturbed area (Fig. 1), the grout
take was relatively smaller than that in the remedial
works carried out in the fault zones. Along the
headrace and the diversion tunnels grouting was
performed to consolidate a ring of sealed rock at
the position of the grout curtain. High takes were
experienced in the locations of solution channels
and faults.
The fractured zone of fault E in the right
abutment contained numerous voids in the middle
and lower conglomerate, the lengths of which (as
measured along the drill holes) ranged from a few
centimeters to a few meters. During grouting oper-
ations the clay filling of the fissures was washed
away when flushing the drill holes. The filling
material consisted of clay, silt and sand.
In the right abutment, fault caves associated
with fault F were present in the lower conglomer-
ate. The caves were explored by drilling and found
to have irregular shapes. They were formed by
water flow in a number of major fractures and
were encountered during the driving of the adit G.
The major fractures associated with the caves
contained calcite, clay-like material, and fine sand.
Solution channels were also present.
The permeability of the rocks in the undisturbed
state was extremely low. Hence, the secondary
permeability through open discontinuities and
joints, fractures, and solution channels and faults
is significant. From water tests in drill holes it was
observed that permeability ranged from zero to in
excess of 0.5 c m s I in the conglomerates and
sandstones. Permeability in siltstone was in the
 E.C. Kalkani / Engineering Geology 46 (1997) 93 104
order of less than 10 -5 c m S -1. This tightness of
siltstone prevented water communication between
the upper and lower conglomerate layers.
Substantial grout takes in the sandstone and con-
glomerate confirmed the water pressure test results.
In siltstone the grout take was low, except where
disturbed rock was present in fault zones.
4. Remedial grouting
The construction of the dam ended in July 1965,
and the diversion tunnel was closed in the same
month. As the reservoir was impounding in August
of the same year, leakages were noticed down-
stream from the toe of the dam in both abutments.
In the spring of 1966 the abutment leakages
reached their greatest extent at both abutments
(500 1 s-~ right abutment, 400 1 s-1 left abutment).
An initial treatment program started as soon as
the leakages appeared, and a program of addi-
tional grouting was undertaken in early 1966 (ECI,
1968). The program included an extension of the
grout curtain into the abutments and grouting at
fault D. In 1966, an access adit and two cross
adits were constructed in each abutment to drain
the rock mass in order to perform additional
grouting downstream of the grout curtain. The
grouting of the sources of water while driving the
left abutment adits in the vicinity of fault D
facilitated the driving of the adit. The positions
of adits A, B, J, RDT, G, and K at the right
abutment, and adits D, C, E, I, H, LDT, and F
at the left abutment are shown in Fig. 3.
The construction of the adits and the supplemen-
tary grouting in June 1966 resulted in a decrease
of leakage but not to an acceptable level (half or
less). In August 1967, the short side adit E was
constructed from adit LDT. Drain holes upward
into the middle conglomerate produced large flows
under pressure.
A review of the leakage problem in 1967
included the assessment of sealing measures for
the l-year period. The initial treatment work had
limited success, and water flows were present in
the adits. Further actions were decided upon after
an overall review including correlation, documen-
97
tation, review, and evaluation of all the available
information.
The review of abutment leakages (ECI, 1968)
included the design, application of measures, con-
clusions, and recommendations of a program of
long-term control work. The control measures
were necessary to reduce leakage from the abut-
ments, and a system of piezometers and measuring
installations was planned before grouting and
drainage works in both abutments was carried out.
Besides drainage in the left abutment to relieve
pressure in the area of the powerplant, the main
grouting and drainage program started in July
1971 and ran until April 1973. The reservoir eleva-
tion during the remedial work was retained below
an elevation of 273.6 m.
The general remedial measures included the
drain curtains at the left and right abutments,
positioning leakage measuring structures, placing
foundation instrumentation, and grouting with the
proper grout material and mixes (including tests).
To varying degrees, each stage of the work
depended on the previous stage. The source and
direction of major leakage was found to be through
faults D and E, as shown in Fig. 3.
After the construction of the drainage system in
the left abutment, and the leakage measuring struc-
tures in 1968, and after the placement of the initial
piezometers in 1969 and the piezometers in
1971-73, measuring flow rates from drain holes
and piezometric levels at regular time intervals was
possible.
The cumulative water flow, water test results,
and grout takes were plotted against the cumula-
tive length of grout holes, and charts were kept
for each grout hole in the middle and the lower
conglomerate. As the grouting progressed, the
water flow from the grout holes was reduced.
There was, as well, a reduction of water take and
grout take.
5. Effect on leakages
Each leakage point was measured daily, and
charts were kept to check the effect of grouting in
relation to the reservoir level. After the completion
of grouting work in the middle conglomerate of
98 E. U. Kalkani / Engineering Geology 46 (1997) 93 104
~, MC
~:~Otl F - "~l" " "~ LC
</"~ ~~. / '.~ ~ ~ .O/()
~ O~o~
"&J-Ltj r ~,
Fig. 3. Position of the grout and drainage adits, the source and direction of major leakage, and indication of areas to be protected.
both abutments, there was a significant reduction
in the rate of leakage, in the left abutment, after
the completion of grouting, the flow from the
drainholes was reduced to 45%, and the rate
changed from 1.751s-~ for a l-m change in the
reservoir level to 0.651s -~ per 1-m change in
reservoir level. Leakages in the right abutment
emerged from the middle conglomerate, when the
reservoir level was above an elevation of 247 m.
After termination of the grouting work, there was
no leakage from the reservoir for levels up to
257 m, and the conglomerate outcrops were com-
pletely dry.
The underground water velocity was measured
with dye tests, performed before and after the
grouting and drainage measures. In most cases the
dye would not pass through the completed curtains
at all. Since the rate of underground water veloci-
ties were significantly reduced, the erosion was no
longer sustained due to the protection of the grout
curtains.
The piezometer levels for each of the conglomer-
ate layers were regularly recorded. The lowering
of the piezometric levels indicated the effect of the
SOURCEANDDIRECTIONOFMAJOR LEAKAGE
GROUTI'IGREQUIRED, - . . . . GROUTINGNOTREQUIRED
ORAqNAGE
WORKTOBEPERFORMEDIN MIDDLE~OMERATE
WORKTO8E PERFORMEDIN LOWERCONGLOMERATE
/ _._~ ~_
T6 BE pROTECTED ~ t\
~ :' "" - ADITK
control works as well as the reservoir levels.
Towards the completion of grouting, the difference
in piezometric levels across the grout curtain
increased.
The piezometric levels recorded after the com-
pletion of the control work showed a nearly linear
variation with reservoir levels. Hence, for compari-
son reasons, extrapolation of the measurements
was made to assign values at a reservoir level of
266 m, although the highest level up to 1973 had
been 257 m. The residual hydrostatic levels down-
stream from the grout curtains are caused mainly
by flows bypassing the end of the grouted area
and by flows entering the protected blocks through
ungrouted areas. This phenomenon is present at
the right abutment and at the lower conglomerate
from flows bypassing the downstream end of the
grout curtain through the zones of fault E and the
fault E caves.
In the lower conglomerate of the left abutment,
the drain holes of the diversion tunnel drain the
seepage flows from the lower conglomerate. The
residual underground flows in the middle conglom-
erate of the right abutment are low enough to be
 E~C Kalkani / Engineering Geology 46 (1997) 93 104
drained by drain holes and fractures in the rocks.
In the middle conglomerate of the left abutment
the drainage system from the diversion tunnel
takes care of the remaining flows. After the mea-
sures taken in the middle and lower conglomerate,
the expected behaviour in higher reservoir levels,
such as 282 (maximum power pool) and 284 m
(top of flood control storage), has to be forecast,
although additional drain holes may be required
in certain areas.
The leakage flows into the diversion tunnel
before the initiation of grouting ranged from 100
to 125 1 s -1 for reservoir elevations between 250
and 270 m. During grouting the leakage fell to
65 1 s-1 between reservoir elevations of 240 and
257 m. The variation of the piezometric levels and
the drainage through adit M indicated that the
major part of the leakage in the left abutment
enters through the upstream ungrouted boundary
and through the lower conglomerate at the right
abutment. The leakage from the right abutment
was measured with structures at the downstream
toe of the dam, which after the impoundment of
the reservoir of the downstream hydro powerplant
were inoperable. Hence, there was no measurement
of the effect of grouting in adit G on the leakage
flow of the lower conglomerate.
6. Processing of piezometer measurements
The measurements of piezometric levels by
instruments installed in boreholes within the adits
and at ground level at the right and left abutments
of the dam, the measurements of the water level
in boreholes and of flow rates from adits and
tunnels are recorded regularly. The characteristic
reservoir levels and the years to which the record-
ings correspond are: 271 m in 1974, 240 m in 1978,
274.25 m in 1981 and 275.51 m in 1991. A complete
reference for the piezometer measurements and
evaluation is available in a report to the Public
Power Corporation (Papaleonardos, 1993).
From the 70 installed piezometers, only 64 are
included in this study. Those not included are
either dry for long periods of time or give the
same readings as nearby piezomenters. The water
99
level in boreholes at the left abutment was also
recorded and used in this study.
Plots of the variation of piezometer measure-
ments versus time are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. At
the left abutment, the behaviour of 10 piezometers
in adit F and eight piezometers in adit C, and at
the right abutment, the behaviour of 10 piezome-
ters in adit G, and eight piezometers in adits A
and B are shown in Fig. 4, at the left and right
sides, respectively. Also, at the right abutment, the
behaviour of seven piezometers in adit D and eight
piezometers outside the adits, and at the right
abutment, the behaviour of six piezometers in adits
J and RDT and seven piezometers outside the
adits are shown in Fig. 5, at the left and right side,
respectively. No increase in piezometer measure-
ments is present, except for adit C at the position
of PC5, adit J and RDT at the position of PT8,
and adits A and B at the position of PK1, all
found upstream from the grout curtain.
At the left abutment, the variation of water level
in nine boreholes drilled for geotechnical and
inclinometer investigations is shown in Fig. 6 (top
left). Measurement of flow in adits and tunnels is
plotted versus time in Fig. 6 (top right).
The measurements that correspond to the year
1978 are low since the reservoir level was at 240 m,
while from 1981 to 1991 there is no significant
variation, with the exception of certain cases where
a considerable increase of the measurements is
present. The piezometric values at the middle and
lower conglomerate are designated separately. In
the middle conglomerate, in most cases there is a
distinct separation of the measurements that corre-
spond to the piezometers upstream and down-
stream of the grout curtain, i.e., adits F and C of
the left abutment and adits G, A and B of the
right abutment (Fig. 4), while in adits D, J and
RDT this separation is not present (Fig. 5). In the
lower conglomerate, in certain cases there is a
grout curtain and in others there is not. In all
plots of Figs. 4 and 5, the plots for the piezometer
measurements in the lower conglomerate versus
time are all in one group.
The flow rate plots shown in Fig. 6 (top right)
indicate high values of flow from the adit M,
which is found within the lower conglomerate of
the right bank just above the tailrace level. The
100 E, C Kalkani ,' Engineerin~ Geology 46 (1997) 93 104

ADIt G
280 middle c o n g l o m e r a t e
PIEZOMETERS
upstream grout curtain
ADI1- F PG7
PG3
260 260

middle c o n g l o m e r a t e
240 upstream grout curtain .,-~_~---- ~ PG8
1..240
PF / ;/1-~ ~ PG20
E
,.•'•220 PF5 "--'---~._i~ PG4
PF3 220 PG2
~ q)
d o w n s t r e a m grout curtain E middle conglomerate
; PFll L d o w n s t r e a m grout curtain
200 PF]2 200
(3
ol q~
~'~lo~w ''~ .... PF2
O er c o n g l o m e r a t e PF4
180 PG12
~ c u r t a i n 180 PG15
--, p ¢ . - PGt4
V ~ PF8 lower conglomerate
160 ~ PFIO no grout curtain
160

d o w n s t r e a m grout curtain

140 ~ r, i l l i l l l ii , l l , , r ~ l l . i , I
140 i i , i , i , i i i i , i i ~ , i i-~ i i i m ~
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 1970 197s 1980 1985 199o 199s
Time (years) Time (years)
PIEZOMEIERS
ADIf A & B
280
PIEZOMETE RS
ADIT C PK1

middle c o n g l o m e r a t e middle c o n g l o m e r a t e
25D 250 upstream grout curtain
upstream grout curtain

240 ~ PC9
PC5
..240
PA4

-.•-•220 middle c o n g l o m e r a t e
d o w n s t r e a m g r o u t curtain
~- 2 2 0
c
~ -~-'~T-~ S6OAD
PA3
PA2
c k_ middle c o n g l o m e r a t e
q) . PC7
k_ d o w n s t r e a m grout curtain
PC 1
E 200 PC6 ~ 200
~ . . . ~ _ ~ ~ PBU
[/1 ~c
aJ 180
180 PB]
PAl
~ / - ~ PC1 I lower c o n g l o m e r a t e
----- ~ PC2 no grout curtain
160 160
..~.~_. _ ~ ~ PC 12
lower c o n g l o m e r a t e

140 , , , ~ , , , , ~ , , , , ~'r--r, , ~9, , T-r-q 140 ~- , , , i , , , , ~ ~ F - ~ r - r q - , , , , , , , ~

1970 1975 1980 1985 t9 0 1995
Time (years) 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995
Time (years)

Fig. 4. M e a s u r e m e n t s o f p i e z o m e t e r s in a d i t F a n d adit C (left a b u t m e n t ) , a n d in a d i t G a n d adits A a n d B (right a b u t m e n t ) .

 E. C. Katkani / Engineering Geology 46 (1997) 93-104 101

PIEZOMETERS PtEZOMETERS
ADIT D ADIT J & RDT
260 260

240 240

220 middle conglomerate

220
upstream grout curtain PT8
......... - ~ PD3
qd
PD7
middle conglomerate
E 200 ~-'---"~ ' PD5 E 200 downstream grout curtain
downstream grout curtain •- ~ PT4
01 O3

w 180 w 180
lower conglomerate
no grout curtain PJ2
PRDT2
......... -..., PD2
160 PD4 lower c o n g l o m e r a t e PRD1-7
160
' I ~~ P D t 0 no grout curtain
PD11

140 , ,, ,1, ,,,1 ,,, ,l ,,, ,i ,, ,, i 140 i i I 11 i i i i i i ) i 11 i i i i i i i i1-.- ~

1970 197.5 1980 1985 1990 1995 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995
Time (years) Time (years)

PIEZOMETERS
LEFT ABUTMENT PIEZOMETERS
RIGHT ABUTMENI
260 250 upstream grout curtain
- - G22x

240 middle conglomerate 240

d o w n s t r e a m g r o u t curtQin middle conglomerate
G17
-..•2 2 0 ...... ~ G19 ,•.,'•2 2 0 ~-- -----. . . . . . . . . .
_ .
G25
G23
G22
. . . . G20 q.I downstream grout curtain
E 200 G21
E 200

ol g
0 180 lower conglomerate 180 G25×
no grout curtain ~: = : : -__ . . . . . . . . t G23x
G20x lower conglomerate
t 60 G29x 160 no grout curtain
G)6x G24
-~ = ~ ' G30x

t40
970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 197o 197s 1980 198s 1990 ~99s
Time (years) Time (years)

Fig. 5. Measurements of piezometers in adit D and outside from adits (left abutment), and in adits J and R D T and outside from
adits (right abutment).
102 E. (:: Kalkani ; Engineering Geology 46 (1997) 93 104

BOREHOL£S ADI[ & TUNNEL

LEFTABUTMENT LEAKAGE
280 400

260 350

300
"•240
middle conglomerate G8 ~.25
~: : ..... G9
G3
200
200
aiversion tunnel
o 1B0
lower conglomerate G5 o
L~
*-~ ~ : ........ ~ G4 100 left b a ~
L t .~ ----~ n
160
B ~ a c c e ~ tunnel
15 5O
right drain tunnel
~ teft drain tunnel
140 i i I r i ! i '1 i i ~"T" i i l i ~ 0 ..... ' ' r'r-T i ~ I

1970 1975 19e0 198~ 1~9o 19~s 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995
Time (years) Time (yeors)

LEFTABUTMENT RIGHT ABUTMENT

PIEZOMETERS PIEZOMETERS

500 l 300

275 t 275

upstredm from
._250 ¢~ ~_250 ¢
b grout curtain
E upstream from E
grout curtain
E ~J J
_~ 225 ¢ o~ ~ 225 ~o
,:1)
~ 200 ~ .... downstream 3 E 200 downstream E o

175 upstream ~ 175 I ...... ~upstream ~ -- "o

Co
E ¢~ downstream E
o o
downstream
150
_oo
~g
Ro
125 ~25

100 100 1-r-.~. i i , , , T-r-r ~ i ~FT~--T-r--~., i ,

236 244 252 260 268 276 284 236 244 252 260 268 276 284
Reservoir level (m) Reservoir level ( m)

Fig. 6. Measurements of water levels in boreholes and water flow in tunnels versus time, and trends of piezometer measurements in
the left and right abutments versus reservoir level.
 E.C. Kalkani / Engineering Geology 46 (1997) 93-104 103

flow rate is lower at the left bank diversion tunnel MEASUREMENTS FOR
RESEr4VOIRLEVELAT275.51 m
and access tunnel. The left and right abutment
drain tunnels give equivalent rates of water flow, 280 -
which comes from drain holes downstream from UIS = Upstream from Grout Curtoin
DIS = Downstream from Grout Curtain
the grout curtains in the abutments.
260- u/~ \ GIC = On Grout Curtain
The plotting of the boundaries of the measure-
\ RA = I~ght Abutment
ments (maximum and minimum upstream and x k,~ LA = Left Abutment
downstream from the grout curtains at the abut- ,,_,,240 \ ~ MC = Middle Conglomerate
G/C ~ LC = Lower Conglomerate
ments) versus reservoir levels for the middle and E
lower conglomerate is shown in the bottom left
220
and right parts of Fig. 6, for the left and right GIC ~ , ~ M C
E
abutments, respectively. The reservoir, during its
30 years of operation, has never reached the maxi- 200-
DIS ~, - - LA/MC
0
mum levels of the design. The range of piezometer q3 u~IS
measurements expected can be extrapolated from
18o
Fig. 6 (bottom), for increases in reservoir levels to
an elevation of 282 and 284 m. GIC ~ ~~_RAILC
To indicate the effectiveness of the grout curtains 160 DIS ~,
at the right and left abutments, the 64 piezometer DIS ~ I.AILC
measurements and the nine water level measure-
140 i i i f i i i i i i ~ i ~ , I i ; I i I i i i I i

ments for the year 1991, for the separate cases of 0 5 10 15 20 25

the right and left abutments and at the middle and
the lower conglomerate, were put in order of
magnitude from higher to lower values and plotted
as shown in Fig. 7.
To control the erosion due to leakage within the
middle and lower conglomerate (with a flow of
more than 2 1 s- 1), water is also tested for sediment
and solubles.
7. Evaluation of measurements
The behaviour of the abutments of the dam
with a reservoir level at an elevation of 275.51 m
is satisfactory, and the same is expected for a
reservoir level of up to 282 and 284 m, since the
seepage occurs through high strength conglomer-
ate. The drainage of the middle conglomerate at
the right abutment and at the region of the adit
G, as well as the drainage of the left abutment at
the region of the adit C, has to be taken care of
in the future.
More specifically, at the right abutment and at
the middle conglomerate, although most piezome-
ter measurements upstream from the grout curtain
in adit G correspond to the reservoir level, down-
stream from the grout curtain the measurements
Number of measurements
Fig. 7. Measurements at the piezometers and boreholes in the
middle and lower conglomerate, at the left and fight abutments
(measurements corresponding to 1991, and reservoir level of
275.51 m).
drop 20-30 m, while at the lower conglomerate
the variation of piezometric levels is small com-
pared with that of the reservoir where drops of
piezometric measurements of 20-40 m are present.
At the left abutment and at the middle conglom-
erate, the piezometric levels downstream from the
adits C and F are 20-30 m lower, which results in
a drop in the seepage flow under the downstream
shell of the dam, while at the lower conglomerate,
a drop in piezometric level is present at acceptable
levels due to the drain curtain from the diversion
tunnel.
Leakages at the left and right abutments are no
longer present since the drain curtains drain the
conglomerate layers. The middle conglomerate at
the left bank is drained from drain holes made
from the diversion tunnel. The increasing of the
reservoir level has had, as a result, an increase in
the flow from the middle and lower conglomerate,
thus lowering the hydrostatic pressure within the
strata. The leakages are affected directly by the
104 E. C Kalkani Engineering Geology 46 (1997) 93 104
reservoir variation, while increase of leakages with
time is only present at adit M and the left bank
sulphur flow.
8. Conclusions
The geological conditions of the abutments of
the Bakoyianni earth dam in Greece, along with
the leakages, the seepage grouting and the evalua-
tion of the piezometer measurements are presented.
Early driving of grouting, and drainage adits were
intended to reach the conglomerate layers in the
abutments and create sealing and drainage cur-
tains. Two layers of conglomerate (middle and
lower) drain the water downstream from the grout
curtains.
At the left abutment and at the middle conglom-
erate, piezometric levels are at high values
upstream from the adits indicating a considerable
drop within the adits, while at the lower conglom-
erate a smaller drop is present downstream from
the grout curtains. At the right abutment and at
the middle conglomerate the piezometer measure-
ments indicate that grout adits create a consider-
able pressure drop downstream, while at the lower
conglomerate the piezometric levels have lower
values downstream from the grout curtains. The
water flow from adits responds directly to reservoir
variation, while increase of leakage with time is
present only in adit M and at the left bank
sulphur flow.
The behaviour of the abutments of the dam
with a reservoir level at an elevation of 275.51 m
is satisfactory, and the same is expected for a
reservoir level of up to 284m. Hence, there is
complete control of abutment seepage and the
certainty of the future stability of the dam.
Acknowledgment
The author wishes to thank Dr. D.
Papaleonardos for useful discussions and the geol-
ogists of PPC who assisted with explanations.
Also, the author wishes to thank the reviewers of
the paper for their constructive comments.
References
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Engineering Consultants, Inc., 1968. Report on Review of
Abutment Leakages. Report to Public Power Corporation.
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Engineering Consultants, Inc., 1974a. Kremasta Project Report,
Vol. I, Technical Record of Investigation, Authorization,
Design and Construction of Dam and PowerProject. Report
to the Public Power Corporation. 213 pp.
Engineering Consultants, Inc.. 1974b. Kremasta Project
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