Lect 11

Water Resources Engineering (CEB-703)
Gravity Dams
Lecture 11
CEB-703 – Lecture 11
Introduction
• Dams
- Obstruction or barrier built
across stream or river
(downstream)
- Water is collected behind
the dam (reservoir),
upstream)
- Uses: water supply, power
generation, flood control,
navigation, recreation 12 Types Of Dams With Practical
Examples (civiconcepts.com)
2
Introduction
• Types of Dams
- Earth Dams - Rockfill Dams
3
Introduction
• Types of Dams
- Gravity Dams
Aerial view of the Hoover Dam

An aerial view of the Hoover Dam. This dam has been
harvesting hydroelectric power for over 80 years now.
PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREW ZARIVNY 4
Introduction
• Types of Dams: Monasavu Dam, Fiji
The Monasavu Dam is a rock-fill embankment dam on the Nanuku River

about 60 kilometres northwest of Suva in Naitasiri Province, Fiji. It is
located just above the Monasavu Falls and is both the tallest and largest
dam, which also withholds the largest reservoir in the country. The
primary purpose of the dam is to produce hydroelectric power and it
supports an 80 megawatts power station. 5
Introduction
• Types of Dams: Vaturu Dam, Fiji
The Vaturu Dam is rock-fill dam with total storage volume of twenty seven (27) million cubic meters.
The Vaturu Dam existed around sixty (60) kilo-meters from the Nadi river mouth, with tributaries of
Namosi River, Nawaka River, and Malakua River.
6
Introduction
• Types of Dams: Vaturu Dam, Fiji
The Nadarivatu Dam, also known as the Korolevu Dam, is a concrete gravity dam on the upper reaches
of the Sigatoka River in Nadarivatu District of Nadroga-Navosa Province, Fiji. The primary purpose of
the dam is to generate hydroelectric power in a 41.7 megawatts (55,900 hp) run-of-the-river scheme.
7
Introduction
- Gravity Dams are designed to hold water
back by using only the weight of the dam (ex.
concrete) to oppose the horizontal pressure
of water pushing it
- Adv: requires minimal maintenance, relatively
strong and stable, can be built with any
height, provides indication of fail
- Disadv: cannot be built on poor foundations,
higher capital cost, requires highly-skilled
labor
8
Gravity Dams
• Typical cross-section
The upstream face may by

kept throughout vertical or
partly slanting for some of its
length, as shown.
A drainage gallery is provided
in order to relieve the uplift
pressure exerted by the
seeping water.
9
Gravity Dams
• Acting Forces
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Gravity Dams
• Acting Forces
1. Water pressure
11
Gravity Dams
• Acting Forces
2. Uplift pressure - Water seeping through the pores, cracks and
fissures of the dam and its foundation material, reduces the
downward weight, thus its stability
12
Gravity Dams
• Acting Forces
3. Earthquake: (i) vertical acceleration (𝛼𝑣 ) (ii) horizontal
acceleration (𝛼ℎ )
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Gravity Dams
• Acting Forces
4. Wave pressure – depends on the wave height
14
Gravity Dams
• Acting Forces
5. Weight of dam – major resisting force (per unit length of dam),
cross-section is divided into triangles and rectangles; 𝛾𝑚 is the
unit weight of the dam material
𝑊 = 𝛾𝑚 𝑉
6. Other forces:
silt pressure and ice pressure
15
Gravity Dams
• Acting Forces: Combination for design
o Case I. Reservoir full:
When reservoir is full, the major forces acting are: weight of the
dam, external water pressure, uplift pressure, and earthquake
forces in serious seismic zones
o Case II. Reservoir empty:
(i) Empty reservoir without earthquake forces to be computed
for determining bending diagrams, etc. for reinforcement
design, for grouting studies or other purposes.
(ii) Empty reservoir with a horizontal earthquake force
produced towards the upstream has to be checked for non-
development of tension at toe.
16
Gravity Dams
• Modes of failure
1. Overturning
2. Crushing
3. Tension, causing ultimate failure by crushing
4. Shear failure called sliding
The failure may occur at the foundation plane (i.e. at the base of
the dam) or at any other plane at higher level.
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Gravity Dams
1. Overturning
- Rotation at the toe
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Gravity Dams
2. Crushing
- Compressive stress on the dam exceeded the allowable
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Gravity Dams
2. Crushing
- Compressive stress on the dam exceeded the allowable
(left) reservoir full

(right) reservoir not full
If Pmin exceeds the allowable

compressive stress of dam
material (generally taken as
3000 kN/m2 for concrete), the
dam may crush and fail by
crushing.
20
Gravity Dams
3. Tension
- Tensile stress for high concrete gravity dams, may be taken as
500 kN/m2
- When such a tension crack develops, say at the heel, crack
width loses contact with the bottom foundations, and thus,
becomes ineffective
- Thus, the effective width B (considering unit length) of the dam
base will be reduced and will increase Pmax at the toe
- To avoid tension, the resultant force must lie within the middle
third (e < B/6)
21
Gravity Dams
4. Shear/Sliding
- When net horizontal force exceeds the frictional resistance
22
Gravity Dams
4. Shear/Sliding
- When net horizontal force exceeds the frictional resistance
- Principal shear stress
23
Gravity Dams
• EXAMPLE 1: computation of forces
Neglecting earthquake effects,
calculate:
(i) The maximum vertical stresses at
the heel and toe of the dam.
(ii) The major principal stress at the
toe of the dam.
(iii) The intensity of shear stress on a
horizontal plane near the toe.
𝑘𝑁 𝑘𝑁
Assume: 𝛾𝑤 = 9.81 3 , 𝛾𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐 = 23.5 3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝜎𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 = 2500 𝑘𝑁/𝑚2
𝑚 𝑚
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Gravity Dams CEB-703 – Lecture 11
25
Gravity Dams CEB-703 – Lecture 11
26
Gravity Dams
• Example
27
Gravity Dams
28
Gravity Dams
(i) The maximum vertical stresses at the heel and toe of the dam.
To avoid tension, the resultant force

must lie within the middle third (e < B/6)
29
Gravity Dams
(ii) The major principal stress at the toe of the dam.
30
Gravity Dams
(iii) The intensity of shear stress on a horizontal plane near the toe.
31
Gravity Dams
• EXAMPLE 2: stability analysis
Neglecting the seismic forces acting on the dam, determine the following:
(i) Stability of the dam at the base
(ii) Magnitude of maximum compressive stress
(iii) Maximum shear stress
(iv) If any tension is developed
Assume:
𝑘𝑁
𝛾𝑤 = 10 3
𝑚
𝑘𝑁
𝛾𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐 = 24 3
𝑚
32
Gravity Dams
CASE I: Empty
reservoir
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Gravity Dams
CASE I: Empty reservoir
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Gravity Dams
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Gravity Dams
36
Gravity Dams
CASE II: Full reservoir
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Gravity Dams
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Gravity Dams
The resultant (26m) is nearer to the toe .

Since e < B/6, thus, no tension developed.
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Gravity Dams
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Gravity Dams
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Gravity Dams
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Gravity Dams
43

Lect 11

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Lect 11

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Water Resources Engineering (CEB-703)

Aerial view of the Hoover Dam

The Monasavu Dam is a rock-fill embankment dam on the Nanuku River

The upstream face may by

(left) reservoir full

If Pmin exceeds the allowable

To avoid tension, the resultant force

The resultant (26m) is nearer to the toe .

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