HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES

 
ASSIGNMENT 1

SPILLWAY 

GROUP MEMBERS:

ZAHIR B IBRAHIM 2010482426

NOORFARHAH MD DOM 2009659748

PREPARED FOR: ASSOC. PROF. HAMIDON AHMAD

 Introduction

• Spillway is a passage in a dam through which the design

flood could be disposed off safely to the downstream.
•In general, spillways comprise five distinct components
namely:
(i) An entrance channel,
(ii) A control structure,
(iii) A discharge carrier,
(iv) An energy dissipator, and
(v) An outlet channel.
• Spillways are provided for storage and
detention dams to release surplus water or
floodwater that cannot be contained in the
allotted storage space, and for diversion dams
to bypass flows exceeding those turned into
the diversion system.
A small spillway
 Chute spillway

• A spillway, whose discharge is conveyed from the

reservoir to the downstream river level through an
open channel, placed either along a dam abutment
or through a saddle, might be called a chute, open
channel, or trough spillway.
• a spillway having a chute-type
discharge channel, though controlled
by an overflow crest, a gated orifice,
a side channel crest.
 Chute spillway

• The chute spillway has been used more often

with earthfill dams than with any other type.
• Factors influencing the selection of chute
spillways are
– the simplicity of their design and construction.
– their adaptability to almost any foundation condition.
– the overall economy often obtained by the use of
large amounts of spillway excavation in the dam
embankment.
 Chute spillway

• Chute spillways ordinarily consist of

– an entrance channel.
– a control structure
– a discharge channel
– a terminal structure
– an outlet channel.
Advantages
• economical for both a high q and a high overfall height,
but if only one feature is necessary other structures are
more appropriate
• usually built as a monolithic reinforced concrete
structure
Disadvantages
• skilled labor required
• need good soil conditions for foundation; still, the life
expectancy is less than for the other structures
 Labyrinth Spillways

• The concept behind the labyrinth spillway is to

provide added crest length for a given total
spillway width, so that less head is required to
pass a given discharge.
• A labyrinth design is particularly beneficial
when the spillway width is fixed, upstream
water surface elevations are restricted, and
large discharges must be passed.
 Labyrinth Spillways

• Labyrinths have also been used as control or

diversion structures on canals.
• Storage capacity can also be increased
because the labyrinth crest can be set at a
higher elevation than a straight crest while still
passing the required discharge.
Lake Brazos Dam
 Labyrinth Spillways

• The primary parameters affecting flow

patterns and, thus, spillway performance are
– the length magnification
– crest length per cycle width
– the discharge and head over the spillway
– the angle of the spillway side walls with respect to
the flow
– the ratio of the spillway cycle width to the spillway
height.
 Labyrinth Spillways

• Advantages Labyrinth
– Labyrinth spillways can be an economical solution for
increasing spillway capacity as they provide
increased unit discharge over conventional weirs for
a given head.
– Cost savings may be realized during initial
construction and in future operation and
maintenance costs.
– suitable for use anywhere an overflow structure is
required depending upon the site conditions.
 Labyrinth Spillways

• Disadvantages
– This design was however not much developed for
two reasons:-
• The shape was not optimized hydraulically and is
expensive structurally for large discharges
• They cannot be placed upon gravity dams cross
sections, i.e. upon most spillways.
 Stepped or Cascade Spillways

• Stepped channels and Spillways are used since

more than 3000 years. Stepped spillway is
generally a modification on the downstream
face of a standard profile for an uncontrolled
ogee spillway.
• Stepped spillway was quite common in the 19th
century and present practice is confined to
simple geometries (e.g. flat horizontal steps in
prismatic chutes)
 Stepped or Cascade Spillways

• Generally, stepped channel geometry is used

in channels with small - slope:
– for river training.
– in sewers and storm waterways and channels
downstream of bottom outlets,
– launder of chemical processing plants,
– waste waterways of treatment plants
– step –pool streams.
 The hydraulic features of the cascade spillway as compared to
chute flow are:

• The flow depth is much larger than in a chute due to the

highly turbulent cascade flow, and higher sidewalls are
required.
• More air is entrained and the spray action may become an
important issue.
• Abrasion can be a serious problem for flows with sediment or
with floating debris.
• Napped flow: is the flow from each step hits the next step as
a falling jet;
• Skimming flow: the flow remains coherent over the individual
steps.
Stepped spillway
• Advantages
– is the higher energy dissipation along the chute compared with
conventional, smooth chutes. The energy dissipation is different if the
flow is aerated or not.
– they can be placed over the top of an existing embankment without
causing significant changes to the dam or spillway dimensions,
– they provide considerable energy dissipation in the chute, potentially
reducing the size of the stilling basin
– they permit shorter, more efficient, and feasible construction
schedules than other design options.

• Disadvantages
– The only disadvantage with stepped spillway is that at large
discharges, as the jet is not aerated for some distance downstream of
the spillway, low pressure may occur and lead to cavitations damage.
 Morning Glory Spillway

• Most of the shaft spillways in the world were

constructed in United States, Portugal and Italy
in earlier days
• As the inlet funnel resembles the morning glory
flower, the spillway is termed as morning glory
spillway
• In general, a morning glory shaft spillway consists
of an inlet funnel, conical transition shaft, bend,
outlet tunnel and a stilling basin.
Definition Sketch of Morning Glory Shaft Spillway
• Advantages of Shaft Spillway
– the large carrying capacity and
the feasibility of constructing the
spillway after the main construction
has been completed, for instance, in the event it becomes
necessary to expand the spillway facilities. -
– Water is not passing over embankment.
– This also has the potential advantage of retaining an
appropriate flood wave speed through the flood storage
area.
 Siphon Spillway

• A spillway with one or more siphons built at or near

the crest of the dam.
• This type of spillway is sometimes used for providing
automatic surface-level regulation within narrow
limits or when considerable discharge capacity is
necessary within a short period of time.
• Siphon spillways can be used when large capacities
are not required, space is limited and fluctuations of
reservoir level must be maintained within close limits.
 Max Negative pressure Head

Energy grade Line

HYDRAULIC GRADE LINE

 Siphon Spillway

• Disadvantages
– Construction is expensive
– Sudden appearance of flood water downstream
– Large flood debris can block outlet
– A the siphon is primed the flow would result excessive
vibrations in the dam body which may cause expansion
problems in the joints.
– There is a possibility of cavitations for negative pressures,
which is affected by the head between upstream and
downstream water levels.
– Repair and maintenance of siphon spillways are difficult.
Bellmouth Siphon Spillway
 Ogee (Overflow) Spillways

• The ogee spillway has a control weir that is ogee-

shaped (S-shaped) in profile.
• The upper curve of the ogee spillway ordinarily
conforms closely to the profile of the lower
napped of a ventilated sheet falling from a sharp-
crested weir.
• This type of spillway is the most common type
adopted in the field. It divides naturally into
three zones. Crest spillway face and the toe.
Flow over a thin weir

Crystal Dam in Colorado

Advantages of Overflow Spillway
The advantages to designing uncontrolled ogee crests based
on minimum pressure criteria are as follows:
– A smaller structure can adequately pass the design flood when
compared to the standard 75 % "under design" crest.
– The spillway crest can be set at a higher elevation and still provide
discharge capacity to maintain the original maximum pool elevation
for a given inflow hydrograph.
– An engineer can chose which minimum pressure is acceptable and
design the ogee crest accordingly.
– An engineer can determine the discharge capacity of an existing ogee
crest for heads up to 5 times the design head.
– An engineer can estimate the cavitations potential of an existing ogee
crest for heads up to 5 times the design head.
• Disadvantages of Overflow Spillway
– The main disadvantage with the glory-hole
spillway is that beyond a certain surcharge the
discharge only increases slowly with increased
head. It does not provide any substantial margin
for underestimation of the maximum flood.
 Spillway System Problems

• Undermining
– Undermining is the removal of foundation material
surrounding a conduit system. Any low areas or unexplained
settlement of the earthfill in line with the conduit may indicate
that undermining has occurred within the embankment.
– As erosion continues, undermining of a conduit can lead to
displacement and collapse of the pipe sections and cause
sloughing, sliding or other forms of instability in the
embankment. As the embankment is weakened, a complete
failure of the conduit system and, eventually the dam may
occur
 Spillway System Problems

• Pipe deformation
– Pipe deformations are typically caused by external
loads that are applied on a pipe such as the weight
of the embankment or heavy equipment.
– Collapse of the pipe can cause failure of the joints
and allow erosion of the supporting fill. This may
lead to undermining and settlement. Pipe
deformation may reduce or eliminate spillway
capacity.
 Spillway System Problems

• Misalignment
– Excessive misalignment may result in other
problems such as cracks, depressions, slides on the
embankment, joint separation and seepage.
– Misalignment can also result from poor construction
practices, collapse of deteriorated conduits, decay
of organic material in the dam, seismic events or
normal settlement due to consolidation of
embankment or foundation materials.
Mitigation Measures for Spillway Problems

• Overall Design and Safety Considerations

– Alignment
• For good hydraulic performance, abrupt changes should be avoided.
This applies to sudden changes in vertical elevation of the chute floor,
abrupt widening or narrowing of the chute, and sharp turns in the
chute.
– Settlement and Movement
• The concrete sidewalls and floor of the chute must have enough
strength to withstand water loads, soil/fill loads, uplift forces,
weathering, and abrasion.
• As necessary, plans and specifications for repair to the spillway should
also be promptly developed and implemented by a registered
professional engineer.
 Mitigation Measures
• Undermining
– If the spillway is located in the abutment, erosion and
lowering of the lake level may result. A registered
professional engineer should be hired to develop plans
and specifications to repair undermining of the chute.
• Cutoff Wall and Endwall
– A cutoff wall should be placed at the entrance to the
concrete chute to prevent the flow approaching and
entering the chute from flowing beneath and
undermining the floor slabs.
 Mitigation Measures
• Seepage
– The rate and content of flow from weep holes and
relief drains must be monitored and documented
regularly.
– Plans and specifications to properly control the
seepage and repair the drain(s) and embankment
should also be developed
END……