EARTHEN DAMS

INTRODUCTION
• Earthen dams are the most ancient type of embankment as they can
be built with natural materials available locally without processing.
• Unlike Gravity dams and Arch dams, earthen dams can be easily
constructed on earth foundations.
• Before development of Soil Mechanics, earthen dams were
constructed on the basis of experience. This led to the failure of
various dams.
TYPES OF EARTHEN DAMS

• The earthen dams can be of following three types:

1. Homogeneous Embankment Type
2. Zoned Embankment Type
3. Diaphragm Type
1. Homogeneous Embankment Type:
It is the simplest type of an earthen embankment dam.
It consists of a single material and is homogeneous throughout.
Sometimes a blanket of relatively impervious material is used on the
upstream face.
This type of dam is constructed where there is only one type of
material available (economically / locally).
Such a section is used for low to moderately high dams.
Such dam poses a problem of seepage, and huge sections are
required to make it safe against piping, instability, etc.
For smaller sections, an internal drainage system is added, such as a
horizontal drainage filter, rock toe, etc.
The internal drainage system keeps the top seepage line (phreatic
line)well within the body of dam and hence, steeper slopes can be
provided.
2. Zoned Embankment Type:
Zoned embankments are usually provided with a central impervious
core, covered by a comparatively pervious transition zone, which is
finally surrounded by a much more pervious outer zone.
The central core checks the seepage.
The transition zone prevents piping through cracks which may
develop in the core.
The outer zone gives stability to the central impervious fill and also
distribute the load over a large area of foundation.
This types of embankments are widely constructed today.
Materials of the zones are selected depending on their availability.
Clay, inspite of being impervious, shrinks and swells too much. Due to
this reason, clay is sometimes mixed with fine sand or gravel, and this
mixture is used as a central impervious core.
Fine sand or fine gravels are used as the materials in the transition
zone.
Freely draining materials such as coarse sand and gravels are used in
the outer shell.
3. Diaphragm Type:
These dams have a thin impervious core, which is surrounded by
earth or rock fill.
The impervious core is called a diaphragm.
It is made concrete, steel, impervious soil or timber.
It acts as a water barrier to prevent seepage through the dam.
The diaphragm is placed either at –
i. The center as a central vertical core, OR
ii. The upstream face as a blanket.
If the foundation is pervious, the diaphragm must be extended upto
the bedrock or very impervious foundation material.
If the thickness of the core at any elevation is less than 10 meters, the
dam is Diaphragm type.
If the thickness of the core at any elevation is greater than 10 meters,
the dam is Zoned Embankment type.
METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION

• There are two methods of constructing earthen dams:

1. Hydraulic Fill method
2. Rolled Fill method
1. Hydraulic-fill method:
In this method, dam body is constructed by excavating and transporting
soils by using water.
Pipes called flumes, are laid along the outer edge of the embankment.
The soil materials are mixed with water and pumped into these flumes.
The slush is discharged through the outlets in the flumes at suitable
intervals along the lengths.
The slush, flowing towards the center of the bank, tend to settle down.
The coarser particles get deposited near the outer edge while the fines get
carried and settle to the center, forming a zoned embankment.
Since the fill is saturated when placed, high pore pressure develops in
the core material, and the stability of dam must be checked for these
pressures.
This type of embankment is susceptible to settlement over long
periods, because of slow drainage from the core.
Thus, this method is seldom used these days.
2. Roll-filled method:
The embankment is constructed by placing suitable soil materials in thin
layers (15 to 30 cm) and compacting them with rollers.
The soil is brought to the site from burrow pits and spread by bulldozers
in layers.
Ordinary road rollers can be used for low embankments whereas power-
operated rollers are required for high embankments.
The best compaction can be obtained at a moisture content somewhere
near the optimum moisture content.
Compaction of coarse gravels is done by vibrating equipments.
COMPONENTS OF EARTHEN DAMS
AND THEIR FUNCTION
1. Hearting (Core):
It forms the central section built with impervious materials like clay,
etc.
It is compacted at OMC.
It provides water tightness to the dam and adequate shear resistance
against slipping.
It controls the seepage flow through the body of the dam.
2. Shell (Casing):
It forms the outer portion of the dam.
It is constructed with murum soft rock, or sand and gravel, etc.
It is compacted at its OMC.
The shell provides a cover to the core, protecting it from cracking.
It helps in distributing the load of the dam over a large foundation,
thus providing stability to dam.
It also helps in drainage.
3. Transition filters:
As the core contains fine material and the shell contains coarse
material so there is a chance that both may get mixed into each other.
 These filters are installed in the dam body to stop the mixing of
materials from either sides into each other.
Transition filters are made of material which is semi-pervious in
nature.
4. Pitching (wave protection riprap):
Pitching of 30 cm to 45 cm is provided by laying stones of 30 cm size and 40-
50 kg weight on a dressed upstream slope.
It prevents the erosion of materials on the upstream face caused due to
wave action and protects the slope from sudden drawdown.

5. Turfing (riprap protection) :

It is planting of special type of grass called harali on the downstream face of
the dam.
It protects the downstream slope from eroding action of rainwater.
6. Horizontal filter (Internal filter):
It is usually used if dam body is made of impervious material.
 The dam body may contain moisture already.
If this water remains in the dam body, pore water pressure is developed and
effective pressure is reduced.
So to remove this water, internal drain is used.

7. Toe filter:
The major function of the rock toe is to protect the lower part of downstream
embankment.
8. Cut-off trench:
It is a trench dug to fill it with impervious material e.g. Rich Concrete.
It prevents seepage of water through the foundation.

9. Freeboard:
To avoid overtopping of dam, free board is used.

10. Crest:
It is the most upper part of the dam which divides the upstream face and the downstream face.
Its objective is to give access to vehicles over it.

11. Berm:
Berms are offsets provided on the downstream at 8 to 10 m vertical interval from 3 to 5 m width.
The objective of the berm is to collect rainwater and dispose it off safely.
To provide roadways for vehicles.
To reduce the velocity of rain falling on the slope.
DESIGN CRITERIA FOR EARTHEN DAM