Elementary Profile of a Gravity Dam

• Profile / shape of the dam subjected to only to the external water pressure on u/s
side
• Shape will be triangle with zero width at top water level, and base width (B) at
bottom
• Shape similar to hydrostatic pressure distribution
Reservoir Empty → Only self weight acts
• ΣV = W ; e = B/6
• Pmax (at toe) = 2W/B
• Pmin (at heel) = 0
 Elementary Profile of a Gravity Dam ..

Reservoir Full → Self weight, Hydrodtatic force, Uplift force acts

 Elementary Profile of a Gravity Dam ..

Base width of Elementary Profile is calculated based on two criteria

1) Stress criteria 2) Stability / Sliding criteria
Stress Criteria → Take moments of all forces about ‘toe’ and equate to zero
 Elementary Profile of a Gravity Dam ..

Stability Criteria → Horizontal forces causing sliding should be balanced by frictional

forces

Width of elementary profile should be greater of the above two

 Practical Profile of a Gravity Dam

Elementary profile, being theoretical is not practically feasible, and need some
additional features
1) Free board → Margin between top of dam and
HFL of reservoir
• To prevent splashing of waves
• Free board = 1.5 hw
• Top width = 14 % of h
2) Roadway at the top
3) Additional loads due to roadway (u/s inclined face)
 Limiting Height of a Gravity Dam

Obtained by equating maximum principal stress

developed at the toe to the allowable stress (f) of
the material

Low gravity Dam: If ‘H’ is below the one calculated

from above eq
High gravity Dam : If ‘H’ is more than the one
calculated above. Need extra slope on upstream
 Principal and Shear Stresses

Consider an elementary dam section at heel / toe

of the dam
Stress intensities are assumed to be uniform on
the faces
Face of the dam will be a principal plane (as only
water stress acts on it without any shear stress)
Since principal planes are at mutually right angles,
AB is another principal plane
Forces acting on the elementary section are shown
Consider unit length of dam material
 Principal and Shear Stresses

Resolve all the forces in the vertical direction

 Principal and Shear Stresses

Special cases:
1) For the d/s side, worst condition is when tail water = 0. p = 0
2) Considering pe (hydrodynamic pressure due to u/w water), the second term
modifies as (p+pe)
3) Considering pe’ (hydrodynamic pressure due to u/w water), the second term
modifies as (p-pe’)
4) For u/s face, sigma_! Is always less then ‘p’, hence it becomes minor principal
stress
5) IF u/s face is vertical, both sigma_1 and ‘p’ becomes same
 Principal and Shear Stresses

Resolve all the forces in the horizontal direction

 Galleries

• A formed opening left in the dam

• May run in transverse or longitudinal direction
• Used to provide drainage of the dam
• To provide facilities for drilling and grouting
• To provide space for header and return pipes for
post cooling of concrete, grouting joints
• To provide access
• Shafts are provided to connect galleries at
different levels
 Joints, Keys, Water Seals

• Construction Joints → Usually horizontal, to construct concrete in stages, height

between two construction joints is limited to 1.5 m (called lift),
• Contraction Joints → Provided to avoid cracks due to shrinkage, temperature
changes. Can be transverse joints or Longitudinal joints
• Transverse joints → Provided normal to the axis of the dam, spacing: 15 m, joints
extend entirely through the structure. To make the joints water tight, keyways or
water stops are provided
• Longitudinal joints → Provided parallel to the axis of the dam
• Keys → Provided in longitudinal joints to transfer shear stress from block to block
• Water stops → To prevent leakage of water
Joints, Keys, Water Seals
 Spillways

• A hydraulic structure built at a dam site for diverting the surplus water from a
reservoir after it has been filled to its maximum capacity
• Spillway is the overflow portion of a dam
• Allows surplus discharge to flow from reservoir to the downstream
• Also called safety valve of a dam
• Based on utility, spillways are of two types:
1) Main spillway → Works under design floods
2) Emergency spillway → Provided as additional
safety, for earthen dams
 Types of Spillways
1) Straight Drop Spillway
• Consists of low height weir wall with its downstream face roughly vertical
• When water level in the reservoir rises above the normal pool level, the surplus
water falls freely from the crest of the weir
• An artificial pool with a concrete apron and low secondary dam is constructed on
the downstream side
• Proper ventilation should be provided on the underside portion of a falling jet to
prevent pulsating and fluctuating effects
• An overhanging projection is provided on the crest of the weir to prevent the
entrance of small discharges onto the face of the weir wall
• Suitable for thin arch dams, earthen dams or bunds
 Types of Spillways ..
1) Straight Drop Spillway ..
 Types of Spillways
2) Ogee Spillway
• Downstream face of the weir is constructed corresponding to the shape of lower
nappe of freely falling water jet which is in ogee (S) shape.
• Designed on the basis of the principle of a projectile.
• Shape of lower nappe of the water jet is not constant for all water heads hence,
shape obtained for the maximum head is taken into account in design
• Commonly used in case of gravity dams, arch dams, buttress dams, etc.
• For gravity dams, it is generally located within the dam body
 Types of Spillways
2) Ogee Spillway ..

Type equation here.

Q = CD Le H3/2d
Le = L – 2(N Kp+Ka) Hd
X1.85 = 2 H0.85d y
 Types of Spillways
3) Shaft Spillway
• Consists of a vertical shaft followed by a horizontal conduit
• The surplus water enters into the vertical shaft and then to the horizontal conduit
and finally reaches the downstream of the channel
• Excavation for the natural shaft is possible only when the hard rocky layer is
present on the upstream side.
• The horizontal conduit either passes through the dam body or through the
foundation of the dam
• In the case of large projects, the inlet hole of the vertical shaft is specially shaped
which is called as morning glory or glory hole of the spillway
 Types of Spillways
3) Shaft Spillway ..
 Types of Spillways
4) Chute (Trough) Spillway
• Surplus water from upstream is disposed to the downstream through a steeply
sloped open channel
• Generally constructed at one end of the dam or separately away from the dam in a
natural saddle in a bank of the river
• Preferred when the width of the river valley is very narrow
• The slope of chute spillway is designed in such a way that the flow should be
always in supercritical condition.
• To dissipate energy from the falling water, energy dissipators can be provided on
the bed of chute spillway
 Types of Spillways
4) Chute (Trough) Spillway ..
 Types of Spillways
5) Side Channel Spillway
• Crest of side channel spillway is located on one of its sides
• Water spilling from the crest is turned to 90 degrees and flows parallel to the crest
of side channel spillway unlike in chute spillway
• Side channel spillways are preferred over chute spillways when flanks of sufficient
width are not available, usually to avoid heavy cutting.
• The angle of turn of water flow after passing weir crest can also be kept between
00 and 900
 Types of Spillways
5) Side Channel Spillway
• Crest of side channel spillway is located on one of its sides
• Water spilling from the crest is turned to 90 degrees and flows parallel to the crest
of side channel spillway unlike in chute spillway
• Side channel spillways are preferred over chute spillways when flanks of sufficient
width are not available, usually to avoid heavy cutting.
• The angle of turn of water flow after passing weir crest can also be kept between
00 and 900
 Types of Spillways
5) Side Channel Spillway ..
 Types of Spillways
6) Siphon Spillway
• Uses the siphonic action to discharge the surplus water
• Surplus water is disposed to downstream through an inverted U shaped conduit
• Generally arranged inside the body or over the crest of the dam
• Air vents are provided at the bent portion of the upper passageway to prevent the
entrance of water when the water level is below the normal poll level
• Whenever the level rises above normal pool level, water enters into the conduit
and is discharged to the downstream of the channel by siphonic action
 Types of Spillways
6) Siphon Spillway ..
Types of Spillways ..
 CE 4500 - Evaluation

Quiz 1 Completed 25 %

Assignment 1 Completed 10 %

Quiz 2 09 Nov 2020 (Mon) 25 %

Term Project 11 Nov 2020 (Wed) 20 %

Attendance Continuous 20 %