Concrete Gravity and Arch Dams on Rock Foundation

Bronstein Vadim Izrailovich, Vainberg Alexander Isaakovich, Gaziev Erast Grigorievich, Landau Yuri Alexandrovich, Mgalobelov Yuri Borisovich

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9780367608316
• eBook ISBN: 9781000364910
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Civil Engineering
• Index: Technology & Engineering

This book, on the basis of a generalization and critical analysis of materials on constructed concrete dams, accumulated experience in their operation, and current trends, considers a set of problems associated with the design and construction of concrete dams. The modern principles of designing gravity and arch dams and the main provisions of the calculation justification of their reliability in comparison with US standards are outlined. Great attention has been paid to rolled concrete dams, taking into account their specific characteristics. Ways of increasing the efficiency of dams through the improvement of layout and structural solutions, calculation methods, and a more complete consideration of the features of natural conditions are considered.

The book presents and analyzes the designs of erected concrete dams, which allows for a better understanding of the approaches and decision-making principles for designing dams, taking into account the specifics of natural, construction, and other conditions, and also analyzes a number of new solutions that reflect the various ways that engineering theory and practice has sought further improvement of concrete dams.

This work will be useful to hydraulic engineers and professionals involved in the design, construction, and operation of concrete dams, as well as in settlement studies. The book will also be of interest to academics and can be used as a textbook by university students specializing in hydraulic engineering.

Chapter 1

History of the development of concrete dams

“You can’t really master by any scientific discipline not knowing the history of its development.”

Auguste Comte (1798–1857), French philosopher

1.1 Masonry dams from ancient civilizations to the XX century

At all times, water has been the most important factor determining the life of people and the development of productive forces. The foci of ancient civilizations are associated with the rivers: Tigris and Euphrates in Mesopotamia and the Nile in Egypt. Already at the dawn of civilization for 4000–3000 BC, the first dams and reservoirs were built. The oldest in the world are considered the Kosheish dam, 15 m high, built in Egypt under the pharaoh Menes (about 3000 BC) and the Sadd-El-Kefara dam, built in Egypt between 2950 and 2750 BC in the valley of the Wadi Garavi rock desert Jebel Galala between the Nile and the Red Sea.

The height of the Sadd-El-Kefara dam was 14 m, the length along the crest was 110 m, and the angle of inclination of the downstream slope was 35^°–45^° and the upstream −30^°. The structure included two dams in the distance 32 m from rubble masonry with 29 m width at the foundation (upper dam) and 37 m (downer dam) separated from each other, and the core between them was 32 m wide at the foundation. The core is made of a mixture of sand and gravel and the lining slopes of the dam – from well-cut limestone slabs. The purpose of the dam remains unclear to date.

The dam was built during the pharaoh Soti-1 (1319–1304 BC) and still performs its functions [28,56]. The construction of masonry dams was the forerunner of modern concrete dams and required high engineering skills. Their purpose was the creation of reservoirs for water supply, irrigation, and flood control.

Dam Sadd al-Arim built between 1000 and 700 BC near the city of Marib (now Yemen), 10 m high and about 600 m long, was considered one of the wonders of the ancient world. In Persia, during the era of King Darius (VI century BC), a series of dams were built on the rivers Dzharahi, Kar, etc. BC Shuao dam built on the Yellow River in China is currently operating.

In the code of laws of the king of Mesopotamia Hammurabi (XIX century BC), much attention was paid to the rules for the safe and lossless operation of reservoirs. One of the articles of the law read: “Article 56. If someone dumps water and his neighbor is flooded with water, then he must measure him 10 guru (150 dm³) of bread for each bur (6.3 ha) of flooded land”.

The Assyrian king Sinaherib (705–680 BC) was the first who carried out the transfer of runoff from the basin of several rivers to another river, building a dam on the Khosr River and a canal 16 km long, through which water was supplied to the capital Nineveh.

The Chavdarnishar Dam near Kutahya (VI–IV centuries BC, the region of Kariya, the territory of modern Turkey) was built to protect Aizana from floods; the height of the dam is 10 m, and the length along the crest is 80 m. Near the city of Corum, an Oryukai dam was built with a crest length of 40 m and a height of 16 m. Both were earth dams with a crest width of 4.5–5.5 m and slopes made of stone blocks.

In the VII century BC, in the territory of present-day Yemen, not far from the city of Sana, the Maribo HP was built with an earth dam 18 m high and 600 m long along the crest. The hydraulic plant included two outlets and an automatic spillway. Water discharge regulation was carried out using removable stone beams.

Already in those days, analysis was carried out to determine the size of dams, and there were rules governing water use. Thus, a cuneiform tablet, discovered during excavations of the city of Ur, the capital of the Sumerian state in Mesopotamia (about 1800 BC), contains an example of calculating the dam [65].

The dam constructed in antiquity was gravity, perceiving water pressure with its weight. The idea of using the arched effect by giving the dam a curved shape was expressed by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I (527–565), who intended to build a dam in Dara near the Syrian-Turkish border. “He will build this dam not in the form of a straight line, but in the form of a curve curved against the flow, for a better perception of head” wrote Prokopiy from Caesarea in 560.

In Spain, during the time of Ancient Rome (in the I–IV centuries AD), more than 70 dams were built, of which the highest dam Almonacid de la Cuba (98–117), 34 m high, after periodic reconstructions, is preserved to the present. This dam was originally made in the form of three arches, resting on the foundation and massive buttresses, and later with further reconstructions was turned into a gravity dam. Another large Proserpina dam, 21.6 m high, was made by a combined structure from masonry on the upstream side, to the downstream face of which an earth dam adjoins (Figure 1.1). In the XVII century, the dam was repaired. The dam is still in operation [187].

Figure 1.1 Proserpina combined dam, 21.6 m high (Spain, I–IV c.). General view.

Today we may be amazed at the engineering skills of the ancient builders, given that some of these dams are still operational. These hydraulic structures (HS) are outstanding achievements of ancient civilizations.

The arch dam Shah Abbas was erected in the Khorasan Province of Iran 700 years ago during the reign of the Persian Safavid dynasty. The height of the dam is 60 m, and the thickness on the crest is 1 m. Due to the 60-m height for 550 years, the dam was called the highest, thinnest, and oldest arch dam in the world (Figure 1.2).

Figure 1.2 Shah Abbas arch dam, 60 m high (Iran, 1320).

In the XV century and later in Western Europe, dams of various types...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• About the authors
• Annotation
• Introduction
• 1 History of the development of concrete dams
• 2 Layouts of hydraulic projects with concrete dams
• 3 Rock foundation of dams
• 4 Interaction of concrete dams with the foundation and improvement of foundations
• 5 Concrete and reinforcement
• 6 Analysis of concrete dams
• 7 Gravity dams
• 8 Arch dams
• Conclusion
• Appendix 1. Links to sources from which photographs of dams and HEPs are borrowed
• Appendix 2. Accepted abbreviations
• Bibliography
• Index