HYDRAULIC STRUCTURES

ENERGY DISSIPATORS
by:
Dr. Zahiraniza Mustaffa

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ENERGY DISSIPATORS

General Contents:
Introduction
Energy Dissipators
Stilling Basins
Design considerations

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Damn you dam!

Recall the layout of a dam!

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Typical Layout of a Dam

Q

Reservoir
Dam

Hydraulic jump

Energy Dissipator
Structures
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Introduction
Problem Statement:
When water is released through the
spillway, it carries a significant amount of
energy.
If no structures were built at the downstream
section of the spillway, this huge amount
of energy will destroy the river bed (or
anything located near the area).

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 Solutions:
Use energy dissipators, which are able to:
Dissipate the amount of energy released
from the spillway.
Slow down (reduce the velocity) the
tailwater flow
Protect any structures located at the
downstream section of the dam

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High flow
(supercritical)
Hydraulic Low flow
(subcritical)
jump

Energy Dissipator
Structures

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Energy Dissipators
Examples of energy dissipators:
Stilling basins
Drops/Steps e.g. Stepped spillway
Roller/Flip Buckets

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Baffle Blocks

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Pergau Dam, Kelantan

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Stilling Basins
Stilling basin is a basin comprises small
structures like baffles, sills and chute blocks.
When heavy flow (from u/s of dam) hits these
structures, the energy of the water will be
dissipated. Thus, water flowing d/s will be
weaker than the u/s. Is it good? Why?

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 Why do we need to have the basin?

The basin is a platform used to convert
supercritical flows into subcritical flows. This
condition will form a hydraulic jump. Is it good
to have a hydraulic jump?

Hydraulic jump equation,

y2
1

y1
2

1 8 F12 1

F1

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v1
gy1

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F1
y2
Q

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y1

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 There are FIVE types of stilling basins Basin

I, Basin II, Basin III, Basin IV and Basin V.
They are designed with respect to Froude
number (F) of the flow at the downstream
section of the spillway.

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BASIN TYPE

Basin I

1.7 < F < 2.5

No special stilling basin required

Basin II

F > 4.5 and V > 15 m/s

Chute blocks (u/s end) and dentated sill (d/s end).
Used at high dam, earth dam spillways & canal structures.

Basin III

F > 4.5 and V < 15-18 m/s

Chute blocks (u/s end), baffle blocks (middle) and end sill
(d/s
end).

The basin length is 60% shorter than Basin II.

Used at small spillways, outlet works & small canal

structures.

2.5 < F < 4.5

Chute blocks (u/s end) and end sill (d/s end).

Used at low dams (small spillways), small outlet works &

diversion dams.

Hydraulic jump not fully developed but lots of waves formed

from the jump.

Basin IV

Basin V

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DESCRIPTION

Built on sloping aprons

Used at high dams spillways
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Design Considerations
Some concerns when designing stilling basin:
To determine basin width and elevation so that
a stable hydraulic jump is formed within the
basin.
To avoid the jump neither swept out of the
basin nor drowned.

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 What are the stilling basin parameters that

you need to design?

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Chute block dimensions

Baffle block dimensions
Dentated sill dimensions
End sill dimensions
Length of the basin
Distance between the blocks
Number of blocks
etc.

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How do you design these parameters?

i.

Determine the Froude number, F of the

approaching flow before the placement of
the stilling basins.

ii.

Determine the corresponding hydraulic jump

conjugate depths (y1 and y2) by using the
hydraulic jump equation.

iii. Determine the tailwater depth located at the

d/s of the basin (TW).
iv. Use the graphs given to find the parameters.
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What do you need to know?

Q

F1

v1
gy1

y2

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TW

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Now, fun time!

Q1. Select and design the type of stilling basin for a
spillway with crest length of 100 ft, discharge of
15,000 cfs with elevations as shown in the
figure.

Elev. 100 ft

Elev. 50 ft
Elev. 20 ft

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Q2. Select and design the type of stilling basin for a

spillway that discharges flow with Froude number of
5.0 and velocity of 55 ft/s.

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