Dams

Dams are structures built to obstruct and/or control the flow of water in rivers, lakes, streams and
other channels. They are designed mainly to serve two broad functions, the first being the storage
of water to compensate for fluctuations in river discharge (flow) or in demand for water and
energy, followed by the second which is the increase of hydraulic head, or the difference in
height between water levels in the lake created upstream of the dam and the downstream river.
By satisfying these two (2) main functions, these secondary objectives can be achieved:

 The generation of Electricity

 Supplying water for agricultural, industrial, and household needs
 Enhancing river navigation
 Controlling the impact of floodwaters, and
 Recreation

Electricity Generation (Power)

Power is made when water passes through a Hydropower Dam. The electricity is generated when
the water going through the dam and spins a device called a turbine. These are made of metal
coils surrounded by magnets. From this power we can have electricity in our houses (USSD,
2019).

Supplying water for Agricultural, Industrial, and Domestic needs

Some dams store and provide water for irrigation so farmers can use the water for growing crops.
Irrigation is an important part of using water since they’re areas where water and rain are not
abundant (like the desert), irrigation canals from rivers and dams are used to carry water. On the
other hand, because the water stored in dams is fresh, it can then be used for household needs by
neighboring towns and cities (FEMA, 2019).

Enhancing river navigation

Rivers, lakes and streams provide a great opportunity for transportation. Barges and ships can
navigate along a river carrying goods and services which can incur greater charges by other
modes of transportation (USSD, 2019).

Flood Control
Dams help in preventing floods by holding excess water so that it does not run downstream or
spill over into the flood plain (USSD, 2019).
Recreation
Dams provide the opportunity for recreation. In building a dam, water is stored in the reservoir
which can be provided for activities like fishing, boating and swimming, camping, and hiking
(USSD, 2019).

Dams are classified based on their function. One type is the gravity dam which may be
constructed of concrete and/or masonry.

Figure : Diagram of a gravity dam in section view

(Photo taken from: https://www.hydroworld.com/articles/hr/print/volume-30/issue-6/articles/dam-safety-stability-and-

rehabilitation-of-smaller-gravity-dams.html, Febrary, 2019)

In the design of such dams it is essential to determine the loads required. The following forces
may affect the design:

 Headwater and tailwater pressures

 Wave pressure

Headwater and tailwater pressures

The headwater and tailwater loadings acting on a dam are determined from the hydrology,
meteorology, and reservoir regulation studies. The frequency of the different pool levels will
need to be determined to assess which will be used in the various load conditions analyzed in the
design. Further the hydrostatic pressure against the dam is a function of the water depth times the
unit weight of water. The unit weight should be taken at 62.5 pounds per cubic foot, even though
the weight varies slightly with temperature (US Army Corps of Engineers Manual EM 1110-2-
2200, 1995).
Wave pressure/load
The reservoir behind a dam is prone to generate waves by the shearing action of wind blowing
over the surface. The procedure to work out the height of waves generated, and consequently
derive the safe free board, may be done according to the method described in IS: 6512-1984
“Criteria for design of solid gravity dams”. A simpler method is prescribed as that given by the
Stevenson formula:
4
𝐻𝑤 = 0.34√𝐹 + 0.76 − 0.26 √𝐹

Where:

Hw = Height of wave, crest to through in m

F = Fetch of the reservoir, this is the longest straight distance of the reservoir from the dam up to
the farthest point of the reservoir.

When the fetch exceeds 20Km, the above formula can be approximated as:

𝐻𝑤 = 0.34√𝐹

Since the height of the generated waves must be related to the wind velocity, the original formula
has been modified to:

4
𝐻𝑤 = 0.032√𝑉𝐹 + 0.76 − 0.26 √𝐹

Where:

V = wind speed along the fetch (km/h)

Stevenson’s approximate formula is applicable for wind speeds of about 100km/hour, which is a
applicable for many locations. It is conservative for low wind speeds but under estimates waves
for high wind speeds. The pressure intensity due to waves (𝑃𝑊 , in kN/𝑀2 ) is given by the
following expression:
 𝑃𝑊 = 23.544 𝐻𝑤

Where:

𝐻𝑤 is the height of wave in m. and occurs at 1/8 𝐻𝑤 above the still water level.
𝑃𝑤 – total wave pressure per unit length (in kN/m) of the dam

References

 Darcy, H. (2019, January). Dams. Retrieved from Science and Issues:

http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Da-En/Dams.html

 NPTEL. (2019). Design and Construction of Concrete Gravity Dams. Hyderabad:

NPTEL.

 United States Society on Dams. (2019, February). Benefits of Dams and Levees.
Westminster, Nevada, United States of America.