Hydraulic Structures

A hydraulic structure is a structure submerged or partially submerged in any body of

water, which disrupts the natural flow of water. They can be used to divert, disrupt or
completely stop the flow. An example of a hydraulic structure would be a dam, which
slows the normal flow rate of the river in order to power turbines. A hydraulic
structure can be built in rivers, a sea, or any body of water where there is a need for
a change in the natural flow of water.

Kinds and functions of hydraulic structures:

 Storage structures – designed to store water under hydrostatic condition.
 Conveyance structures – designed to transport water from one place to
another, by deliver a given discharge with minimum consumption of energy.
 Waterway and navigation structures – designed to support water
transportation.
 Measurement or control structures – used to quantify the discharge in a
particular conduit.
 Energy conservation structures – designed to transform hydraulic energy
into mechanical or electrical energy.
 Sedimentation or fish control structures – designed to direct or regulate
the movement of non-hydraulic elements in water.
 Energy dissipation structures – used to control and disperse excess
hydraulic energy to prevent channel erosion.
 Collection structures – designed to gather and admit water to a conduit or
system.

Storage Structures (Dams and Barrier)

A dam is a barrier structure placed across a watercourse to store water and modify
normal flows; dams vary in size from few meters to in height to massive structures of
over 100m in height. The large dams have multiple purposes it provides the
following:
 Dawn stream flood control
 Irrigation water for farm land
 Industrial water supply
 Cooling water for power plants
 Municipal water supply
 Support navigation on many rivers

Flood Control

Dams and reservoirs can be effectively used to regulate river levels and flooding
downstream of the dam by temporarily storing the flood volume and releasing it later.
The most effective method of flood control is accomplished by an integrated water
management plan for regulating the storage and discharges of each of the main
dams located in a river basin. Each dam is operated by a specific water control plan
for routing floods through the basin without damage. This means lowering of the
reservoir level to create more storage before the rainy season. This strategy
eliminates flooding. The number of dams and their water control management plans
are established by comprehensive planning for economic development and with
public involvement. Flood control is a significant purpose for many of the existing
dams and continues as a main purpose for some of the major dams of the world
currently under construction.

Irrigation

Presently, irrigated land covers about 277 million hectares i.e. about 18% of world’s
arable land but is responsible for around 40% of crop output and employs nearly
30% of population spread over rural areas. With the large population growth
expected for the next decades, irrigation must be expanded to increase the food
capacity production. It is estimated that 80% of additional food production by the
year 2025 will need to come from irrigated land. Even with the widespread measures
to conserve water by improvements in irrigation technology, the construction of more
reservoir projects will be required.

Industrial and Municipal Water Supply

It has been stressed how essential water is for our civilization. It is important to
remember that of the total rainfall falling on the earth, most falls on the sea and a
large portion of that which falls on earth ends up as runoff. Only 2% of the total is
infiltrated to replenish the groundwater. Properly planned, designed and constructed
and maintained dams to store water contribute significantly toward fulfilling our water
supply requirements. To accommodate the variations in the hydrologic cycle, dams
and reservoirs are needed to store water and then provide more consistent supplies
during shortages.

Cooling Water for Power Plants

Thermoelectric power plants boil water to create steam, which then spins turbines to
generate electricity. The heat used to boil water can come from burning of a fuel,
from nuclear reactions, or directly from the sun or geothermal heat sources
underground. Once steam has passed through a turbine, it must be cooled back into
water before it can be reused to produce more electricity. Colder water cools the
steam more effectively and allows more efficient electricity generation.

Classification of Dams

Gravity Dams
A gravity dam is a dam constructed from concrete or stone masonry and designed to
hold back water by primarily using the weight of the material alone to resist the
horizontal pressure of water pushing against it. Gravity dams are designed so that
each section of the dam is stable and independent of any other dam section.

Earth Dams
Earthfill dams are made up mostly of compacted earth. Most embankment dams
have a zone in the middle, called the core, made of low permeability material, a
permeable part growing gradually outward called a filter on the two sides covering
the core, and the shell on the upstream and downstream heels. The core is usually
made of clayey soils to stop water passing through the dam.

Rockfill Dams
Rockfill dams are mainly made from dumped and compacted rock fill. Rockfill dams
are permeable. They have an impermeable core or an impermeable layer on the
upstream face of the dam to prevent seepage through the porous core. The
impermeable parts are usually made of reinforced concrete, asphaltic concrete or
clay.

Arch Dams
An arch dam is a concrete dam that is curved upstream in plan. The arch dam is
designed so that the force of the water against it, known as hydrostatic pressure,
presses against the arch, compressing and strengthening the structure as it pushes
into its foundation or abutments. An arch dam is most suitable for narrow canyons or
gorges with steep walls of stable rock to support the structure and stresses. Since
they are thinner than any other dam type, they require much less construction
material, making them economical and practical in remote areas.

References:

http://www.uotechnology.edu.iq/dep-building/LECTURE/first-
class/Water%20Resources-2015.pdf

https://www.icold-cigb.org/GB/dams/role_of_dams.asp

https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-energy/energy-and-water-use/water-energy-electricity-
cooling-power-plant

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_dam

https://www.geoengineer.org/education/dam-engineering/earth-rockfill-dams

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_dam