Hydraulic Design - Day 2 February 10, 2004

II. Dams
A. General
1. History
2. Types of dams
3. Purposes
4. Ownership
B. Analysis of dams
1. Stability
a. Overturning
b. Sliding

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II.A.1: Dam History

• One of oldest
technologies
• Sign of civilized
societies

II.A.2: Types of Dams

• Gravity
• Arch
– Eggshell
– Multiple arch
• Buttress
• Earth / rock fill

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Gravity Dams
• Weight of dam resists
opposing forces
• Usually concrete or masonry
• Advantage: simple design
• Disadvantage: large amount
of materials and
construction

Grand Coulee Dam

Columbia River, WA
Courtesey USBR

Gravity Dams: Union Lake Dam

Millville, NJ

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Gravity Dams: Oradell Dam,

Oradell Borough, NJ

796 acres surface area

Gravity Dams: Charlotteburg Dam,

W. Milford Township

102 feet high

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Gravity Dams: Monksville Dam,

Ringwood Borough, NJ

188 feet high

Arch Dams
• Strength of material
transfers forces to
foundation / bedrock
• Advantage: economical
(less material required)
• Disadvantage: requires
“steep” terrain (v-shaped
valleys)

Hoover Dam
Colorado River, NV / AZ

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Arch Dams: Hoover Dam,

Colorado River

Arch Dams: Hoover Dam,

Colorado River

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Gravity Arch Dams: El Atazar Dam

Madrid, Spain

Buttress Dams
• Buttresses support dam
• Advantages:
– Less material required
– Strong rock foundation
not required (as for arch
dams)
• Disadvantage
– Height limitations
– Construction difficulty

buttress dam (Civil Engineering). a concrete dam

utilizing a series of buttresses for stability.

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Buttress Dams: Bartlett Dam

Verde River, AZ

Buttress Dams: Bartlett Dam

Verde River, AZ

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Multiple Arch Dams

• Continuous structure
• Often a type of buttress
dam
• Advantages
– Like arch dam, less material
required
• Disadvantages
– Construction difficulty
– Failure of key parts could
lead to loss of entire dam

Embankment Dams

• Made from
earth or rock
• “Simple” design
• Can be small or
large
• Variety of
construction
techniques

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Embankment Dams: Union City Dam

Erie County, PA

88 feet high, 560 feet wide at base, 1420 feet long

Embankment Dams: New Waddell Dam

Maricopa County, AZ

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Embankment Dams: Raymond Dam,

Wanaque Borough, NJ

Creates lake of 2589 acres –

largest surface area in New Jersey!

Embankment Dams: Details

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Embankment Dams: Seepage / Piping

II.A.3: Purposes of Dams

• Water Supply
• Flood Control
• Power Production
• Navigation
• Recreation /
Aesthetics

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Water Supply

Merril Creek Dam, Harmony Township, NJ

280 feet high - tallest dam in New Jersey!

Navigation

Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam &

St. Anthony Falls Hydraulic Laboratory
Mississippi River, Minneapolis, Minnesota

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Navigation Locks

Power Generation

Bonneville Dam Powerhouse,

Columbia River, WA/OR
Kaplan Turbine Replacement - Rocky Reach Dam
Columbia River, WA

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II.A.4: Dam Ownership

• Public
– Federal
• US Army Corps of
Engineers
• US Bureau of
Reclamation
• Tennessee Valley
Authority
– State
– Local
• Private

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NJ Dam
Hazard
Classification

Spillways

Spillways & Tainter Gates

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Oak Ridge Reservoir Dam, WA Twp, Mercer County, NJ

Boonton Dam, Parsippany Troy Hills, NJ

120 feet high

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Energy Dissipators

Assunpink Site No. 6 Dam, Washingtion Township, NJ

12,653 acre-feet of storage

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