2007 – Design inputs for stability assessment of dams on New Zealand greywackes
Stuart Read and Laurie Richards
Many dams in New Zealand are founded on greywacke, a typically hard, closely-jointed rock mass. This paper describes the characteristics of greywacke rocks based on field mapping, laboratory testing and rock mass classification, and gives examples of design inputs for dams, in particular concrete structures. Unweathered, intact rock materials have unconfined compressive strengths generally above 100 MPa and moderate to high modulus ratios. The rock masses, which comprise sandstones and mudstones, are commonly tectonically disturbed and have an unusual combination of very high intact strength and joints with low persistence. The effect of these properties on rock mass deformability and strength is illustrated by estimation of dam foundation deformability from tiltmeter measurements and assessment of critical foundation failure mechanisms from estimates of defect and global rock mass strengths.
Keywords: foundations, dam design, rock mass strength, rock mass deformability, greywacke
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2007 Papers
2007 – Improving safety and hydraulic efficiency of dams with physical model studies
Learn moreSteven L. Barfuss and Blake P. Tullis
An important aspect of improving the safety of dams is selecting designs that are both hydraulically efficient and cost-effective. A powerful tool that can be used as part of the hydraulic structure design process is a physical model study. To obtain maximum benefit from the model, it should be implemented as a part of the design process rather than as a post-design verification phase. A model study included early in the conceptual design phase can also provide increased flexibility to the designers.
Hydraulic model studies can often provide cost-effective answers to difficult problems. Some of the issues that can be efficiently resolved using model studies include optimizing spillway head-discharge relationships to increase reservoir storage while minimizing upstream flooding potential, controlling downstream scour, quantifying hydraulic uplift forces and/or overturning moments of dam structures, evaluating alternatives for structure retrofit or repair, and optimizing control gate sequencing during floods. Model studies also allow the engineer to simulate prototype performance (e.g., three-dimensional flow patterns, velocities, pressures, scour potential) over the full range of expected discharges. Quick and easy changes to the model can be made at minimal cost when evaluating the performance, safety and economic impact of various design alternatives.This hands-on model study approach to dam safety represents a tool that in some cases is underutilized.
Brief discussions of several physical model studies conducted at the Utah Water Research Laboratory, Utah State University in Logan, Utah, USA, are presented to illustrate key points of the paper. The primary objective of each of these model studies was to provide and/or improve the safety of the dam and the spillway while minimizing construction costs. This paper discusses the cost-effectiveness and hydraulic improvements that can be achieved through physical model studies.
Keywords: Physical models studies, design, hydraulic efficiency, dam safety, construction costs
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2007 Papers
2007 – Damming water for the future prosperity of Otago
Learn moreFraser McRae
The Resource Management Act 1991 provides regional councils with responsibility for the control of taking, use, damming and diversion of water for the purpose of promoting sustainable resource management. The Act enables councils to develop plans, including objectives, policies and rules, to assist it carry out its functions. Otago Regional Council has an operative plan, Regional Plan: Water for Otago, which contains various provisions relevant to controlling damming and storage of water.
In Otago, where irrigation is significant, most surface water is over-allocated. Water for irrigation is largely allocated through deemed resource consents (issued by the Wardens Court under the Mining Acts of 1898 and 1926) which now have an imposed expiry date of 1 October 2021 under the Resource Management Act. Deemed consents have priority access allocations and are largely excluded from the provisions of the regional plan. Water resources are not efficiently utilised under the current regime, with water from dry areas transported long distances to areas with abundant water, and surface water taken when ground water is a more appropriate resource.
Otago Regional Council is undertaking a plan change program to allow smooth transition from deemed consents that ensures water resources are efficiently allocated and water is used efficiently after 2021. The paper describes the results of consultation undertaken with irrigators and discusses the role of irrigation infrastructure raised at those meetings.
Efficient water resource management requires Council to develop a policy regime that promotes water resource and use efficiency as a priority and encourages community based water management for efficient on farm use. Also, irrigators need to develop new storage and distribution infrastructure managed and operated at an inter farm – community level.
Changes to the Building Act, giving regional councils responsibility for dam safety and building controls for dams, create opportunities for greater integration of dam construction and management with water resource management under the Resource Management Act. This paper explores an opportunity for major redesign of water infrastructure development and management for the future prosperity of Otago.
Keywords: Building Act, Resource Management Act, water, storage and distribution infrastructure, resource efficiency
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2007 Papers
2007 – Cobb Dam sinkholes
Learn moreBruce Walpole and Craig Scott
Monitoring and surveillance is crucial to managing the ongoing performance of dam structures.
The true value of appropriate monitoring, surveillance and review processes is only realised when
potential dam safety issues arise. TrustPower’s civil safety monitoring and surveillance program
includes nineteen hydro schemes throughout New Zealand and incorporates structures with
Potential Impact Classifications (PIC) ranging from Low to High.TrustPower promotes a continual improvement policy on its management of safety issues and
conducts inspections on a regular basis. Routine and periodic independent inspections of the key
components within a scheme are paramount to the viability of the safety management system. The
importance and purpose of these inspections has recently been highlighted by the discovery of two
sinkholes on the face of the earth dam associated with the Cobb hydro electric power scheme.This paper provides an example of the need for continual monitoring and surveillance, vigilance
of observations, good archiving systems and documentation. It discusses the broader issues
surrounding the subsequent response processes to potential dam safety deficiencies, and the
success (or otherwise) of investigative methods. It also highlights that an adequate dam safety
compliance system has commercial value as there is a measurable reduction in dam performance
uncertainty and hence greater efficiency in the speed at which accurate resolutions can be drawn.Keywords: Dam safety, embankment, sinkholes, foundations, dam drainage, geophysical
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2007 Papers
2007 – Upgrade of the Aviemore spillway and sluice gates for dam safety operation
Learn moreKen Ho, Robert Davey and Jim Walker
The Aviemore Dam appurtenant structures were upgraded for seismic performance in 2006. A comprehensive dam safety review programme conducted by Meridian Energy evaluated the performance of the dam and appurtenant works under extreme ground movements and rupture displacements of the Waitangi Fault, which passes through the embankment dam foundation. The spillway and sluice gates are key elements of the dam safety critical plant for the passage of floods to prevent overtopping or emergency dewatering of the reservoir after a major seismic event if there are concerns about damage to the dam. This paper outlines the assessment undertaken for the spillway and sluice gates for seismic performance and the upgrade necessary to safeguard their integrity for operation after the event.
The spillway and sluice gates are large steel radial gates operated by electrically powered wire rope winches and hydraulic actuation, respectively. Combined hydrostatic and the Safety Evaluation Earthquake (SEE) induced hydrodynamic loads would be expected to stress the gate structures beyond their yield capacity. The yield would be downstream only due to the influence of the hydrostatic load under the earthquake response cycle. The resulting deformations were predicted to fracture connecting bolts in the spillway gate arms and cause severe leakages past the top leaf of the sluice gates. The solutions developed for the spillway gates to reduce connection bolt damage and the strengthening of the sluice gates will ensure their post-earthquake operation.
Keywords: Aviemore Dam, spillway, sluice, radial gate, seismic performance, post-earthquake operation.
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2007 Papers
2007 – Tekapo Canal leakage model used to assess safety
Learn moreNigel Connell, Tim Logan and Tim Mills
Leakage from Tekapo Canal, between km 11 and 12, is investigated. A groundwater model is formulated based on construction records, detailed monitored seepage flow and groundwater levels in the canal embankment over the 30 year life of the canal, chemical analysis and flow history. Sieve analysis of embankment materials confirmed embankment fill was sourced from glacial outwash graves excavated from canal cut upstream. Anisotropic permeability of the fill embankment, inferred from the construction method using motor scrapers and vibratory rollers, contributed to explaining inflow to the model primarily from a source up to 500 m from the leakage outflows. Stability of the canal embankment is reassessed considering length of the seepage paths, which are long, hydraulic gradients, which are relatively flat, and resistance of the glacial outwash gravels to piping. The groundwater model that is developed indicated that stability of the canal embankments is not reduced significantly due to the seepage.
Keywords: Tekapo canal, groundwater model, canal leakage.
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