2008 – Risk assessment in spillway remedial works design and construction and monitoring at Googong Dam

James Willey, Malcolm Barker, Javad Tabatabaei

Abstract: During successive flood events from the end of construction of Googong Dam in 1978 through to the late 1980s, erosion of in excess of 5,000 m³ of rock occurred in the partially unlined section at the downstream end of the spillway channel. Remedial works were undertaken in stages during the 1980s to stabilise the eroded chute and limit further erosion. A project is currently underway as part of the Bulk Water Alliance to construct remedial works in the spillway to repair erosion damage and increase the spillway capacity to safely pass the current estimate of the Probable Maximum Flood. The design was undertaken by GHD Pty Ltd as part of a separate engagement prior to the formation of the Alliance.

The recent work involved a review of the historical performance and prediction of future performance of the structure. A process involving the development and comparison of options and ultimately the detailed design of the preferred arrangement followed, including refinement and validation using a physical hydraulic model study.

This paper presents risk assessment techniques used throughout the project on a range of tasks including prediction of future spillway erosion damage and comparison of spillway remedial works options, assessment of construction flood risk and definition of instrumentation requirements for the dam and associated structures.

Keywords: risk assessment, remedial works, spillway erosion, rock erosion, construction risk, instrumentation.