ANCOLD Bulletin No.113 (December 1999)
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Papers 1999
1999 – Alamo Dam Demonstration Risk Assessment
Learn moreDavid S. Bowles, Loren R. Anderson, Joseph B. Evelyn, Terry F. Glover and David M. Van Dorpe
A demonstration risk assessment was conducted on the 283-foot high rolled-earthfill Alamo Dam as part of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Research and Development program. The existing dam and 19 structural risk reduction alternatives were evaluated for flood, earthquake and normal operating conditions. The paper summarizes the risk assessment process, results, findings and recommendations. It also provides an evaluation of the risk assessment process and recommendations for better positioning the USACE to use risk assessment for dam safety evaluation and decision support.
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Papers 1999
1999 – Towards Total Acceptance of Fully Automated Spillway Gates
Learn morePeter Townshend
Ungated spillways offer the safest form of spillway but they are more costly than gated spillways for the volume of water stored. Gated spillways offer a more cost-effective use of water by maximizing the storage capabilities of the dam. Gated spillways also lead to more cost effective new dams as well as increasing storage of existing dams. They can therefore offer considerable advantages but must not jeopardize dam safety. Most commonly used spillway gates are mechanically driven by electric or hydraulic systems reliant on external power supply and instrumentation, and usually require operators to control the systems. Unfortunately there is already a substantial record of these types of gates not operating when required, thereby placing the dam’s safety in jeopardy. The ideal is to have automatic gates which do not suffer the problems associated with mechanically-driven gates.
A number of automatic gates exist, some with differing degrees of success but most are not truly automatic in operation and suffer some limitations. A range of fully automatic water control equipment has been developed and has operated for more than 20 years in South Africa. Out of experience gained from this equipment, a new generation of spillway gates has been developed which meets nearly all the requirements of an ideal spillway gate.
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This paper introduces the gates and examines their features and safety devices. Other benefits are also mentioned. -
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Papers 1999
1999 – Recent Practices in the Construction of Roller Compacted Concrete Dams
Learn moreRobert J. Parker
This paper examines the current trends in the construction of Roller Compacted Concrete Dams in Australia and Internationally. Certain recent trends to processes such as grout enriched vibratable RCC will assist both the cost effectiveness and simplicity of this type of dam construction. Key issues considered are: I. The trend is to use less conventional concrete in the structure and grout enriched RCC against contact surfaces are the means of achieving this. 2. Proportionally greater use is being made of high paste mixes 3. In order to maximise placing rates, keep it simple 4. Aggregates should be manufactured in not less than three sizes and preferably four if segregation is to be controlled
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Papers 1999
1999 – Empirical and Mathematical Methods of Designing Dam Filters
Learn moreBuddhima Indraratna, Mark Locke and Gamini Adikari
The main objectives of the filter are to prevent erosion of the dam core, permit controlled passage of seepage flow through the dam and facilitate dissipation of excess pore pressures in the core. In most designs of dam filters, empirical methods based on particle size ratios have been used. These empirical rules are developed through extensive laboratory tests. Although the empirical rules benefit from directly or indirectly incorporating most factors affecting filtration, they cannot be extrapolated for distinctly different soils and do not describe the time dependent changes that occur within the filter medium.
Mathematical models can be formulated to explain the fundamental physics of particle interaction and migration, within a framework of well defined geohydraulic constraints. Considering the mass flow and momentum conservation principles; time dependent changes in particle size distributions, mass flow rates, retention capacity and base soil erosion rates can be simulated.
This paper reviews various empirical and mathematical models, based on the authors experience. A novel approach to large scale filtration is highlighted based on testing actual soil and filter materials from an Australian dam, in a new 500mm diameter apparatus.
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Papers 1999
1999 – Karapiro Dam – Stability Investigations and Enhancement Works
Learn moreJim Walker, Murray Gillon and John Grimston
Karapiro Dam is at the end of a cascade of hydropower dams on the Waikato River in New Zealand’s North Island. The 52m high, high hazard, arch dam retains the lake for a 96MW power station at its downstream toe. Safety reviews recommended a re-evaluation of the dam stability under seismic loading.
Dam owner, Electricity Corporation of New Zealand (ECNZ), commissioned consultants Tonkin & Taylor Ltd to carry out a series of studies and investigations which provided better understanding of the dam’s safety status. Investigations located a previously unrecorded continuous low strength thrust fault underlying the left abutment. This provided the potential for movement of the left abutment gravity blocks under earthquake loading, with adverse effects on arch dam and reservoir safety. Investigations showed the abutment cut off walls to be lower than the PMF lake level. High groundwater levels and erodible pumiceous soils were found at the left abutment. These findings prompted ECNZ to implement stability enhancement works.
This paper describes the studies and investigations, peer review process, and design and construction of enhancement works.
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