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K.A. Crawford-Flett, J.J.M. Haskell
Dam inventories can provide a comprehensive understanding of a region’s dam population; from dam quantity, type, age, height, and purpose; to ownership profiling and broad-based regional risk assessment using GIS applications. Historically, New Zealand has lacked a comprehensive inventory of dam assets, instead relying on local and industry knowledge to characterise the dam infrastructure and its key properties, issues, and risks.
This paper presents a cross-sectional characterisation of dams in New Zealand, based on the recent compilation and analysis of a New Zealand Inventory of Dams (NZID). The NZID is the first inventory of its kind for NZ dams, comprising almost 1200 unique structures over 3 m in height. Inventory data was sourced from existing publications, NZSOLD, and regional authorities. The analysis of anonymised inventory data provides an understanding of the number and distribution of assets, along with characteristic physical properties (construction material, height, age, purpose).
Statistical comparisons are drawn in relation to published international dam inventories. Similarities and differences in the international dam populations are noted, particularly with regard to construction era and type. The NZ portfolio is unique in that dams are typically shorter in height, and a significant proportion of structures serve the hydroelectric and energy sectors.
Analysis of the new NZID confirms the need for research that is focused on the long-term performance of aging earth dams, particularly those exceeding 40 years of age. In addition to informing research needs and foci, the new NZID provides statistics on the dam population with far-reaching industry and management applications
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2016 Papers
2016 – Lies, Dam Lies, and Statistics: The Compilation and Analysis of a New Zealand Inventory of Dams
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K.A. Crawford-Flett, J.J.M. Haskell
Dam inventories can provide a comprehensive understanding of a region’s dam population; from dam quantity, type, age, height, and purpose; to ownership profiling and broad-based regional risk assessment using GIS applications. Historically, New Zealand has lacked a comprehensive inventory of dam assets, instead relying on local and industry knowledge to characterise the dam infrastructure and its key properties, issues, and risks.
This paper presents a cross-sectional characterisation of dams in New Zealand, based on the recent compilation and analysis of a New Zealand Inventory of Dams (NZID). The NZID is the first inventory of its kind for NZ dams, comprising almost 1200 unique structures over 3 m in height. Inventory data was sourced from existing publications, NZSOLD, and regional authorities. The analysis of anonymised inventory data provides an understanding of the number and distribution of assets, along with characteristic physical properties (construction material, height, age, purpose).
Statistical comparisons are drawn in relation to published international dam inventories. Similarities and differences in the international dam populations are noted, particularly with regard to construction era and type. The NZ portfolio is unique in that dams are typically shorter in height, and a significant proportion of structures serve the hydroelectric and energy sectors.
Analysis of the new NZID confirms the need for research that is focused on the long-term performance of aging earth dams, particularly those exceeding 40 years of age. In addition to informing research needs and foci, the new NZID provides statistics on the dam population with far-reaching industry and management applications
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$15.00
2019 Papers
2019 – Interpretation of Internal Erosion Susceptibility in a New Zealand Canal Embankment
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K.A. Crawford-Flett, J.J.Eldridge, E.T. Bowman, C. Gordon
This paper provides an interpretation of factors governing the manifestation of internal erosion in a New Zealand canal that was constructed during the 1970s. Liner and subgrade soils were sampled during de- watering of Tekapo Canal in 2013, following the surveillance of erosion events over the preceding decades. This paper focuses on the interpretation of erosion susceptibility of liner and subgrade soil gradations sampled at four locations. Of the four locations, Sites 2, 3, and 4 were associated with internal erosion defects. A single location (Site 1) was selected to provide benchmark “intact” (un-eroded) samples.
Interpretation of susceptibility of the widely-graded soils to internal erosion mechanisms was achieved through the application of established empirical techniques for internal stability, filter compatibility, and segregation. Analysis of gradations, which are believed representative of some – but likely not all – canal soils, showed that Sites associated with erosion defects had liner-subgrade interfaces that permitted “some erosion” (NE < D15F < EE), while the Site showing no sign of erosion possessed an interface that met modern filter retention criteria for No Erosion. Based on gradation analysis, internal instability is considered a possibility for subgrade materials in particular. It is possible that subgrade materials that fail No Erosion criteria for liner retention may not represent as-built material and may instead have lost finer fractions in situ due to seepage-induced instability, leaving a coarser-than-placed and filter-incompatible subgrade.
This case study demonstrates the use of gradation-based empirical methods as initial screening tools to assess the susceptibility of soils to internal instability, filter compatibility, and segregation. The relationship between the internal stability of a filter and the filter’s particle retention performance (compatibility) is emphasised. As well as gradation susceptibility, the assessment of other factors such as segregation and hydraulic loads must be considered in order to better-understand susceptibility to erosion mechanisms.
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