Classification of Forces

Thrust of
Weight of
the tail
the dam
water

Stabilizing
Forces
 Reservoir
water Uplift
Wind pressure
pressure

Forces due
Seismic to waves in
forces Destabilizing
Forces the
reservoir

Silt Ice
pressure pressure
Temperature
stresses
According to IS 6512 -1984 Criteria for design of solid
gravity dams
Design of the dam is based on the worst condition and least favorable to
stability of the dam
STABILITY CRITERIA
 OVERTURNING
If the resultant of all the force acting on a dam at any of
the section, passes outside the toe, the dam shall rotate
and overturn about the toe.

B
 OVERTURNING

B
 OVERTURNING

B
 OVERTURNING

B
 OVERTURNING

B
 OVERTURNING

B
 CAUSES OF OVERTURNING FAILURES
Insufficient Weight or improper distribution of weight in the
dam cross-section

Tensile cracking over portions of the base of the structure

which is not in compression, resulting in high uplift pressure

Erosion of the rock foundation at the toe of the dam due to rock
deterioration

High uplift pressure caused by inadequate seepage control

Excessive hydrostatic pressure due to severe flood conditions

Overturning stability depends upon the location of the vertical
component of all the applied loads with respect to toe of the dam
 TWO DIMENSIONAL STABILITY
ANALYSIS (GRAVITY METHOD)
Assumptions
Dam is composed of no. of cantilevers and each of which is 1m thick
and behave independently

No loads are transferred to abutments by beam action

The foundation and the dam behave as a single unit

Materials in the foundation and body of the dam are isotropic and
homogeneous

Stresses developed are within elastic limits

Small openings in the body of dam donot effect stresses distribution

 Consider unit length of the dam

find out magnitude and direction of horizontal & vertical

forces

Determine lever arm of all the forces about the toe

Determine moments of all the forces about the toe and

algebric sum of all moments
 SLIDING

B
 SLIDING

B
 SLIDING

B
 SLIDING

B
SLIDING
A dam may fail in sliding at its base.
Sliding will occur when the net horizontal force exceeds
the frictional resistance developed at that level.

Where = coefficient of static earth pressure

= 0.65 to 0.75
Shear and sliding together
 COMPRESSION
To find normal stress distribution at the base
When eccentricity e <b/6
stresses occur at both heel
and toe are compressive.

Max compressive stress

occur at toe

When eccentricity e =b/6

TENSION
 Crack develops at the heel
and modifies uplift
pressure diagram

Increase in the magnitude

of uplift , net downward
vertical force decreases

Resultant force shifted

towards toe and
lengthening of crack

Compressive stresses goes

on increasing