Concrete Gravity Dams

Research Paper # 100459

Engineering > Civil and Environment

An overview of the design and function of concrete gravity dams.

1,954 words () | 12 sources | MLA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how concrete gravity dams are effective in most part due to their extreme size and weight, which counters all external forces, and how, used for many things, dams such as these can generate enormous amounts of hydropower and create massive reservoirs when necessary. Although dams do pose a certain amount of risk on the environment and those living around them, the positive aspects of dams seem to outweigh this risk.This paper explores the design behind concrete gravity dams, including but not limited to hydropower uses, effective external and internal forces, dam site selection, and many other related topics.

From the Paper:

"Throughout the history of dams, many failures have been attributed to weaknesses in the concrete used in the construction of the dam. Because the concrete is the main component in most large dams, it is important that it meets certain standards. Concrete is susceptible to deterioration, especially if it is constantly freezing and thawing (Jansen 109). It is important, when designing a concrete gravity dam, to recognize that the concrete will become saturated over time. When the Saint Francis Dam collapsed in 1928 less than two years after it had been built, it was found that the engineers had not implemented into the design the idea that the concrete would become saturated and therefore become less effective. For this reason, among others, the resultant vector of the forces acting on the dam was misplaced (outside of the middle third of the foot) and the dam eventually collapsed (Jansen 181). In later investigations, the concrete was also found to have a void ratio of 14%, which would increase the degree of saturation (Jansen 179). "

Sample of Sources Used:

Atkins, Walter A. "Hydroelectric Power." Water Encyclopedia. 2007. 19 Nov. 2007 <http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/Ge-Hy/Hydroelectric-Power.html>.
Binger, Wilson V., John P. Buehler, Frederick J. Clarke, E. Robert Deluccia, Richard D. Harza, Robert B. Jansen, John C. Peters, M. Frank Thomas, and Wallace L. Chadwick. Environmental Effects of Large Dams. New York: American Society of Civil Engineers, 1978.
"Concrete Gravity Dam" Encyclopedia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 27 November 2007. <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-72096>.
Corns, Charles F., Ernest K. Schrader, and Glenn S. Tarbox. "Gravity Dam Design and Analysis." Advanced Dam Engineering. New York: Springer, 1988. 466-469.
Goldsmith, Edward, and Nicholas Hildyard. The Social and Environmental Effects of Large Dams. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1984.