Examples:

1. Design a constant radius arch dam for a valley 50 wide at the base and 80 wide at
the height of 50 from the base. Take the height of the dam as 50 , Allowable stress in
concrete 5 , and unit weight of water 10000 / and assume 1.5 thickness at the
top and central angle 140 .
Solution:

The intrados radius at the top is given by:

2∗ ∗ sin = ℎ
2
ℎ
=
2 ∗ sin 2
80
= = 42.567 .
140
2 ∗ sin 2
The extrados radius at the top is given by:

= + = 42.5 + 1.5 =
Since the arch dam is constant radius will be the same throughout the depth
 ℎ = 10
( )
= = =6
( / ) ( )

Depth of arch Span ( ) Extrados Pressure Thickness ( ) Intrados radius

from water ( ) radius = ∗ Pressure ∗ ∗ = −
= =2∗
surface (ℎ) ( )( ) ( / ) = ∗ ( ) 2∗
( / ) ∗ (degree)
=

= 10000 ∗ ∗
0 = =0 = 44 − 1.5 = 140.5
0 80 44 = 0 nominal 1.5m .
= 10000 ∗ ∗
10 = = 0.88 = 44 − 1.5 = 121.1
10 80 − 6 = 74 44 = 100 nominal 1.5m .
= 10000 ∗ 200000 ∗ 44
10 = = 44 −
5000000 107.2
20 74 − 6 = 68 44 = 200 = . 1.76 = .
= 10000 ∗ 300000 ∗ 44
30 = = 44 −
5000000 97.1
30 68 − 6 = 62 44 = 300 = . 2.64 = .
= 10000 ∗ 400000 ∗ 44
40 = = 44 −
5000000 87.5
40 62 − 6 = 56 44 = 400 = . 3.52 = .
= 10000 ∗ 500000 ∗ 44
50 = = 44 − 4.4 =
5000000 78.3
50 56 − 6 = 50 44 = 500 = . .
2. Design a 100 high constant angle arch dam by thin cylinder theory for a valley 40
wide at the base and 240 wide at a height of 100 . Take = 5 and = 133 44

Solution:
= 0.544 ∗

∗ℎ∗
=
− ∗ℎ
= +
 ℎ = 10
( )
= = = 20
( / ) ( )

Depth of Pressure Thickness

Intrados radius ( ) ∗ℎ∗
arch from Span ( ) ( ) Pressure = ∗ = Extrados radius
water surface (m) = 0.544 ∗ = ∗ ( / ) − ∗ℎ
= +
(ℎ) ( / )
∗
=
−

= 0.544 ∗ 240 = ∗ .
0 240 130.56 0 0 = = 0 nominal 1.5 = 130.56 + 1.5 = 132.1
= 0.544 ∗ 220 = 100000 ∗ 119.56
10 220 119.68 100000 100 = = 2.44 = 119.68 + 2.44 = 122.1
5000000 − 100000
= 0.544 ∗ 200 = 200000 ∗ 108.8
20 200 108.8 200000 200 = = 4.53 = 108.8 + 4.53 = 113.3
5000000 − 108.8
= 0.544 ∗ 180 = 300000 ∗ 97.92
30 180 97.92 300000 300 = = 6.25 = 97.92 + 6.25 = 104.2
5000000 − 97.92
= 0.544 ∗ 160 = 400000 ∗ 87.94
40 160 87.04 400000 400 = = 7.57 = 87.04 + 7.57 = 94.6
5000000 − 87.94
= 0.544 ∗ 140 = 500000 ∗ 76.16
50 140 76.16 500000 500 = = 8.46 = 76.16 + 8.46 = 84.6
5000000 − 76.16
= 0.544 ∗ 120 = 600000 ∗ 65.28
60 120 65.28 600000 600 = = 8.90 = 65.28 + 8.90 = 74.2
5000000 − 65.28
= 0.544 ∗ 100 = 700000 ∗ 54.4
70 100 54.4 700000 700 = = 8.86 = 54.4 + 8.86 = 63.3
5000000 − 54.4
= 0.544 ∗ 80 = 800000 ∗ 43.52
80 80 43.52 800000 800 = = 8.29 = 43.52 + 8.29 = 51.8
5000000 − 43.52
= 0.544 ∗ 60 = 900000 ∗ 32.64
90 60 32.64 900000 900 = = 7.16 = 32.64 + 7.16 = 39.8
5000000 − 32.64
= 0.544 ∗ 40 = 1000000 ∗ 21.76
100 40 21.76 1000000 1000 = = 5.44 = 21.76 + 5.44 = 27.2
5000000 − 21.76
 3. For the example‐1 above, determine the thickness of the dam by thick cylinder theory.

Depth of arch Span ( ) Extrados Pressure Intrados radius

from water ( ) radius = ∗ Pressure = −
surface (ℎ) ( )( ) ( / ) = ∗ Thickness ( ) ( )
( / )
= − −

= 10000 ∗ = − −
∗
nominal
0 = 44 − 1.5 =
0 80 44 = 0 1.5m .
= 10000 ∗ = − −
∗
= .
10 = 44 − 1.5 =
10 80 − 6 = 74 44 = 100 nominal 1.5m .
= 10000 ∗ ∗
10 = − − = . = 44 − 1.8 =
20 74 − 6 = 68 44 = 200 .
= 10000 ∗
30 = − −
∗
= . = 44 − 2.72 =
30 68 − 6 = 62 44 = 300 .
= 10000 ∗
40 = − −
∗
= . = 44 − 3.76 =
40 62 − 6 = 56 44 = 400 .
= 10000 ∗
50 = − −
∗
= . = 44 − 4.65 =
50 56 − 6 = 50 44 = 500 .