Design of Concrete

Arch Dams

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Typical Concrete Arch Dam

Monticello Dam impounds Putah Creek west of Sacramento,

California
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 Concrete Arch Dam
 Are rigid structure with a considerable upstream
curvature
 Are Usually non-overflow type
 Are restricted to relatively narrow valley/gorges
sections with strong abutments
 As compared to the gravity or buttress dam
◦ Are structurally more efficient,
◦ Greatly reduce the volume of concrete required.

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 Concrete Arch Dam
 Structurally resist the imposed loads by combination
of
◦ arch and
◦ cantilever action.

 Transmit the major portion of

◦ The water load to the abutments or valley sides
◦ The weight of structure to the floor of the valley,

 Require large horizontal reactions by the abutments.

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Valley Shapes for Arch Dam
To determine the site suitability for an arch dam the canyon
shape factor (CSF) equation of may be used:

B  H (sec 1  sec 2 )
CSF 
H

The ratio of crest length to dam height is recommended to be ≤ 5.

Usual values of CSF are from 2 to 5.
The lower the CSF value the thinner the section.

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 Classification of valleys by CSF

B  H (sec 1  sec 2 )
CSF 
H

Valley type Bottom width B 1 2 CSF

U shaped <H < 150 < 150 < 3.1
Narrow V shaped 0 < 350 < 350 < 2.4
Wide V-shaped 0 > 350 > 350 > 2.4
Composite U-V shaped < 2H > 150 > 150  4.1
Wide and flat shapes > 2H 1 2 > 4.0
Unclassified Highly irregular valley shape

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Classification of Arch Dams
Massive arch dam:- The whole span of the dam is
covered by a single curved wall usually vertical or nearly so.
Massive arch dams are further divided into the following types:
 Constant radius arch dams,
 Constant angle arch dams,
 Variable radius arch dams,
 Double curvature or Cupola arch dams, and
 Arch gravity dams.

Multiple arch dam:- series of arches cover the whole

span of the dam, usually inclined and supported on piers or
buttresses.
Multiple arch dams are usually considered as a type of buttress
dam and will be described later.

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Constant Radius Arch Dam

the simplest geometric profile that combines a vertical u/s face of constant
extrados radius with a uniform radial d/s slope.
is not the most economical profile in volume, but simple to analyze and construct.
is suitable to relatively symmetrical “U” shaped valley.
For a site with variable span length “V” shaped valleys a constant radius can have
the correct central angle only at one elevation. Therefore, smallest masonry
volume for the whole dam is obtained by increasing the top angle to get the best
average angle.

Usually a maximum of 150o is used for the top arch.

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Constant Angle Arch Dam

different arches has the same Central angle 2 from top to bottom.
in practice 2 = 1000 to 1500 is used.
uses about 70% concrete as compared to constant radius arch dam.

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Variable Radius Arch Dam
It is a compromise between constant radius and constant angle arch dams,
i.e., neither the radius nor the angle is constant.
The radii of the extrados and intrados surfaces vary from the top to bottom,
usually maximum at the top and minimum at the base.
The central angle of the different arches is not constant; it usually ranges from
800 to 1500.
The central angle for the top arch is made as wide as possible.
It is suitable for V and U-V shaped valleys.
The radius is varied to cut the face at the required contour interval so that there
is no overhang.
Concrete volume consumed is about 80% of that for constant radius arch dam
of the same height.

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Typical Arch-gravity dam
Plan and section

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 Multiple-Arch dam

Bartlett Dam impounds the Verde River northeast of Phoenix, Arizona. 12

 Arch Dam
Loads
 The loads are the same as that of gravity dams.
 Uplift forces are less important (not significant).
 Internal stresses caused by temperature changes
and yielding of abutments are very important.
 Foundation stresses are generally small.

Design methods for Massive Arch Dam

1. Thin cylinder theory
2. Elastic theory
3. Trial load method

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Thin Cylinder Theory
 The weight of concrete and water in the dam
is carried directly to the foundation.
 The horizontal water load is carried entirely
by arch action.
 The theory assumes:
◦ the arch is simply supported at the abutments and
◦ the stresses are approximately the same as in thin
cylinder of equal outside radius ro.

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Thin Cylinder Model

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 Thin Cylinder Model

Summing forces parallel to the stream

2 R sin  / 2  2 w hre sin  / 2
axis
R   w hre
The transverse unit stress R  w hre
  
t *1 t
for a given stress  w hre
t
 all
Note: the hydrostatic pressure wh may be increased by earth quake and other
pressure forces where applicable
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Thin Cylinder Model
Note: the hydrostatic pressure wh may
be increased by earth quake and other
pressure forces where applicable:
since

re = rc + 0.5t and re = ri + t
 w hrc
t
 all  0.5 w h or

 w hri V  (t * 1)r
t
 all   w h  hr
Condition for least volume of t  w  kr
arch.

2
 B 
V  kr 2  k 
 2 sin  / 2 
Differentiating V with respect to  and setting to zero,  =
133.5o
which is the most economical angle for arch with minimum
volume.
For  = 133.50 r = 0.544B 17
 Design Example:
Design a 100m height constant radius arch dam, by the thin
cylinder theory for a valley 100m wide at the base and 150m
wide at a height of 100m all = 4MPa.

Solution:
The top arch is taken to be 140o

B
r
2 sin  / 2
= 75/sin70
= 79.8
Take r = 80m

The extrados radius re of all arches is kept as 80m.

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Tabular Design Calculations
h B re P t ri 
0 150 80 0 0 80 139.27
10 145 80 100 2 78 129.98
20 140 80 200 4 76 122.09
30 135 80 300 6 74 115.08
40 130 80 400 8 72 108.68
50 125 80 500 10 70 102.75
60 120 80 600 12 68 97.18
70 115 80 700 14 66 91.90
80 110 80 800 16 64 86.87
90 105 80 900 18 62 82.03
100 100 80 1000 20 60 77.36

Note: Provide a nominal thickness of 1.5 m when necessary.

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Reading assignment

Read on the thick cylinder design on

Arora (2004)

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Layout procedure for constant radius
arch dam
 Draw excavated rock contours,
 Draw the center line and locate the arch center O,
 Draw the extrados and intrados curves for the top
arch,
 Starting at the point of intersection of the center line
and the extrados curve, lay off the arch thickness t
at successive contour intervals toward the point of
intersection of the center line and intrados curve of
the last arch,
 With center at O, draw arcs through these points to
the respective contours,
 Draw the x-section on the center line. It may also be
drawn before the plan.

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Design Example:
Design a 100m high constant angle arch dam by thin cylinder
theory for a valley 40m wide at the base and 240m wide at a height
of 100m. Take all = 5MPa.

Solution:
Taking  = 133.440
ri = 0.544B

 w hri
t
 all   w h

r e = ri + t

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Tabular Design Calculations
h B ri P P*ri all –p t re
0 240 130.56 0 0 5000 0 130.56
10 220 119.68 100 11968 4900 2.44 122.12
20 200 108.80 200 21760 4800 4.53 113.33
30 180 97.92 300 29376 4700 6.25 104.17
40 160 87.04 400 34816 4600 7.57 94.61
50 140 76.16 500 38080 4500 8.46 84.62
60 120 65.28 600 39168 4400 8.90 74.18
70 100 54.40 700 38080 4300 8.86 63.26
80 80 43.52 800 34816 4200 8.29 51.81
90 60 32.64 900 29376 4100 7.16 39.80
100 40 21.76 1000 21760 4000 5.44 27.20

Note: Provide a nominal thickness of 1.5 m when necessary.

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Design of Variable Radius Arch Dam

Design is begun at the top, with a wide possible  for the top arch,1-2-3-4-5-1
6-7-3-8-9: the constant angle design for the next contour interval.
Thickening the arch to 10-11-12, overhang can be eliminated.
If the arch 6-7-3-8-9-6 fulfills the equation, 10-7-3-8-12 is thicker than necessary.
Hence, lengthening the radius on arch 16-17-18 is found by trial which just avoids
overhang and fulfills the requirement of the above equation.
The dimensions of successive arches, proceeding downward, are determined in
the same manner.

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Elastic Arch Theory
 assumes complete transfer of load by arch action
only.
 Horizontal arch rings are assumed fixed to the
abutments, but acting independently of neighboring
rings.
 Effect of temperature variation on arch stress is
considered.
 can be used for preliminary design to determine the
adequacy of the section designed by the thin cylinder
theory.
 Modified Cain’s Equations are used for calculating
forces and moments at the crown and at abutments.

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