Print this page Gravity Dam Design
Vincent D. Reynolds, MBA, P.E.
Course Outline
Gravity Dams play and important part in controlling water flow to create lakes, hydroelectric power, and water for irrigation among other things. This course will provide information regarding the design of gravity dams and a discussion of its engineering properties. This course materials are based solely on the report “Gravity Dam Design” as found on the website of the Army Corps of Engineering.
This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.
Learning
Objective
At the conclusion of this course, the student would have learned the following:
- Use of roller compacted concrete in dams;
- How to determine the modulus of rupture;
- How Poisson’s ratio is obtained;
- How Dead Loads, Temperature, and Wind Pressure affect the design of a concrete gravity dam;
- How to determine the hydrostatic pressure;
- When to use Seismological evaluations;
- When to uses a Maximum Credible Earthquake (MCE) in dam design;
- Types of concrete used in gravity dams;
- The thermal conductivity of materials used in gravity dams;
- Typical heat of hydrations;
- How RCC helps cost savings in concrete;
- How to determine the sliding factor of safety;
- How to determine the modulus of rupture;
- The standard size of grout galleries;
- Definition of Vibratory ground motions; and
- The most important foundation strength requirements.
Intended Audience and Benefit
This course is intended for anyone with an interest in Gravity Dams, structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics, hydrology, hydrogeology or anyone wanting to know more information regarding Gravity Dam Design.
Course Introduction
Gravity Dams are essential in controlling water flow for the purposes of flood control, irrigation, creating bodies of water and for hydroelectric power. Gravity dams maintain their stability against forces and loads from their geometric shape and the strength and mass of the concrete. There are several design restraints and processed related to gravity dams and disciplines from various areas of civil engineering play an integral part in the design, and placement of gravity dams.
Course Content
This course will examine the use of gravity dams under several different circumstances. It will provide useful information to determine the size and area of dam needed to withstand hydrostatic forces among others. The course materials are based solely on the engineer manual “Gravity Dam Design” as found on the website of the Army Corps of engineers.
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Course Summary
The information presented in this course could be used to enhance the student’s knowledge of Gravity Dam Design. Using this knowledge could enable to reader to design safer levees, and hydroelectric power plants, among other developments that utilize Gravity Dams.
As always good judgment and good engineering judgment is always paramount in any situation. Utilizing good judgment and the knowledge gained in this course can provide much more safer and efficient Gravity Dams.
Related Links
For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:
http://www.trb.com/
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
