Arch Dams
From ASDSO Dam Safety Toolbox
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| The famed Hoover Dam, located along the Colorado River on the Nevada-Arizona border, is a prime example of a concrete arch-gravity dam. (Wikipedia) |
Arch dams are typically rather thin in cross-section when compared to earthen embankment and concrete gravity dams. The reservoir water forces acting on an arch dam are carried laterally into the abutments. The shape of the arch may resemble a segment of a circle or an ellipse, and the arch may be curved in the vertical plane as well. Such dams are usually constructed of a series of thin vertical blocks that are keyed together; barriers to stop water from flowing are provided between blocks. Variations of arch dams include multi-arch dams in which more than one curved section is used, and arch-gravity dams which combine some features of the two types of dams.
Life Cycle of Arch Dams
Revision ID: 5424
Revision Date: 12/13/2022