Loads / Load Cases

Free body diagram showing forces acting on a gravity dam.

(Image Source: Wikimedia)

There are a variety of forces against which a dam should be designed to adequately resist including but not limited to: self-weight, static water pressures, wave pressures, sediment buildup pressures, uplift water pressures, wind pressures, thermal loads, ice pressures, and earthquake forces.

"Design of civil works projects must be performed to ensure acceptable performance of all reinforced concrete hydraulic structures during and after each design event. Three levels of performance for stability, strength, and stiffness are used to satisfy the structural and operational requirements for load categories with three expected ranges of recurrence (Usual, Unusual, and Extreme).^[1] Minimum acceptable factors of safety for these load categories typically vary, with higher factors of safety required for usual conditions and lower factors of safety required for extreme conditions.