ASDSO Dam Safety Toolbox

Sliding Stability

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Learn from the failure of Bayless Dam due to instability at DamFailures.org

"Stability must be assessed on selected surfaces within the structure... Sliding safety must also be assessed at/or near the foundation-structure interface. This surface may be either level or sloping. Generally, it may by assumed that a surface that slopes upward (in the direction of possible sliding) will have a beneficial effect, while one that slopes downward will increase the possibility for sliding... Where a shallow weak seam exists below a structure's contact with the foundation, or a structure is imbedded below the top of the foundation, two possible failure modes are present. One mode involves slippage along the weak plane directly under the structure plus slippage along a plane through the foundation above the weak seam (crossbed shear for rock or passive resistance for soil). When the weak seam extends a large distance past the toe of the structure without daylighting, the second mode will usually be critical."[1]

Examples

Learn from the failure of Bayless Dam due to instability (DamFailures.org)

Best Practices Resources

Stability Analysis of Concrete Structures (EM 1110-2-2100), USACE

Gravity Dam Design (EM 1110-2-2200), USACE

Design of Small Dams, USBR

Sliding Stability for Concrete Structures (ETL 1110-2-256), USACE

Trainings

On-Demand Webinar: Stability Evaluations of Concrete Dams

On-Demand Webinar: Introduction to Concrete Gravity Dams


Citations:


Revision ID: 7169
Revision Date: 07/11/2023