EARTH DAM

(WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING)

 Learning Objectives
1. Types of Earth Dam
2. Causes of Failure
3. Criteria for Safe Design
4. Section of an Earth Dam
5. Seepage Analysis
6. Seepage Control Measures
Earthen Dams
Dams made of locally available soils and gravels in trapezoidal section..
Most economical and suitable for weak foundation.
Common type of dams used upto moderate heights.

Types of Earthen Dams

Based on method of construction
Rolled fill dams
Hydraulic fill dam
 Types of Earth Dams
1. Rolled fill dams
 Constructed in successive layer of earth by mechanical compaction.
 The selected soil is transported from borrow pits and laid on the dam section to
layers of about 45cm.
 The layers are thoroughly compacted by rollers of recommended weight and type.
 The designed dam section is laid layer by layer.
 Types of Earth Dams
 Hydraulic Fill dams
Depending upon method of construction,
In this Hydraulic Fill dams, the construction, excavation, transportation of the earth
1. Rolled Fill Dam
is done by hydraulic methods.
Outer edges of the embankments are kept slightly higher than the middle portion
of a) Homogeneous Embankment Type
 In thislayer.
each type of dams, successive layers of moistened or damp soils are laid one
over the other.
During construction, a mixture of excavated materials in slurry condition is
b) Zoned Embankment Type
 They are
pumped andthen thoroughly
discharged compacted
at the andslurry
edges. This bonded with the preceding
of excavated materialslayer
and by
water
means ofofpower-operated
consists coarse and finerollers of proper design and weight.
materials.
c) Diaphragm Embankment Type
When it is discharged near the outer edges, the coarser materials settle first at
2. Hydraulic Fill Dam
the edges, while the finer materials move to the middle and settle there.
Fine particles are deposited in central portion to form a water tight central core.
In this method, compaction is not required.
Rolled filled dam are further classified into
1. Homogeneous embankment type
2. Zoned embankment type
3. Diaphragm embankment type
 Homogeneous Embankment Type Dams
 Constructed with uniform and homogeneous materials.
 Suitable for low height dams (up to 10m).
 Usually constructed with soil and grit mixed in proper ratios.
 The seepage action of such dams are not favorable,
therefore, for safety in case of rapid drawdown, the upstream
slope is kept relatively flat (3:1)
 Homogeneous section is modified by constructing rock toe at
the downstream lower end and providing horizontal filter drain.
 Zoned Embankment Type Dams
 Dam is made up of more than one material.
 Outer shells are made of pervious, freely draining materials
 Zoned Embankment Type Dams
Zoned Embankment Type Dams
 Made up of more than one material
 Outer shells are made of pervious, freely draining materials
 Central portions called core or hearting made from materials
which are relatively impervious.
 The thickness of the core wall is made sufficiently thick to
prevent leakage of water through the body of the dam.
 A suitable drainage system, in the form of horizontal drain or
a rock toe is also provided at downstream side.
 Diaphragm Embankment Type Dams
 Constructed with pervious materials, with a thin impervious
diaphragm in the central part to prevent seepage of water.
 Impervious diaphragm may be made of impervious clayey
soil, cement concrete or masonry or any impervious material
The main difference in zoned and diaphragm type of dams
depend on the thickness of the impervious core or diaphragm.
 The thickness of the diaphragm is not more than 10 m.
 Causes of Failure
1. Hydraulic
a) Upstream slope
Failures 40% due to sudden
failure
2. Seepage Failures  30%
a) Overtopping
drawdown
3. Structural
b)
a) Wave
Piping Failures
Erosion
Failure  30%
by excessive pore pressure
c) Toe Erosion slope failure by sliding
Downstream
b) Sloughing
d) Gullying
Failure due to settlement of foundation
e) Failure by sliding of foundation
f) Failure by spreading
Failure due to Tree
roots Over
Topping
Gulling
Toe
Erosion
Downstream
Sliding
Piping
Seepage through
Foundation
Sloughing
Foundation
Settlement
Hydraulic Failures
Seepage Failures
Structural Failures
Structural Failures
Structural Failures
Structural Failures
 Criteria for Safe Design
1. The upstream
To avoid and downstream
overtopping faces are
failure, spillway properly protected
of adequate capacity
against
and wave action
sufficient freeboard must be provided
2. There should not
The seepage beisany
line wellpossibility
within theofdownstream
free passage of water
face so that
through the embankment
no sloughing or through
of the slope the foundation
takes place
3. The
Thefoundations,
upstream and abutments,
downstreamand slopes
embankment
are flatmust be to
enough
stable
be for all conditions
stable of operation
with the materials
4. The
The dam
shear asstress
a whole should in
induced bethe
earthquake resistant
foundation should be less
than the shear strength of the foundation material. For this
purpose, the embankment slopes should be sufficiently flat.
 Section of an Earth Dam
1.Top Width
2.Free Board
3.Casing or outer shells
4.Central Impervious Core
5.Cut-off Trench
6.Downstream drainage system
 Top Width
1. The top width of the dam depends upon:
a) Construction material
b) Height of structure
c) Roadway
2. Empirical Formulae:
a)B = Z/5 +3  for very low
b)B = 0.55 Z1/2 + 0.2 Z for lower dams (<30m) c)
B = 1.65(Z+1.5)1/3  for higher dams (>30m)
Where Z = Height of dam
3. A minimum width of 6m is required for maintenance so that small trucks can
operate on it
4. The berm may be provided for the dam, which are more than 10 m in height.
Minimum berm width may be kept as 3 m.
 Free Board
Free board is vertical difference between the horizontal crest of the embankment
and reservoir level.

Normal Free Board  Top of the crest to normal reservoir level

Minimum Free Board  Top of the crest to Maximum Reservoir Level during floods

The USBR suggests:

Minimum of 2 m and maximum of 3 m over maximum flood level
 Casing or Outer Shells
1. The function of casing is to impart stability and protect the
core.
2. The relatively pervious materials, which are not subjected to
cracking on direct exposure to atmosphere, are suitable for
casing.
3. IS: 8826 – 1978 provides recommendations for suitability of
soil used for earth dams
 Central Impervious Core
1. The core provides impermeable barrier within the body of the dam.
2. Impervious soils are generally suitable for the core (IS 1498 -1970). However
soils having high compressibility & liquid limit, and having organic contents may
be avoided, as they are prone to swelling & formation of cracks.

Following guidelines are recommended for design of core (for Small Dams)
1. The core may be located either centrally or inclined upstream.
2. The minimum top width should be kept 3 m
3. The top level of the core should be fixed at 0.5 m above MWL.
4. The side slopes may be kept 0.5:1 and 1:1.
5. Thickness of core at any section shall not be lesser than 30% (preferably not less
than 50 percent) of maximum head of water acting at that section.
 Cutoff Trench
1. To reduce loss of stored water through foundations and abutments
2. To prevent sub-surface erosion by piping.

The following guidelines may be adopted for design of cut off.

1. The cut off shall be located such that its centre line should be within the base of
impervious core and should be upstream of centre line of dam.
2. The positive cut off should be keyed at least to a depth of 0.4 metre into
continuous impervious sub stratum or in erodable rock formation.
3. A minimum bottom width of 4.0 metre is recommended.
4. Side slopes of at least 1:1 or flatter may be provided in case of over burden while
1/2:1 and 1/4:1 may be provided in soft rock and hard rock respectively.
5. The cut off in the flanks on either side should normally extend up to the top of
impervious core.
 Downstream Drainage System
Generally, a multi-layer
To ensure safety of dam,filter
it isor inverted
very filterto
important is handle
providedtheinseepage
which subsequent layer
water in the dam
becomes increasing
so as to maintain thecoarser
originalthan the previous
particles of soils inone.
their place.

According
The measuresto Terzaghi,
commonly the adopted
filter material should
for safe fulfill of
disposal theseepage
followingwater
criteria:
through
1. D15 of filter
embankment / D85
dams base material > 4 and < 20
are;
2.
1. D15
Toe drain  /installed
of filter D15 base material
in oldest <5
homogenous dams to prevent softening at d/s
3.
2. The gradation
Horizontal  used
filtercurve of the filter material
in moderate highshould
dams be nearly parallel to the gradation
3. curve of or
Inclined thevertical filter (chimney filter)  used in higher homogeneous dams
base material.

Note:
Purpose:
 Toisreduce
D15 permeability protection
pore pressure in limit,
the downstream portion of the dame
 Toiscontrol
D85 piping piping
predicting limit
failure
 Seepage Analysis
Objective:
To estimate the quantity of seepage (rate of leakage) through dam using Flow Net

Assumptions:
1. Soil is homogeneous (Coefficient of permeability is constant everywhere)
2. Soil is isotropic (Coefficient of permeability is same in all directions)
3. Size of pore spaces do not change
4. Darcy’s law is valid (Flow is laminar) Q=kiA
5. Soil is completely saturated (Degree of saturation is 100%)
6. Hydraulic boundary conditions at entry and exit are known
7. During flow, volume of soil and water remains constant
 Flow Net
A flow net is a graphical representation of the paths taken by water in passing
through soil.
Characteristics of Flow Net:
1. Flow lines represent flow paths of particles of water
2. Flow lines and equipotential line are orthogonal to each other
3. The area between two flow lines is called a flow channel
4. The rate of flow in a flow channel is constant (∆q)
5. Flow cannot occur across flow lines
6. An equipotential line is a line joining points with the same head
7. The velocity of flow is normal to the equipotential line
8. The difference in head between two equipotential lines is called the potential
drop or head loss (∆h)
9. A flow line cannot intersect another flow line.
10. An equipotential line cannot intersect another equipotential line
Phreatic Line is a seepage line separating saturated and unsaturated zones

Flow Line

Top Flow Line or Phreatic Line

Equipotential Line

Field

Flow Net for an Earth Dam

Where k’ = Equivalent Permeability of the transformed field
 Plotting of Phreatic Line
In order to draw flow net, it is first essential to find the location and shape of Phreatic
line or top flow line separating Saturated and Unsaturated Zones.

Phreatic line can be located by

1. Graphical Method or Casagrande Method
2. Analytic Method
3. Experimental Method
 3. Draw Parabola
curve
(y2= 2sx + s2)

1. Draw Arc taking C as

centre and CF as Radius

2. Draw Directrix and

Find Focal Distance S

Discharge through the body of dam, q = k s

(for Isotropic Soils)
 Seepage Control Measures
Seepage Control measures are required to prevent adverse effects of water
percolating through embankment and its foundation.
1. Embankment Seepage Control
a) Toe Filter
b) Horizontal Drainage Filter
c) Percolating Filter d/s of toe
d) Embankment Zoning
e) Chimney Drains extending upwards to embankment
2. Foundation Seepage Control
a) Impervious Cutoff
b) Upstream Impervious Blanket
c) D/s Seepage berms
d) Drainage Trenches
e) Relief Wells
 L

0.3H to 0.4H
H

0.25L to L

To keep phreatic line well within the section of embankment and also facilitates drainage
 Previous Questions
1. Describe the phreatic line and its importance in an earth dam. Explain
the graphical method of drawing flow net in an earth dam.
2. Describe the procedure of determining phreatic line through
homogeneous earthen dams provided i). with a horizontal filter ii).
without a horizontal filter.
3. Discuss various causes of failure of earth dams
4. Explain methods of construction of earth dams. Also write merits and
demerits of earth dam
5. Write briefly about overtopping, wave erosion and piping phenomenon in
earth dams
6. Write Hydraulic Failures of earth dams
 Previous Questions
7. Significance of pore pressure in relation to earthen dam construction
8. Slope protection in earthen dams
9. Filters in earthen dams
10.How do you decide the section of a zoned earth dam if the following
materials are available: i). silty clay ii). fine gravel or coarse sand
11.Explain the necessity of slope protection in earthen dams. How do you
protect upstream and downstream slopes of an earthen dam?
12.Explain with neat sketches how you would carry out the stability analysis
of an earth dam.
 Previous Questions
13.An earthen dam has to be constructed to store a maximum depth of 12
m of water over river bed consisting of coarse sand and gravel up to a
depth of 3 m below river bed followed thereafter by hard and sound rock.
Clay soil is available in plenty in the vicinity of the river. Draw and detail a
suitable section of the dam at the river bed.
14.Illustrate with neat sketches the following parts of an earthen dam and
state their functions briefly
i) Rock toe ii) horizontal drainage blanket iii) cut-off iv) Rip-rap
15. Describe Swedish Circle Method of Slope Stability Analysis for the
upstream side of an earth dam under sudden drawdown condition