Dams & Hydro

Home | Dams & Hydro

Dams & Hydro

Our Dams & Hydro division is internationally recognised as a leading proponent of RCC dam technology and most specifically RCC arches. Our team has been involved in projects across five continents, with dam heights ranging from 5 to 280m. ARQ has been responsible for more than 7 million m³ of RCC placed to date.

We have also been involved in a number of hydropower projects in Central Africa and Central America on schemes ranging in capacity from 0.5 to 1 200 MW. We offer a comprehensive range of services from pre-feasibility, through specialist design and analysis, to construction supervision and safety inspections.

Our innovative solutions to increase dam capacity and to realise cost savings have established the firm as a technological leader within the industry. Over the past decade we have acted as expert reviewers in the field of dams for the World Bank, the SA Department of Water Affairs and several other major clients.

ARQ has also provided consulting services to South Africa’s electricity utility ESKOM.

Click here to view the ARQ Dams Profile document.

A Review of the Stability Acceptance Criteria of Concrete Gravity Dams

SANCOLD 2024 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 6-7 November 2024 By Ryan Cassells, ARQ Dams Pty Ltd -co-author M Blaeser, ARQ Dams Pty Ltd, South Africa. The various guidelines for concrete gravity dam design, as provided by different dam engineering bodies, indicates that published dam design criteria of the various bodies are not necessarily the same […]

Validated Finite Element Modelling of the Thermodynamic Operating State of KATSE DAM

SANCOLD 2024 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 6-7 November 2024 By Ryan Cassells, ARQ Dams Pty Ltd -co-author L Hattingh, Hatting Anderson Associates CC, Woodhill, South Africa -co-author Prof P Moyo Department of Civil Engineering, University of Cape Town, South Africa. The structural response of large concrete arch dams under operating conditions, are significantly influenced by the seasonal […]

Calibrated numerical modelling of the stress-strain response of the 275 m high Yusufeli concrete arch dam during first filling

92nd ICOLD ANNUAL MEETING & INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM 29 Sep- 03 Oct 2024 By Ryan Cassells, ARQ Dams Pty Ltd -co-author Q.H.W. Shaw ARQ Consulting Engineers Limited, Mauritius -F.V. Ҫevik Limak Inşaat A.Ş., Ankara, Turkey D. Aydoğan General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, Ankara, Turkey With a significant increase in computing capacity over the past two decades, substantial […]

CONSTRUCTING the ICONIC YUSUFELI DAM

By Ryan Cassells, ARQ Dams co-author dr. Quentin Shaw IMIESA Publication September 2023 The fifth highest double curvature arch dam in the world, and the ninth highest dam globally, Yusufeli Dam is a landmark engineering achievement and cost US$711 million to construct. The ARQ-Su Yapi team for the dam design was led by Dr Quentin […]

Yusufeli Dam – Best International Project Award to ARQ Consulting Engineers

ARQ Consulting Engineers are the winners of the 2023 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Award for best International Project -Yusufeli Dam for DSI: Artvin Province, Turkey. 2023 CESA Aon Engineering Excellence Awards finalists showcase quality and sustainable ingenuity.