Publications

29
Nov 2017

SANCOLD Conference 2017: Concrete Dam Types and the circumstances and conditions that favour one type over another

By Dr QHW Shaw. ARQ Consulting Engineers, South Africa. Concrete dam types all comprise a combination of cementitious materials and processed rock, but while the rock materials are sometimes processed in different ways, different dam types can involve placement and compaction applying quite different methods. Furthermore, the different concrete dam types also include a number of quite different […]

29
Nov 2017

SANCOLD Conference 2017: Material Exploitation Constraints Dictate Embankment Design

By M Blaeser, D Cameron-Ellis. ARQ Dams (Pty) Ltd, Pretoria, South Africa. One of the basic objective of the design of embankment dams is to utilise the materials available to produce a functional structure at the minimum total cost. To achieve this, the dam should be configured for optimal use of the materials available. Where a variety […]

29
Nov 2017

SANCOLD Conference 2017: Methods of Assessing Stability under Seismic Loading for Gravity Dams

By GD Roberts. Dams & Hydro, ARQ Consulting Engineers, Pretoria, South Africa. The assessment of stability of gravity dams under seismic loading can currently be completed using simple methods. The methods may include the pseudostatic seismic coefficient approach or even the response spectrum method otherwise only used for stress analysis. Due to the cyclic nature of the loading, […]

28
Nov 2017

SANCOLD Conference 2017: Stability Analysis of a Concrete Gravity Dam Tongue Wall

By RO Cassells, GD Roberts. ARQ Consulting Engineers, Pretoria, South Africa. A concrete gravity dam tongue wall comprises a concrete structure that transitions from the concrete gravity spillway section of a dam, to the non-overflow earthen embankment section. The stability analysis of a concrete gravity dam tongue wall is affected by lateral earth loads imposed on it due to […]

28
Nov 2017

SANCOLD Conference 2017: The Study of Three-Dimensional Stability for a Complex Arch Dam Abutment

By RO Cassells and GD Roberts, ARQ Consulting Engineers, Pretoria, South Africa. Abutment stability is obviously fundamental to the feasibility of an arch dam and an arch type structure will impose higher structural loads than any other dam type on its abutments. Consequently, an arch dam design must always include an evaluation of the stability of both […]