LECTURE NOTE 4: HYDRAULICS

come from water pressures present around

the structure. Permitting flow through a
I. Gravity Dam permeable stratum will reduce the
• Any dam that does not depend on arch hydrostatic pressure in the water due to
action to resist the various forces to which it energy losses.
is subjected.
• Gravity dams depends its stability depends V. Seismic Force
almost entirely upon its own weight. • Earthquake occurs in practically on all
• Dams are built for the primary purpose of structures including dams and adequate
impounding water in the reservoir upstream allowance should be made to include seismic
of its location. forces in the design of gravity dams.
IC = MC ae

Where:

Mc is the mass of concrete and ae is the

horizontal acceleration of earthquake.

Von Karman Formula (In English Units)

2
IW =0.555 ae γ h

In tropical countries ae =0.2g and IW is located at

4h
a distance of .
3π

VI. Stability Against Overturning

Factor of safety against overturning is the ratio of

all resisting moments about the toe to all
overturning moments about the same point.
∑(R.M.)
Where: F.S. vs Overturning= { } ≥ 2.0
∑(OM)
H = heel of the dam
T = toe of the dam
F = hydrostatic force on the upstream
All active force except the direct foundation is
G1 = gravity force on concrete considered.
G2 = gravity force on water
Fs = silt pressure force VII. Stability Against Sliding
IW = inertia force on water upstream
IC = inertia force on concrete due to earthquake The tendency of both silt and water pressure on
U = uplift force the upstream face of the dam is not only to cause
overturning moments about the toe but also to
slide or push the dam downstream. Since the
II. Gravity Force frictional force Ff between the base of the
• Largest force acting on the mass of the dam
foundation is the one that resist the combined silt
is its weight or gravity force.
and water pressure, factor of safety against
• Specific weight of concrete can be taken as
sliding can be written as:
23.5 kN/m^3.
Ff
W= γ V F.S. vs Sliding= ≥ 1.0
∑ FH
III. Water Pressure Force μ RV
• The horizontal force due to water pressure F.S. vs Sliding= ≥ 1.0
RH
can be represented by triangular load
distribution whose resultant is at two-thirds μ = coefficient of friction (0.65 to 0.75)
of the depth from the free surface.
RV = vertical component of foundation reaction
1 2
F= γ h RH = horizontal component of foundation reaction
2
IV. Hydrostatic Uplift
• An uplift pressure is any pressure exerted
beneath a structure that has the potential to
raise the structure higher relative to its
surroundings. Most common uplift pressures

ENGR. AUGOSTO D. FRACE, ME-CE 1

LECTURE NOTE 4: HYDRAULICS
VIII. Pressure Distribution on the Foundation of
Dams
RV 6e
Q max = (1 + )
B B
• Before overturning occurs, the material along
the base very close to the toe of the dam RV 6e
Q min = (1 - )
would first be crush owing to the high B(1) B
pressure that will be developed there. The
Where x̅ is the horizontal reaction of the vertical
pressure distribution will depend on the
force from toe.
location of the resultant force which is
consequence of the magnitude and location C. Resultant vertical force is away from the
of all the active forces imposed on the dam. middle thirds
Location of Resultant vertical force (Rv)

A. Resultant Vertical force is within thirds and at

center of gravity of dam

2 RV
Q max =
3 ̅x

RV
Q=
B(1)
B. Resultant Vertical force is within thirds and at
eccentricity e from the center of gravity of
dam.

1
Eccentricity (e) = | B - x̅ |
2

RV 6e
Q= (1± )
B B
ENGR. AUGOSTO D. FRACE, ME-CE 2
LECTURE NOTE 4: HYDRAULICS
EXCERSISE PROBLEMS

Problem 1:
Problem 3:
The section of a masonry dam is shown in the figure. The cross section of the Elephhhant dam in
If the uplift pressure varies uniformly from full New Mexico is shown below. The masonry
hydrostatic at the heel to full hydrostatic at the toe, weighs 21.54 kN/m^3 and the coefficient of
but acts only two thirds (2/3) of the area of the base, friction is 0.75 m. Determine the following:
find the following: a. Magnitude and location of the
resultant force.
a. Overturning moment b. Factor of safety against overturning
b. Righting moment and sliding
c. Location of the resultant force c. Pressure distribution at the base of
d. Factor of safety against overturning the dam.
e. Factor of safety against sliding if coefficient
of friction between base and foundation is
0.60.
f. Pressure distribution at the base of the dam.

Problem 2:
The dam shown is an overflow dam. If there
is no uplift pressure, calculate the following:

a. Location of the resultant force

b. Factor of safety against overturning
c. Factor of safety against sliding if coefficient
of friction between base and foundation is
0.70.
d. Pressure distribution at the base of the dam.

ENGR. AUGOSTO D. FRACE, ME-CE 3