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T
H
<15
0
~b<H--
(a) U-Shaped ( b) Narrow V- Shape
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--b<2H~
Fig. I
(c) Wide V-Shape (d) Composite U- V- Shape
Valley Shape classification
according to Sarkaria
T = Pw X hi
Ie 2 sin. 55 1,210 orh I dh
The use of the chord length of the arch has the
additional advantage that it can be used as the length, orO. 00062 h 12 dh orh12 dh
at that elevation of the arch, of the equivalent gravity
dam used as a comparator. Evaluation of shape factors
The volume of concrete contained in the arch per For illustration purposes the comparable para-
unit thickness at the particular level is meters of certain geometric valley shapes, depicted in
P- X hI I Fig. 2, to which many natural valleys can be approxi-
X 1100
w
- X
fe 2 sin. 55 2 sin. 55 mated, are tabulated below:-
000062 h 12 Subject to the reservation that the comparison is
The total volume of concrete in the standard arch limited to cases where the arches can be considered
dam is the summation of the quantities in all the mainly as spanning horizontally ~nd are therefore in
arches or the range of thin to medium thick arches, where canti-
h=H . lever and gravity action is not dominant, the most
Qa = h =) 000062 h 12 dh important deduction is that, completely contrary to
accepted practice, the span-height ratio has nothing at
The efficiency of various arch designs for a par- all to do with the suitability of a site for an arch dam.
ticular, or any, site may not be compared by comparing The arch factor, which is a true measure of the suitability
their volume of concrete with the volume in the of a particular site for an arch, is actually governed
standard arch. only by the width and geometric shape of the valley
and not by the height.
The volume of concrete in the equivalent standard
gravity dam is a comparator against which the suitability Comparing the extreme cases of rectangular and
of a site for an arch dam can be compared. The usual triangular valleys it will be seen that the triangular
basis of using the slenderness ratio, namely base thickness valley can be twice as wide as the rectangular and still
to height of an arch, as an efficiency comparator is as retain the same relative arch efficiency. The parabolic
misleading as the top width to height ratio and for the shape, to which many valleys suitable for arches
same reasons, because, on this basis, the ratio for a conform, characteristically falls between the often met
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dam in a narrow V-shaped valley would be far smaller triangular shape and the very unusual rectangular shape.
than for a dam of the same height in a wide and flat The same holds true for the trapezoidal shape, which
canyon, yet the latter might be a better and more can be used to approximate most valley shapes, except
efficient design. those which are very irregular.
The base-height ratio for a standard gravity dam will It is interesting to note, that 011 the assumptions
be taken as 075 to 1 0, which represents a reasonably made, the limit to the span of an economical arch for a
efficient section for a modern gravity dam. The total rectangular valley is about 1,200 ft, while for a
volume of concrete in the standard gravity dam is the triangular valley the corresponding value is 2,400 ft.
summation of the volumes at all elevations:- At these values the arch factor is unity.
2 2 B
!
~
'+
'dh
L 'YfA.\Yh,' I
I
Rectangular Parabolic
Fig. 2
8--~ B -------II""i GeOlnetric valley shapes
I" ~----~
T
H
L._
1---- b . . . ----1-1
Triangular Trapezoidal
In practice, howcver, the unit price of arch concrete As an example of the use of the parameters developed
cannot be the samc as that of gravity concrete and is will be quoted the case of the Tweerivierin double
increased by such factors as increased cost of shuttering, curvature arch dam now under construction on the
higher quality concrete, more intricate construction Kouga River near Port Elizabeth. vVhen completed this
procedures and probably more complicated ancillary dam will have a maximum height above foundation rock
works. Consequently, it is clear that in a comparison .of 310ft. Because of the poor quality of the rock, the
between arch and' gravity proposals the arch must foundations are specially widened and the geometric
be weighted and for the arch proposal to be more arch proper above the foundation concrete has a height
economical than the gravity proposal, thc arch factor of 275 ft and a clear span of 6765 ft at the level of
must be greater than I O. Based on experience of cost the top arch. The valley is of the parabolic form. The
values it should be greater than 125. actual volume of concrete in the double 'curvature arch
shell above the foundations is 146,650 yd 3 .
The iimit to the 'span for an economical arch must
therefore be reduced to 1,000 ft for the rectangular and Using the standards proposed, the concrete volume
2,000 ft for the triangular, with about 1,600 ft for the in the equivalent standard gravity dam occupying the
same foundation profile is 470,830 yd 3, while that in
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DISCUSSION
Written discussion on the above paper will be accepted until March, 26, 1964. This, together with the Author's Reply,
will be published in the July, 1964, issue of The Civil Engineer in South Africa, or later.
Such written discussion, which must be submitted in duplicate, should be in the third person present tense, and should
be typed in double spacing. It should be as short as possible and should not normally exceed 600 words in length. It
should also conform to the requirements laid down in the 'Notes for the Guidance of Authors and Contributors'
as published in the March, 1959, issue of The Civil Engineer in South Africa.
REFERENCE
Whenever reference is made to the above paper this publication should be referred to as the Transactions of the South
African Institution of Civil Engineers, and the volume and date given thus: Trans. S. Afr. Insfn. Civ. Engrs. 6 (Jan.,1964)