DESIGN OF MONTESINHO DAM AND EMBANKMENT

MONITORING DURING CONSTRUCTION

* * * * *
L. Ribeirinho , G. Tavares , M. Romeiro , M. Samora , J. Brito , J. Marcelino, J. Boal
Paixo and J. Cordeiro
*
CENOR Consultores, S.A.
Rua das Vigias, 2. Piso 1 1990 506 Lisboa, Portugal
e-mail: cenor@cenor.pt, webpage: http://www.cenor.pt

Keywords: Granitic Rockfill, CFRD, Grouting treatment, Waterstops, Instrumentation

plan, Embankment monitoring, Ecological flow

Abstract. This paper presents the main aspects of the design of Montesinho Dam. One of
the main topics is the imperviousness of the dam and its foundation and the treatments
and structures used to accomplish it. It also approaches the embankment zoning and the
geomechanical characterization of the construction materials, as well as the designed
instrumentation plan that allowed monitoring of the embankment deformations and the
evaluation of water pressure in the foundation during construction. At last it is also
presented the adopted ecological flow system, provided with rather unique
characteristics.

1 INTRODUCTION
The water supply to Bragana, a city in north-eastern Portugal (region of Trs-os-Montes),
is provided by Serra Serrada dam. However, its storage capacity is insufficient for the actual
demand for clean water urban supply. So, in the past ten years, many solutions to increase the
water supply system were studied. The one that got the Authority's approval was the
construction of a new reservoir, created by Montesinho Dam. This dam is located in the Sabor
river, approximately 3 km east of Serra Serrada dam, in the Montesinho Natural Park.
The design of Montesinho Dam included the embankment and its foundation treatment,
the river diversion, to enable the dam construction, the bottom outlet, which uses the same
cut-and-cover gallery of the diversion, the water intake and the system that ensures the
ecological flow, which was very important for the approval of this project.

2 DAM GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Montesinho Dam1 is a concrete face rockfill dam (CFRD), with a height of 36.5 m and a
crest of about 310 m in length and 7 m of width (Figure 1 and Figure 2). The embankment
has a total volume of 174 000 m, consisting of granitic rockfill obtained from the quarry
located upstream of the dam in the reservoir area.

Laboratrio Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC)

guas de Trs-os-Montes e Alto Douro (ATMAD)

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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

Figure 1: Montesinho Dam plan

a) pouring of the face slab b) downstream view of the embankment

Figure 2: Photographs during construction

The reservoir has a total storage capacity of 3.69 hm (net volume of 3.53 hm) with a
flooded area of 35.8 ha for a full supply level of 1217.50 m and a catchment area of 10.1 km.
The maximum flood level is at 1219.73 m. The freeboard is 1.37 m, thus the crest elevation is
1221.10 m. The upstream and downstream embankment slopes are 1:1.5 (V:H).
In the area of the dam and reservoir the outcropping blocks and top layers of the bedrock
consists essentially of two-mica granite with coarse grain (). The rock presents a generalized
and mild to medium kaolinization of the feldspars, therefore sometimes its mechanical
characteristics correspond to a weathered granite (W3 and W4), with low mechanical
resistance and a low stiffness. However, a dozen meters below, the quality of the rock
increases (W2 to W3).

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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

Granit massif is exposed everywhere, except along the minor riverbed, where there is
alluvium soil (a) that needed to be removed in the foundation area prior to the construction
(Figure 3). A few residual blocks were also removed.

3 FOUNDATION PERMEABILITY AND GROUTING TREATMENT

The seepage in the foundation occurs through the rock discontinuities by several systems
of subhorizontal and subvertical fractures. It appends mainly through the wider and more
persistent fractures witch occurs near the surface. From a dozen meters below it, the rock
mass becomes almost impervious by the close-up of those fractures.
In order to prevent that flow, it was conceived a grouting treatment in the dam and in the
spillway. The grouting curtain has about 430 m long and spreads along the following
stretches: the left abutment crest wall; the plinths of left and right banks; the diversion
gallery, connecting both plinths; the dam axis at the right abutment; the spillway.
The foundation treatment has two kinds of grouting: the retaining/consolidation grouting
meant for sealing the contact concrete/rock in 5 m long holes, along two rows 2 m apart from
each other, creating a rectangular distribution of 2.0 m x 3.0 m in the horizontal plane; the
monolinear impervious curtain with holes of variable length, ensuring the penetration of at
least 5.0 to 7.0 m in the low permeability massif ( 3 Lu), with a minimum of 10 m.
The area of grouting curtain was 5 600 m2. The overall of main grouting works were: 352
holes; 3 245 m of rotary and rotopercussion drilling; 115 ton of cement and 343 water
pressure tests for investigations and controls.
The sealing and retaining/consolidation grouting is only defined in the stretches with
plinth.

4 ROCKFILL EMBANKMENT ZONING

The embankment zoning (Figure 3) was established taking into account the construction
materials available at the site and the current practice for zoning of impervious face rockfill
dams, constructed by sound and free-draining rockfill on strong rock foundations2.
Embankments cross section comprises 5 different types of rockfill (namely A, B, C, D
and E). All rockfill materials were obtained from the excavations executed on the interior of
the reservoir. C, D and E materials were obtained directly from the excavations and A and B
materials were produced, on site, from the excavation materials, with a rock crushing
equipment.
A type material is a support rockfill (2 m wide), grading from silt to gravel size, to provide
uniform support for the face slab, acting also as a semi-impervious layer to restrict flow
through the embankment in the event of concrete face joints anomalies. It was placed in
layers of 0.4 m maximum lift and compacted with 8 passes of vibrating cylinder.

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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

Figure 3: Design cross-section of the rockfill embankment

B type material is a filter transition between A and C materials (2 m wide), grading from
silt to cobble size. This zone will assure adequate hydraulic behavior of the embankment
in the event of concrete face joints anomalies. It was placed with the same specifications of
the A material.
C type material consists of a well compacted and free draining rockfill, with high
deformability modulus to limit deformations under water load. It was placed in layers of
0.8 m lift and compacted with 10 passes of vibrating cylinder, with addition of water during
placement (minimum of 15% of rockfill volume).
D type material is a well graded rockfill. It was placed in layers of 1.0 m maximum lift and
compacted with 10 passes of vibrating cylinder, with addition of water during placement
(minimum of 15% of rockfill volume).
E type material is a protection layer (Figure 2), 2 m wide, composed of large size blocks
(50 to 800 mm). This material was produced from blasting of fresh sound granitic rock.
According to the first stage of the geomechanical characterization of the rockfill, used in
design and presented in the next chapter, the A, B and C materials were produced from
moderate weathered granitic rock with minimum uniaxial compression resistance of
30 MPa. For the D material was allowed the use of more weathered granitic rocks with a
uniaxial compression resistance between 20 and 30 MPa. However, the second stage of the
characterization revealed that those values were too conservative, namely in regard to
compression strength. It also revealed that those better materials were available to fulfil the
required construction volume.

5 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS. GEOMECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION

The construction materials of the embankment were obtained directly from the excavations
made on the interior of the reservoir.
The geomechanical characterization of the rockfill was performed in two phases: the first
phase for the design; the second phase for confirmation of design assumptions, at the
beginning of the construction works.

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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

In both stages the physical and mechanical characteristics (index-properties) of rockfill

fragments were determined (Table 1) and triaxial tests were performed on large cells, with
0.30 m diameter cylinder specimens.
For the geomechanical parameterization of the rockfill two methodologies were used:
(i) directly from triaxial test results; (ii) using the correlations proposed by Wilson and Marsal
(1979)3 based on index-properties of the rockfill fragments.
In Figure 4, the variations of shearing resistance angle () with the confining stress (3) are
presented for the triaxial tests done in both phases. The second triaxial test was executed
using a sample of the embankment, retrieved when it has reached half of total volume.
These results are based on the fact that, for rockfill materials of good quality, the Mohr-
-Coulomb envelope presents a curvature, roughly represented by the following equation4:
= 0log (3/pa) (1)

Figure 4: Strength parameters of rockfill from triaxial test

The methodology presented by Wilson and Marsal is based on the fact that a correlation
exists between the grain breakage (Bg) and the effective principal stress ratio at failure
[(1/3)f]. This methodology takes into account the rockfill fragments characteristics, using a
classification based on some index-properties (water absorption, slake durability and L.A.
abrasion).
From the Wilson and Marsal classification the rockfill is rated as soft well-
-graded, with Bg values between 3,4% and 6% for octahedral stresses of 120 kPa and 260 kPa
(considering =21.5 kN/m3), respectively. The shear resistance was obtained using the
following equation:
sin = [(1/3)f 1]/[(1/3)f + 1] (2)
The values for the angle of shearing resistance were obtained: between 43 and 45.6 for
low confining stresses; and between 39.5 and 41.8 for high confining stresses.

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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

Characterization Parameter Scatter of results

First stage Second stage
Granulometry Uniformity coefficient (Cu) 30 60-75
Texture Porosity (n) 2.4% 5.1% 0,3% 1,0%
Bulk density (G) 2.64 2.65 -
Compression Uniaxial compression (c) 20.9 MPa 35.5 97.6 MPa 111.0 MPa
strength MPa
Crushing strength (Pa50) 361 kgf (air dried) 1217 1238 kgf
314 kgf (submerge) (air dried)
805 1271 kgf
(submerge)
Durability Los Angeles (LA) 59% 73% 24% 47%
Slake durability test (Id2 % 0,95% 0,98% -
retained)
Water sensitivity Absorption - 0,3% 0,5%
Table 1: Index-properties of granitic rockfill fragments

Rockfill deformability was also determined using triaxial test results, considering the
Young Modulus for an axial extension of 0.1%. Values of 175 MPa (3=100kPa), 184MPa
(3=300kPa) and 239 MPa (3=400kPa) were obtained.

6 CONCRETE FACE

6.1 Face slab

The face slab is the structure that ensures the imperviousness of the rockfill (Figure 2). It is
fully supported by the underlying rockfill and is mostly in compression under the reservoir
loadings, except near the dam abutments where tensile stresses can develop.
This kind of slab has no structural function and therefore the focus of its design is towards
watertightness, instead of strength. Thats why the determination of face slab dimensions and
reinforcement is usually based on previous experience and construction procedures.
Slab thickness is established to facilitate waterstops placement and to ensure proper cover
for the reinforcement. Current practice for low or medium height dams is between 0.25 and
0.30 m. In the present case, that value was set to 0.30 m.
In order to achieve a good performance of the slab upon the expected deformations in its
lifecycle, vertical joints were designed, establishing 10 m width panels.
The quantity of reinforcement to be placed in the face slabs of CFRDs is typically
specified by the reinforcement ratio, usually 0.3 to 0.4% of concrete cross-sectional area for
both longitudinal and transversal reinforcement5. In Montesinho Dam face slab the prescribed
reinforcement was #10//0.125 applied in two layers (0.4%). Reducing the cover, by the use
of two layers, and smaller rebar size and spacing were meant to control the crack
development, which is the primary concern of face slab design.

6.2 Plinth
The plinth is the structure that ensures a watertight connection between the foundation
treatment and the face slab. Its width is determined as a function of the hydraulic gradient
installed, or, if it is low as in Montesinho, by the space required to construct the three-row
grout curtain and the dowels mesh. In the present case the plinth is 5 m wide and 0.5 m thick

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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

(minimum). The 6.0 m long steel dowels (32) are sealed in the massif with grouting, in an
alternating mesh of 2 or 3 dowels, 3 m apart.
The purpose of reinforcement in the plinth is to reduce cracking due to temperature
variations and to bending efforts induced by the grouting injections. The reinforcement area
in this case is 0.3% of concrete cross-section each way. The plinth is continuous, without
structural joints, and the longitudinal reinforcement is also continuous through construction
joints.
The plinth geometry was also defined to allow the face slab support. A minimum height of
1.0 m of embankment under the face slab was designed to ensure that in the perimeter joint
the slab would move normal to its plane, without bending.

6.3 Perimeter and vertical joints and waterstops

The perimeter joint connects the concrete face slab and the plinth of the dam to complete
the water barrier of the dam. The main function of the perimeter joint is to maintain a
watertight seal against full reservoir load while allowing for anticipated movements between
the plinth and the face slabs.
The watertight seal is achieved through a three-barrier system: bottom, middle and upper
water barriers (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Perimeter joint detail

The bottom waterstop can be in copper, stainless steel or PVC. PVCs can offer
advantages over the other water barrier materials for CFRDs lower than 100 m in height5.
Their greater thickness can simplify waterstop placement and reduce the risk of damage
during construction. In the present case, the prescribed waterstop was in PVC with an
external center rib and 300 mm wide. The height of the center rib should be tall enough to
allow the waterstop to deform without rupture and the base width should be large enough to
allow for proper placement and consolidation of concrete at the perimeter joint.
The middle water barrier consists in a dumbbell shaped PVC waterstop, with a hollow
center bulb at the middle. The hollow bulb is preferable to the alternatives due to its ability to
undergo greater deformations before tearing or rupturing.
The upper water barrier consists of a mastic fill at the top of the perimeter joint. A small
diameter neoprene tube is placed in the groove of the joint before the mastic sealant is

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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

applied. The tube serves to prevent the mastic from flowing into the joint until a sufficiently
wide gap has formed. Mastic sealing is covered and protected with a hypalon membrane in
order to provide a long lasting upper water barrier.
To prevent damage to the perimeter joint during construction, a compressible wood board
is placed in the plinth face in order to provide a cushion on which the face slab can rest,
without spalling the concrete or damage the waterstops.
The imperviousness of vertical joints between face slab panels is achieved through middle
and upper water barriers like the ones described for the perimeter joint. The slab faces at the
joints are painted with bitumen emulsion.

7 INSTRUMENTATION PLAN AND EMBANKMENT MONITORING

To follow the behavior of the dam during construction and during its life cycle, a
detailed monitoring system was considered. To monitor the deformation of the dam:
vertical and horizontal displacements gauges were installed inside the dam body
distributed in three important cross-sections, 11, 22 and 33 (Figure 1), with section
2-2 being the major monitoring cross section of the dam (Figure 3). The concrete slab
deformations are monitored by three inclinometers installed in the cushion zone (material
A), at the same sections: 11, 22 and 33. Surface settlements at the crest of the dam
are measured by 12 monitoring gauges separated from each other about 25 m. To follow
the water pressures in the foundation and to evaluate the efficiency of the grout curtain
the monitoring system includes 3 sets of 2 piezometers. In each set, the first piezometer
is located immediately after the grout curtain while the second is located near the dam
axis. A total flow measuring system will be installed near the toe of the dam to evaluate
any leakage that might occur. During the construction of the dam regular measurements
of the vertical displacements and water pressures in the foundation where made.
Figure 6 presents the recordings of the settlement gauges installed in the dam. The
maximum settlement recorded so far, is about 20 mm, and occurs in the maximum cross
section, near half the height. It is worth to note that to the end of the construction another
2 m of additional rockfill is needed (up to level 1221.1 m), therefore some additional
settlement is expected. These settlements are very low and are in agreement to what was
expected.

Figure 6: Recordings from the settlement gauges (right bank, center, left bank)

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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

8 ECOLOGICAL FLOW SYSTEM

This dam has been provided with a peculiar and rather unique ecological flow system,
which is shown in Figure 7.
The location of the works, right inside a Natural Park, made environmental concerns
especially critical. So, besides the demand for adequate ecological flows all year round,
other concerns have been taken into account, one of these being the barrier effect caused
by the dam to aquatic wildlife on the Sabor River.
It was concluded that, obviously, the barrier effect cannot be fully eliminated, but that,
nevertheless, it would be possible to limit it in time.
As it can be seen in Figure 7, the spillway will be a structure separated from the dam
body, which will discharge onto a tributary of the Sabor River. Computer simulation of
the dam reservoir exploitation, balancing natural inflows, outflows and withdrawals for
urban water supply, showed that it will remain at full supply level, or above, during 54%
of the time on average. Low level periods will be limited, mostly to the dry season. So,
the following decisions were made:
To abandon the 600 m long reach of Sabor River bed located immediately
downstream from the dam toe;
To replace it by the bed of the tributary onto which the dam spillway will discharge
(see Figure 7), that runs parallel to the Sabor bed and that has about the same
length.

Figure 7: Ecological flow system plan

At the spillway connection point, the tributary has an almost negligible catchment
area. So, its bed hasnt yet the same physical characteristics as the Sabor River has.
Nevertheless, since both beds are carved into good quality rock, it is expected that the
adaptation of the replacement bed to the new strongly increased flows will happen
gradually and naturally over time, without any catastrophic scouring.
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 L. Ribeirinho, G. Tavares, M. Romeiro, M. Samora, J. Brito, J. Marcelino, J. Boal Paixo, J. Cordeiro.

To allow for the barrier effect to be eliminated, the spillway structure was designed as
a double bed naturalized channel, with no sudden fall between the reservoir pond and the
new river bed - Figure 8.
During the periods when the reservoir will be full (54% of the time), there will be a
fluvial continuum between the reservoir and the new river bed, allowing wildlife to
circulate up and down freely. During the remaining periods, although continuity will be
temporarily broken, adequate flow in the new river bed will still be guaranteed by
injecting ecological discharges onto the spillway structure. To do so, ecological flow
pumps will be installed inside the reservoirs intake tower, which will feed a pumping
conduit headed to the spillway (see Figure 7), passing first through a regulation deposit
installed over the towers roof.
Minimum ecological flows will vary along the year between 4.1 l/s and 45.5 l/s.
Pumps will have redundancy and so will their power supply. But, if all this fails, there
will still be an emergency gravity ecological flow outlet at the toe of the dam, feeding
into the old abandoned river bed reach.

Figure 8: Cross-section downstream the spillway

9 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors are thankful to ATMAD for the permission given to publish this article and
for the collaboration in its preparation.

REFERENCES
[1] CENOR Consulting Engineers, Dam of the Montesinho's Water Supply System. Final
Design (in Portuguese), ATMAD, Lisbon, Portugal (2012).
[2] R. Fell, P. MacGregor and D. Stapledon, Geotechnical engineering of embankment dams,
A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands (1992).
[3] S. Wilson and R. Marsal, Current trends in design and construction of embankment dams,
ASCE, New York, USA (1979).
[4] A.A. Veiga Pinto, Previso do comportamento estrutural de barragens de enrocamento,
LNEC, Lisboa (1983).
[5] ICOLD, Concrete Face Rockfill Dams. Concepts for design and construction,
International Commission on Large Dams, Bulletin 141 (2010).

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