International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)

ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-3, Issue-5, May 2015

Dam Instrumentation in Gravity Dams: A Case Study on

Koyna Dam
Mr. A. R. Chavan, Dr. S. S. Valunjkar

Abstract - Number of aspects, parameters is assumed while total movements between zones of an embankment and its
designing the dams. The materials are tested in laboratories foundation may also need to be monitored. For a given
and designs are based on assumptions that the same results will project to ensure all critical conditions, a wide variety of
be met with, during actual construction in most of the cases. instruments may be applied in a comprehensive monitoring
The actual product defers from the original assumptions as
program are covered sufficiently.
there are always large deviations in materials, their properties,
construction methods and their control. How the actual For verification of design assumptions, construction
constructed dam acts against the expectations made that must technique & modification design, Instrumentation in dam is
be known by engineer. In this paper, the requirement, use and necessary. In determination of specific cause of failure, data
operation of the instruments required to check the behaviour collected from instrument could be tremendously valuable.
and stability of dams are discussed. These instruments show A constant watch over the performance of the structure
their effectiveness in proper maintenance of dam, and hence during service is taken care by instrumentation and obtains
they should be installed at appropriate places in the dam under timely notices in respect of distress spots. Safety in dam can
the guidance of experts. It has been concluded from present be assist by instrumentation. Recent dam failures in various
study that there should be close co-operation between the
part of world inspire important interest in monitoring
designers, instrumentation specialist, expert analysis and site
authorities to achieve the goal of instrumentation. various parameters as a means for ensuring adequate margin
of safety. Basic parameters like pore pressure, displacement,
Index TermsDam; Instruments; Dam Safety; Prcautions; seepage, strains, stresses, dynamic load, uplift pressure,
Failure; Remedies; Assumptions etc. temperature can study as per IS specification with the help
of instrumentation.
I. INTRODUCTION In India there are about 4291 large dams. Out of these
1529 dams are in Maharashtra from which near about 40
It is essential for Engineers to design the dam to Dams are instrumented. The approximate cost of these
withstand alongside any damage because it is said that, instruments is near about to 1% of total construction cost of
Dam instrumentation means number of instruments dams.
embedded in the body of dam to accumulate basic factors &
to check behaviour of dam.
II. PLANNING OF INSTRUMENTATION
Number of factors, parameters is assumed while
designing dams. The materials are tested in laboratories and A. Importance of the instrumentation
designs are based on expectations that the same results will
Instruments play an vital role in checking the safety of the
be met with, during actual construction in most of the cases.
dams as instruments embedded in or installed at the surface
The actual product defers from the unusual assumptions as
of the dam keep a constant watch over their service and
there are always large deviations in materials, their
indicate the distress spot which call for remedial measures.
properties, construction methods and their control. This
could be found out by many techniques. How the actual A cumulative record for structural behaviour of dams is
formed from the observations of the instruments. In
constructed dam behaves against the assumptions made that
modifying theoretical assumptions and includes the effect of
must be known by engineer. For filling structural behaviour,
field observations, the study of structural behaviour provides
essential help from various instruments implanted in a dam
an important aid.
body is taken. The operational of a structure or a system or
the operation of a process depends on these instruments are
TABLE I. Instruments used to obtain parameters
devices to measure and / or control the variables.
Generally the major objectives of a geotechnical Parameters Instruments
instrumentation plan may divide into four categories: first, 1. Tilt meter
Surface
analytical assessment; second, prediction of future Displacement 2. Surface extensometer
performance; third, legal evaluation; and fourth, 1. For Structures on permeable foundation
development and verification of future designs. These Uplift Pressure instruments.
objectives of instrumentation can be achieved by providing 2. Instruments for structures on rock foundations
measureable data to assess groundwater pressure, Dynamic Loads 1. Seismometer
deformation, total stress, temperature, seismic events, 1. Total Pressure Cells
Stress
2. Jack-Out Total Pressure
leakage, and water levels. Relative movements as well as
1.vnotch weir large Discharge
Seepage
Mr. A. R. Chavan,PG Student, Department of Civil Engineering, Govt.
1.Open stand pipe piezometer
College of Engineering Karad, Satara 415124, Karad, Maharashtra, India.
Pore Water
7798482976. 2.Pneumatic piezometer
Pressure
3.Vibrating wire piezometer
Dr. S. S. Valunjkar, Professor and Head of Civil Engineering
Department, Govt. College of Engineering Karad, Dist: To provide for unknowns in the designs, most hydraulic
Satara.415124,Karad, Maharashtra, India.9422701525. structures are built on rather conservative assumptions.

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 Dam Instrumentation in Gravity Dams: A Case Study on Koyna Dam

Observations from the instruments help to reduce these making a selection of instruments for earth dam are
unknowns and place future designs on sounder footing. discussed in the following paragraphs.
The instrumentation data also helps in the process of
research and developments and also advancing the state of 1. Conformance
art. The present age instrumentation has become necessity to Ideally, the presence of a measuring instrument should
insure proper functioning, safety as well as the optimum not alter the value of the parameter being measured. If in
utilization of resources. fact the instrument alters the value, it is said to have poor
Following table shows the instruments used to obtain conformance. For example, Earth pressure cells should
parameter: ideally have the same deformability characteristics as the
material in which they are placed. In addition the act of
B. Failure of Dam compacting fills around an instrument should not result in a
significantly different condition within the soil mass.
The incidents of failures demonstrate that failure of dams Similarly piezometers should not create drainage paths that
depends on the type of the dam. Various types of dam would reduce the measured pore water pressure below the
failure are listed below: value elsewhere. Conformance is a desirable ingredient of
1. Sliding of dam high accuracy.
2. Overturning of dam
3. Tension failure of dam 2. Accuracy
4. Crushing of dam Accuracy is the closeness of approach of a
measurement to the time value of Quantity measured.
Absolute accuracy is not only difficult to attain but also
TABLE II. Causes of dam failure in percentage
difficult to define and demonstrate. Accuracy of an
Sr.No Cause Percentage failure instrument is evaluated during calibration. The true value is
1 Foundation failure 40% the value indicated by an instrument whose accuracy is
verified and traceable to an accepted standard. Wherever
2 Inadequate spillway 23%
possible traceable value should be with respect to the Indian
3 Poor construction 12% Bureau of Standard. The accuracy of instrument depends on
4 Uneven settlement 10% accuracy of each component of that instrument. The degree
5 High pore pressure 05% of instrument accuracy need only be as high as the ability to
6 Acts of war 03% define the anisotropy of the parameters.
7 Embankment slips 02%
3. Repeatability
8 Defective materials 02%
Repeatability (Precision or Reliability) is the measures
9 Incorrect operation 02% of the smallest reading which can be consistently
10 Earthquakes 01% reproduced provided that the parameter being measured has
not changed. The difference between accuracy and precision
III. SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT is illustrated in fig. 3.1. The bull's eye in the figure
The following parameters need to be measured as per IS represents the true value. In the first case, the measurements
specifications: are precise but not accurate, as would occur when using a
1) Pore pressure survey tape with a bad kink. Such errors are systematic. In
2) Displacement the second case the measurements lack precision but if
3) Seepage sufficient readings are taken, the average will be accurate.
4) Strains Such errors are random. In third, the measurements are both
5) Stresses precise and accurate.
6) Dynamic loads
7) Uplift pressure 4. Range
8) Temperature The need of adequate measuring range is sometimes
overlooked because stress or shape change magnitudes of
A. Characteristics of Good Instruments parameters, particularly in geological masses are difficult to
The state of instrumentation design is far ahead of the predict. Range should be adequate, but not excessive, as
art in user technology. The various instruments commonly range can generally be obtained only at the expense of some
available for measuring various parameters have been other desirable characteristics usually resolution.
discussed in chapter 2 of this dissertation. Less than 2
decades ago the instruments deployed were simple and it 5. Survivability
was possible for the Civil Engineer to have a good Instruments must be capable of surviving for the
knowledge of the operating principles and characteristics of duration of the prospective measurement. Cables, tubes or
such instruments. Since that time there have been major pipes' that connect the, transducer to its readout unit must be
advances in the development of new instruments. The able to survive imposed pressure changes, deformation,
design of new generation instruments has gone into the water, sunlight and chemical effects such as corrosion and
domain of the instrument, engineer rather than the Civil electrolytic breakdown. This is not always a simple
Engineer. It is the responsibility of the user to develop an requirement as surrounding conditions of instruments are
adequate level of understanding of the instruments before frequently more severe than anticipated.
they select a particular instrument. Some general 6. Hysteresis
fundamental characteristics that are to be considered while

41 www.erpublication.org
 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-3, Issue-5, May 2015
When the quantity being measured is subjected to cyclic B. Introduction
change, the indicated measured value sometimes depends on Koyna Dam is a rubble concrete dam 103.02 m high
whether the measurement is increasing or decreasing. If the above the deepest foundation level, and 85.35 m high above
two relationships are plotted the separation between the two River Bed. It has a total length of 807.22 m. It is constructed
curves is a measure of hysteresis. Instruments with large across river Koyna, which is a major a tributary of River
hysteresis are not suitable for measurement of rapidly Krishna. The dam is located near village Deshmukhwadi in
changing parameters. Patan Tahasil in Satara district of Maharashtra State of
India. The Dam is founded on basalt rock. Koyna is one of
7. Noise the major Hydro Electric Projects in the Country. The dam
Noise is a term used to cover random measurement impounds 2980.34 MCum water to generate 1960 MW
variation caused by external factors, creating lack of power.
precision and accuracy. Excessive noise in a system may The dam is built in 53 monoliths of which six end
mask small real changes. Groundwater interference in monoliths are constructed in masonry and the rest in rubble
leakage were due to rain is an example of external factor concrete. The spillway is centrally located and extends from
that creates noise and affect the measurement of the seepage monolith number 18 to 24 over a length of 88.70 m. six
through embankment. radial gates of size 41 ft X 25 ft are installed in the spillway
(manufacturers M/s Conrad Czoke). In year 2003, these
8. Cost gates are fixed with 5 ft high flaps which are independently
Comparison of cost should only be undertaken amongst operated hydraulically. The height of gates can thus now be
those instruments which meet all the specifications considered as 30 ft. Catchment area of the Dam is 891.78
discussed above. Any attempt to save expenditure by SqKm and submerged area is 115.35 SqKm. 98 villages
relaxing specifications often result in waste of funds since were affected by the submergence and 9069 families were
such relaxation results in instrument not performing the task displaced. These families are rehabilitated in 6 districts viz
it is chosen for practically it is impossible to select the Satara, Sangali, Solapur, Kolhapur, Raigad and Ratnagiri.
instrument which conforms all above capabilities. The topography near the initial regime of Koyna River
Therefore, engineer has to make some compromise for is very favorable for the location of Hydro Electric Project.
selection of particular instruments. In order to satisfy one There is a sheer vertical drop of 487.68 meters (1600 feet)
factor he may have to sacrifice the other. This leads to the on west side of the reservoir. The continental divide is only
errors in measurements. 56 Km. (35miles) from the Arabian Sea, and separates the
land between the 579 meter (1900 feet) high ground of
IV. CASE STUDY- KOYNA DAM
Koyna on the Eastern Side of the Sahyadri Range and the
To get more detailed knowledge about dam instruments 152 m (500 feet) high base on an escarpment on its Western
and its components, a case study was conducted at KOYNA Side. This has rendered a high head Hydro Electric Scheme
DAM. This section discusses the various aspects of the case feasible at economical cost. Since the rock through which
study considering the perspective of dam instrumentation the tunnels pass is excellent basalt rock, it was possible to
and its applications. take advantage of this rock by transmitting part pressure of
A. General water to rock and part to steel plates which led to economy.
Straight excavation of pressure shafts resulted in reduction
Salient features of Koyna Dam:
in the length and saving in cost of Steel plates and annular
1. Name of Dam: Koyna Dam
concrete & thus enabled adoption of underground Power
2. Name of River: KOYNA RIVER House. Thus Koyna Stage I&II Power Station went
3. Location: Village: Deshmukhwadi, Tal. Patan Dist. Satara underground for the purpose of economy and safety. The
4. Catchments Area: A. Main Dam : 891.78 Sq.km.
Project subsequently developed in four stages to reach
B. Avg. Rainfall : 5350 mm
power production capacity today totaling to 1960 MW.
5. Dam & Reservoir:
Stage I & II accommodates 4 generators of 65 MW capacity
A. Gross Storage: 2980.68 M CUM / 105.26 TMC
and 4 generators of 75 MW capacity, totaling to 560 MW as
B. Live Storage: 2684.51 M CUM / 94.80 TMC a base station with 60% load factor The tail water of stage I
C. Dead Storage: 296.17M CUM / 10.46 TMC & II power house was initially released in Vashishthi River
D. From Spillway crest to top of the gate: 908.18 M
at KRL 133.20 m (433.00 feet). To utilize this unused
CUM / 32.07 TMC
residual head before the water goes to the Arabian Sea, the
6. Height of Dam:
water was then diverted in adjoining Vaitarni Valley
Above River bed: 85.35 m
through a 4.5 Km long tunnel and was stored behind a dam,
Above foundation: 103.02 m called Kolkewadi Dam, 497 m long and 56.80 m high, to
7. Length of Dam: generate 320 MW with four machines of 80 MW each in the
Main Dam: 807.72 m
Dam Foot Power House. This is called as Stage III, which
Top of Dam: 654.97 m
was designed as a peaking station with 24% load factor.
8. Spillway gates 6 Nos. Tainer type: 12.50 m X 7.62 m
Water for Irrigation was being released eastwards through a
9. Design Purpose: Hydro Electric Project and Irrigation River Sluice in the main dam till 1980. To use the static
Project. head of height of reservoir, a dam foot Power House was
10. Hydro Electric Power Generation:
constructed on right flank of the Dam during 1975 to 1980.
A. Main Dam : 1960 MW.
2 generators of 20 MW capacities are installed in this Power
House, thereby generating 40 MW in Irrigation Rotation
Period. Around 1985 it was realized that there is a vast
diurnal hourly fluctuation in the power demand. Maximum

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 Dam Instrumentation in Gravity Dams: A Case Study on Koyna Dam

power demand in morning peak (7 to 11 am) period and in 4. Joint meter

evening peak (7 to 11 pm) period was as much as 15000 5. Uplift pressure cells.
MW, while in between period it slowly reduces to 9000 All these instruments are embedded in M.No 17 it being the
MW. It was concluded that hydro power stations need not be deepest monolith. All these instruments are embedded
run at 60% power factor. They can be run only in peak hours during construction period 1969 to 1972.
with 25% (or even less) Power factor. Then I&II stage PH
was generating at 60% PF and utilizing 67.5 TMC of water.
E. Frequency of Observation
If the PF is reduced, westward water quota cannot be fully
utilized. If a parallel Power House is built, and both the Once in a week in fair weather season.
Power Houses are run with 25% PF, then the quota can be Twice in a week in rainy season.
utilized fully. This concept gave rise to the IV stage Power After every sizable earthquake.
House of Koyna Project. Accordingly a new Powerhouse 2. Earth pressure cells for observation of stresses in dam.
comprising of 4 generators of 250 MW each was 3. Surface settlement plugs for measuring embankment
constructed and commissioned in 1999/2000. movements.
4. Peak recording accelerographs to measure the ground
acceleration duration earthquake.
C. Necessity of Instrumentation
5. Seismoscope to determine displacement relative velocity
The behaviour of this dam will have to be and acceleration response of dam to earthquake.
monitored carefully particularly with reference to the
following points:
1. Instruments embedded in or installed at the surface of F. Seismic Instruments
the dam keep a constant watch over their service and The following types of instruments are installed in
indicate the distress spot which call for remedial measures. various observatories:
Thus instruments play an important role in checking the 1. Wood Anderson Seismometer
safety of the dams. 2. Electromagnetic Seismometer
2. The Instrumentation data also helps in the process of 3. High Frequency Seismometer
research and developments and also advancing the state of 4. Kirnos Seismometer
art. 5. MEQ Seismographs
3. The dam is located in highly seismic zone, with this 6. Accelerograph
point of view and even otherwise, the vertical settlement of a. A.R. 240
dam as well as its horizontal spread on u /s and d /s needs to b. RFT 250
be monitored. c. Roorkee
4. The behaviour of dam for comparison with design d. Peak Recording
assumptions is to be observed.
5. The Koyna dam lies in heavy rainfall zone both in Koyna region lies in Zone IV of earthquake hazard
quantum and intensity. It would be interesting to a certain as zoning. Below is a list of earthquakes having epicenter in or
to how far does the heavy rainfall affect the saturation of d near the Koynanagar region in last few decades.
/s slope even after provision of pitching.
TABLE III. EARTHQUAKES RECORDED AT KOYNA DAM
D. Types of Instruments Installed
In order to monitor the safety, the dam was well Richter Depth
Decades Occurrences
instrumented since early construction stage. Following scale (Km)
instruments have fixed in the dam for observation.
Instruments Nos. Location/s Pre 67 5.4 2 4.9
1. Uplift pressure cells 66 M.No.1-C-1-G 21 24
25 and stilling basin 1967 6 3 11.6
2.Co-Ordimeters 2 M.No.22 and 25
3. Thermometers 52 M.No 22 1980s 4.3 3 22.3
4. Stress Meters 17 M.No 22
5. Strain meter 38 M.No 22 1990s 4.9 2 5.5
6. Dial Gauges 6 Cross gallery in M.No
21 2000s 4.7 8 10.7
7. Piezometers 4 Lift Bank Out off
8.Spillway 9 M.No 22 Spill Way.
2010s 4.9 1 11
Thermometers

Instrumentation in Koyna Dam Concrete Backing to G. Feedback to Central Water and Power Research Station
study the Structural behaviour of Concrete Backing consists The data collected from the seismological observatories
of following instrument; of the Koyna network is regularly analyzed by Central
1. Thermometer Water and Power Research Station, Pune. The data from all
2. Stress meter other instruments is sent to MERI for further analysis.
3. Strain meter

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 International Journal of Engineering and Technical Research (IJETR)
ISSN: 2321-0869, Volume-3, Issue-5, May 2015
FIGURE 1 ANALYSIS OF EARTH QUAKES ATKOYNA DAM

FIGURE 2 ACCELLEROGRAM RECORDED IN 1967

V. INSTRUMENTS INSTALLED AT KOYNA DAM 3.Analogue Seismograph

1.Tiltmeter

4.V-Notch Weir
2.Seismograph

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 Dam Instrumentation in Gravity Dams: A Case Study on Koyna Dam

5. Location of Thermometer, Stress meter, Strain Meter construction of dam was also crucial part. If the dam is in
proper condition it means that the seepage and erosion in the
body are at minimum level. In such cases where the
condition of a dam is not vulnerable to future attack of
various forces like seepage, pore pressure etc. It does not
require large scaled instrumentation in body of dam and it
could be managed at some primary level of instrumentation
by providing some small sized instruments like strain gauge,
stress gauge etc. But in the case of dam where the seepage is
considerable and the material used in the dam is of pure
quality, in such case dam instrumentation should be adopted
and instruments like piezometer, foundation piezometer,
embankment piezometer, Casagrande type porous tube
piezometer, and terminal well should be used in order to
ensure the safety of dam.

TABLE IV. DETAILS OF ACCELEROGRAPH STATIONS IN THE BODY

REFERENCES

[1] Yanmaz Melih and Sezgin O. Ilke, Evaluation Study on the

Instrumentation System of Cindere Dam, J. Perform. Constr. Facil.
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[2] Myers Barry K., P.E. Scofield David H., P.E., C.E.G, Providing
Improved Dam Safety Monitoring Using Existing Staff Resources:
Fern Ridge Dam Case Study, Library of Congress Control Number:
2008924523 ISBN 978-1-884575-42-6.
[3] Myers Barry and Stateler Jay, Why include instrumentation in dam
monitoring programs, USSD Committee on monitoring of dams and
their foundations. ISBN978-1-884575-45-7.
[4] Su Huaizhi; Hu Jiang; and Wen Zhiping, Service Life Predicting of
Dam Systems with Correlated Failure Modes, Journal Of
Performance Of Constructed Facilities Asce / May/June 2013.
[5] Kramer Chris and Lee Michael D., Preparedness for Dam Failures in
the San Francisco Bay Area, Nat. Hazards Rev. 2004.5:18-28.
[6] Bernstone, C., Westberg, M., and Jeppsson, J. (2009). Structural
assessment of a concrete dam based on uplift pressure monitoring. J.
Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 135(1), 133142.
[7] Bhadauria, S. S., and Gupta, M. C. (2006). In-service durability
performance of water tanks. J. Perform. Constr. Facil., 20(2), 136
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[8] Bowles, D. S. (2001). Evaluation and use of risk estimates in dam
safety decision making. Proc., United Eng. Foundation Conf. on
Risk-Based Decision-Making in Water Resources IX, ASCE, Reston,
VI. CONCLUSION VA, 117.
Different studies which have been done on dam [9] Chen, H. Q. (2009). Lessons learned from Wenchuan earthquake for
seismic safety of large dams. Earthquake Eng. Eng. Vib., 8(2), 241
instrumentation are discussed in this paper, conclusions 249.
obtained after studies are as follows: [10] Chen, J., and Huang, W. (2000). Failure probability of gravity dam
1. There is different force which acts on body of dam. on rock foundation. Int. Com. on Large Dams. The Ministry of
But major forces which affects the stability of dam are uplift Water Resources, Peoples Republic of China, Beijing, 425436.
China Electric Council. (2000). Unified design standard for
pressure, dynamic loads etc. These kind of major forces [11] reliability of hydraulic engineering structures in China. The
cannot be handled with traditional approach of dam standards compilation of water power in China, China Electric
construction and hence it demand for dam instrumentation Council, Beijing.
for better and ensured stability of dam.
2. While going through stress analysis of dam due to
various forces, it has been observed that one set of
instrument could not be used in every body of dam. It
depends on various factors.
3. After selecting proper instrument, selecting the
proper location of instrument is another vital part of dam
instrumentation. But the location can be found out by many
aspects need to be taken into account. Select the proper
location of instrument in dam; this will lead to better
performance of instrumentation in dam.
4. The data collected from Koyna dam, gives the idea
about different forces acting, location of instrument to be
used, type of instrument to be used etc. The major forces
acting on the body of dam are observed as uplift force,
seepage force, dynamic load etc.
5. For the stability and safety of dam, not only the
part of instrumentation in dam is important but the part of

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