Disclosure To Promote The Right To Information
Disclosure To Promote The Right To Information
Disclosure To Promote The Right To Information
Indian Standard
QUALITY CONTROL DURING CONSTRUCTION OF
EARTH AND ROCKFILL DAMS -
RECOMMENDATIONS
ICS 93.160
0 BIS 1999
FOREWORD
This Indian Standard was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards, after the draft finalized by the Dams
(Overflow and Non-Overflow) and Diversion Works Sectional Committee had been approved by the River
Valley Division Council.
The skill, experience and judgment required of the engineer-in-charge of construction, is in no way lesser than
that of the designer. The competency of the field engineer is as important if not more, than that of the designer,
whereas a field engineer may damage a good design by not referring to the requirements ofplans and specifications
or by not noting the changed conditions, a competent engineer may improve a design by noting errors and
changed conditions.
The performance of an earth or rocktill dam depends upon the control exercised during construction, supervision
and inspection. An entirely safe design may be ruined by careless and shoddy execution. Proper quality control
during construction is as important as the design.
The necessity for proper quality control exists at all stages of dam construction and commences at the earliest
with foundation treatment. Since this work is done when both the engineering and construction forces are
relatively unorganised, the resources and judgment of the engineers are required from the beginning of
construction.
Very rigid procedures cannot be laid down for quality control in dam construction as every work has, its own
problems and therefore, procedures should suit the conditions. Quality control measures should be adopted
according to the relative importance of work.
For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this standard is complied with, the final value,
observed or calculated, expressing the result of a test or analysis, shall be rounded off in accordance with
IS 2 : 1960 ‘Rules for rounding off numerical values (revised)‘. The number of significant places retained in
the rounded off value should be the same as that of the specified value in this standard.
IS 14690 : 1999
Indian Standard
QUALITY CONTROL DURING CONSTRUCTION OF
EL4RTI-I AND ROCKFILL DAMS -
RECOMMENDATIONS
1 SCOPE detailed testing can be carried out. The size and the
number of laboratory personnel should vary with the
This standard covers details of quality control
size of the dam and the control measures required to
measures required to be adopted during construction
be adopted.
of earth and rocktill dams.
3.3 Reports and Records
2 REFERENCES
Detailed written records should be kept of all activities
The Indian Standards given in Annex A contain
and observations made during construction. The
provisions which through reference in this text,
records should include all pertinent observations made,
constitute provisions of this standard. At the time of
such as, depth of excavations, type of strata excavated,
publication, the editions indicated were valid. All
details of dewatering and foundation treatment, drains
standards are subject to revision, and parties to
installed and description of the material and
agreements based on this standard are encouraged to
construction methods used for different embankment
investigate the possibility of applying the most recent
zones. These records are of primary value for deciding
editions of the standards indicated in Annex A.
the need for change in design as also for understanding
3 QUALITY CONTROL SUPERVISION the post construction behaviour. These, therefore, need
to be preserved and documented into reports. A formal
3.1 Personnel report should be prepared by the inspection unit at
the end of the job so that not only are the records kept
The number of personnel required for quality control
properly during construction, but the behaviour of the
depends on the size and difficulty of the job. As a
dam can also be evaluated later on according to the
minimum, even on a small job, one inspector should
type of work executed during construction.
work continuously on the construction site for each
shift. Larger jobs should have a number of inspectors, 3.4 Geological Features
each with responsibility for some specific aspect of
For large dam, as defined in IS 8826, a full time
the construction, such as, the control of compaction
resident engineering geologist should be available for
at abutment contracts or the supervision of foundation
inspection and advice. Records, drawings and
grouting. On projects where large volumes of material
photographs of all conditions exposed by excavation
are to be moved, a full time inspector should be
in the foundations of the dam and appurtenant
assigned to each borrow area to inspect the excavation
structures shall be maintained. The geologist should
and moisture control operations. If construction is to
keep detailed records of the rocks including clay seams,
continue at night, the same close inspection is required
faults of all kinds, and the joint systems. This
as during the day shifts. Good lighting is essential,
information is unavailable, since once covered up, the
both in the borrow areas and at the construction site.
conditions observed during construction may never
Even so, it may be desirable to confine certain critical
be exposed for inspection.
works to daylight hours, such as, compaction of the
impervious embankment against concrete and masonry 4 QUALITY CONTROL OF CONSTRUCTION
structures.
4.1 General
The task force in charge of quality control supervision
should not be under the charge of an officer who is The placement of fill within the embankment should
directly responsible for construction and payment. proceed in an orderly sequence so as to produce, within
each zone, fills having specified density, strength and
3.2 Laboratory Facilities permeability.
Even for the smallest of projects, a soil laboratory 4.1.1 No fill material should be placed on any part of
should be provided in the field for carrying out tests, the foundation until foundation surfaces in that part
such as, density, water contents and gradation. This have been inspected/geologically mapped and
should be supplemented by a soil laboratory where approved as ready for fill placement. The prepared
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IS 14690 : 1999
foundation surface should enable proper bond with water required should be decided. The required
fill material to be placed on it. In the zone of additional moisture, so decided should be introduced
impervious material, the surface of each foundation, into the borrow area by watering well in advance of
should be moistened and sufficiently cleaned and the excavation to ensure uniformity of moisture
scarified to obtain a proper bond with the embankment, content. If in any location of a borrow area, before or
immediately prior to receiving any material for the during excavation, there is excessive moisture, steps
impervious zone. No fill should be placed in any part should be taken to reduce the moisture to secure
of the foundation for the impervious zone until that material with moisture content closest to the optimum
part has been completely dewatered. In the zone of by excavating drainage ditches, by allowing adequate
pervious material, in addition to the stripping of top time for drying after ripping, or by any other means.
soil, the stripping operation should also remove To avoid formation of pools in the borrow areas during
cohesive materials which can cause pore pressure excavation operations, drainage ditches from borrow
development unless the design provides for retaining areas to the outlets should be excavated wherever
such material. Similarly, the abutments, should be necessary. Material should be placed only when the
stripped of talus deposits and loose surface materials. foundation surfaces have been prepared as stipulated
Local overhangs of rock should also be removed. and conditions are satisfactory to permit accurate
control of moisture content. The moisture content
4.1.2 Only materials conforming to the specified
during fill placement should be maintained at optimum
properties should be placed within the relevant zones
moisture content (OMC). However, this may not
of the dam. No bush, roots, top soil or other perishable
always be possible due to practical difficulties in the
or unsuitable material should be placed on it within
field. Therefore, a variation within 2 percent on either
the embarkment. The fill should be free from lenses,
side of OMC may have to be permitted. It is advisable
pockets, streaks or layers of material differing
to compact the tills near foundations, abutments and
substantially in texture or gradation from the
the top few meters (10 to 20 percent of dam height on
surrounding materials. The combined dumping,
wet side of OMC and the remaining portion on dry
spreading and compacting operations should be such
side of OMC. The OMC value needs to be revised as
that the material when compacted, will be sufficiently
and when there is significant variation in properties
blended to achieve the most homogeneous fill.
of soil from different borrow areas. During shut-down
Successive loads of material should be deposited
on accotint of rains or impending rains, the surface of
parallel to the axis of the dam at proper spacing, in
compacted impervious layers should be rolled with
order to obtain a uniform spread thickness with
smooth wheel roller to facilitate drainage. Prior to
minimum amount of dozing, and to avoid any
resuming work after shut-down, the top surface should
possibility of formation of layer of unsuitable material
be scarified and moisture adjusted, if necessary.
across the dam. The differential elevation at the
contracts between the core zone and the adjacent zones 4.2.1 Compaction Control ofImpervious Material with
should not exceed 0.8 m. Where practicable, the core High Gravel Content
should be higher than the casing. At contacts between
For the materials less than 30 percent by weight coarser
zones where any height differential has been kept,
than 4.75 mm, the compaction of the finer fraction is
sufficient embankment width should be maintained
not affected by the presence of gravels. For materials
to provide at least one roller lane width for proper
with gravel content in the range between 30 to
compaction of the fills at the contact lines. Each zone
50 percent, the presence of gravel interferes with the
of the dam embankment should be constructed in
compaction of fines to some extent and consequently
continuous and approximately horizontal layer. In the
the maximum density of materials finer than 4.75 mm
turning area of the rollers, compaction perpendicular
is likely to be lower and the optimum moisture content
to the normal rolling pattern should be ensured.
higher than if the gravels were not present. The
4.2 Impervious Material difference is, however, small and laboratory
compaction method may be used with gravel correction
For impervious fill the important factors are the control for field control. Generally, the higher the plasticity
of moisture content and density achieved. The of the fines, the higher the percentage of coarser
moisture-density relationship should be first material that could be tolerated without appreciably
established in the laboratory and limits of density and influencing the compaction of finer fraction. For soils
moisture content should then be specified for the fill with gravel content more than 50 percent, the presence
to be placed. The initial moisture content of material of gravel has a large influence on the moisture content
in the borrow area should be estimated with the help and the density of material finer than 4.75 mm and
of laboratory tests. From the optimum moisture content conventional laboratory tests should no longer be used
and initial moisture content the amount of additional for field control. The most practical method for
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IS 14690 : 1999
0 10 20 30 LO 50 60 70 80 go 100
in 4.2. The remaining may be beyond this limit but
within +2.5 percent of OMC and -3 percent of OMC.
GRAVEL CONTENT (PLUS 1.75mmlPERCENT
4.3 Pervious Materials
FIG. 1 TYPICALRELATIONSHIPS
BETWEENMAXIMUM
DRY DENSITYAND PERCENTGRAVEL CONTENT Permeability, shear strength and gradation are the
prime considerations in case of pervious fills. The
general consideration for control of permeability
4.2.2 Field Tests
should be that the permeability of the material
4.2.2.1 Density tests increases towards the outer slopes of the dam
embankment. Larger of the rock pieces should be
Any of the following methods may be used for density
placed towards the outer slopes of the zone and
determination:
embedded in the Ii11 in such a manner as not to leave
a) Water replacement method in accordance excessive surrounding voids. The control of
with IS 2720 (Part 33), compaction is generally determined by relative density
b) Sand replacement method in accordance with test which is a measure of the compactness of a
IS 2720 (Part 28), pervious material with respect to the loosest and most
compact states at which it can be placed.
c) Core cutter method in accordance with
IS 2720 (Part 29), and 4.3.1 Field Test
d) Nuclear density and moisture gauges.
The tests mentioned in 4.3.1.1 and 4.3.1.2 should be
The quicker and more accurate method out of these carried out.
should be selected based on experience of the test 4.3.1.1 Density tests
results made on the impervious test fills.
Field density of the pervious fill material should be
4.2.2.2 Shear tests determined by water replacement method in
Shear tests of undisturbed samples taken from accordance with IS 2720 (Part 33).
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IS 14690 : 1999
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IS 14690: 1999
of embankment during process of rolling 7.2 One coverage of the area by the compaction
namely, formation of waves ahead of rolling, equipment is defined as the action achieved when the
whether the fill acts as a spongy or stable entire surface of a layer has been traversed at least
mass; types of roller used and number of once by the compacting surface of the compactor. One
coverages thereof. pass of the compaction equipment is defined as the
continuous motion of the compactor in one direction
6.4 Proforma 5 given in Annex B should be used for
only.
reporting the above information along with a
descriptive report. Proforma 6 given in Annex B 7.3 Various types of equipment are available for
should be used for reporting the roller data. compaction of materials. For impervious and semi-
impervious materials either sheepfoot or padfoot
7 COMPACTION EQUIPMENT rollers or rubber tyred rollers are generally used and
7.1 All compaction equipment, together with their for pervious materials, the compaction is achieved by
accessories should be maintained in proper operating sluicing by crawler type tractor, rubber tyred rollers
condition during all periods in which they are required or vibratory rollers. The selection or equipment should
for work on the dam embankment. When compacting be made on the basis of test fills, keeping in view the
rollers are operated in sets or in tandem or sets of economics and the rate of compaction.
rollers are operated one behind the other, in the same 7.4 For compaction of fill material, when the fill areas
track, all rollers should be of the same general are not accessible to rollers, such as junction of fill
dimensions, same widths, essentially the same weights with concrete/masonry, around rock outcrops within
and having the same operating characteristics. the fill area, pits/trenches excavated for
Tractors used to pull rollers should be of sufficient instrumentation, pneumatic tampers or vibrating
power to operate the units at full capacity and rammers should be used. The thickness of layers for
maximum efficiency under the most adverse conditions compaction by such type of compactors should be
to be encountered. determined by field trial tests.
ANNEX A
(Clause 2)
LIST OF REFERRED INDIAN STANDARDS
2720 Methods of test for soils: (Part 28) : 1974 Determination of dry density of
(Part 2) : 1973 Determination of water content soils in place, by the sand replace-
(second revision) ment method (fkst revision)
(Part 4) : 1985 Grain size analysis (second revi- (Part 29) : 1975 Determination of dry density of soil
sion) in place by the core cutter method
(Part 8) : 1983 Determination of water content- Cfirst revision)
Dry density relation using heavy (Part 33) : 1971 Determination of dry density in
compaction (second revision) place by the ring and water replace-
(Part 12) 1981 Determination of shear strength ment method
parameters of soil from consoli- 5529 (Part 1) : Code of practice for in-situ pexme-
dated undrain triaxil compression 1985 ability test : Part 1 Test in overbur-
test with measurement of pore den @-St revision)
water pressure first revision) 8826 : 1978 Guidelines for design of large earth
(Part 17) 1986 Laboratory determination perme- and rockfill dams
ability (first revision)
IS 14690 : 1999
ANNEX B
(Clauses 6.1, 6.2 and 6.4)
PROFORMAS
Proforma 1
Feature Project
Remarks
Equipment _
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IS 14690 : 1999
Proforma 1 (Continued)
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IS 14690 : 1999
Proforma 1 (Concluded)
Test No. Dry Density Plasticity Moisture, Fill Roller Laboratory Location
percent Coverage Blows/ of Test
Fill Cylinder Fill Cylinder Layers
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IS 14690 : 1999
Proforma 2
Feature _ Project
Equipment _
Period of Report To
Permeability results.
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IS 14690 : 1999
Proforma 3
Feature Project
NOTE -Maximum density on the test shall be deemed to have been achieved when additional coverages produce no appreciable increase
in density. Maximum test fill density shall be determined afresh when there are significant gradational changes in borrow area material.
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IS 14690 : 1999
Proforma 4
Feature Project
Following Inspector
Excavation
Borrow Area Material Shovel Number Working of Depth of Cut
Location
-ch. to ch.
-sta to -sta
Embankment Remarks
Number of Hauling to Elevation Condittion of End of Shift
Layers Location -
/ -
Placed -ch. to ch.
Moisture Spread Rolled Test Taken
-sta to -sta
(6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13)
NOTE - Condition of embankment at the end of the shift (a general layout of the area indicating different operations being carried out to
be given). This form of daily report may vary to suit the requirement ofeach job.
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IS 14690 : 1999
Proforma 5
PROGRESS REPORT
Feature Project
Date From To
Report of operations:
1) Location of operations:
a) In borrow areas: Prints of each borrow area map showing daily areas worked, attached
2) Moisture content:
a) In borrow areas percent.
3) Mixing:
b) Roller numbers
(Data of rollers that have not been submitted should be reported on Proforma No. 6)
Signed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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IS 14690 : 1999
Proforma 6
Roller No. 1 2 3 4 5 6
a) Make of roller
b) Number of drums
c) Length of drums
4 Diameter of drums (outside)
4 Knobs (K) Sheeps foot (S.F.) or square (sq)
0’ No. of horz. rows of feet
Remarks
13
Bureau of Indian Standards
BlS is a statutory institution established under the Bureau of Ittdiurt Standards Act, 1986 to promote
harmonious development of the activities of standardization, marking and quality certification of goods and
attending to connected matters in the country.
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without the prior permission in writing of BIS. This does not preclude the free use, in the course of
implementing the standard, of necessary details, such as symbols and sizes, type or grade designations.
Enquiries relating to copyright be addressed to the Director (Publication), BIS.
Amendments are issued to standards as the need arises on the lwsis of comments. Standards are also reviewed
periodically; a standard along with amendments is reaffirmed when such review indicates that no changes arc
needed; if the review indicates that changes are needed, it is taken up for revision. Users of Indian Standards
should ascertain that they are in possession of the latest amendments or edition by referring to the latest issue
of ‘BIS Handbook’ and ‘Standards Monthly Addilions’
This Indian Standard has been develcped from Dot: No. NO. RVD 9 (2 197).