Dams

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Project: Dams

Group A-Hidro | Subject: English | Recived by: Megi Plaku


Contents

1 Dams, history and purpose.

2 The built of a Dam.

3 Dams in Albania.

The necessity of dams.


4
Impact left on the ecosystem.
5

6 Interesting facts.
What's a Dam?
.

A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs
created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human
consumption, industrial use, aquaculture, and navigability. Hydropower is often used in conjunction
with dams to generate electricity. A dam can also be used to collect or store water which can be evenly
distributed between locations. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while
other structures such as floodgates or levees (also known as dikes) are used to manage or prevent water
flow into specific land regions.

The first dam


ever!
The first known dam to be built is the Jawa Dam, which is actually the
largest in a series of dams that are all part of one reservoir system.
Located in modern-day Jordan, the Jawa Dam was originally constructed
around 3,000 BCE in what was then Mesopotamia. Surprisingly, the Jawa
Dam was actually an architectural feat of the times. While most ancient
dams were simple gravity dams constructed of gravel and masonry, the
Jawa Dam was reinforced with rock fill behind the upstream wall in order
to protect the wall from water pressure breach. This safety feature was
incredibly innovative for this time period. Unfortunately, the reinforced
design was forgotten after the Jawa Dam and was not actually
“reinvented” until modern times. The Jawa Dam site is arguably the most
important archaeological site in the history of large-scale water projects,
and the dam itself was so well designed and constructed that the ancient
structure stood until just a few years ago, when it was partially ruined
due to physical intervention. In its prime, the Jawa Dam was 15 feet tall,
80 feet long, with a base of 15 feet. It created the Jawa Reservoir that
had a capacity of 1.1 million cubic feet.
HISTORY OF DAMS:FROM
ANCIENT TIMES TO TODAY

Egypt Roman
The Romans, highly regarded for their advances in hydraulic
Subsequent ancient dams were built by several cultures with
engineering, were prolific in dam construction during the height of the
varying rates of success. Approximately 400 years after the
empire. In addition to the vast network of aqueducts, the Romans built
construction of the highly successful Jawa Dam, Egyptians built
a plethora of gravity dams, most notably the Subiaco Dams, which
the Sadd el-Kafara, or Dam of the Pagans, most likely to supply
were constructed around 60 AD to create a pleasure lake for Emperor
water to the local quarries outside of Cairo rather than for
Nero. The Subiaco Dams were a series of three gravity dams on the
irrigation, since the flooding Nile would have supplied plenty of
Aniene River in Subiaco, Italy, the largest of which stood 165 feet tall
water to the farmers. After ten years of construction, the masonry
and held the honor of being the tallest dam in the world until its
dam was 37 feet tall, 348 feet long, with a base of 265 feet,
destruction in 1305, historically attributed to two careless monks. The
contained over 100,000 tons of gravel and stone, and had a
Romans also constructed the world’s first arch dam in the Roman
limestone cover to resist erosion. Unfortunately, as it was nearing
province of Gallia Narbonensis, now modern-day southwest France, in
completion, it failed.
the 1st century BCE.

PHOTOS FROM EGYPTIAN AND ROMANIAN DAMS


Middle Ages

During the dark ages, dam construction came to a near halt, resuming around the 15th century AD. During this time, no major
contributions to dam engineering were made, and the majority of the dams constructed in Europe, where rainfall is plentiful and
regular, were modest structures. It wasn’t until the 1850s, when civil engineering professor William John Macquorn Rankine at
Glasgow University demonstrated a better understanding of earth stability and structural performance, that dam engineering
improved. In fact, Rankine’s work was so innovative, it contributed to the acceptance of civil engineering as a valid university
subject and improved the status of civil engineers. Since Rankine, geological, hydrological, and structural scientific contributions
have been extensive, and the understanding of dam engineering has improved significantly as a result.
Modern Times

Major advances in concrete dam design were made from 1853 to 1910 by British and French engineers. During this
time, understanding of the relationship between the precise weight and profile of gravity dams and the horizontal
thrust of water increased extensively. In 1910, further advances were made as engineers began to take a more three
dimensional approach to dam engineering, examining the effect of individual stresses and deflections on multiple
points rather than on the structure as a whole. By recognizing the complexity of the structure and understanding its
interconnectedness, engineers were able to make exponential advances in dam engineering. As a result of this
enhanced understanding, model techniques were implemented at this time. Originally built in rubber, plaster,
plasticine, or concrete, modelling is now also done digitally, allowing multi-faceted and comprehensive testing and
examination of structural stability.
Arowwai Industries

THE TYPES OF DAMS


We classify dams into different types depending on their uses, structural types, and materials used in
construction. Choosing a particular type of dam depends on the foundation conditions, accessibility
of the dam site to transport networks, availability of construction materials, and financiers.
Arch dams Buttress dams
An arch dam is curved in an arch-shape, with the top of the
a.An arch dam is curved in an arch-shape, with the top of the arch
arch pointing back into the water, to create a very strong pointing back into the water, to create a very strong structural
structural form, resistant to the water pressure behind the form, resistant to the water pressure behind the dam. Arch dams
dam. Arch dams are usually made from concrete and are usually made from concrete and require a good rock support
require a good rock support for foundations and the sides, for foundations and the sides, so are commonly used in narrow,
so are commonly used in narrow, steep-sided valleys. steep-sided valleys.
SPILLWAYS
Spillways form part of a dam and are used to pass overflow water over, around or through a dam, in a
safe and controlled way. The different types of spillway include:
•Overflow spillway: This allows water to flow over and down its front face as it is lower than other dam
sections, and is curved to control the flow of water. Most commonly constructed as part of gravity or
buttress dams.
•Side channel spillway: This is located a short distance upstream of a dam, and diverts water into a side
channel then into the river downstream of the dam. They are mainly used with embankment dams.
•Shaft spillway: This is a circular hollow tower that sits in the reservoir near the dam. When the water
level rises, it flows into a funnel at the top of the shaft which diverts the water downstream.

EMBANKMENT DAMS

Embankment dams have historically been quite common in the UK, usually
found in sites with wide valleys. They are commonly constructed using
natural materials such as compacted earth or rocks which are often locally
quarried or excavated. In cross-section, an embankment dam is hill or bank
shaped, with a central core made from an impermeable material such as
clay soils or concrete, to prevent water passage.

GRAVITY DAMS

Gravity dams rely on gravity to hold them in place. They are


generally made from concrete, masonry, or both, and in cross-
section are typically triangular. They need to be built on sound
rock and are suited to wide or narrow valleys.
How a Da m is
built?
A dam is a structure commonly built across a river or stream to create a large reservoir behind it.
Dams are usually built using concrete, or natural materials such as earth and rock. We use dams
for various human consumption purposes such as irrigation, hydroelectric power, reducing peak
floodwater, and improving navigation.
1.Diverting the water: The first step is dewatering the area of the river where
the dam will be built. Engineers do this by diverting the water using tunnels.
The tunnels need to be deep enough to carry water without surface runoff. You
do not need to empty the river but need to make it shallow enough to work in.

2.•Preparing the dam's foundation: If you have not sufficiently diverted water
from the river, you need to make a cofferdam to help you divert water from the
river to the tunnel. When building the foundation, stack the heaviest rocks
first, then increasingly smaller rocks to form a firm foundation bed.

3.•Assemble the main structure: Ensure there's no loose rock on the riverbed, and
construct a plinth (concrete foundation) to prevent water from leaking from the
dam edges. The next step is actual dam construction, where you build your main
structure on both sides of the foundation. Most dam construction projects use
reinforced concrete steel to make the dam resilient against water flow.

4•Filling the reservoir: After building the dam to the desired height, the next
step is filling the reservoir. You then need to test whether the valves and
floodgates work and monitor the behavior of the freshly built dam.

HIDRO-A

DAMS IN ALBANIA
Dams in
Albania
In Albania there are currently 10 very large dams with a height of over 60 m and 3 main
cascades built on the rivers Drin, Devoll and Mat which are used for hydro power. At the
same time, they are the dams with the highest risk of damage to the economy and loss of
people in the event of a catastrophic natural event or possible breakdown of a dam. The
main cascade for hydro-power is Drini Cascade. It is unique in Europe in regard to the
dam types and their heights, the artificial lakes created, the installed power of the HPPs
and their Operational Management. The Drini river in northern Albania has been
transformed into a chain of 3 artificial lakes with total water capacity of 3.4 billion m3
which supply water to the three largest Hydro-power plants (HEPP-s) of Albania. The
HEPP-s of Fierza, Koman and Vau i Dejes are built in period 1971 to 1986. Their installed
capacity is 1350 MW and their average energy production is 4 000 GWh per year.
All hydro-power large dams are objects of special importance and require the taking of
all organizational, technical and financial measures to guarantee their normal use,
longer life and non-intrusion of third parties in the phase of construction, use and
maintenance.
The Devoll
Hydropower
The Devoll Hydropower Project (DHP) consists of two power
plants; Banjë (72 MW) and Moglicë (197 MW), both located
on the Devoll River in southeast Albania.Devoll river is the
main tributary which joins the Osum River to create the
Seman River which discharges to the Mediterranean Sea.
Above this confluence, the Devoll has a catchment area of
approximately 3119 km2 and elevation ranging from 22 m
to 2386 m.
Banjë dam is located 70 km southeast of Albania’s capital
Tirana, and Moglicë a further 50 km upstream. The 80m
high Banjë dam incorporated the former unfinished Banjë
project structures. Moglicë is one of the world’s tallest
asphalt core dams, at 167 m. The annual hydropower
generation from both plants of 700 GWh increased
Albania’s electricity generation by approximately 13
percent when they came into operation.
Drin River
sub-basin
There are three major dams and associated reservoirs built on the Drin River. Of
these, the Fierza reservoir has by far the largest storage. From October to March, the
winter level is not exceeded, though during April, it increases to the maximum
operating level. This provides maximum flood protection in winter when most floods
occur, when the accumulated run-off from the last month of snow melt in spring
maximizing available storage for summer. The total volume of all three reservoirs on
the Drin River equals 3.76 x 109 m3, which is greater than the average volume of Lake
Skadar/Shkodër.
An analysis indicated that the operation of the dams in the Drin cascade is an
important factor influencing the flow regime downstream of the Drin River and the
Buna/Bojana River, and therefore influences the hydrological conditions in Lake
Skadar/Shkodër. The functioning of the three dams alters the natural intra-annual
flow distribution downstream of the dams, reducing some of the peak discharges
during the wet season and increasing average discharges during the dry season.
Because of the volume of its reservoir, the operation of the Fierza dam can -under
specific conditions- affect the multiannual discharge distribution and eventual
flooding events.

There are many structural works around the world that


amaze with their interesting engineering designs. Dams are
also one of the most complex designed structures in the
world.· There are many built dams in the world, but the ones
that stand out are the ones that are bigger, deeper and have
a special structure.Some of these are:
1. Contra Dam (Switzerland)
Contra Dam is a slender concrete arch dam standing at a height of 220 m with a length
of 380 m.The dam is 25 m wide at its base and 7 m wide at its crest. The dam structure
contains 660,000 m3 (23,000,000 cu ft) of concrete and the structure itself has a surface
area of 44,500 m2. The dam is slender in design and its horizontal arches are in an
elliptical shape. The horizontal curvature of the dam decreases from the center of the
dam towards its abutments and the curvature from the center of the arches increases
from the crest down to the foundation. The thickness is constant with the exception of
where the dam is received by its abutments; here it is thicker to reduce pressure on the
rock. The strong rock can accept stresses of 70 kg/cm2. Vertically, the thickness of the
dam increases from the crest down to the foundation and has a slight curve from the
center towards the crest. This helps alleviate tensile stress for when the reservoir is not
only full but empty.The dam supports the 105 MW Verzasca hydroelectric power
station. It was constructed between 1961 and 1965 and starting shortly after its
reservoir was filled, a series of earthquakes related to its water load occurred until
1971.
HOOVER
DAM (USA)
The Hoover Dam is one of the most iconic dams in the world that lies between
the US states of Nevada and Arizona. Originally named Boulder Dam, this
colossal structure stands at a height of 221.4 m, with a base width of 200 m and
a span of 14 m.Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon
of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and
Arizona. It was constructed between 1931 and 1936 during the Great
Depression and was dedicated on September 30, 1935, by President Franklin D.
Roosevelt. Its construction was the result of a massive effort involving
thousands of workers, and cost over one hundred lives. It was referred to as
Hoover Dam after President Herbert Hoover in bills passed by Congress during
its construction.Hoover Dam is a major tourist attraction, with 7 million
tourists a year.

ATATÜRK
DAM (TURKEY)
Located on the Euphrates River, the Atatürk Dam is the
largest in Turkey and ranks sixth among the largest earth-
and-rock-fill embankment dams in the world. It is the main
center of the 22 dams that exist on the Euphrates and Tigris,
which make up the integrated sectors of the Southeast
Anatolia Project. Built both to generate electricity and to
irrigate the plains in the region, it was renamed in honor of
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938), the founder of the
Turkish Republic. The dam is situated 23 km (14 mi)
northwest of Bozova, Şanlıurfa Province, on state road D-
875 from Bozova to Adıyaman. The dam embankment is 169
m high and 1,820 m long. The hydroelectric power plant
(HEPP) has a total installed power capacity of 2,400 MW and
generates 8,900 GW·h electricity annually. The total cost of
the dam project was about US$1,250,000,000.

Monticello Dam (USA)

Monticello Dam is a 304-foot (93 m) high concrete arch dam in Napa County, California, United States, constructed between
1953 and 1957. The dam impounded Putah Creek to create Lake Berryessa in the Vaca Mountains. Water from the reservoir
primarily supplies agriculture in the Sacramento Valley downstream. The dam is noted for its classic, uncontrolled morning-
glory-type spillway .The diameter at the lip is 72 ft (22 m). Locally, the spillway is also known as the "Glory Hole. The dam's
morning-glory-type spillway, known as the Glory Hole, is 72 feet (22 m) in diameter at lake level and narrows down to about 28
feet (8.5 m) at the exit. At the lake's peak level, the spillway can drain 48,400 cubic feet per second (1,370 m3/s), which occurs
when the lake level rises to 15.5 feet (4.7 m) above the level of the funnel
Contra Dam is a slender concrete arch dam standing at a height of 220 m with a length of 380

Gordon Dam m. Due to the slimmer design of the dam, the volume of concrete required for its construction
was reduced, thereby reducing the cost of the infrastructure. The dam was constructed in 1974
by the Hydro Electric Corporation (TAS) for the purpose of generating hydro-electric power via

(Australia) the conventional Gordon Power Station located below the dam wall.

Features and location


The Gordon Dam wall, constructed with 154 thousand cubic metres of concrete, is 198 metres
long and 140 metres high, making it the tallest dam in Tasmania and the fifth-tallest in
Australia. At 100% capacity the dam wall holds back 12,359,040 thousand cubic metres of
water; making Lake Gordon the largest lake in Australia.The surface area of the lake is 27,800
hectares and the catchment area is 2,014 square kilometres. The single controlled spillway is
capable of discharging 175 cubic metres per second

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