Dams, Dam Foundations, and Reservoir Sites

Ernest Wahlstrom

Dec 2012 · Elsevier

About this ebook

Developments in Geotechnical Engineering 6: Dams, Dam Foundations, and Reservoir Sites explores the design and construction of dams and reservoirs, and the foundations on which they rest. It discusses the theory and practice of geology and geophysics as they are applied to the study of proposed sites on which to build dams and reservoirs, the measures taken to ensure the continued safety of a dam during construction, and geological processes and features of foundations. Comprised of 10 chapters, this volume begins with an overview of the geotechnical aspects of planning and construction of dams and reservoirs, along with the origin, nature, and magnitude of problems associated with the foundation materials to be used. It then looks at the geological classification of natural substances and the strengths of these substances in terms of their origin, fabric, and mineralogy; excavation and filling of valleys; the influence of geologic structure in the development of erosional and depositional features in valleys; and the flow of water (seepage) beneath dams and around abutments. The reader is also introduced to groundwater hydrology as it relates to the movement of water through anisotropic materials beneath standing or running bodies of water at the Earth's surface and beneath dams; the mechanics of dam foundations; and excavations and dam construction in unconsolidated deposits. This book will be of interest to geologists, geophysicists, and engineers, as well as those involved in hydrology, geosciences, and rock and soil mechanics.