Write An Essay About Dam

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INTRODUCTION ABOUT DAMS
WHAT ARE DAMS?
A dam is a hydraulic structure of fairly impervious material built across a river to create a reservoir on its upstream side for impounding water for various purposes.
A dam and a reservoir are complements of each other.
Dams are generally constructed in the mountainous reach of the river where the valley is narrow and the foundation is good.
Generally, a hydropower station is also constructed at or near the dam site to develop hydropower.
Dams are probably the most important hydraulic structure built on the rivers. These are very huge structure and require huge money, manpower and time to construct.
Based on Materials of Construction
 Masonry dam
 Concrete dam
 Earth dam
 Rockfill dam …show more content…

They may have a single curvature or double curvature in the vertical plane.
They are subjected to large stresses because of changes in temperature shrinkage of concrete and yielding of abutments.
They are not common in India.
Only one -Iddukki dam (169 m high) in Kerala.
Examples -Juguri dam (272 m), Russia, Vaiont dam (262 m), Italy, Manvoisin dam (237 m) Switzerland. BUTTRESS DAMS ƒ
Buttress dams are of three types: (i) Deck type, (ii) Multiple arch-type, and (iii) Massive-head type. ƒ
A deck type buttress dam consists of a sloping deck supported by buttresses. ƒButtresses are triangular concrete walls which transmit the water pressure from the deck slab to the foundation. ƒ
Buttresses are compression members. ƒThe deck is usually a reinforced concrete slab supported between the buttresses, which are usually equally spaced. ƒ
In a multiple-arch type buttress dam the deck slab is replaced by horizontal arches supported by buttresses. The arches are usually of small span and made of concrete. ƒ
In a massive-head type buttress dam, there is no deck slab. Instead of the deck, the upstream edges of the buttresses are flared to form massive heads which span the distance between the

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