ARCH DAMS

Definition
• It is a solid wall, curved in plan, standing across the entire
width of the river valley.
• This dam body is usually made of cement concrete,
although rubble and stone masonry can also be used
• This wall will structurally behave: partly as a cantilever
retaining wall standing up from its base
• The load will be transferred to the two ends of the arch
span by horizontal arch action.
• The arch load will be transferred to the side walls of the
canyon, which must be strong, stable and rocky.
• Therefore load to the side walls of the canyon, reduces
the load on the cantilever wall, causes reducing its
thickness, as compared to that in an ordinary gravity dam
Economy of the arch dam
• The greater is the wall curvature (in plan), the greater will
be the load that will be transferred to the sides of the
canyon, and hence greater will be the economy in the
dam thickness.

• This economy in dam thickness can be further increased

considerably by making the dam body not only curved in
plan, but also curved in section. Such a non vertical dam
is known as double curvature arch dam
Classification of an arch dam
• It depends on its angle, radius and curvature.
• There are four types of arch dams

1. Constant radius arch dam

2. Variable radius arch dam
3. Constant angle arch dam
4. Double curvature arch dam
Constant Radius Arch Dam
• Outer side curve of arch is built with constant radii at all
elevations
• At the same time the inner curve of arch is constructed
with decreasing radius from top to bottom of dam
• The outer side curve of an arch is
called as extrodos while the inner
curve is called as introdos.
• Extrados always faces the upstream
side and intrados faces the downstream
side.
• More thickness at base and minimum
on top
Variable Radius Arch Dam
• Radii of both extrados (outer side) and intrados inner
side) curves are varied with respect to elevation.
• The radius is maximum at the top of the dam and
minimum at its base.
• In general, variable radius arch dam is economical than
constant radius arch dam.
• It uses only 58% of the amount
of concrete used for constant
radius arch dam.
• This type of arch dam is more
suitable for V-shaped valleys
Constant Angle Arch Dam
• It is a dam in which central angle of every arch ring is
constant throughout the height of an arch dam.
• It is obtained by the modification of variable radius arch
dam.
• This type of arch dam is more economical than the above
two types and requires
just 43% of the amount
of concrete used to build
constant radius arch dam.
Double Curvature Arch Dam
• Double curvature arch dam, in which curvature is
provided not only in horizontal direction but also in vertical
direction.
• It means the cross section of double curvature also looks
like curve.
• Because of double curvature, the thickness of arch wall is
reduced.
• Dams are difficult to
construct compared
to other three types