Reducing the Impact of Uplift Pressures on the Base of a Concrete Dam by Configuration of Drainage Holes (Hypothetical Case Study)

Abstract

A study of the impact of the uplift pressures upon base of a typical water retaining structure was presented. This work was conducted through numerical analysis by finite element method to evaluate the hydraulic uplift pressure distribution generated by the calculated flow. Also, the effects of position of either single or dual drainage holes on uplift pressures characteristic were included. A hypothetical case was solved for three types of drainage holes, and the reduction of uplift pressures were computed in each case, a comparison was presented and the results showed that it can produce the desired reduction in hydraulic uplift pressures by using two drainage holes at equidistance of 8m from upstream edge of structure floor.