Innovative Structures of Very Lean Roller-Compacted Concrete Dams: Fid-Bau Portal

Innovative Structures of Very Lean Roller-Compacted Concrete Dams

Lyapichev, Yu. P.

Over the past two decades, roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dams have been built in many countries due to their technical and economic advantages over conventional vibrated concrete dams and embankment dams. This study sought to create new structural and technological solutions for RCC dams to reduce cement consumption and expand their application on nonrock foundations so that they can successfully compete with reinforced concrete face rock-fill (CFR) dams. The static and seismic stress-strain states of gravitational dams made of very lean RCC were calculated numerically, and their stability, strength, and cost have been assessed. CFR earth dams and symmetrical dams (laying of both slopes by 0.5 – 0.7) with outer zones of very lean RCC and a central zone of rock-fill strengthened using cement-ash mortar are the most cost effective for rock and dense sandy gravel foundations. Given that the cost of diversion and spillway tunnels for very lean RCC dams is lower and the construction period is shorter than for earth CFR dams, it can be inferred that the very lean RCC dam variant is technically and economically efficient. Symmetrical dams of very lean RCC have higher seismic resistance and technical and economic efficiency when compared to conventional gravitational RCC dams and other types of dams. These dams up to 200 m high can be built on rock foundations, while dams up to 100 m high can be built on dense sandy gravel foundations.