Dam engineering
CIVIL-411 / 3 crédits
Enseignant(s): De Almeida Manso Pedro Filipe, De Cesare Giovanni
Langue: Anglais
Summary
Dams are paramount for human development around the world. The course is an introduction to the fascinating domain of dam engineering, from design to construction, for water storage and regulated supply, including for renewable energy generation (hydropower), flood protection and drought prevention
Content
- Purposes of dams and reservoirs. Potential positive/negative impacts on the environment and societies. Types of dams. Criteria for the selection of the type of dam.
- Concrete dams: design criteria. Calculations of forces and stresses in gravity dams,
buttress dams and arch dams. Behaviour during earthquakes and floods. Constructive details. Drainage and foundation treatment. Specification of mass concrete: construction methods and heating effects. Construction alternatives: roller compacted concrete, hardfill (embankment), cyclopean concrete
- Dam safety concept and risk management. Dam surveillance and monitoring systems. Emergency Preparedness Planning.
- Embankment dams (earth and rock): typical profiles and selection criteria. Foundation treatment. Stability calculations. Earthquake behaviour. Controls during execution and operation. Surface protection.
- Layout of dam and appurtenant structures (flood release systems, bottom outlets, water intakes, powerhouse, river diversion system, etc.)
- Innovation in Dam Engineeering.
Keywords
- Layout and design of dams as water retaining structures
- Concrete dams
- Embankment dams
- Hydraulic Structures
Learning Prerequisites
Required courses
Strength of materials
Geotechnics (soil mechanics, rock mechanics, slope stability)
Hydraulics (hydraulic works, hydraulic equipment, free surface and pressurized flows)
Concrete structures (stability)
Recommended courses
(in addition to the above required courses)
Earthquake engineering
Hydrology (catchment/flood hydrology)
Geology (fundaments of geology & hydrogeology)
Construction materials
Hydropower schemes and pumped-storage
Important concepts to start the course
Forces & displacements, constitutive laws for material behaviour, elasticity etc.
Stability analysis (sliding, overturning, lift and drag)
Virtual works principle
Flow in pervious & fissured media
Uncertainty
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
- Analyze the elements to be considered to select and design different types of dams
- Compare different solutions from the technical, economic and environmental standpoints
- Sketch the initial layout of a dam
- Propose preliminary design of different types of concrete and embankment dams
- Choose the most adequate dam type for a given location/context
Transversal skills
- Take responsibility for environmental impacts of her/ his actions and decisions.
- Respect relevant legal guidelines and ethical codes for the profession.
Teaching methods
Ex cathedra lectures with in-class exercices during the semester
Expected student activities
Active learning during lectures, exercices.
Assessment methods
Exercices (30%) and Oral exam during exam session (70%)
Supervision
| Office hours | No |
| Assistants | Yes |
| Forum | Yes |
| Others | To be presented in first lecture |
Resources
Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)
No
Bibliography
In English : Design, Safety and Operation of Dams, Schleiss, Pougatsch
(https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/distributed/D/bo196817651.html)
In French: TGC Vol.17, édition 2020, PPUR Les barrages : du projet à la mise en service / Anton J. Schleiss et Henri Pougatsch, 2020.(http://opac.nebis.ch/F?local_base=nebis&con_lng=FRE&func=find-b&find_code=020&request=978-2-88074-831-9)
Ressources en bibliothèque
- Les barrages : du projet à la mise en service / Schleiss, Pougatsch
- Design, Safety and Operation of Dams / Schleiss, Pougatsch
Notes/Handbook
Lecture Notes, Manso and De Cesare Mouvet (2025)
Advances in Dam Engineering: collection of innovative cases, Manso (2023).
Moodle Link
Prerequisite for
Master diploma
Master thesis in Dam Engineering
Dans les plans d'études
- Semestre: Automne
- Forme de l'examen: Oral (session d'hiver)
- Matière examinée: Dam engineering
- Cours: 3 Heure(s) hebdo x 14 semaines
- Type: optionnel
- Semestre: Automne
- Forme de l'examen: Oral (session d'hiver)
- Matière examinée: Dam engineering
- Cours: 3 Heure(s) hebdo x 14 semaines
- Type: optionnel
- Semestre: Automne
- Forme de l'examen: Oral (session d'hiver)
- Matière examinée: Dam engineering
- Cours: 3 Heure(s) hebdo x 14 semaines
- Type: optionnel
- Semestre: Automne
- Forme de l'examen: Oral (session d'hiver)
- Matière examinée: Dam engineering
- Cours: 3 Heure(s) hebdo x 14 semaines
- Type: optionnel