Ancient dams,settlement archaeology and Buddhist propagation in central India: the hydrological background

Abstract

A group of ancient dams (c. second—first century BC) was located during an archaeological study of the Sanchi area in central India. Comparison of reservoir volumes with estimated inflows suggests that their design was based on hydrological understanding.     

Sedimentation and new operational curves for Mosul Dam,Iraq

Abstract

Mosul Dam is one of the biggest hydraulic structures in Iraq. Its storage capacity is 11.11 × 10⁹ m³ at a maximum operation level of 330 m a.s.l. The dam became operational in 1986 and no survey has been conducted to determine its storage capacity and establish new operational curves since this date. A topographic map of scale 1:50 000 dated 1983 was converted into triangulated irregular network (TIN) format using the ArcGIS program to evaluate the operational curves. Then the reservoir was surveyed in 2011 to establish the reduction in its storage capacity and to develop new operational curves. The results indicated that the reduction in the storage capacity of the reservoir was 14.73%. This implies that the rate of sedimentation within the reservoir was 45.72 × 10⁶ m³ year^?1. These results indicate that most of the sediment was deposited within the upper zone of the reservoir where the River Tigris enters the reservoir.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis

Citation Issa, E.I., Al-Ansari, N., and Knutsson, S., 2013. Sedimentation and new operational curves for Mosul Dam, Iraq. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (7), 1456–1466.     

Response of an arch dam to non-uniform excitation generated by a seismic wave scattering model

Non-uniform ground motions are generated based on a single record available at a site and seismic wave scattering analysis. The Chino Hills 2008 earthquake records at the Pacoima Dam site are used to indicate the accuracy of the method. Dynamic analysis of the Pacoima dam-reservoir-foundation under uniform and non-uniform ground motions is carried out using the EACD-3D2008 software, and the results are compared to recorded responses at different locations on the dam. There is good agreement between computed and recorded displacements of the dam for non-uniform excitation. For uniform excitation, the displacements are underestimated in comparison with those obtained from recorded excitation. Significant intensification of stresses, especially near the foundation, and different patterns of stress distribution are observed for non-uniform excitation in comparison with uniform excitation. For uniform excitation maximum stresses occur in the crown cantilever near the crest, but for non-uniform excitation the maximum stresses occur along the sides and near the foundation.     

Numerical study of the effects of check dams on erosion and sedimentation in the Pachang River

Scouring and deposition processes resulting from variable rainfall and typhoon occurrence in tropical climatic conditions induce significant changes in the riverbeds of Taiwan. Along the Pachang River of western Taiwan, severe damage occurs during typhoons due to large and sudden variations in discharge, erosion, sediment transport and deposition. In order to simulate this process, the NETSTARS numerical modeling tool was used in the present paper. The influence of existing and planned check dam structures on flow control was also analyzed to determine their capacity to resist river erosion or to not be buried beneath sediments. Not only does the modeling tool allow calculation of the erosion-deposition behavior at the scale of the whole river, but it also provides local determination of the optimum location and characteristics such as foundation depth and lateral encroachment of future check dams. The results of a 10-year, long-term modeling simulation in terms of riverbed stability and scouring potential thus provide insights about unsafe future behavior at 4 sites. This numerical model provides a better general understanding and useful information for the optimal prevention of both the scouring damage and the burial related to sediment deposition with large changes in discharge and sediment transport.     

深厚覆盖层上心墙堆石坝强震动力响应分析

土石坝由于施工便捷、取材方便,是目前我国西部比较常见的一种坝型。但西部地区地震活动频繁且烈度较高,特别是一些土石坝坝基下存在深厚覆盖层,对土石坝的地震动力响应有重要影响。采用黏弹性模型-等效线性化方法对国内某拟建土石坝进行三维动力响应分析。考虑到实际土石坝坝体是不完全排水的,将根据经验公式得到的残余体变分成两部分,一部分转化为残余孔压,另一部分为产生的残余变形。根据有限元计算结果,分析在坝基深厚覆盖层影响下坝体残余变形、加速度响应、残余孔压等动力反应的特征和分布规律。计算结果符合一般规律,说明本文采用的计算方法适用于含深厚覆盖层心墙堆石坝的静动力分析。     

Quantitative failure metric for gravity dams

Quantitative failure monitoring is a critical tool for safety assessment of concrete dams. This includes damage occurrence, intensity, location, number, size, and propagation pattern. Such an assessment is essential for a quantifiable prioritization of repair and will thus reduce overall cost and improve safety. This paper will address this timely topic through the nonlinear transient analysis of a dam and failure will be ascertained through a multi‐scale damage index. A damage‐plastic model for mass concrete is used, Drucker‐Prager elasto‐plastic one for the foundation, and infinite elements are used for far‐field boundaries. Water‐dam interaction is accounted for through fluid finite elements. It is determined that the proposed damage indices can indeed provide a quantitative metric for the degree of failure in gravity dams in terms of the input dynamic motion. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characteristics and factors that influenced damage to dams in the M s 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake

Based on raw data from dams damaged in the Wenchuan earthquake, including many that were severely damaged, characteristics and factors that influenced the damage are discussed in this paper. Findings from this study include: severely damaged dams were densely distributed along the seismologic fault; small dams, especially small earth-rock dams, had the most serious damage that was caused by a variety of factors; the most serious damage was caused by seismic waves; damage was aggregated by aftershocks; and the extent of the damage patterns increased with the seismic intensity. Damage patterns varied in different intensity zones and cracking was the most common type of damage. Most of the dams had a good base with relatively high bearing capacity, and the walls of the earth-rock dams were mostly of clay soil. This type of base and body material mitigated some of the damage to dams. Reservoir maintenance and other factors also have a significant impact on the seismic safety of the dam. Finally, some recommendations to reduce seismic damage to dams are proposed.     

软弱结构面水流冲刷形成集中渗漏通道机制研究

软弱结构面塑性程度高、强度低,在地下水长期作用下,很易导致岩体产生变形、形成集中渗漏通道及渗透破坏。软弱结构面的渗透稳定性,一直是水利水电工程的重要工程地质及水文地质问题之一,目前对其渗透破坏机理的认识还存在不少尚未解决的问题。针对已有对基岩软弱结构形成集中渗漏通道研究的不足,本文在软弱结构面内讨论渗透变形问题,主要探讨了软弱结构面受水流冲刷发展的机制,以及土粒起动处于不同位置时的临界流速及相应隙宽。最后介绍了在适当地质等条件下,基岩软弱结构面可形成集中渗漏通道的实例。     

Heavy mineral composition and texture of the recently formed fluvial delta sediment of Lake Nasser/Nubia,Egypt and Sudan

Surficial sediment samples collected from the recently formed fluvial delta in Lake Nasser/Nubia (Egypt and Sudan) in conjunction with data on bottom current and depth soundings are examined to interpret hydraulic-sorting processes and transport/depositional patterns.The～500 km long northeastwardtrending lake,lies within Egypt and Sudan,is created as a result of the construction of the Aswan High Dam in 1964.The original grain-size distribution and heavy mineral compositions of these samples hel...     

地震减灾工程下格宾石笼拦挡坝支护技术研究

鉴于格宾石笼护岸、护坡等优质特性,对其应用至地震减灾工程进行研究。经分析可知,格宾石笼主要利用双绞合六边形金属网片组合为箱笼,再装填石料堆筑构成防护整体;格宾石笼具有高强度耐久性、透水性、整体性与柔韧性和施工过程简单便利等特征。依据格宾石笼构造与特性分析,分别将地震减灾工程下格宾石笼拦挡坝施工划分为格宾石笼护基与格宾石笼护坡两部分进行研究。利用测量放线、挖掘基础、规整地基、铺垫反滤层、格宾放置与连接、支顶加固、石料装填封盖等步骤实现格宾石笼护基施工。通过削坡、铺设土工布、砂砾垫层、安装网箱、装填石料和封盖等步骤实现格宾石笼护坡施工。分别在冲击力、位移和能量三方面验证格宾石笼拦挡坝支护技术,实验结果表明,冲击力和坝体自身材料性质有关联,格宾拦挡坝材料属于柔性材料,冲击力由此减小,耗费冲击力能量效果十分明显;坝体可以利用整个结构全部能量承担很大负载;格宾石笼拦挡坝体耗能效果显然优于浆砌石坝。