Considerations On The Stability Analyses Of Geomembrane Faced Embankment Dams And Slope Optimization - Kızık Dam Case
Abstract
It is not so common in dam engineering to design and construct earthfill dams with waterproof geomembrane liners instead of using clay cores. Since any dam failure cause catasrophic results and disasters over large areas located on the downstream side of the dams, dam design engineers generally hesitate using geomembrane liners wherein any holes on the liners may cause seepage forces within the embankment materials. Therefore, engineers mostly prefer to use with well known traditional materials such as concrete face, clayfill, and asphalt membrane to provide water tightness for embankment dams. However, in recent years, in the World, there is an attempt to use geomembranes on the upstream faces of embankment dams as water barriers. There are recently some small dams with geomebrane water barriers constructed less than 30 meter heights in Turkey and in the World. In this study, for dam design engineers, it is shown that critical slope loading cases for dam slopes with geomembrane liners are different than those for conventional embankment dams with clay cores. So, this study will provide a technical source and a guide for dam engineers by the way of explaining some important criteriums to analyze and design the slope of the geomembrane faced embankment dams along with Kızık dam. In addition this study briefly discusses also some other design principles of geomembrane faced dams. Moreover, the study shows how to optimize the outher slopes of geomembrane faced embankment dams in terms of safety and economy.
Keywords
References
- Koerner, R. M. and Wilkes, J. A. 2012. 2010 ICOLD Bulletin on Geomembrane Sealing Systems for Dams, Geosynthetics, April.
- Poulain,D., Peyras, L., and Meriaux, P. 2011. Feedback and guidelines for geomembrane lining systems of mountain reservoirs in France, geotextiles and Geomembranes 29, Elsevier, 415-424.
- Mendoza, C.F.J., Gisbert, A.F., Izquierdo, A.G. and Bovea, M.D. 2009. Safety factor monograms for homogeneous earth dams less than ten meters high, Engineering Geology 105, Elsevier, 231-238.
- Toloiyana, A., Abustana, I., Selamata, M.R. and Ghaffari, Sh. 2009. A comprehensive method for analyzing the effect of geotextile layers on embankment stability, geotextiles and Geomembranes 27, Elsevier, 399-405.
- Briancon, L., Girard H., and Poulain D. 2002. Slope stability of lining systems- experimental modelling of friction at geosynthetic interfaces, Geotextiles and geomembranes-20, Elsevier, 147-172.
- State Hydraulic Works. 2013. Kızık Dam Studies, Isparta, Turkey.
- STABL. 1975. Ronald A. Siegel, Purdue University code.
- WinStabl software 1997, Peter J. Bosscher, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA.
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Engineering
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Uğur Çavuş
Türkiye
Publication Date
June 19, 2015
Submission Date
February 18, 2015
Acceptance Date
June 17, 2015
Published in Issue
Year 2015 Volume: 2 Number: 4