Water
Dam Design and Construction
A programme covering the life of a dam: types of dams and their uses, hydrological and geological studies of dam sites, the basis of their design and construction, their operation, monitoring and maintenance, and their safety requirements.
Overview
About the programme
Duration
5 days
Training hours
25 hours
Delivery
Training hall · Virtual · At your premises
Language
Arabic or English
Objectives
Training outcomes
- Distinguish between types of dams and their uses: storage, groundwater recharge, flood protection and diversion.
- Evaluate the hydrological, geological and topographical studies needed to select a dam site and design the dam.
- Understand the design basis of earthfill, rockfill and concrete dams and their appurtenant structures.
- Understand the stages, techniques and quality control of construction.
- Prepare operating rules and monitoring and maintenance programmes.
- Identify dam hazards and prepare safety and emergency plans in line with international and local standards.
Content
What the programme covers
Day 1: dams and their studies
- What dams are and their types: storage dams, groundwater recharge dams, detention dams and diversion dams, and their role in developing water resources in Saudi Arabia.
- Hydrological studies: the design flood and return period, the reservoir water balance, evaporation, and reservoir sedimentation.
- Topographical, geological and geotechnical studies of the site, foundations and construction materials.
Day 2: design
- Earthfill and rockfill dams: slope stability, seepage, filters, the core and grout curtains.
- Concrete gravity and arch dams and roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dams: stability against sliding and overturning, and stresses.
- Spillways, outlet works and intakes.
Day 3: construction
- Construction stages and schedule, river diversion during construction, and foundation treatment.
- Quality control of fill placement and compaction and of concrete placement, and occupational health and safety requirements on dam construction sites.
Day 4: operation, monitoring and maintenance
- Operating rules for existing dams and operating manuals for new dams, and hydrological follow-up of the reservoir.
- Monitoring instruments: piezometers, settlement and displacement survey points, and seepage measurement.
- Routine maintenance, maintenance of riprap protection and outlet works, and sediment removal upstream of the dam.
Day 5: safety and rehabilitation
- Dam hazards: internal erosion, sliding, overtopping and failure; periodic inspection and safety assessment.
- Emergency plans and dam break analysis, rehabilitation of existing dams, and the environmental effects of new dams.
- A case study of a dam in Saudi Arabia, followed by the assessment.
Who it is for
Target audience
Civil engineers, technicians and construction inspectors in bodies responsible for dams and water projects, managers of water structures, and engineers in consultancies.
Method
Delivery method
Lectures and case studies of existing dams, and calculation exercises on the reservoir water balance and structural stability. A field visit to a nearby dam can be added in coordination with the body responsible for it. In Arabic or English.
Questions
FAQ
Is the programme suitable for staff who are not design engineers?
Yes. It suits engineers, technicians and inspectors working on dam projects; calculations stay at the level of basic concepts and can be taken further for groups of design engineers.
Does the programme cover flood studies?
It covers the design flood needed for the dam. Detailed flood analysis and modelling are the subject of Flash Flood and Flood Risk Management.
A programme tailored to your organisation
The duration and topics of the programme are adjusted to the organisation's needs, and it is delivered at its site, in a training hall arranged by the Center, or virtually.