Page 1 of 41 POLITECNICO DI MILANO SCHOOL OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND LAND MANAGEMENT ENGINEERING MASTER IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FOR RISK MITIGATION A.Y. 2013-2015 DAMS FAILURE IN EUROPE MSc. Graduate : TIANJI LI Student ID : 10445449/816414 Supervisor : Prof. BOLZON GABRIELLA OCTOBER, 2015
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POLITECNICO DI MILANO
SCHOOL OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND LAND MANAGEMENT ENGINEERING
MASTER IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FOR RISK MITIGATION
A.Y. 2013-2015
DAMS FAILURE IN EUROPE
MSc. Graduate : TIANJI LI
Student ID : 10445449/816414
Supervisor : Prof. BOLZON GABRIELLA
OCTOBER, 2015
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ABSTRACT
In the European continent, as everywhere in the world, dam building has been very common for
centuries and millenniums. It used to be small dams built with basic means. With industrial
revolution, development of fluvial transport and agricultural improvements, needs became more
and more important.
In this document, I have collected the available information about European dams and their main
failures, depending on their typology, and I have introduced the present data-based models for the
prediction of dam behaviour.
Keywords: Dam; Europe; Typology; Failure
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SOMMARIO
Sul continente europeo, come ovunque nel mondo, la costruzione di dighe è stata un’attivit{ molto
comune per secoli. Inizialmente, si trattava di piccoli sbarramenti costruiti con mezzi elementari.
Con la rivoluzione industriale, lo sviluppo del trasporto fluviale e i miglioramenti agricoli, i bisogni
divennero sempre più importanti.
Questo documento raccoglie le informazioni disponibili sulle dighe principali presenti in Europa, e
sul loro eventuale collasso in relazione alla loro tipologia. Infine si introducono i modelli correnti di
previsione del comportamento delle dighe fondati su data-base.
Parole chiave: Dighe; Europa; Tipologia; Collasso
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Acknowledgements
Firstly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Prof. Bolzon Gabriella for the
continuous support of my tesina study, for her patience, motivation, and immense knowledge. Her
guidance helped me in all the time of my work and writing of this tesina. I could not have imagined
having a better advisor and mentor for my tesina study. Without her precious support it would not
be possible to conduct this work well organised and timely.
I thank my friends for the believing in me and supporting me throughout the tesina work. I am glad
to have encouraging friends.
Last but not the least; I would like to thank my family: my parents for supporting me spiritually
throughout writing this tesina and my life in general.
History of the dams in Europe: .................................................................................................................................. 8
Roman engineering ................................................................................................................................................ 8
Industrial era .............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Large dams ............................................................................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER: 1 – Functions of Dams ................................................................................................................................. 12
1.3 Water supply for domestic and industrial use ....................................................................................................... 15
1.5 Flood control .......................................................................................................................................................... 16
1.6 List of Functions with its purposes ......................................................................................................................... 17
CHAPTER: 2 – Type of Dams in Europe ........................................................................................................................ 18
2.1 List of Dams in Europe ........................................................................................................................................... 18
2.2 Height of Dams in Europe ...................................................................................................................................... 19
2.3 Type of Dams in Europe ......................................................................................................................................... 20
2.4 Different types and number of Dams in Europe ..................................................................................................... 22
CHAPTER: 3 – Major Dam Failures & Reasons (Europe) ............................................................................................ 23
3.1 List of Major Dam failures in Europe ..................................................................................................................... 23
3.2 Reasons of Dam failures in Europe ........................................................................................................................ 23
3.3 TYPES OF DAMS FAILED IN EUROPE: ...................................................................................................................... 28
3.4 REASONS OF DAMS FAILURE IN EUROPE: .............................................................................................................. 29
3.5 Final Results comparison of type of dams with the reasons of Failure in Europe:................................................. 30
CHAPTER: 4 – Data-Based Models for the Prediction of Dam Behavior .................................................................. 31
4.2 Statistical and Machine Learning Techniques Used In Dam Monitoring Analysis ................................................. 31
4.3 Hydrostatic-Seasonal-Time (HST) Model ............................................................................................................... 32
4.4 Models to Account for Delayed Effects .............................................................................................................. 33
4.5 Other ML Techniques ......................................................................................................................................... 34
4.6 Methodological Considerations for Building Behaviour Models ............................................................................ 35
Fig-4 Masonry arch wall, Parramatta, new south wales 11
Fig-5 The kolnbrein dam in the hohle tauern range within Carinthia, autria
12
Fig-6 Aldeadavila dam in spain 14
Fig-7 Irrigation plan 14
Fig-8 Lipno dam in Czech republic 14
Fig-9 Hydroelectric dam 15
Fig-10 Industry facilities 16
Fig-11 Large shipment of goods moves the locks and dams 17
Fig-12 Flood can cause major damage to human lives, property and livestock’s
17
Fig-13 Gravity dams: lyln stwlan dam in wales 21
Fig-14 El Atazar dam in spain 22
Fig-15 Embankment dam 22
Fig-16 Number of incidents Vs age of all dams (curve) 25
Fig-17 Incident rates of dams (curve) 25
Fig-18 Gleno Dam in Italy 26
Fig-19 Malpasset Dam in France 27
Fig-20 Vajont Dam in Italy 28
Fig-21 Type of dam failure 30
Fig-22 Reasons of dam Failures 30
Table-1 List of functions of dams 18
Table-2 Number of dams in Europe 19
Table-3 Height of dams in Europe 20
Table-4 Type of dams in Europe 21
Table-5 Type and number of dams in Europe 23
Table-6 Major dam failure in Europe 24
Table-7 Number of dam failure in Europe 24
Table-8 Comparison of results 31
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INTRODUCTION ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. The reservoirs created by dams not
only suppress floods but provide water for various needs to include irrigation, human consumption,
industrial use, aquaculture and navigability. Hydropower is often used in conjunction with dams to
generate electricity. A dam can also be used to collect water or for storage of water which can be
evenly distributed between locations. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water,
while other structures such as floodgates or levees (also known as dikes) are used to manage or
prevent water flow into specific land regions. [1]
Fig-1: Grande Dixence Dam in Switzerland Fig-2: Chile’s South Atacama Dam
History of the dams in Europe:
In the European continent, as everywhere in the world, dam building has been very common for
centuries and millenniums. It used to be small dams built with basic means. [2]
Roman engineering
Roman dam construction was characterized by "the Romans' ability to plan and organize engineering
construction on a grand scale". Roman planners introduced the then novel concept of large reservoir
dams which could secure a permanent water supply for urban settlements over the dry season. Their
pioneering use of water-proof hydraulic mortar and particularly Roman concrete allowed for much
larger dam structures than previously built, such as the Lake Homs Dam, possibly the largest water
barrier to that date, and the Harbaqa Dam, both in Roman Syria. The highest Roman dam was
the Subiaco Dam near Rome; its record height of 50 m (160 ft) remained unsurpassed until its
accidental destruction in 1305.
Roman engineers made routine use of ancient standard designs like embankment dams and masonry
gravity dams. Apart from that, they displayed a high degree of inventiveness, introducing most of the
Hydroelectric power plants generally range in size from several hundred kilowatts to several hundred
megawatts, but a few enormous plants have capacities near 10,000 megawatts in order to supply
electricity to millions of people. World hydroelectric power plants have a combined capacity of
675,000 megawatts that produces over 2.3 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year; supplying 24
percent of the world’s electricity. [7]
In many countries, hydroelectric power provides nearly all of the electrical power. In 1998, the
hydroelectric plants of Norway and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) provided
99 percent of each country’s power; and hydroelectric plants in Brazil provided 91 percent of total
used electricity.
Electricity generated from dams is by very far the largest renewable energy source in the world. More
than 90% of the world’s renewable electricity comes from dams. Hydropower also offers unique
possibilities to manage the power network by its ability to quickly respond to peak demands.
Pumping-storage plants, using power produced during the night, while the demand is low, is used to
pump water up to the higher reservoir. That water is then used during the peak demand period to
produce electricity. This system today constitutes the only economic mass storage available for
electricity.
Fig-9: Hydroelectric Dam
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1.3 Water supply for domestic and industrial use
It has been stressed how essential water is for our civilization. It is important to remember that of the
total rainfall falling on the earth, most falls on the sea and a large portion of that which falls on earth
ends up as runoff. Only 2% of the total is infiltrated to replenish the groundwater. Properly planned,
designed and constructed and maintained dams to store water contribute significantly toward
fulfilling our water supply requirements. To accommodate the variations in the hydrologic cycle, dams
and reservoirs are needed to store water and then provide more consistent supplies during shortages.
Fig-10: Industry facilities like this power plant need million of litters per day. A city like Paris in France needs some 700 millions lpd, water would not be provided without dam
1.4 Inland navigation
Natural river conditions, such as changes in the flow rate and river level, ice and changing river
channels due to erosion and sedimentation, create major problems and obstacles for inland navigation.
The advantages of inland navigation, however, when compared with highway and rail are the large
load carrying capacity of each barge, the ability to handle cargo with large-dimensions and fuel
savings. Enhanced inland navigation is a result of comprehensive basin planning and development
utilizing dams, locks and reservoirs which are regulated to provide a vital role in realizing regional and
national economic benefits. In addition to the economic benefits, a river that has been developed with
dams and reservoirs for navigation may also provide additional benefits of flood control, reduced
erosion, stabilized groundwater levels throughout the system and recreation. [8]
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Fig: 11 - Large shipment of goods moves the locks and dams on inland waterways, such as this tow, on the lower part of the picture.
1.5 Flood control
Dams and reservoirs can be effectively used to regulate river levels and flooding downstream of the
dam by temporarily storing the flood volume and releasing it later. The most effective method of flood
control is accomplished by an integrated water management plan for regulating the storage and
discharges of each of the main dams located in a river basin. Each dam is operated by a specific water
control plan for routing floods through the basin without damage. This means lowering of the
reservoir level to create more storage before the rainy season. This strategy eliminates flooding. The
number of dams and their water control management plans are established by comprehensive
planning for economic development and with public involvement. Flood control is a significant
purpose for many of the existing dams and continues as a main purpose for some of the major dams of
the world currently under construction. [9]
Fig: 12 - Floods can cause major damage to humans lives, property, and livestock’s.
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1.6 List of Functions with its purposes
Functions Purposes/Examples
Power generation Hydroelectric power is a major source of electricity in the world. Many countries that have rivers with adequate water flow, that can be dammed for power generation purposes.
Water supply
Many urban areas of the world are supplied with water abstracted from rivers pent up behind low dams or weirs. Examples include London – with water from the River Thames and Chester with water taken from the River Dee. Other major sources include deep upland reservoirs contained by high dams across deep valleys such as the Claerwen series of dams and reservoirs.
Stabilize water flow / irrigation
Dams are often used to control and stabilize water flow, often for agricultural purposes and irrigation. Others such as the Berg Strait dam can help to stabilize or restore the water levels of inland lakes and seas, in this case the Aral Sea.
Flood prevention Dams such as the Blackwater Dam of Webster, New Hampshire and the Delta Works are created with flood control in mind.
Land reclamation Dams (often called dykes or levees in this context) are used to prevent ingress of water to an area that would otherwise be submerged, allowing its reclamation for human use.
Water diversion
A typically small dam used to divert water for irrigation, power generation, or other uses, with usually no other function. Occasionally, they are used to divert water to another drainage or reservoir to increase flow there and improve water use in that particular area. See: diversion dam.
Navigation
Dams create deep reservoirs and can also vary the flow of water downstream. This can in return affect upstream and downstream navigation by altering the river's depth. Deeper water increases or creates freedom of movement for water vessels. Large dams can serve this purpose but most often weirs and locks are used
Recreation and aquatic beauty
Dams built for any of the above purposes may find themselves displaced by time of their original uses. Nevertheless, the local community may have come to enjoy the reservoir for recreational and aesthetic reasons. Often the reservoir will be placid and surrounded by greenery, and convey to visitors a natural sense of rest and relaxation.
Table:1 : List of Functions of Dams
Some of these purposes are conflicting and the dam operator needs to make dynamic tradeoffs. For
example, power generation and water supply would keep the reservoir high whereas flood prevention
would keep it low. Many dams in areas where precipitation fluctuates in an annual cycle will also see
the reservoir fluctuate annually in an attempt to balance these difference purposes. Dam management
becomes a complex exercise amongst competing stakeholders.
changing after the year of 2000, there are only 18 Dams built and few among them are still under
construction. I think there are several reasons behind constructing much lesser dams than earlier.
Reasons behind why now-a-days dams are built less than earlier:
1. There are already many dams built in Europe and most of them are still in good working
condition, so we don’t need to build more dams.
2. As we are developing Diversification of Energy, Dams sometimes are not our first choice
to produce Energy.
3. More importantly, huge adverse effect of river impoundments causing disruption of
ecosystem, decline of fish stock, forces resettlement, and spreading different diseases.
4. Also building a dam is very expensive in terms of construction.
5. Dam Construction may cause some issues, as it is expensive in terms of construction and
due to corruption and greed, construction are done with below standards causing soon
failure of the huge dam structure and effecting damage to ecosystem causing economical
crisis.
Finally we can’t say dam are less useful now but in some cases and situation they are dangerous and
mostly depend on the environment conditions. So there is no doubt that why there are less dam’s
built in Europe now-a-days.
2.2 Height of Dams in Europe:
According to the data we have from “Hydropower & Dams in Europe” published to commemorate the
79th Annual meeting of ICOLD Lucerne, Switzerland, 2011, we obtain the below mentioned data:
Height of dams according to the data
0 ~ 29 m 30 ~ 99 m Over 100m
100 205 172
Table: 3 – Height of Dams in Europe
We can observe that major numbers of dams are of height 30 to 99m, which is shown as 205. And over
100m height, they are 172 in number and the least of 100 numbers for 0-29m height. This shows that
on an average there are dams, which have taller heights. So in this case huge amount of water in cubic
meters can be stored for irrigation purpose, extracting energy, for livelihood and for general needs.
These dams in some places are taken care and some places they are in bad conditions, which can have
major failures. And they are dangerous to the ecosystem.
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2.3 Type of Dams in Europe:
According to the data we have from “Hydropower & Dams in Europe” published to commemorate the
79th Annual meeting of ICOLD Lucerne, Switzerland, 2011, we obtain the below mentioned data:
Type of dams according to the data
Arch Dam Gravity Dam Embankment Dam Others
(Buttress, Barrage…)
117 110 185 33
Table: 4 – Type of Dams in Europe
We can see from the table that mainly 3 types of dams were built in Europe, Embankment Dams, Arch
Dams and Gravity Dams. That’s the reason why when we discuss dam failure type, they are also the
mainly 3 type, because of the number of dams existing. Let’s discuss further more about these dams.
a) Gravity Dam:
It is a masonry or concrete dam which resists the forces acting on it by its own weight. Its c/s is
approximately triangular in shape. Most gravity dams are straight solid gravity dams. [10]
Fig: 13 – Gravity Dams: Llyn Stwlan dam in Wales
b) Arch Dam:
It is a curved masonry or concrete dam, convex upstream, which resists the forces acting on it by
arch action.
Arch shape gives strength
Less material (cheaper)
Narrow sites
Need strong abutments
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These type of dams are concrete or masonry dams which are curved or convex upstream
in plan
This shape helps to transmit the major part of the water load to the abutments
Arch dams are built across narrow, deep river gorges, but now in recent years they have
been considered even for little wider valleys.
Good for narrow, rocky locations.
They are curved and the natural shape of the arch holds back the water in the reservoir.
Arch dams, like the El Atazar Dam in Spain, are thin and require less material than any
other type of dam.
Fig: 14– El Atazar Dam in Spain
C) Embankment Dam:
It is a non-rigid dam which resists the forces acting on it by its shear strength and to some extent also by its own weight (gravity). Its structural behavior is in many ways different from that of a gravity dam.
Fig: 15– Embankment Dam
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2.4 Different types and number of Dams in Europe:
According to the data we have from “Hydropower & Dams in Europe” published to commemorate the
79th Annual meeting of ICOLD Lucerne, Switzerland, 2011, we obtain the below mentioned data:
Main Type and Number of dams in different regions of Europe according to the data
EUROPE Eastern Southeastern Southern Central Western Northern
Number 51 93 204 148 86 155
Main Type Embankment
/Gravity
Embankment
/Gravity
Embankment
/Arch Gravity/Arch Barrage/Arch
Embankment
/Gravity
Large Dams
Number (Height
over 100m)
3 23 81 10 22 7
Ratio
(Large
dams/dams)
5.80% 24.70% 39.70% 6.76% 25.58% 4.51%
Table: 5 – Type & Number of Dams in Europe
When we separate the whole Europe into 6 parts, we can find some interesting information. First let’s
discuss about the ‘Large dams’, we can see from the table that Southern Europe, Southeastern Europe
and Western Europe host the majority number of large dams, and the ratio between Large dams and
dams are, 39.70%, 24.70% and 25.58% respectively. From geographic view, these three regions are
along The Mediterranean Sea. They owned more large rivers and the histories of these countries
building dams are all quite older than other inland countries. We can’t say they have better advanced
technology than others. However, they obviously need more large dams to support them.
Secondly, we can find that for the east part of Europe, the main types of dams are Embankment and
Gravity Dams. When it turns to South Europe, they are Embankment and Arch dams, and Arch Dams
are very popular in the Central Europe and Western Europe as well. And for the north part of Europe,
It also turns out to be Embankment and Gravity Dams like Eastern Europe. So for the type of dams in
Europe we can simply divide the Europe into two parts. North & East as one part, Central, South &
West parts as one part.
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CHAPTER: 3 – Major Dam Failures & Reasons (Europe)