Geotechnical Hazards | Geological Considerations in Dams Failure

Abstract

Dams and reservoirs pose safety concerns to society worldwide. In case of a disaster, the water impounded in the reservoir escapes and destroys everything in its path. Reasons for failure range from geology, hydrology and seismicity, to design problems, lack of maintenance and poor field investigation. Prior cases show that various dams gave away mainly due to geological causes, so there is a particular interest to see how the local terrain features could influence the longevity of the structure. Three historical case studies are discussed in order to emphasize the impact of geology regarding dam failure. The Saint Francis Dam is a prime example of poor site investigation, where the lack of knowledge on the foundation rock led to the rupture of the gravity dam. The Malpasset Dam gave away predominantly due to underestimated effects of the uplift, nevertheless, the geologists were unaware of an active fault system and the mechanical properties of the rock mass. The Baldwin Hills Reservoir comes with a more thorough site investigation, yet still, due to earth movements, the water from the reservoir infiltrated through the embankment. Therefore, geological features at the site need to be included in the design options of the dam in order to ensure a safe, feasible and economical project. With respect to the way we build nowadays, engineers have learnt important lessons from past experiences, however, issues such as ageing of the structures and the unpredictability of geology and weather, could still influence the safety of modern dams.