Authors: B. Buggeln and D. Judge
Canadian Dam Association 2007 Annual Conference
Abstract
Dam safety assessments require the determination of freeboard requirements by quantifying the wind setup and wave runup on a reservoir. Herein are presented two approaches to this determination: a very simple approach used for existing dams and a sophisticated approach used for both new designs as well as in cases where the simplistic approach suggests that an existing structure requires remediation.
Hatch Energy’s simplistic method involves applying directionless wind pressures (converted to velocities) listed in the National Building Code to the longest fetch in the reservoir. This is very conservative because the actual analysis indicates that the existing freeboard (and rip-rap) is adequate, no further analysis is warranted. However, if this approach suggests that the existing infrastructure requires modification, a more sophisticated approach is easily justified. For new deisgns, a sophisticated analysis is always justifiable in order to avoid providing unnecessary freeboard and rip-rap that is too large.
