Dams |
CFRDs and ACRDs: Advancements in Rockfill Dams
Bayardo Materón and Manoel S Freitas Jr shed light on the effective utilization of Concrete Face Rockfill Dams (CFRD) and Asphalt Core Rockfill Dams (ACRD), highlighting their adaptability to varying geological conditions and voluminous rock materials
Below: Figure 1: Concrete face rockfill dam and asphalt core rockfill dams evolution from 1970 to 2020
Bottom: Figure 2 Bakun CFRD, 205m, Malaysia, BAYARDO, M; CRUZ, P. ; FREITAS M. et al., CBDB; 2017
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1 – El Cajon – 189m 2 – Karahnjukar – 196m 3 – Bakun – 205m 4 – Mazar – 187m 5 – La Yesca – 210m 6 – Barra Grande – 185m 7 – Banduo – 250m 8 – Cihaxia – 253m 9 – Maji – 300m 10 – Linghekau – 305m 11 – Songta – 307m 12 – Gushui – 310m 13 – Shuangjiangkou – 314m
Campos Novas Aguamilpa Foz de Areia Alto Anchicaya Cethana High Island Fast Storglomvatv 6
CONCRETE FACE ROCKFILL DAMS (CFRDs) have gained popularity as a dam type over the past five decades, with their construction extending to various regions worldwide, primarily in China and South American countries. In contrast, Asphalt Core Rockfill Dams (ACRDs) have emerged as a remarkably effective, flexible, and ductile solution for more than six decades, serving as a viable alternative to conventional Earth Core Rockfill Dams (ECRDs).
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Aertashi Cetin Quxue Zarema May Day Moglice
Romaine Nenskla
8 Shuibuya 12 11 13
Currently, there are approximately 200 ACRDs either already constructed, under construction, or in the planning phase, underscoring their increasing prominence in the realm of dam construction. In accordance with international design standards and established practices, the choice of a rockfill dam for a local river involves a meticulous consideration of various factors. These factors encompass the finest engineering designs, geological site conditions, topographical features of the valley, and the availability of substantial volumes of rock material resulting from necessary excavations, such as those for the spillway, spillway approach channel, and powerhouse, among others. In the case of Concrete Face Rockfill Dams (CFRDs), the sealing system encompasses a concrete face shielded with transitional rock fill on the upstream slope. Conversely, in Asphalt Core Rockfill Dams (ACRDs), a watertight asphalt wall runs along the central axis of the dam. The purpose of this article is to provide a comparative analysis of two types of dams constructed using compacted rockfill and employing distinct methods of permeability treatment: a) Concrete Face Rockfill Dams (CFRD): These are compacted rockfill dams featuring a concrete face on the upstream slope. b) Asphalt Core Rockfill Dams (ACRD): These dams incorporate an asphalt core positioned within the central axis of the structure.
Both of these dam types offer viable and feasible solutions, presenting excellent technical and economic advantages.
CFRD and ACRD: Options for compact
rockfill dams The evolution of CFRD and ACRD rockfill dams, as depicted in Figure 1, has seen remarkable progress over the past five decades. CFRDs have now reached heights exceeding 250m, while ACRDs have achieved a height of 172m. Notable examples of ACRDs include Storvatn (100m, 1987) and Storglomvatn (128m, 1997) in Norway, Mao Ping Xi (104m, 2003) and Yele (125m, 2006), along with Quxue (132m high asphalt core and a total height of 174m, Ref. 17) in China. Furthermore, La Romaine in Canada has an ACRD standing at 109m, constructed in 2013, while Zarema May Day boasts a bituminous core of 137m in height and a total rockfill height of 152m in Ethiopia [16]. In the context of CFRD, the design encompasses
36 | November 2023 |
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