MINIMIZING THE EFFICIENCY OF OPTIMAL WATER INTAKE TOWER DESIGN FOR EARTH DAMS
Abstract:
Water intake towers are essential structures in dam reservoir outlet works, providing access to water and facilitating water management. In Nigeria, many dam intakes are non-functional due to a lack of asset monitoring. In this study, we focus on selecting the most suitable type of tower and optimizing the design of water intake towers using the Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) in accordance with British standard specifications (BS5059, BS8110; part 1, 2, and 3, and BS5337).
To ensure durability and longevity, materials were carefully chosen, and forces acting on the structure were thoroughly analyzed, paying close attention to the geometry and type of water intake tower. Specifically, we considered both rectangular and circular geometries and identified the best design for each.
The optimized design for the rectangular water intake tower featured an area of 1610 mm2, with a thermal cracking of 0.039 mm (less than 0.2 mm), a ratio of 0.0033 (less than 0.0053), and a minimum steel area of 500 mm2. The height of the dam was set at 6 m, with a concrete wall thickness of 0.20 m. Additionally, we explored variations in dam height (6 m, 10 m, 15 m, and 20 m), corresponding to concrete wall thicknesses of 0.20 m, 0.35 m, 0.50 m, and 0.65 m, respectively. Each variation was accompanied by the corresponding area of steel (1085 mm2, 1899 mm2, 2712 mm2, and 3525 mm2), uplift pressure (117.6, 196, 294, and 392), and maximum horizontal pressure (176.4, 490, 1102.5, and 1960).
The findings of this study contribute valuable insights into the optimal design of water intake towers for dam reservoir outlet works, considering various factors and compliance with British standards. Implementing these optimized designs can potentially improve the functionality and longevity of water intake structures, ultimately aiding in more efficient water management systems in Nigeria and beyond.
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