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Geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.

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Main Author: Jones, Ian Courtney Fraser
Other Authors: De Wet, Marius
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2017
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access_status_str Open Access
author Jones, Ian Courtney Fraser
author2 De Wet, Marius
author_browse De Wet, Marius
Jones, Ian Courtney Fraser
author_facet De Wet, Marius
Jones, Ian Courtney Fraser
author_sort Jones, Ian Courtney Fraser
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv Stellenbosch University
description Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/101172
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:43:33.016Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2017
publishDateRange 2017
publishDateSort 2017
publisher Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
publisherStr Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/101172 Geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design Jones, Ian Courtney Fraser De Wet, Marius Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Civil Engineering. Geotechnical engineering Dams -- Design and construction Geosynthetics Embankment dams UCTD Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2017. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Dams have played an important part in history, with some of the earliest civilizations like the Egyptians and Mesopotamians, constructing some of the first ever. Early examples ranged from simplistic earth structures to dams being constructed from masonry and building ruble. Since then the field of dam construction has progressed to include a wide range of designs and uses varying from the norm of holding water for irrigation and human consumption. Earth dams have become one such wide spread design, as the reasoning behind its construction, lies in the abundance of material. And as such, it makes sense that earth embankments make up more than 60% of the worlds constructed dams. As the years has gone by, technology has advanced in many fields of today’s world. This is true for one such field synonymous with earth embankments, which is namely geosynthetics, with the earliest inclusion of these products in 1970. From early inclusions as filters, geosynthetics have been changed earth embankment construction drastically, providing key help in solving difficult soil conditions. Ultimately, it has been the study of soil itself that has held the answer to solving difficult soil conditions and have aided in the advancement of geosynthetics technology. Geotechnics, the study and engineering understanding of soil interaction, has thus been an area well worth studying. Using a farm near Stanford in the Western Cape, the influence of geotechnics and geosynthetics in embankment dams was investigated. This study was conducted to see how the field of earth embankment design, incorporates the information gained from the geotechnical understanding of soil and how geosynthetics have altered how we look at embankment problems. Areas of the design process where looked at where geotechnics was used before, during and after the construction of an embankment dam. These areas where further broken down as a desk study where elements such as various soil types, climate and the various parts of an embankment dam. The next step was assessing the onsite ground conditions and using the results that were gathered to design an appropriate dam. Although not built yet, geotechnical measuring instrumentation was looked at, to assess the design that was built, as well as the steps that had to be taken for site preparation. From site-specific materials, it was determined that a 13.4 meter high earth clay core embankment dam would be constructed on the specific farm site. The water would be stored at a height of 10.4m and the slope gradients would be 1:2 for the downstream slope and 1:3 for the upstream slope. The core would have slope of 2:1 and a cut-off trench with slopes of 1:1. Geosynthetics would be used as upslope protection, for wave erosion. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar 2017-02-21T07:28:45Z 2017-03-29T12:16:40Z 2017-02-21T07:28:45Z 2017-03-29T12:16:40Z 2017-03 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/101172 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 247 pages : illustrations, maps application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
spellingShingle Geotechnical engineering
Dams -- Design and construction
Geosynthetics
Embankment dams
UCTD
Jones, Ian Courtney Fraser
Geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design
title Geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design
title_full Geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design
title_fullStr Geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design
title_full_unstemmed Geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design
title_short Geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design
title_sort geotechnical input in embankment dam construction and the influence of geosynthetics in the overall design
topic Geotechnical engineering
Dams -- Design and construction
Geosynthetics
Embankment dams
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/101172
work_keys_str_mv AT jonesiancourtneyfraser geotechnicalinputinembankmentdamconstructionandtheinfluenceofgeosyntheticsintheoveralldesign