Chapters authored
Analysing the Possibility of Failure of Cascade Dam System and a Case Study from Brazil
A cascade dam system poses more hazards for downstream life and structures, when compared with a single dam located on a river. Therefore, there is a need to develop differentiated procedures to classify and regulate these dams. In the state of Mato Grosso (MT), Brazil, it is common to find multipurpose dams, which can be considered as a cascade, when a dam failure causes adverse effects in downstream dams. The objective of the study is to analyse the possibility of dam failure located in the cascade system operated by the municipality of Várzea Grande, MT by the Associated Potential Damage (APD) classification used throughout the country. In order to do this, the specification namely “Simplified Methodology to Define the Classification Flood Zone of Associated Potential Damage of a Dam” developed by the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering in Portugal (LNEC in Portuguese) was utilised. This specification was adapted by the National Water and Sanitation Agency (ANA in Portuguese) in Brazil. In the case study, there are three dams (Dam 1, Dam 2 and Dam 3) in the cascade system. Dam 1 can cause overtopping problem for Dam 2 and Dam 3. According to APD classification, dams considered for the study are categorised as “high dam”.
Part of the book: Special Topics in Dam Engineering