UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION WILDA BUILDING. t44t WELTON STREET
DENVER, COLO.
February
13, 1926.
M:
r. R. L. Parshall, Irrigation Engineer,
Bureau of Public Roads,
Fort Collins, Colo.
Dear Mr.
Parshall:-Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of February
11, 1926
with enclosure in regard to the use
of
"Plasticine" for models of masonry dams.
I
will present
this e
n
closure to the Committee when they are ready to
consider actual details of constructing the models.
I
sent a copy of your previous communication to
!·
Jr. Noetzli
and
he is enthuastic about your prospective method of
loading.
However,
he
is inclined to favor the use of
a
mortar model.
You will understand, of course, that
I
am
not in
a
position to make an official s
t
atement, but it is my
belief that the Bureau of Reclamation would
look
with
great
favor
upon
a
proposal to make this a jo
i
nt
project
with your Department·
-
We are asking
for
an allotment
of
funds for this work at the present time and will oe glad
to hear from you if there is any
~ros~ectof a cooperative
arrangement.
Yours very truly,
UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION WILDA BUILDING, 1441 WELTON STREETDENVER, COLO.
February
4, 1926.
Mr. R. A. Parshall, Irrigation Engineer,
Department of Agriculture,
Fort Collins, Colorado.
Dear Mr.
Parshall:-I was pleased to receive your letter of January
30,
com-menting on the proposed arched dam tests.
I
am submitting
co~ies
of your letter to Messrs. Gilkey and Freeman for their
cons idera t ion.
I
am personally of the opinion that with proper care in
selecting and grading of aggregates the proposed specimens
can be successfully made of concrete mortar.
However,
I
may
be over-ruled in this and your comments are timely and
val-uable.
It may be found desirable to experiment somewhat
with various materials before making a final selection.
The suggestion that a dam made in separete horizontal
segments has been made before.
I have not yet gome into the
subject sufficiently to see what benefits might be expected
from such
a
test.
It is entirely feasible, however, to try
the scheme out if work on the monolithic models indicate
that such
a
plan is desirable.
It may be possible for you
to discuss this subject further at some future meeting of
the committee, when technical details are being studied.
Your suggestion as to the manner of loading the models
was received in this office with
a
great deal of interest.
If proper data
ils
can be worked out
I
believe this
plan
to
be
the best yet :Proposed.
With this plan the loading can
be
made equivalent
to a
liquid of any desired weight.
The
only apparent objection is that the load will be stepped,
rather than truly triangular.
By
using hose, or tubes of
small
dia~eterthis effect can be minimized.
Your interest in this matter
js greatly ap:prec1.a ted.
Copy to
Mr.
Flinn
Noetzli
Gjlkey
Freeman
cl· r
·
..:.t1on
::'o:rt ~"olliL .. , ~(')1 ra.do
.Ta,
n
u
:t
r .. ; :" ,
1 9 "" GF.r'J
Br-or... CO';± t
)
l·enc
v.r!t
~rol rf'C
nt 1.on
tl'Jano
-si 1
1t~rof
e-rt·
r-:texnr · L
er1tf'!
on rrod
1d
r-s
,
I
tis.to
s~..
,r- tt
foll"winp: c:.:.s a
ent o.
sue]·.n
se:riPs of
t
ests:
.cret
OG;rr
Gctnd?
' • H ... 2
~he
tratter
of loading such ·strt
ct r 1ere
loads aanb
-~ ~,, :r~-t c: P t r" !?'n. i tu:re ton:rod
..
ce r ct
~ C!1
dofl
c!Jt ~::1ns,
and
:vetat
t
e
a?re ti!!le obviatt: the us cf rrercury b~oause of' its gr at ex-ne:nse, has een p,-i"~'en lrUOh thought byun
h rr at this '1fficA. Co11ldsorr~
sue sc}erre
us
followsbe used to nroduoe
thes~loadinP-'
at
a
r. .. 1or l6s·· e:· e:nsE? • ... et s asb"tlTJ·e tht
the structure be c<J.st of "" rrs.,lit:.a.blc rratE~rial of a constant ou:rvatnre ~no ha~rin'!' a vertical face.
01
trP
~···teside
1t
us
itia.p;in€a
c~1st-irons
ell iiaving th- sa!"e our-v· ture a."t
e do. ~~ction: this oastiron·
ianhragr; havinP-"ori
ont1l ribsw:
€ ··e tl··A edve o thP rib n ~. t to thE- fe
of the da . to beT>ro
-vided with a heavy canvas flan s rret;,ina 1~~ilar to that used as a lin -ing J.n a~'tor-oi1ile tire. ·~ow, i each ho!"'izt,Yltal cor.-na.rtrrent of this shell}-Ia 1 b~ nl ceci, for exa.l''nle~ u~ 1nn -r 1to t·nbe of su .. fi cient len
t· .
the rubl:~. t-:1be c~rrunicatinrr t'] tl'e ~utsiiie hv rreans of snl t&.11le
con-nection. ,.h£3 variatiott in load-t 11 of the dam is to bP rem1lated b~1 air Or VJate:r re:osure, introc,uced into these Vu.l'"iOUS CTliUrt~ents. rrhe
gradatir.n of rr ssu:re f; r- t1·e ten
to
bottorr of darr c~u be T!'ade to a.ny degree a· ~11 as i · tcnsity.
It ,.o,;,l .nc:err
to meti1at
sucrt a devicea.s
t:
is coo ld be \!Orke out at a rr~,ch 1 ess cost than the rrercury andV! th a s ffici{·Ut rt1.m1>E-r of cor.""1flrtTYE'nt, can be trade to ver~r closely
a:tlprO'"f.; r~a te r.&. lo d nP" 01' uercurv or h:y"'Clrostatlc
-pressure
.
It is, of course, obvinus tt
!To.norreters o~ direct reading pressure paP"es ''OU1dbe nf cessa.-r to t!:E nressurE for each indi v· dual oor.-,Jartr ent.
S y~e trOll~·
t
f. S .b.eer V}V tO t~ 6 t• t1)0rl Of lT~~ .. c·.n·. W tnPseCleflc~ti.ons of wl icb 'v'J ~·.;.-:E. thf' follo~il1 to offer: In a vertical no~
sition o.,., thf. dovmstrear- e!ide of' tl"~e da shf .1 be erected an· tt~.l f~'"arre
work nos:,ib~v of q,::"'lE-i:-on ::anstructio v;ith all na:rts ~1 idlv fixed. It is S1l1•..,oued th
t
0ertJ.i ·~ defiPi e 'OOints on t~ , o,.mstr€· r!' foe ;lll b obs~rved. Let thPs t>oints be renresented b;r a y-retul -nin or di~cset fi rrly in f !.~€ of th · st· u ture. ~
t
a oo -rresno i'li ~ noi t on-'"OOsi te n t· (' fr:Jrre 1:·or1 .. wi 11 be rivet ea or othC'r d fi i te-ooint, :-n !, . eas ~"-IlP- of dei'lect!o-ro~s it will onl~r ben
cessar;;
t
o
carefullY rniororeter the di stanoe f-roorr tJ"c
frarre ,..
orkto o
-r.urttcular ,ointon
thPfacP- of
structure.In
tris onl~ro e rrea.s u·i
r
irstn'r'"rnt wll be nec(.!ssary, this distance beincr oalib:rated easil~r and rani~l;r.le
have reud
over with a
~reatdeal
of
interestyour
co~rr€nt on the ,.;osstb.: 1i t.v of' underta,<i.-c e:xmr'rrents on rrooe1 darrs. u. d asno inter
'1Utefo:re I se no reu.son
wl ~' tests shouldnot
be n0. rl.uoted· t
our lr7dra~ lie 1:...ordt
ry, .rhere-praotica
l;1 all of th~se facilitiesare to be had. Tbe work could be conducted witi,in doors, which \Vill very gre.J.tly red-:.1ce the _estirrated exnt?:nse of dJine- t"bis voork in the onen
;r • ..: • • • • • • 3
PeS tiOnS 00rf tO 1co' ~ mill b~ Cr 17T tr,Q
,,,..,. . 0' .. itt(.' •
Y "ctr v
ry
tr. ly
to have V
in praotioe'
·
dro
ttie
th·
~..;
1n e in
t....
.
t •o<mt
1u-n ·ed
L·r n
t
.uu
of
li
0 ds.,3.
00• ~olo. Agr.r...
•
ta-o'!
·
eol
on:
atlon,
r.
3,000: -
ill6e:r1r~ :H>undat10np'l,OOO.and
ot
'P~ tuot
analysis of
ta,
~1oho
8rv
d
an r eord
d.
s
ttention to
tch of
LOO '
I·~~. "!...c
t ...
-r~:. t?ril ~t rrW
e
":''
,_
hi$
IE udyto
'b- <lonf Jed tothe
h!!.rl!·
u11 0 hbor,..,to~a.t
~ort.f'lollina.
The chrMter
of
t'h€l rl':' wo.ul~lbe
to
bull
&ll"
11.
lt()(il&
of t~lcal stMJ<lttlrE~:i.of both
:tra!"" t andaro
,l d~'-'i~.o~
hard
bber
and
Portland
c
.
·ent
Jtortar
,
t
sa
c
·1
s.tn1~turestr.t
bea.~ro~irra
ely
6
fQt:~tacross on
to
~ :1&
t
ttta.::tdtm.l· heiPht.; th ha e
to have
V
ai:la-peof
vartout
~l~•tb4t
wmll(isn-oroxJ
.
rate
ot~a.l,;>rOf1l•
1n praatioet
loaded
o·v
snec1
·1
~rata!to
1
c
-prol)e:r
•a.rh.t.tion
ot
lly-droat
tie
rts ur ;
defo:rroat:ona produced
to be
c. ·fully
detern
nf.td tr
tl•
-pu
,o of anlysi
a oftl1e
dis
trfbtion
of p-odu.cedst
see.
)i<Via!On Of
tt..g:r. ;•
g:iDeering,
ureau
Of
..,
bl:lo-·
oada.
u
..
·
s
.
'D.A
••
B
rltelcy.
(~a11
f ••Ool
re.t'o
~ ~r.R..
t •0
olltns.
:
Colo
.,
!)u
·
reau of
P.e·ol~Jlltion, n~t.f>'f
tt.·~ Int<~r1ot".tft'mYer • •
olo. •
Yng1neer1
gFotnldt\.tio'1.,
1e •Y:
1. Cit~ ••lnd.!vitua1
ontrib1;J-tione.
C
0~; 'lf!O.N 14 PfYt-. Cooat!
:n
attoo
ss1.
bi 1tty, moth1ng 4e:t1nit
e
Oa:i.ll ()(;~&nt o~Jld bE!
e
~d..s
·bov~n
'
d
ig
merely
..
'a
tn"Or o:r
o
t
a:la;zre
-• It·~~
r'}f' ]:S~:G ~l!IlNt'h-J>a1y
1. 1926.
?FtG'BA13t3
'rltt'"!
0? Co;.f?I~TI,~ t ... July 1, 1928.8
•
~1,i 01*?tlhl!(.l
f{CPd&,"3"0
0:
·OlO. f ~(Ole · ati on. ~.a,oo.
~ ":"ngt rit~ .t,. .. r.
·.:x
_
,.
8t
-.dation.
'l,PL"
~.,(
F'
OROArr~.<~ .TI""~rft.. ?ln.l WOl"ito
be
·
one a.t the
byd &'.111
lal.mr
e
.t
r;r
under
the
d!
m
t
on
oft
n
-~·
Jv!
cion
of Jgr.
Tir!g1 n ~er!n.. An as~tn11t to
beatt lpnad to
th1o
t!'tu
iy ~o"ill
1v
is
...
11 1r~e.
t, tion to thi
th:l~'P-' ..'?roeeoo:re to ft>
llaw
e.
el"tai n <left :\ t , .. .u"&tt.o:rfbedsen
m~.t:ot
but
1(':n,,,
'Pla.Oc'll~,
t:'s.ni.
u1at ,.,n
n
11t
hn1qu. ·1"the
:o~s.:ratu•
-rt~:.,.ft.A,"?T'G A~,) :l?Cft" .. N'DA
tf'i:J
1-Pr'
st
U.$to
.
11nt C' 1 th!O nf!SS ofatruettu•e and
n~turaof
nn
t
r1 l
to b@ used ill be
l1$0~tea:t1'•'1est
1~ot
&l>'P~&tue.to
rr:l1 hility.
mr
'OreoonoE~ivet1on
a~to
tbodo ana.ly$
of
ta, such th
tall
ssibl
1l!'1un 1ng faa
ors
ill b
observed and
:reao~dsd.~
;§oo
* *
*
* *
*
* * * *
*
*
*
*
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF
RECLAMATION
PROPOSED
TESTING OF MODELS OF
ARCH
DAM,
IN
COLORADO
BY JULIAN HINDS,
ENGINEER
DECEMBER
19,
1925
;.a •
0
_
OS
• STI G 0
ODELw OF
I
COLO ADO
Dec
ber l
,
1925
..
,..'
...
c
JJThe
.nRin
eri
g
F
nd
tion,
tational rese roh bod
f
York
City,
h
v
a
the en
i
ra of col r do
t
is
in
the
e
t
naive
s
udi
s now un er
way
r det r ining
tm c
-an1c 1
oti
If
arched
•
tu
ies
are in ro
rase
on a numb r
<>f
e 1 ti
d
m
hro
out
t
w stern n ted tates, an a Test
D~m.to be bet een
60
• and 100
t.
high,
is
under
c
·
onstruction in California;
th
l
tt(r to
be
te~tedto
destruction.
I
wa
originally
t o
ght that with
t.
d ta ex ct d
fr
m
th
s Test am,
and
fro
e istin d e, a s
isfactory
sol-ution o:f' the arch dam
problem
could be a.de.
As the or
pro-gre ses
th ·
desirability of build
ins.
many Te
t
Dams., rather
t a on •
na
becom a
arent. The cost o building several
dam
60
ft.
or
or
in h ight is rohibltive,
and
it
h s been
pro
o
ed.
th··
t
the
studies
on the large
mast
D
now under
con-s ruction
eortifi
d by
teats on mall models loaded with
ere ur •
I
is this
art of th
ork tha.t Color do
.ineera
have
been
kea.
tundertake.
first
gl
nc the de ign o! a eire lar aroh nder
ef-i
ite water load a
ro to be
simple matt r, but the
e fact of te
per
ure ch
n
.
es,
unpro· ortional deflect1 n at
1e
irregular 1d
,
and
other variable
f
ctore,
r
r the robl
very difficult. T
sim
.lest
f
r
o
·
f arched
a.
i
illu trated b
complete
·
v
rtic 1
cylind r.
unre
tra
at
t
e
nds,
subjected to an xternal
star
lo d.
The tre s
in such
fr
cylinder
ay
E#o puted
with
reasona le cert
inty
t
bli hed 'thin
cylinder
0'thick c lin·
ern
tor-1
ae
5according to the
rel tio
th
all
t ie
1e~et
th
1
eter
e
cylind
r.
hen load ia
pplie
the
, eri
eter
f
the wall
is
hortan
d,
due
to
the
1
stic
.for
ti
0the
at
erial of which
it
1
co
OSd,
and
all
ints ove
to
r
·
th
.
o
nter of
t ..
e
0linder
m
1
am
nt.
i
th
tl
.
c
plate
cyli.nder
thi
mov
n
is un1m ort
nt.
but
if a
p
rt
OJ.the
wnll is
cu·t away,.
say
lon~Z:vertic·
1
ra.
ial
pla
ee
fo
i
-plici
ty,
nd
th
all ri
i
ly
u.
1orted
a
a.irJ.S ..tovem
,nt
alon
the
an
o. re
JV1, thi
ela
t j
defor ti
n
b
co e
1
-porta
t and may
aeri)usly
aff
ct the stre ae •
R
trainin~the ed e
o! the part cylin er
introdtlc
s bea action, oausin
u
q
al di
ributio)l
o
_
t
c
.
.
ree iv.
trea over
the
oro
s-s otion o:f
th
arch, an
1'1some ca es
·oro
ucin~a
et
te
ion
t
one or the other faces
f
the cylinder.
Agai'l.
1
the
bot-to
f
either the co
1
t
or
parti 1 cylind r
is
set in a
.roove o as to be
ri
idly
held
a~einatis·lac
nt,
the 1
rin
·
Will
not
be
.subject
to
aroh
tress.
but ill
simply serve
to tran it the load coming u on it to
t
I
t1a
cr
ind r
oaseases
sheari
str
n
....
h,
succes
i""e
r
in
s
o e the
tt
will be
artially
restrain d.
ith the result
th
t
th
y will
b
only
1
ly
tre
.
ch
tr
in-in
loa
being
c
rri
d
the
vertic
1
ele,
nts
<lf'
t
e clin
r.
If
th
bott
m of
wall
is
h 1
s
di
1
0nt
only,
n
not a
1
at
rot tion,
rt
th
lo
n
r
th b
tt
n
c rri
by
ireot
rch
cti
n
ill b
d1.
1
ute
y
v rtica
beam
actiln,
partly
to
t~e foundati n groove
nd partly
t
arch ri. s
t
hi
r elev ti ns.
If th bot
1
h~lde.g
'nst
rot
t1
n the
tio
il be
by
c
til ver ction or
by
o
bin ion
.of
can ilevfJr
a. d h am action.
It
thu
ppet..r
that the
·ch ·
ic
o
the
roble~are extremely com.lioated,
ven in a
ei
ple
elementary
caee.
In an actu
1
d m the
rtic l,
r dial but en,
1
nes a sumed
bo
are
pl
oa
by
irreg
r
su
rting surfaces o
the ende and si es.
dditional com
li--c tion und ubt dl result fro
the stre ea roduced
by
t
e
of the dam
and
by
s.rch snd beam
resi
.
stances in ula.nes
er than horizo
tal
a4d
ertic 1
.
"hen the
effects
of' tem:pera.tur
change, partial
satura-tion of the concret ,
e
tinJ shrinks. e. :flo o_ concr te, and
other
unkno
n factors are
intro
1ced
t e
:robl
became
v
ry
co plicated..
lo
ad
quate ratio
1nl
the
ry
.or th
design
of
rch~d
e s has
yet
bee
r :posed.. and
t
1
eric
1
r
1
s
o dinarily
used la.c
x e
i
ental con ir tion.
Certain
tho
esign
h
ve r
oe~tlyen pro
sed.
which
if
correct
it
nos~ibloto aiinult neansl
ma;terially
increaa
h
s
ty
n
crea e the cost of
roh
d dam
on-atructed
una.er
rdinar ·.1
7av ra le conditions.
n .
t
d
teet
int
0r und
1
vor
bl o rcum ta
th
r
ic
1
la.n
t
y
cc
Dt
ntil
it
i
t
t d
xp
r-i ·n 11
..
Th
ving
ote
on
ne
1f
t
1
1
n
i
c-c
_.t
d,
11
uc
ore
s.n re
y
t
COdtt
e
r
po
et
f
te
t
•
r
t
e
qu
i
11to
h
c
-
no ic
1
de
ir-b
lity
0h
ro
gh
in e
ti ti)n of
th
gener
ubjec
of
a c
d
ti
n
ri e in conn ction
ith
th
r
OS
1
to
in
ce
th
i l
in.
n
tea
il
er
n
1
d
1
i
lnver.
fo
( )te
t
in d
it
n
to
t
sa under
ay on
1
t:i 1
damo
n
t
nd
1
·
the
1
( iC )t
ti'1ct ion
f
(
z)
i l l
t
yi
1
u
01(
4)
If
do th
ful
r- e
Te
t
D
m
in
Californian
a.e
a~:·t
der
do
n
e
t
b
pl
n
ti
he
l l
01
t
mo
advantage on
·r
ocedur
•
e te ts,
if
und r
be
re
on
bl
cert in
res lt
'
ith
a r a
1
x enditure of
ti
sti
n
(1). (2)
an
(~)r
a r
d
aft·rmativ
-t
:i.
1o1n1t car to
b1rden th
v s
it
the r
o si
ility
the
tro
o
d
r
.
( 6)
c
c
ry fun s
b
r
i
e in Color
. or
r
Col
ra.
o,
fr m
tie
-1.
nci
lly
in-t
re
n
th
tructi
0arched
d
Th
Le
r
th
0i
rt
.n
que 1o
ich
ocur to
th
1
r.
any
t
er
11
lbtl
r
e.
r the
urp ee
of
in
e
d:1
c
a :ion
t
e
re ent
vie
the
rit
r
in
-4-in r
ard
t
th
gu tion
re x
re
br
f
y
as o
lo
( 1 )
or
k
e r
t
r e
n
t
1
e
i l
un
:b
dl
y·e din r
t1
o
alu.
o ever, many ques 1 ns
in
r
rd
t
t
e
fee
t.
e
ap
the
nyon u n th
etres
tLe
a v nt
o v riou · ro
JO ,arch
pe
tc ••
can ot e
ully
d
co
1
t1
an
111
t
in arch,
'
i
0
10
ft.
t
t. hi )h,
c n
ed rd
deatr
y
d
many
r
eco
11rch
r
rce.n n
d
y
b tested. Furt ermora.
er
tt
r i
0ioh ro
i
o
iv
tro
b
in 11
1
nne ,
ill
"b
un er oo
1
te control
and
tle
jand
.
r
1
·
n re eat dl
o
o.
1tn
ere
ry
tal
to n.e
am
trains a
the
er
ame loa.
i
·at r,
nd bee uee
o
th
control
la
or-·
tory con
l
tiona
nsur "lent
ca 1
be
ade
1 th
·re ter
a
d
r
ci ion.
T
a
con ruction
destr cti n o
t
te
t
a
at a co
t
100,000
is
, ct oular,
n
wil a ract tt
nti
n to
th -
or
f
t
rche
D
ittee.
It ill 1
o
ire c nf1 ~e 1ce
i11
·he
nal r s 11 t
a.i1
G
c
"'lolu-sio .a,
s
ull
s1zed
t
at a
s
do.
the
iter
b l i
ves
that
q
lly
i
rt nt.
n
pe h
mor
de
ini
t
data
wi
11
ul
t
r
a
break
·
·
r.1
o
.r
five or
1
s
ll o e 1
•
(2)
e
i
e
has no
better
of attac- to
t.
( 5)
h
;vri t
r
ould b
hop ful o
ol1t
in·
1valu
r
-sult·, and fee
t a t h
r
ie
f
uc
i
ortanoe
t
t 1·
ho 1
be
un- rt k n v • at o e r · -
lur d
to
-5-i
0 jhy
io
1 difficult ie
.
h
i
r
in
v r
0 ....a
t
in
ark.
.
it
can
h
n
lU
ia
tic unport
f
1
n
0b
Di
fie
11 ti
re
lOOtlt
red in r a
rc
ork
.•
lf-he
rt
up
ort
i
un
1r ou
table
t
cl •
r
t
o
:f
att uti
on
i
i
attr
ct
to t
or.
t
th
arched
d
co mitt
e cannot
for
t
the
op
~r t
11
ty
to
h
r
i
lth
or
di
..
1
o,
11
of
re
con
inu
11
r
ing t e ex eri noe of
others
fro
book
an
eri)
ic
n
e 0 1en de
v
r to
ce
ur
contribution
t
t
e
ner
1
n
)kno 1
d
.h
r
ising
-
fund
i l l
d pend
pon
h
nergy
nd
t
,lJ.1
of
the
c
mitte
ote~tor
that
pur
o e.
l
e
ro-j
t
i l l r
abl
0t
fr
.
5,000
to
15,000. dep
ndii'!
n
th
,horo
hn
f
t
in
s
1
a ions
a e.
~hit
r
el
t !St
ome
d
finite
od ca be
a ceo
plJ
l
n
it
a little
5,000.
·,ro
1
c _mmit
car
b
induced
o
on
con-1
er
b
to
the
rk.
for reslly e
cti
v
r
-lt
t e d nation holld
rh
n
be not 1 ss han ·10,000,
nd
a
b
ne cl 1
ohi
ln~
fi
e struct
eavin-
ight
0
15.000
can u.n
oubte
l.i
ery rou
h
est1mate
f
th
c
th total
ng
,0
o.
00.
t
if
made.
o
t
st-i
1rin .. a1d
t.
ne c
:Jry
i l l
have
co
a
_
e
t ino ud
a.
t
al
of
t
Ho ever, there wi).l
e
n~te
her ite
1
t
nels.
co
y
1
.r
n
i
e rin
ize
t
a
un
as
tio
t
Qulletil
r
t .
•
'
d
cri
--~R
Did
A'£
CO .. T F R ''
h
STS ON
OD
"
E
xes ation
in
pr
pnr~tiono
it
50
cu.
yds.
at
,5.00 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
l150.00
Concr
t , ...
repar tion
site,
5
C't.yd ..
at
20.00 ••••••••••••••••••
.
. . .
.
..
.
.
Steel
"
for s
f
about 10
'P
r
et,
Jler
lb ••••••
ode , 100
or s .
3
co
q.
ft.
per
set, at
ft.,
or 1,000 1 s.
late e ta. at
10~.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
,
.
.
.
.
.
.
. . .
.
.
.
CoJ
•
ceret., in 5 model • 3 cu.
yds.
at
1
00
. 00 )
r
cy •••••••••••••••
•
••.•••••••••••••••
300.00
300.00
300.00
~ercury,
2000
lba.
at
1.20
per lb ••••••••.•••••••••• 2,400.00
6 month time or obaerv r •••••••••••••••••••••
~•••••• 2;000.00
Co
tat1ons and
dratt1n ••••••••••••••••.••••••••••• 1,
00.00
n e for rotectin"'
l~bortory ... .
.qui ent nd
i
atr1 enta ... .
Total
O
D
.OO
600.00
--
·
'•
ENGINEERING FOUNDATION
ARCH DAM
INVESTIGATION
A
PROGRESS REPORT
ON THESTEVENSON CREEK TEST DAM
Near Fresno, California
BULLETIN
NUMBER 2
ENGINEERING SOCIETIES BUILDING
NEW YORK CITY
2 ENGINEERING FOUNDATION
ARCH DAM INVESTIGATION
THE NEED
T
HERE has been demand for lower cost of dams while conserving safety and permanence, for power development, water supply, irriga-tion and flood control. To meet the necessity of less developed regions where capital has to be made to finance as much construction as practi-cable, types of dams using less material than "gravity" dams have been devised.Many arch dams have been built, especially in western portions of the United States and in Australia. None has yet failed. Dams of this type have, however, introduced new problems and engineers entertain divergent opinions about their design because there has been no experimental knowledge on which to base theories. Some dams are very thick and others very thin. Either there has been waste of material in the thick dams or the limit of safety has been closely approached in the thinnest.
In an endeavor to get more knowledge, Fred A. Noetzli, on behalf of
engineers in the Pacific Coast and Rocky Mountain states, in I 922 asked
Engineering Foundation to undertake a study of arch dams. Other well-known members of the American Society of Civil Engineers, including H. Hawgood, of Los Angeles, M. M. O'Shaughnessy, of San Francisco, and D. C. Henny, of Portland, Oregon, endorsed the suggestion.
THE PROJECT OUTLINED
In December, I923, W. A. Brackenridge, M.Am.Soc.C.E., suggested
building an experimental dam comparable in size to a number of existing dams. He also offered on behalf of the Southern California Edison Com-pany, funds and the use of remarkably suitable facilities about 6o miles east of Fresno, California, on Stevenson Creek, a tributary of San Joaquin River. A small gorge with strong granite walls affords a suitable site with very small reservoir capacity. It is in the wilderness but close to a large conduit of the Company's extensive hydro-electric system. Here the dam may be safely tested, to destruction, if possible.
This dam will be of the single-arch type. Its upstream face will be
vertical with a constant radius of 100 feet. The profile along the upstream
face will be symmetrical, of V -shape, with a slight rounding at the bottom. The dam will first be built to a height of 6o feet and tested repeatedly under a variety of load and temperature conditions for about one year. In the event that the dam does not fail at a height of 6o feet, the suggestion
has been offered that it should be raised in steps of I o feet each to a height
of about 100 feet. The site will permit such an extension, although the
height above 6o feet is not contemplated in the present program. AIMS OF THE EXPERIMENT
The unit stress adopted in designing arch dams has been in many
Stevenson Creek Test Dam of Engineering Foundation
ARCH DAM INVESTIGATION 3
350 pounds, for concrete having ultimate crushing strength in excess of
2500 pounds. For reinforced concrete beams and columns in buildings a
unit stress of 6oo pounds has been adopted. A low stress for dams has
been used partly because engineers do not know whether theories of design
are sound.
The proposed experiment will be made under field conditions. Deduc-tions will be carefully drawn from the data by the Committee with the aid of engineers of the subscribers to the fund and other co-operating engineers. Such deductions will carry much weight. Some engineers
anticipate that they will justify a higher unit_ stress with corresponding
reduction of cost without jeopardizing the safety of the dams, of invest-ments therein, or of lives and property downstream. The Committee, however, is not advocating any theory or practise; it is seeking facts.
SYNOPSIS OF BULLETIN NUMBER I
Bulletin Number I, June I, I 924, directed attention to the importance
of arch dams and to the fact that their design has been based on theory unsupported by experiment. Actions of the Committee on Arch Dam In-vestigation were reviewed, accepting the suggestion of the Southern Cali-fornia Edison Company that an experiment be made upon a large dam, and appointing W. A. Brackenridge, Senior Vice-President of the com-pany, sole trustee for the collection and distribution of the fund. The Bulletin recorded a subscription of $2 5,000 from this company and invited
co-operation from others to be benefited, in raising a fund of $ wo,ooo.
Additional Bulletins were promised.
PROGRESS
A year and a half ha:J passed in raising $75,000, securing other valuable co-operation, perfecting the design of the dam, devising and manufacturing special instruments, developing methods of construction and test, organizing construction and test forces, and in preliminary operations at the site.
November I, I 92 5, camp for construction forces and engineers had been
built, and machinery for excavating the foundation in the granite rock and for making and placing concrete had been installed. Since the site is
on· the steep westerly slopes of the Sierra Nevada _Mountains, unusual
precautions are necessary for safety. A large number of loose rocks have been rolled from the mountain slopes above the damsite on both sides of the creek, and barriers of timber and cables have been built to stop any remaining rocks that might roll. Stairways, paths and inclines have been constructed to afford access to all parts of the field of operations. To date
I 274 cubic yards of rock have been excavated.
Recognizing that the direct and incidental results will be of broad general value, Dr. George K. Burgess, Director of the Bureau of Standards, has assigned W. A. Slater, Engineer-Physicist and well-known experimenter in concrete, to have resident charge for the Committee. The Bureau is also contributing the services of other members of its staff in its laboratories at Washington and in the field. Similarly, the Coast and Geodetic Survey is contributing the use of instruments and men.
sub-Y-07'-t-. Heiqhf 100 ' I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 2!o"' Ouf/ef funnel CPOSS-SECT/ON 10' 0' 20' 0 U.S.G.S. E/. 1825 ':t o' 20'
PROFILE ALONG UP-STREAM
FACE OF DAM 1{ , (( I ~o' I ~0' I 6?'
140' 0'
ENG/N££H/NG FovNOArloN
COMMITTE£ ON ARCH DAM INV£$TJGAT/ON
TEST DAM
ON StEVENSON CPEEK
N£A;;> FRESNO, CAL
Drawing of Stevenson Creek Dam showing plan of site, profile along upstream face, and cross-section
tr1
z
0z
tr1 tr1c:
z
0 'T1 0c
z
0>-
~ 0z
ARCH DAM INVESTIGATION 5
scription, is contributing valuable services of its Chief Construction En-gineer, H. W. Dennis, who has charge of building the test dam, and the services of other members of its organization. Use of the site for the dam is contributed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The Portland Cement Association is co-operating. Dr. ]. A. Mathews, Vice-President and Metallurgist of the Crucible Steel Company of America, is producing special metal for some of the instruments.
LABORATORY TESTS
While the test dam is being built there will be cast a large number of specimens from the batches of concrete. Some laboratory tests will be made in a room near the dam. For more refined tests, specimens will be sent to the engineering laboratory of the University of California, in Berkeley, which is being specially equipped. Certain investigations on instruments and methods of drawing deductions from measurements are also in progress at California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena.
FURTHER CO-OPERATION INVITED
Engineering Foundation contributes funds and services for the general purposes of the Committee. Unfortunately, its resources do not yet permit it to do more. Therefore, it invites others who will benefit in any way to co-operate in providing the remainder of the fund for the experimental dam. Please send checks or subscriptions to W. A. Brackenridge, Trustee, care Southern California Edison Company, Broadway and Third Street, Los Angeles, California, or to Engineering Foundation, 29 West 39th Street, New York.
TESTS OF SERVICE DAMS AND MODELS
Supplementing the test dam, observations are ·being made on several dams built for service, with the co-operation of the States of California and Oregon, the City of San Francisco, Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Stanford University, Talent Irrigation District and California-Oregon Power Company.
Resources permit building only one dam of the magnitude proposed for Stevenson Creek. Information about other types is much needed. There-fore, a project is being developed to make and test models of about one-tenth that size. A group of members of the American Society of Civil Engineers, at Denver, with the co-operation of the Bureau of Reclamation, University of Colorado and Colorado Agricultural College, are studying possibilities. A fund of $5000 at least is needed to supplement proffered contributions of services, facilities and supplies. Earlier studies were made with the help of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, of the possi-bility of getting information from small models made of celluloid, using the photoelastic method of testing, as developed by Dr. Paul Heymans. Estimated cost exceeded financial resources available.
6 ENGINEERING FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTORS AND CO-OPERATORS
Funds, materials and services have been contributed by the companies and bureaus named below and by a number of engineers in America and Europe. Contributions have ranged from $500 to $25,000.
Allis-Chalmers Company Bankers' Group:
Blyth, Witter & Company Bond & Goodwin & Tucker Coffin and Burr, Inc.
First Securities Company
Harris, Forbes & Company, Inc., Boston Harris, Forbes & Company, Inc., New York Harris Trust & Savings Bank
Mercantile Trust Company National City Company E. H. Rollins & Sons
Security Trust & Savings Bank Wm. R. Staats & Company Bent Brothers
Bureau of Standards
Byllesby Engineering & Management Corporation California Institute of Technology
California Portland Cement Company Coast and Geodetic Survey
County of Los Angeles
Crucible Steel Company of America Electric Bond and Share Company:
Carolina Power & Light Company Idaho Power Company
Minnesota Power & Light Company Pacific Power & Light Company Pennsylvania Power & Light Company Utah Power & Light Company
Electro Metallurgical Company (Union Carbide Company)
Foundation Company General Electric Company Giant Powder Company Ingersoll-Rand Company M. W. Kellogg Company Middle West Utilities Company Pelton Water Wheel Company
Portland Electric Power Company (Portland Railway, Light & Power Co.) Rensselaer Valve Company
Riverside Portland Cement Company Dwight P. Robinson
Sanderson & Porter
Southern California Edison Company Stone & Webster, Inc.
University of California Utica Gas & Electric Company H. D. Walbridge & Company Washington Water Power Company Water Works Supply Company Western Pipe and Steel Company
Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company Blaw-Knox Company
ARCH DAM INVESTIGATION
COMMITTEE ON ARCH DAM INVESTIGATION MEMBERS
Professor C. DERLETH, Jr., Chairman, University of California.
Alternate: Professor R. E. DAVIS, University of California.
7
FRED A. NoETZLI, Secretary, Consulting Engineer, 928 Central Building, Los Angeles. F. E. WEYMOUTH, formerly Chief Engineer, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Denver,
now President, Brock & Weymouth, Inc., Philadelphia.
Alternate: JULIAN HINDS, Research Engineer, U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, Denver.
W. F. McCLURE, State Engineer of California, Sacramento.
Alternate: PAuL BAILEY, Deputy State Engineer, Sacramento.
M. M. O'SHAUGHNESSY, City Engineer, San Francisco.
Alternate: R. P. Mel NTOSH, Designing Engineer, San Francisco. H. HoBART PoRTER, Sanderson & Porter, New York.
Alternate: WYNNE MEREDITH, of Sanderson & Porter, San Francisco. SILAS H. w.oODARD, Consulting Engineer, New York.
H. HAWGOOD, Consulting Engineer, Los Angeles. D. C. HENNY, Consulting Engineer, Portland, Oregon.
H. W. DENNIS, Construction Engineer, Southern California Edison Company, Los Angeles.
ALFRED D. FLINN, Director, Engineering Foundation (formerly Deputy Chief Engi-neer, Catskill Aqueduct).
Sub-Committee on Test Dam: H. HAW'cooo, Chairman, 722 H. W. Hellman Building,
Los Angeles; G., S .. BINCKLEY, H. W. DENNIS, L. C. HILL, FRED A. NoETZLI,
]. W. REAGAN.
Sub-Committee on Instruments: Col. G. S. BINCKLEY, Chairman, 7831 Hillside Ave-nue, Los Angeles.
Trustee of Fund for Test Dam, Construction and Experiments: W. A. BRACKENRIDGE,
Senior Vice-President, Southern California Edison Company, Los Angeles, California.
In Cbarge of Construction of Test Darn: H. W. DENNIS.
ENGINEERING FOUNDATION
Origin, Objects, Administration, Powers and Functions Established in 1914 by the American Societies of Civil, Mining, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers "for the furtherance of research in science and engineering, or for the advancement in any other manner of the profession of engineering and the good of mankind." The idea originated with Ambrose Swasey, of Cleveland, Ohio. He made the first gift for endowment, intending it to be the nucleus for a great fund contributed by many donors.. By bequest Henry R. Towne, of New York, added to the endowment.This endowment and other trusts are owned and admin-istered by United Engineering Society, a board of trustees, representative of the Founder Societies aforementioned. This Society was incorporated by a special act, Chapter
703, Laws of the State of New York, May 11, 1904. It has competent financial custodians and advisers, and legal counsel. Its accounts are audited by certified public ac-countants. It has established financial policies.
Engineering Foundation Board has discretionary power in disposition of income from the endowment and of other funds for current expenditure, but no voice in the admin-istration of the endowment principal. The Foundation acts also as treasurer for co-operative researches. Under its organic laws, it is a research foundation, an institution of higher learning. It aids organizations and individuals seeking additional knowledge to improve practise and in-struction in engineering, for the general good.
DIVISION OF AGRICUL TU.RAL ENGINEERING
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS
P. 0. BOX 180
POST OFFICE BUILDING BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA
Februar.y 4, 192.6.
Mr.
R. L.
Parshall,
Irrigation Engineer,
Colorado Agricultural
Exper~entStation,
Fort Collins,
<l>lo.
Dear
Mr. Parshall
:-I
noticed with copies of correspondence from
your
office
Which reached
my deSk
this morning,
a
copy of your letter to
Julien Hinds under date of January
20,
relative to experiments
on model dams
.
It occurs to me that if we had fUrther infor.mation as to
the nature of the models you
e~pectto build - that is
,
sizes
and
proportion~,etc
.,
together with the general plan of the
work contemplated, we
maybe able to offer you one or two
worth-while suggestions
.
I showed this copy of your letter to
Mr
.
~cobey