Guideline for structural safety in cracked concrete dams

Several concrete dams show cracking, and their condition and remaining service life must be determined. Assessment and service life prediction of cracked dams should include an investigation to determine the cause and consequences of cracks. Cracks can be caused by different mechanisms, which also may act together. Some mechanisms act during a short period of time, e.g. in the beginning after construction, while other mechanisms may influence the dam during the whole service-life. Therefore, it is important to combine observations, measurements, laboratory tests and theoretical analyses investigating the causes of the cracks, their future development and the influence they may have on the performance of the dam. Lessons learned and knowledge concerning crack propagation in concrete and rock, general material engineering, durability concerns caused by cracks, structural analysis issues connected to cracks, field measurements and design of remedial measures has been compiled in a Swedish guideline. The guideline highlights issues that should be looked for in inspections and contains a methodology to determine the residual strength and serviceability of cracked concrete dams and how to review dam safety criteria’s. This in turn will provide the dam owner with a better means to manage and prioritize rehabilitation and maintenance work.QC 20191011