The technical state of earth dams in Lithuania

Dams are ageing out as all constructions do, and inaccuracies during the field survey, designing and construction, as well as defects of building materials and deterioration due to environmental impacts accelerate the aging process. The article presents the technical state assessment comparable results of 260 Lithuanian earth dams performed in 2002–2009 and 368 dams in 1997; the analysis of character and causes of the main deteriorations and defects. The typical causes of failure (according to their danger to the stability of the entire hydroscheme) are: diverse intensity of seepage water leakage at the downstream slope and the tailwater of dam; landslides and deformation of the slopes of the dams; bigger cracks, deformation, tilt in shaft spillway; scour, deformation of dam slope protection slabs, concrete cover layer deterioration, collapsing of junctures are mainly caused by the environmental (frost cycles; ice, wave blows; moss, grass, bushes roots; periodical wetting, etc.) impacts. First published online: 14 Dec 201