Experience in operating earth dams of the Niva cascade of the Kola regional power administration constructed in 1930?1960

Abstract

1. As shown by the experience of long-term operation of earth structures of the cascade, on dams (embankments) being constructed by the method of dumping soil into water, when designing the slopes of these structures it is necessary to impose more stringent requirements with respect to determining the steepness of these slopes to increase their reliability, as is done for structures constructed dry. 2. To organize successful monitoring of seepage processes in the investigated structures having substantial anisotropy of the soil, special recommendations on the efficient disposition of piezometers under such specific conditions should be worked out. Recommendations on the disposition of piezometers under conditions of a noticeable effect of the groundwater regime of the surrounding territory on the seepage regime of the hydro development should be worked out accordingly. 3. Since the calculations made in the work, as a result of which instability of many slopes was detected, are not always confirmed by practice (there are examples of failure-free operation of slopes whose stability factors are considerably less than unity), it is advisable to correct the method of such calculations with consideration of the characteristics of the formation of the seepage flow in the downstream shoulder of dams with pronounced anisotropy of the soil.