Maintenance and Operation of Dams to Prevent Failure

The authors have developed a presentation with the objective of passing on to Dam
owners our experience as to how to operate and maintain a Dam in a safe manner. Our approach is to relate the causes of Dam failures and costly distress to operation and
maintenance procedures. Topics to be covered include:
- Typical Dam Types including Earth, Concrete Gravity, Ambursen, and Timber Crib are covered. A brief
description of each is provided with photographs.
- Various Dam failure modes are presented associated with each type of Dam.
- Discussions of several significant Dam failures
complete with photographs.
- Specific examples of operation and maintenance
deficiencies that can lead to failure of a Dam;
- What to look for during an inspection which could
indicate potential problems.
- Summary of recommended operation and maintenance procedures for Dams.