The State-of-the-Art of Armoring Embankment Dams Using Articulating Concrete Blocks

Session title: CPR for Dams (Concrete, Plastics & Rubber) Over the last 10 years more than 25 embankment dams in the United States with heights greater than 10 feet have been armored with Articulating Concrete Blocks (ACBs) to provide overtopping protection and extend the life of the structures. Additional ACB dam rehabilitation projects are being considered and/or scheduled for construction. The potential for wider acceptance and use of this new construction technology is promising. As a result, ACB manufacturers are making significant investments in research and development of their concrete block systems to evaluate and improve their performance for use on embankment dams, provide design data for designers, and develop more economical embankment armoring solutions. In addition to established ACB manufacturers, researchers from the USDA Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have recently designed, tested, and patented new ACB systems for use on embankment dams, spillways and channels.

This paper provides a brief history of the use of ACBs in the United States including a compilation of completed dam armoring projects. The findings from recent research and laboratory testing of various ACB systems are summarized. The status of ASTM standards being developed to address the manufacture, testing, design, and installation of ACBs along with design guidelines for armoring embankment dams are also presented and discussed. As a practical example, the Shavers Creek Spillway/Dam Repair project will be discussed. This Pennsylvania State University project is currently under construction, and when completed. Shavers Creek Dam will be the first dam is Pennsylvania and the highest dam in the United States to be armored with articulating concrete blocks. 15 pp., 8 figures, 16 references.