Masonry Dam. The life of a steel dam is shorter than concrete dams. The primary benefit of those dams is that it may be constructed on a weak foundation, the impervious core is positioned in the middle of the embankment body. Such a construction might be considered even when the foundation rocks are slightly weak.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'constructionor_com-leader-1','ezslot_9',113,'0','0'])); These are non-rigid structures constructed on extensive valleys with various foundations. These have been described below: Gravity dams: The gravity dams are the ones which are supported completely on the bed of the rock. The material used for such a dam is concrete. The equipment and plant required are simple and small. The embankment may be built of conventional materials but sometimes incorporates suitable waste products. The height of these dams can be increased without much difficulty in future. The two principal types of embankment dams are earth and rock-fill dams, depending on the predominant fill material used. A concrete gravity dam constructed by the use of a dry mix concrete transported by conventional construction equipment and compacted by rolling, usually with vibratory rollers. Diaphragm-type dams have a thin central section of concrete, steel, or timber which serves as a water barrier, while the surrounding earth or rock till provides stability. It should serve the purpose of irrigation, drinking etc. Design and construction is relatively simple and easy. These dams can fail suddenly without any prior warning. Two types of single-arch dams are in use, namely the constant-angle and the constant-radius dam. Steel dams are often used as temporary coffer dams needed for the construction of permanent dams. Water accumulates behind this barrier forming a pool of water, the side on which the water collects is called the upstream side and the other side of the barrier is called the downstream side.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'constructionor_com-box-3','ezslot_1',107,'0','0'])); The lake of water that collects on the top of the dam is called a reservoir. Some hydropower plants use dams and some do not. Earth dams are massive dams similar to gravity dams except they are made of soil. An embankment dam, usually built in stages, to create storage for the~ disposal of waste products from an industrial process. Concrete Dam. Most frequently a large part of a dam might be either an embankment or a gravity dam, with an embankment or gravity dam, responsible for producing electrical energy. Gravity dams of concrete might be straight or curved within the plan. Timber Dam : Timber dam is basically constructed with framework of timber struts and beams. A dam is a barrier built into a river or natural stream that creates a reservoir for water or facilitates the diversion of river water. The following points should be considered while selecting the site for the various types of dams as follows: Following the various types of dams classified based on purpose as follows: These dams are used to store water during the rainy season and further, it can be used for various purposes like water supply, hydroelectric generation, and irrigation in the other season. Timber dams are built for small heads (2–4 m or, rarely 4–8 m) and usually have sluices. 9. The buttress dams require less concrete than the gravity dams but these are not necessarily cheaper than gravity dams due to the extra cost of the form work, reinforcement … All major and critical gravity dams are inbuilt concrete. 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