Finally, Dam is Finished (except for the Make-Up)

[BigH]

As most of those in our group knows, I have been working on a earth filled hydro dam in northern Malaysia. It is about 75 to 80 m high (depending on if you go the lowest depression. The foundation work was arduous - we have on the upstream side vertically bedded (but parallel to the dam's axis) sedimentary rock and downstream we have volcanic rock. In between where the core is located is a mix of the two - I always get the dam term wrong (intercalation) The base was very undulating. One of the other features of the dam is the river came down and made a left turn (90 deg) and then a right turn (90 deg) so that the upstream is wider than the core or the downstream (except where the cores lengthens at the top 10 m or so).

We used volcanic residual soil for the clay core - although the residual clayey silt also met the core requirements - hence, acting on the upstream inner shell, we really end up with a double wide core . . . We had to excavate down some 25 m in the hills to reach anything that would be somewhat likened to a sandy gravel . . . Started the dam not knowing what we had for fill (to an Engineer's liking) but we knew we had a lot of hills of residual soil to use.

I have been blessed to have a French Canadian gal working with me who had many years working on Quebec Hydro dams . . . she was fantastic and after we got out of the hole - the base of the dam - she took over many of the details as I also look after a concrete dam some 10 klicks away through pretty rough terrain. Had a good team - a local Malaysian inspector (not an engineer) who would put most engineers in the field to shame . . . Proud of the team we had.
Had a good contractor - poor in the nuances of quality control, though, and we sure ended up doing much yelling and screaming and foot stomping - got so bad that I actually asked his lead project site engineer (who had gone to Ohio State for 3 years) . . . , "Are you sure you didn't really go to Michigan??" - (yes, growing up in Ohio, after Cornell (who, incidentally is 2-0 against Ohio State in football), I am an Ohio State fan! - sadly this year, so far, we are 0-4)

So, am posting a picture of the dam for you to see . . . please keep to your self and not share - unless it goes nameless! - don't want to get in trouble with the client . . . . - but, 'ell, anyone can fly a drone over the dam . . .

Hope you enjoy the picture,

 

[SlideRuleEra]

Congratulations, BigH! That is a nice looking project. Is work on the gates in the foreground still underway?

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

http://www.VacuumTubeEra.net

 

[Mccoy]

Great pic, bigH! I like the fact that you had plenty of Hills available, whereas in my country quarrying has become nearly impossible.

http://www.mccoy.it

 

[BigHarvey]

Nice job BigH !

 

[PEinc]

Impressive!

http://www.PeirceEngineering.com

 

[BigH]

Yes, SRE - the gates are in working order!

 

[fattdad]

congratulations! Great photo. Cool project too!

f-d

¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

 

[oldestguy]

Impressive project. I hope all the camping and roughing it can be looked back on as fun some day.

 

[Ron]

Great pic, BigH....nice project. Congrats.....now what?

 

[BigH]

Ron - still have a concrete dam we are working on - until May or June 2015; then who knows; little stuff to finish up and reports? Then need to find another assignment in Asia as I don't want to reestablish in North America for a couple of years before I putatively retire . . .

Oldestguy - no camping and roughing - we have a 3 bedroom house about 30 minutes from site - but we have only one aircon which is a bit tough when the temps are always in the 90 deg range and humidity. Why I spend a lot of time in the office - about 2 minute walk from house . . . Large city about 1 hour away - but we do see elephants and monkeys on way to the site - now one of the big things is to "save the animals" . . .

 

[dgillette]

Dang, I'm a little jealous. I need to go build something again instead of just analyzing, analyzing, analyzing.

 

[BigH]

Have attached what I think is a pretty neat photo looking from inside one of our diversion tunnels towards the portal . . .