Your Dam Your Responsibility (PDF~1.2MB)
Your Dam Your Responsibility (PDF~1.2MB) Your Dam Your Responsibility (PDF~1.2MB)
6 Safety Surveillance QUICK VISUAL INSPECTION Hazard Category Dams equal to or higher than 15 metres High (likely loss of life if the dam fails) Significant (significant property damage if the dam fails) Dams smaller than 15 metres Daily Twice–weekly Weekly Small dams less than 1 megalitre Twice–weekly Weekly Fortnightly Low Weekly Fortnightly Monthly COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION Hazard Category Dams equal to or higher than 15 metres High (likely loss of life if the dam fails) Significant (significant property damage if the dam fails) Dams smaller than 15 metres Small dams less than 1 megalitre Weekly Monthly 3–monthly Monthly 3–monthly Twice–yearly Low 3–monthly Twice–yearly Yearly Table 6.1 – Suggested Inspection Frequencies 6 The above table is a simplified version of the hazard categories defined in the ANCOLD Guidelines on Assessment of the Consequences of Dam Failure 2000 and Guidelines of Dam Safety Management 1994. Please refer those documents for more information and definition of terms. 6.4 Special Inspections (Immediately after major storm or earthquake event) Following a regular routine like that outlined above should enable the dam owner to become aware of faults before partial or total failure occurs. Times when additional inspections are recommended include: • before a predicted major rainstorm (check embankment, spillway and outlet pipe); • during and after severe rainstorms (check embankment, spillway and outlet pipe); • during and after a severe windstorm (check upstream slope for damage from wave action); and • after any earthquake or tremor, whether directly felt on the owner’s property or reported by local news media (check all aspects of the dam). Inspections should be made during and after construction and also during and immediately after the first filling of the storage. Remember, empty the dam if any doubts arise. 29
30 6 6 Safety Surveillance 6.5 Problems Likely to be Encountered A systematic program of safety surveillance maximises the likelihood that any developing conditions likely to cause failure are found before it is too late. Surveillance also identifies problems before they become major repair bills. As identified earlier in Section 6.4, typical problems (many of which are treatable if found early enough) are most likely to fall into one of the following categories: • seepage/leakage; • erosion; • cracking; • deformation/movement; • concrete structure defects; and • spillway blockage. Weeds can block spillways, overflow or outlet pipes in a dam. If this happens, failure of the dam can occur from overtopping in the event of heavy rainfall. Section 7.4 (Maintenance) outlines some of the simple maintenance activities which can be carried out to prevent or remedy potentially dangerous conditions. Appendix B lists in more detail the problems that might be revealed by a safety surveillance program. It also outlines their possible causes, consequences and possible remedial action. Cracking PHOTOS COURTESY OF B LEWIS 6.6 How to Deal with Problems When a significant concern exists it is strongly recommended that the Police, State Emergency Service (SES) or DSE be informed at the earliest opportunity so that appropriate responses can be instigated. Seeking help with a developing problem needs to be done quickly before the problem develops into something serious. You should seek the help of a suitably qualified engineer, and make sure that you note down enough details to be able to explain the size of the problem, its location, how quickly it is changing and the current status of inflows and water level. If the engineer is not familiar with the dam it is useful to have drawings ready which can be sent by fax or by e-mail if available. Remember that it will take time for someone to come onto the site for a detailed inspection. Depending on the rate of development it may be too late! A key thing to remember is that the impact of a failing dam will be significantly reduced if there is less water in the dam. So be prepared to drain the dam if a serious problem develops or is developing.
- Page 1 and 2: Irrigation and Commercial Farm Dams
- Page 3 and 4: ii Published by the Victorian Gover
- Page 5 and 6: iv Contents 6 Safety Surveillance .
- Page 8 and 9: 1 Introduction It makes good busine
- Page 10 and 11: 2 Risks Posed by Dams 2.1 Owner’s
- Page 12 and 13: 2 Risks Posed by Dams The most comm
- Page 14 and 15: 2 Risks Posed by Dams 2 Note: The r
- Page 16 and 17: 3 Licensing Requirements for Farm D
- Page 18 and 19: 3 Licensing Requirements for Farm D
- Page 20 and 21: 4 Planning to Build a Dam It is imp
- Page 22 and 23: 4 Planning to Build a Dam 4.3 Types
- Page 24 and 25: 4 Planning to Build a Dam 4 2. Turk
- Page 26 and 27: 4 Planning to Build a Dam becomes a
- Page 28 and 29: 4 Planning to Build a Dam 4.6.2 Ext
- Page 30 and 31: 5 Construction of a Dam Mixing tops
- Page 32 and 33: 5 Construction of a Dam is inviting
- Page 34 and 35: 6 Safety Surveillance 6.1 Purpose o
- Page 38 and 39: 6 Safety Surveillance 6 Warning: If
- Page 40 and 41: 7 Operation and Maintenance of Dams
- Page 42 and 43: 7 Operation and Maintenance of Dams
- Page 44 and 45: 7 Operation and Maintenance of Dams
- Page 46 and 47: 7 Operation and Maintenance of Dams
- Page 48 and 49: 8 Dam Failure Emergency Section 8 i
- Page 50 and 51: 8 Dam Failure Emergency Action 4. I
- Page 52 and 53: 9 Decommissioning of Dams 9 The sit
- Page 54 and 55: 10 Glossary of Terms Cut-off An imp
- Page 56 and 57: 10 Glossary of Terms Monitoring Rec
- Page 58 and 59: Publications directly relevant to f
- Page 60 and 61: Appendix A A • probe - a ten-mill
- Page 62 and 63: Appendix A Inspection Procedures Ge
- Page 64 and 65: Appendix A A and the resistance to
- Page 66 and 67: Appendix B 1. Seepage Problem Possi
- Page 68 and 69: Appendix B Problem Possible Causes
- Page 70 and 71: Appendix B Problem Possible Causes
- Page 72 and 73: Appendix B 2. Cracking, Deformation
- Page 74 and 75: Appendix B Problem Possible Causes
- Page 76 and 77: Appendix B 3. Miscellaneous Problem
- Page 78 and 79: Appendix B utlet Works and Concrete
- Page 80 and 81: Appendix C The depth of the core tr
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6<br />
6 Safety Surveillance<br />
6.5 Problems Likely to be Encountered<br />
A systematic program of safety surveillance maximises<br />
the likelihood that any developing conditions likely<br />
to cause failure are found before it is too late.<br />
Surveillance also identifies problems before they<br />
become major repair bills.<br />
As identified earlier in Section 6.4, typical problems<br />
(many of which are treatable if found early enough)<br />
are most likely to fall into one of the following<br />
categories:<br />
• seepage/leakage;<br />
• erosion;<br />
• cracking;<br />
• deformation/movement;<br />
• concrete structure defects; and<br />
• spillway blockage.<br />
Weeds can block spillways, overflow or outlet pipes in<br />
a dam. If this happens, failure of the dam can occur<br />
from overtopping in the event of heavy rainfall.<br />
Section 7.4 (Maintenance) outlines some of the<br />
simple maintenance activities which can be carried<br />
out to prevent or remedy potentially dangerous<br />
conditions. Appendix B lists in more detail the<br />
problems that might be revealed by a safety<br />
surveillance program. It also outlines their possible<br />
causes, consequences and possible remedial action.<br />
Cracking<br />
PHOTOS COURTESY OF B LEWIS<br />
6.6 How to Deal with Problems<br />
When a significant concern exists it is strongly recommended that the Police, State<br />
Emergency Service (SES) or DSE be informed at the earliest opportunity so that<br />
appropriate responses can be instigated.<br />
Seeking help with a developing problem needs to be done quickly before the problem<br />
develops into something serious.<br />
You should seek the help of a suitably qualified engineer, and make sure that you note<br />
down enough details to be able to explain the size of the problem, its location, how<br />
quickly it is changing and the current status of inflows and water level.<br />
If the engineer is not familiar with the dam it is useful to have drawings ready which can<br />
be sent by fax or by e-mail if available.<br />
Remember that it will take time for someone to come onto the site for a detailed<br />
inspection. Depending on the rate of development it may be too late!<br />
A key thing to remember is that the impact of a failing dam will be significantly reduced<br />
if there is less water in the dam. So be prepared to drain the dam if a serious problem<br />
develops or is developing.
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