Effects of Dam Gate Geometry on Pressure Variation Aided by Map Presentation

Abstract

The dam vertical lift gate is one of the most important operational parts that regulate the high head water flow to power plants as well as satisfying the water needs for projects and areas downstream of the dam. Due to the high water levels in the dam reservoir, the gates are subjected to many hydrostatic and dynamic pressures that affect their performance and stability. Hence, it became necessary to study all parameters that may cause excessive pressures which may lead to reduce the gate performance efficiency or even cause failure. In the current study, the pressure distribution along the bottom surface of various gate lip shapes has been measured and presented as contour maps using Surfer software. The pressure fluctuation was observed to indicate the intensity of flow separation and reattachment which, in turn, causes a vibration that may threaten the stability of the gate or impede its proper functioning. The pressures in this study are expressed as a dimensional coefficient through the integration of pressure measurements at 8 points distributed over the bottom gate surface. The high intensity of pressure attachment indicates the critical condition for hydraulic design.