The catastrophic flash flood of 1973 and the medeo dam

Mudflow detention dam at Mynzhilki

“…Then partial compression of the water containing the dissolved gas occurs [3,4]. The deformations corresponding to this process occur almost instantaneously --during the first several seconds after the load is applied to the soil.…”

“…The I phase of the Medeo dam, constructed mainly by massive explosions [i, 2], successfully detained in 1973 a catastrophic mudflow with a volume of deposits at the dam site of 3.8 million m [3]. The I phase of the Medeo dam, constructed mainly by massive explosions [i, 2], successfully detained in 1973 a catastrophic mudflow with a volume of deposits at the dam site of 3.8 million m [3].…”

Dam construction by blasting

“…Obtaining material of an optimal particle-size distribution of such size by one blast is just as impossible as maximally dense material and, therefore, with respect to the particle-size distribution the directed blasting method has cer- tain advantages over the usual methods of constructing earth dams. This is due to natural fracturing of the mass and increased brittleness of the granites from wb2ch the dam was constructed, It is necessary to note that even with slightly worse particle-size distribution of the Medeo dam material the blasting method of its construction produced a sufficiently dense embankment, The dam proved to be completely reliable in opezation oven during passage of a catastrophic mudflow in 1973 [6]. Figure 3 presents the particle-size distributions of the materials produced by massive blasts for the Baipaza dam, Medeo dam, and also e0cperimental blast piles of low height.…”