DESIGN OF

SPILLWAY

The SPILLWAYS are openings

provided at the body of the dam to
discharge safely the excess water or
flood water when the water level
rises above the normal pool level.

Why is it
ESSENTIAL?
(a) The height of the dam is always fixed according to
the maximum reservoir capacity. The water is never
stored in the reservoir above the normal pool level. The
dam may fail by over turning so, for the safety
of the dam the spillways are essential.

Why is it
ESSENTIAL?
(b) The top of the dam is generally utilized by making
road. The surplus water is not be allowed to over top
the dam, so to stop the over topping by the
surplus water, the spillways become extremely
essential.
(c) To protect the downstream base and
floor of the dam from the effect of scouring and
erosion, the spillways are provided so that the
excess water flows smoothly.

What are the

ESSENTIAL
requirements?
It must have adequate discharge capacity
It must be hydraulically and structurally
safe
The surface of the spillway must be erosion
resistant
It should be provided with some device for the
dissipation of excess energy
The spillway discharge should not exceed the safe
discharge capacity of the downstream
channel to avoid its flooding.

What are the

ESSENTIAL
requirements?
The spillway must be so located that the spillway
discharge does not erode or undermine the
downstream toe of the dam
Generally, the spillways are provided at the following
places
Provided within the body of the dam.
May sometimes be provided at one side or both
sides of the dam.
Sometimes by-pass spillway is provided which is
completely separate from the dam.

Design of

SPILLWAYS

Design of
SPILLWAYS
Many parameters need consideration in
designing a spillway. These include:
The inflow design flood hydro-graph
The type of spillway to be provided and its
capacity
The hydraulic and structural design of various
components and
The energy dissipation downstream of the
spillway.

Factors

AFFECTING
Design

Safety
CONSIDERATION
Consistent with
ECONOMY

Many failures of dams have resulted from

improperly designed spillway or spillways of
inadequate capacity. Properly designed structure of
adequate capacity may be found to be only moderately
higher in cost than a structure of inadequate capacity.

HYDROLOGICAL and
SITE CONDITIONS

The spillway design and its capacity depend on

Inflow discharge, its frequency, and
shape of hydrograph
Height of dam
Capacity curve
Geological and other site conditions

HYDROLOGICAL and
SITE CONDITIONS
Important topographical features, which affect
spillways design, are
Steepness of terrain
Amount of excavation and possibility of its
use as embankment material.
The possibility of scour
Stability of slopes, safe bearing
capacity of soils.
Permeability of soils.

Type of
DAM

The type of dam influences the design flood and

spillway. Earth and rockfill dams have to be provided
with ample spillway capacity.

PURPOSE
of the Dam and
OPERATING CONDITIONS

The ungated spillway should be provided, except in

special circumstances when gated spillway may be
provided.

Spillway

COMPONENTS

APPROACH
CHANNEL

Approach
CHANNELS

It is an entrance structure to draw water from

the reservoir and convey it to the control
structure
The approach channel may be a straight or curved
in plan. Its banks may be parallel, convergent,
divergent or combination of these and may be vertical
or sloping.

INLET
STRUCTURE

Inlet
STRUCTURE

This conveys water from the approach

channel to the control structure and is
intended to improve approach conditions to the control
structure

CONTROL
STRUCTURE

Control
STRUCTURE

Control structure consists of a weir which may be

sharp. It regulates and controls the surplus
water from the reservoir.
It does not allow the discharge of water below from
reservoir level and allows only when water surface in
the reservoir rises above that level.

CONVEYANCE
FEATURE

Discharge
CARRIER

It is the waterway provided to convey the

flows released from the control structure to the river
below the dam
The discharge channel may be the downstream face
of spillway itself, or open channel excavated along the
ground surface or a closed conduit placed through or
under a dam

TERMINAL
STRUCTURE

Terminal
STRUCTURE

At the downstream end of the discharge carrier

when flow from reservoir to downstream river level
manifests itself in the form of high velocities enough to
cause scour, erosion and subsequent damage to
adjacent structures, a terminal structure usually in the
form of stilling basin is provided for dissipation of
residual energy

Energy
DISSIPATERS
They are usually provided on the downstream
side of the spillway. High voltage water coming
through spillway may cause serious damage to the
toe of dam and to the adjacent structures.
This high energy of flow must be dissipated before
it flows back to river. For this, energy dissipaters are
provided.

STILLING BASIN

FLIP BUCKET

BAFFLED
BLOCKS

EXIT CHANNEL

Exit
CHANNEL

This conveys water from the terminal

structure to the river or the stream.