Embankment dam

A dam is a type of the dam a dam or a dam. Unlike a dam, the dam consists essentially of an earth or rock fill.

Dams can in very rare cases, the natural way - caused by landslides. For example, the Braies is created.

Construction

A dam consisting of a mound of stone crushed stone, gravel, sand, earth, etc. A distinction is therefore Erdschüttdämme and rockfill dams. To avoid high transport costs to a non-cohesive material is used that is suitable and gravel pits easy to buy in the local area in quarries.

The main part of a dam is the support body. It is usually sealed with a seal layer inside or on the water side, and often consists of zones of different permeability. The sealing layer may be an impervious core of loam, clay, foil or asphalt. It is also a thin Tonbetonwand in the center of the dam. A so-called skirt seal is an oblique, lying on the water side layer of loam or clay. Also an outer seal made ​​of concrete, asphalt or plastic film comes into question. A dam can also be homogeneous, that is completely out of the same material.

A dam has a trapezoidal cross-section and on both sides of a slope with a certain inclination. However, different portions with different inclinations are quite common. Such sections are often divided by horizontal pieces ( berms ). The footprint is in contrast to a relatively large dam, but the surface must not record such a high load. There is no bedrock is therefore required. A dam is where broad valley shall be cordoned off with low height. In narrow mountain valleys dams are more appropriate.

To prove the stability of a dam is necessary to calculate, among other things, the safety against slope failure.

History of dam construction

As one of the oldest still partially preserved dams in the Sadd el- Kafara applies in Wadi el Garawi in Cairo, Egypt ( various claims to 2950-2500 BC built ).

The remnants of dams that were part of the water supply for the city of Java in Jordan, dated by archaeologists to 3000 BC From 1000 BC emerged in many parts of the world countless large and small dams and dams. Remains of buildings were found among other things in the Mediterranean. In Europe, the Romans were famous for their engineering projects ( List of Roman dams ).

In Germany dams of the Upper Harz Water shelf are the oldest still operating dams. They originated from the 15th century.

The concept

" Dam " or " dam " is not the German counterpart of the English word " dam". The latter means " dam " and can also be a dam. In common parlance, however, each shut-off building a dam is often called a " dam " or " dam ", regardless of whether it is actually a dam ( a backfill from bulk material ) or rather a dam made ​​of stone and concrete. For example, the Three Gorges " dam " is regularly referred to as a dam, even though he is not a dam in the true sense, but a dam.

Because of these false name used very often you have to expect that - regardless of the correct meaning - with " dam " the shut-off of a dam is meant. In English, the common name "dam" that is so similar to " dam " sounds, for dams and dams, however, is correct.

The word dam seems to have gone through a change of meaning. In Otto Lueger's dictionary of art from the early 20th century, dams and embankments are grouped under the heading of " dam ". Only later has among professionals, but apparently not in the general public, pervasive that it only understands a rockfill dam with a dam and a dam is no longer a dam.

Unlike a dyke that runs parallel to a river or a coastline and can be very long locks a dam usually from a Talquerschnitt.

Related terms:

• Dam
• Dike
• Weir ( Hydraulic )