Please post scientific answers, relating to weight and pressure.
2007-09-06 10:36:17 · 5 answers · asked by Vector 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
In addition to the dam having to resist the pressure that wants to push the dam horizontally and slide off its foundation, is the overturning moment generated by the water pressure that wants to rotate the dam and tip it over forward.
This load is one of the main reasons that the bases are so wide, because the width of the base must be enough to limit the tensile stresses in the concrete at the inside surface at the base of the dam, since concrete is very weak in tension.
They try to put enough weight on the base so that there is no uplift on the inside bottom surface to cause tensile stresses in the concrete, and they must also have enough width in the base so that the compressive stresses at the base of the dam, but in this case at the front of the dam, do not exceed the allowable compressive stress of the concrete, or of the foundation beneath the dam.
2007-09-06 12:29:53 · answer #1 · answered by gatorbait 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pressure of the water against the base is more at the bottom (15psi for every 34 feet depth). The extra thickness is needed to resist that force and keep the dam from sliding back as a result of the pressure.
2007-09-06 18:20:05 · answer #2 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The deeper you go, the more water pressure, just due to the sheer weight of the water, so the bottom must be made thicker and stronger to deal with the pressure...K ;o)
2007-09-06 17:41:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
pressure of water at the bottom( greater depth) is larger than at lesser depths, so to withstand the force near the bottom ,the dam sides have to be stronger and so thicker.
2007-09-06 17:41:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pressure at the bottom is higher than at the top.
62.4 psf per foot of depth. would be 6240 psf. at the base of a 100 foot dam.
2007-09-06 17:49:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋