STRESS ANALYSIS AROUND PENSTOCK OPENING IN CONCRETE GRAVITY DAM

Abstract

The openings such as galleries in dams usually run in the longitudinal direction, parallel to the axis of the dam and are provided for access, inspection, grouting and drainage purposes. Other openings, like outlets, sluices, penstock openings, cross galleries etc. run in the transver-se direction and serve the purpose of releasing water from the reservoir for irrigation, flood regulation and power generation. These openings have different shapes and sizes as per the functional requirements. Due to formation of openings in the dam, stress concentration occurs, which necessitate an accurate assess-ment of stresses around them. The penstock openings are major'and are essential to be analysed to know the stress pattern around the opening in a concrete structure like dam for a safe design. No work has been reported on the three dimensional stress analysis around the penstock opening. However some work on the other openings have been reported and is briefly reviewed in this study...