FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF A BARRAGE

Abstract

A barrage is a diversion structure, which is employed to divert water to an off taking canal for the purpose of irrigation, generation of hydropower etc. Such structures consist of a number of gated, floods passing bays of masonry or concrete. The function of these structures is to raise the river level sufficiently to divert the river flow or a part of it into the main supply canal of an irrigation system. By suitable maneuvering the gates, the flow conditions above the barrage can be closely controlled and shoal formation and cross currents upstream of the work can be minimized. The general-purpose finite element software "NISA" has been used for 3-D analysis of the barrage. The results obtained have been presented in the form of displacement and stress contours. Comparison have been made of the results obtained by NISA and PSPSAS (Plane strain case for 2-D). Parametric studies were taken up to arrive at various useful conclusions that can serve as a useful aid to and guide for the designer.