STRENGTHENING AND RAISING OF GRAVITY DAMS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO KOYNA DAM

Abstract

Industrialisation and food production have been aptly included on the priority list in a planned all out effort for rapid development on all fronts in India. Thus increase in Irrigation potential and development of hydroelectric power by full development of water resources in the country is the need of today. For achieving the above objectives, owing to the unfavourable distribution of rainfall in time and space it has become necessary to store water by construction of darns. However as the availability of suitable construction sites is limited, we will have to consider heightening of some of the existing dams for enhancing their storage capacities. Also with the increased demand for water, some of the old existing structures have been put to an intensive use and therefore it becomes necessary to investigate fully the safety of these structures afresh in addition to erring the possibility of increasing their storages. Instances can be _cited in this connection of Tansa dam (near ombay), Thokerwadi dam,, Shirawata dam and Walwhan dam in Maharashtra State which had to be strengthened. The storage of Tansa dam was increased thrice in the process. Strengthening of Koyna dam in Maharashtra `State can be cited as another najor work of strengthening which is now completed.