Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam

Salaheddin Shmela; Eng. Najy Shakshem

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20

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Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam

Salaheddin Shmela, Eng. Najy Shakshem

Published in International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 1, Issue 5)

Received: Accepted: Published: 30 October 2013

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Abstract

Most of the recorded dam failures in different parts of the world were related to seepage problems. Avoiding earth dam's failure due to seepage usually requires evaluating settlement, and piping, through field monitoring. The problem of dam seepage was experienced in The 38 m high rock fill Megenin dam is a at located at Souk AL khamis area 75 Km south of Tripoli. The dam was constructed in 1972, for two main purposes; to provide flood controls of the downstream areas, the cultivated fields and Tripoli city, and also provides water for irrigation purpose . The rock-fill dam was supported with an upstream reinforced concrete membrane on the upstreamface consisted of a number of concrete panels, linked together with central rubber water stops, and surface-sealed with a bituminous sealant. A concrete cut-off wall and grout curtain were constructed below the dam body to prevent reservoir seepage through the foundation. It was observed during the 3rd filling of the reservoir at the reservoir storage water level at +271.86 m on 15thMay 2003, seepage occurred at the wadi bed downstream of the main dam. The seepage occurred at a piezometric water level higher than the previously measurements during the period of 1973 to 1974. Seepage problem was also encountered in previous reservoir operation. To assess the seepage phenomena and it's impact on the dam safety, a study was carreied out through appliaction of t ground penetrating radar survey (GPR), piezometric analysis, and temperature field evaluation techniques as well as the construction of a flow net model for the dam. The results of the study showed that: the GPR profiles have delineated the critical zones in the dam body ,identify the water seepage paths from the reservoir to the down stream side of the dam, estimated the seepage rate through the dam foundation as 0.08 Ɩliter / ssecond and suggested measures to avoid problem that may occur in the future in Megenin dam due to seepage problems The study revealed the needs to design and implement effective monitoring program ,establish surface water gauging for any sudden increase in the seepage discharge in bed wadi at downstream , groundwater water levels fluctuation in the observation and seepage water beyond the dam. Maintain the upstream concrete facing joints and in case of alert condition occurred undertake additional raw of grouting curtain along the full length of the dam to protect dam foundation from flow.

Published in	International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis (Volume 1, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20
Page(s)	248-257
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Seepage, GPR, Dam, Megenin

References

[1]	Army Corps of Engineers, 2007. "The Wolf Creek Dam Seepage Problem’’ http//www.1rn.usace.army.mil/WolfCreek/seepage.htm
[2]	HRI, Regional training, 2003 "Engineering of Dams and Seepage through Earth and Rock Fill Dams, Cairo-Egypt
[3]	GWA, Dams Department-Libya "Megenin Booklets, 2007"
[4]	Hidroprojekat Consulting Engineering, 1974-1983 "Monthly Reports for Megenin Dam "Beograd –Yugoslavia.
[5]	Mala Company, 2005. "GPR Systems’’ Sweden, http:// www. Mala.Com
[6]	Sherared J.L, 1972. " Specialty Conference on Performance of Earth and Earth- Supported Structure’’ ASCE.
[7]	Solava & Delatte, 2003. "Teton Dam Failure Case Study’’ 3rd ASCE Forensics Congress, October 19-21, 2003, Santiago, California.
[8]	Stocky Swiss Engineering, June 2004 "Wadi Megenin Dam-Leakage Studies’’
[9]	T. Yokoyama, 2003. "A Temperature Analysis of Ground Water Flow System inUpper of the Ashigara Plain" Hot Spring Research Institute of

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Salaheddin Shmela, Eng. Najy Shakshem. (2013). Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 1(5), 248-257. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20

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Salaheddin Shmela; Eng. Najy Shakshem. Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2013, 1(5), 248-257. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20

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AMA Style

Salaheddin Shmela, Eng. Najy Shakshem. Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2013;1(5):248-257. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20

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@article{10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20,
  author = {Salaheddin Shmela and Eng. Najy Shakshem},
  title = {Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
  volume = {1},
  number = {5},
  pages = {248-257},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20130105.20},
  abstract = {Most of the recorded dam failures in different parts of the world were related to seepage problems. Avoiding earth dam's failure due to seepage usually requires evaluating settlement, and piping, through field monitoring. The problem of dam seepage was experienced in The 38 m high rock fill Megenin dam is a at located at Souk AL khamis area 75 Km south of Tripoli. The dam was constructed in 1972, for two main purposes; to provide flood controls of the downstream areas, the cultivated fields and Tripoli city, and also provides water for irrigation purpose . The rock-fill dam was supported with an upstream reinforced concrete membrane on the upstreamface consisted of a number of concrete panels, linked together with central rubber water stops, and surface-sealed with a bituminous sealant. A concrete cut-off wall and grout curtain were constructed below the dam body to prevent reservoir seepage through the foundation. It was observed during the 3rd filling of the reservoir at the reservoir storage water level at +271.86 m on 15thMay 2003, seepage occurred at the wadi bed downstream of the main dam. The seepage occurred at a piezometric water level higher than the previously measurements during the period of 1973 to 1974. Seepage problem was also encountered in previous reservoir operation. To assess the seepage phenomena and it's impact on the dam safety, a study was carreied out through appliaction of t ground penetrating radar survey (GPR), piezometric analysis, and temperature field evaluation techniques as well as the construction of a flow net model for the dam. The results of the study showed that:  the GPR profiles have delineated the critical zones in the dam body ,identify the water seepage paths from the reservoir to the down stream side of the dam, estimated  the seepage rate through the dam foundation as  0.08  Ɩliter / ssecond and suggested measures to avoid problem that may occur in the  future in Megenin dam due to seepage problems The study revealed the needs to design and implement effective monitoring program ,establish surface water gauging for any sudden increase in the seepage discharge  in bed wadi at downstream , groundwater water levels  fluctuation in the observation and seepage water beyond the dam. Maintain the upstream concrete facing joints and in case of alert condition occurred undertake  additional raw of grouting curtain along the full length of the dam to protect dam foundation from flow.},
 year = {2013}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam
AU  - Salaheddin Shmela
AU  - Eng. Najy Shakshem
Y1  - 2013/10/30
PY  - 2013
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
SP  - 248
EP  - 257
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7667
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20
AB  - Most of the recorded dam failures in different parts of the world were related to seepage problems. Avoiding earth dam's failure due to seepage usually requires evaluating settlement, and piping, through field monitoring. The problem of dam seepage was experienced in The 38 m high rock fill Megenin dam is a at located at Souk AL khamis area 75 Km south of Tripoli. The dam was constructed in 1972, for two main purposes; to provide flood controls of the downstream areas, the cultivated fields and Tripoli city, and also provides water for irrigation purpose . The rock-fill dam was supported with an upstream reinforced concrete membrane on the upstreamface consisted of a number of concrete panels, linked together with central rubber water stops, and surface-sealed with a bituminous sealant. A concrete cut-off wall and grout curtain were constructed below the dam body to prevent reservoir seepage through the foundation. It was observed during the 3rd filling of the reservoir at the reservoir storage water level at +271.86 m on 15thMay 2003, seepage occurred at the wadi bed downstream of the main dam. The seepage occurred at a piezometric water level higher than the previously measurements during the period of 1973 to 1974. Seepage problem was also encountered in previous reservoir operation. To assess the seepage phenomena and it's impact on the dam safety, a study was carreied out through appliaction of t ground penetrating radar survey (GPR), piezometric analysis, and temperature field evaluation techniques as well as the construction of a flow net model for the dam. The results of the study showed that:  the GPR profiles have delineated the critical zones in the dam body ,identify the water seepage paths from the reservoir to the down stream side of the dam, estimated  the seepage rate through the dam foundation as  0.08  Ɩliter / ssecond and suggested measures to avoid problem that may occur in the  future in Megenin dam due to seepage problems The study revealed the needs to design and implement effective monitoring program ,establish surface water gauging for any sudden increase in the seepage discharge  in bed wadi at downstream , groundwater water levels  fluctuation in the observation and seepage water beyond the dam. Maintain the upstream concrete facing joints and in case of alert condition occurred undertake  additional raw of grouting curtain along the full length of the dam to protect dam foundation from flow.
VL  - 1
IS  - 5
ER  -

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Author Information

Salaheddin Shmela

Tripoli University, Civil Engineering Department, Tripoli, Libya
Eng. Najy Shakshem

General water associations, Tripoli, Libya

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APA Style

Salaheddin Shmela, Eng. Najy Shakshem. (2013). Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam. International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis, 1(5), 248-257. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20

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ACS Style

Salaheddin Shmela; Eng. Najy Shakshem. Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam. Int. J. Environ. Monit. Anal. 2013, 1(5), 248-257. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20

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AMA Style

Salaheddin Shmela, Eng. Najy Shakshem. Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam. Int J Environ Monit Anal. 2013;1(5):248-257. doi: 10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20,
  author = {Salaheddin Shmela and Eng. Najy Shakshem},
  title = {Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis},
  volume = {1},
  number = {5},
  pages = {248-257},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijema.20130105.20},
  abstract = {Most of the recorded dam failures in different parts of the world were related to seepage problems. Avoiding earth dam's failure due to seepage usually requires evaluating settlement, and piping, through field monitoring. The problem of dam seepage was experienced in The 38 m high rock fill Megenin dam is a at located at Souk AL khamis area 75 Km south of Tripoli. The dam was constructed in 1972, for two main purposes; to provide flood controls of the downstream areas, the cultivated fields and Tripoli city, and also provides water for irrigation purpose . The rock-fill dam was supported with an upstream reinforced concrete membrane on the upstreamface consisted of a number of concrete panels, linked together with central rubber water stops, and surface-sealed with a bituminous sealant. A concrete cut-off wall and grout curtain were constructed below the dam body to prevent reservoir seepage through the foundation. It was observed during the 3rd filling of the reservoir at the reservoir storage water level at +271.86 m on 15thMay 2003, seepage occurred at the wadi bed downstream of the main dam. The seepage occurred at a piezometric water level higher than the previously measurements during the period of 1973 to 1974. Seepage problem was also encountered in previous reservoir operation. To assess the seepage phenomena and it's impact on the dam safety, a study was carreied out through appliaction of t ground penetrating radar survey (GPR), piezometric analysis, and temperature field evaluation techniques as well as the construction of a flow net model for the dam. The results of the study showed that:  the GPR profiles have delineated the critical zones in the dam body ,identify the water seepage paths from the reservoir to the down stream side of the dam, estimated  the seepage rate through the dam foundation as  0.08  Ɩliter / ssecond and suggested measures to avoid problem that may occur in the  future in Megenin dam due to seepage problems The study revealed the needs to design and implement effective monitoring program ,establish surface water gauging for any sudden increase in the seepage discharge  in bed wadi at downstream , groundwater water levels  fluctuation in the observation and seepage water beyond the dam. Maintain the upstream concrete facing joints and in case of alert condition occurred undertake  additional raw of grouting curtain along the full length of the dam to protect dam foundation from flow.},
 year = {2013}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Seepage Phenomenon for Wadi Megenin Dam
AU  - Salaheddin Shmela
AU  - Eng. Najy Shakshem
Y1  - 2013/10/30
PY  - 2013
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Monitoring and Analysis
SP  - 248
EP  - 257
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2328-7667
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijema.20130105.20
AB  - Most of the recorded dam failures in different parts of the world were related to seepage problems. Avoiding earth dam's failure due to seepage usually requires evaluating settlement, and piping, through field monitoring. The problem of dam seepage was experienced in The 38 m high rock fill Megenin dam is a at located at Souk AL khamis area 75 Km south of Tripoli. The dam was constructed in 1972, for two main purposes; to provide flood controls of the downstream areas, the cultivated fields and Tripoli city, and also provides water for irrigation purpose . The rock-fill dam was supported with an upstream reinforced concrete membrane on the upstreamface consisted of a number of concrete panels, linked together with central rubber water stops, and surface-sealed with a bituminous sealant. A concrete cut-off wall and grout curtain were constructed below the dam body to prevent reservoir seepage through the foundation. It was observed during the 3rd filling of the reservoir at the reservoir storage water level at +271.86 m on 15thMay 2003, seepage occurred at the wadi bed downstream of the main dam. The seepage occurred at a piezometric water level higher than the previously measurements during the period of 1973 to 1974. Seepage problem was also encountered in previous reservoir operation. To assess the seepage phenomena and it's impact on the dam safety, a study was carreied out through appliaction of t ground penetrating radar survey (GPR), piezometric analysis, and temperature field evaluation techniques as well as the construction of a flow net model for the dam. The results of the study showed that:  the GPR profiles have delineated the critical zones in the dam body ,identify the water seepage paths from the reservoir to the down stream side of the dam, estimated  the seepage rate through the dam foundation as  0.08  Ɩliter / ssecond and suggested measures to avoid problem that may occur in the  future in Megenin dam due to seepage problems The study revealed the needs to design and implement effective monitoring program ,establish surface water gauging for any sudden increase in the seepage discharge  in bed wadi at downstream , groundwater water levels  fluctuation in the observation and seepage water beyond the dam. Maintain the upstream concrete facing joints and in case of alert condition occurred undertake  additional raw of grouting curtain along the full length of the dam to protect dam foundation from flow.
VL  - 1
IS  - 5
ER  -

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