Missouri University of Science and Technology Scholars' Mine International Conference on Case Histories in (2008) - Sixth International Conference on Case Geotechnical Engineering Histories in Geotechnical Engineering 14 Aug 2008, 4:30pm - 6:00pm Initial Filling of Tehri Reservoir — Analysis of Seepage Data R. S. T. Sai THDC Ltd., Rishikesh, India S. K. Shukla THDC Ltd., Rishikesh, India G. M. Prasad THDC Ltd., Rishikesh, India R. K. Vishnoi THDC Ltd., Rishikesh, India Sandeep Singhal THDC Ltd., Rishikesh, India Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/icchge Part of the Geotechnical Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Sai, R. S. T.; Shukla, S. K.; Prasad, G. M.; Vishnoi, R. K.; and Singhal, Sandeep, "Initial Filling of Tehri Reservoir — Analysis of Seepage Data" (2008). International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering. 27. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/icchge/6icchge/session02/27 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article - Conference proceedings is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars' Mine. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering by an authorized administrator of Scholars' Mine. This work is protected by U. S. Copyright Law. Unauthorized use including reproduction for redistribution requires the permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INITIAL FILLING OF TEHRI RESERVOIR - ANALYSIS OF SEEPAGE DATA R.S.T.Sai S.K.Shukla G.M.Prasad R.K.Vishnoi Sandeep Singhal CMD Director (Technical) Gen. Manager (Design) Dy. Gen. Manager (Design) Sr. Manager (Design) THDC Ltd. THDC Ltd. THDC Ltd. THDC Ltd. THDC Ltd. Rishikesh, India Rishikesh, India Rishikesh, India Rishikesh, India Rishikesh, India ABSTRACT Initial Filling of reservoirs in dams, particularly the embankment type, is a very important phase as unusual behaviour / accidents of many dams have been reported during this period. A regular observation / analysis of quantum of seepage vis-à-vis the reservoir level is a significant activity so that any serious development inside the body of dam and foundation / abutments rocks are revealed in advance and remedial measures are taken up timely to prevent catastrophic failures. At Tehri, a 260.5m high earth & rockfill dam has been constructed across river Bhagirathi, a tributary of mighty river Ganga in India. Seepage discharge data of first two years of Initial Filling of Tehri reservoir has been analysed, which has led to a few important conclusions. The Analysis of Seepage data for the Initial Filling of Tehri reservoir is presented in the paper. INTRODUCTION Tehri reservoir, for the period upto 30th Sept’07, and the conclusions drawn there from are discussed. Tehri dam is the highest earth & rockfill dam in India which has been constructed across river Bhagirathi, a tributary of mighty river Ganga which originates from Gaumukh glacier in THE PROJECT Himalayas. Tehri dam project has been conceived on river Bhagirathi in order to even out the temporal variation of Tehri project is a multipurpose project providing benefits of rainfall in the region. The project site is located in a unique Irrigation, Drinking water supply and production of seismo-tectonic set-up and therefore impressed upon the hydropower etc. The project comprises of an earth & rockfill choice of an earth and rockfill dam. Construction of main dam dam of 260.5 m height at Tehri on River Bhagirathi at 1.5 km & appurtenant structures was completed in Sept’05 and downstream of its confluence with River Bhilangana. It is subsequently, the last diversion tunnel of the project (T-2) was having a spillway system to bypass the surplus water during plugged in accordance with the specified closure sequence. monsoon and high floods. The spillway system comprises of a Filling of the Tehri reservoir was started in Oct’05, and it is chute spillway having 3 bays of 10.5m each on right bank, and planned to be completed in a total period of 3 seasons. Second four shaft spillways, two each on left and right bank year filling of reservoir commenced in June’07 and it has also constructed by joining vertical shafts with the existing 4 Nos. been completed successfully. Initial phase of filling of diversion tunnels. An intermediate level outlet on the right reservoirs behind the dams, particularly the embankment type, bank has been constructed by joining a horizontal tunnel with is very important as unusual behaviour / accidents of many vertical shaft. There are four headrace tunnels and an dams have been reported during this period only. At Tehri underground powerhouse on the left bank to accommodate dam, a regular observation / analysis of quantum of seepage four conventional power-generating units of 250 MW each through the body of dam and its foundation vis-à-vis the (i.e. total installed capacity as 1000 MW). The layout of Tehri reservoir level is being done so that any serious development dam project is given in Fig. 1. inside the dam and foundation are revealed in advance and remedial measures are taken up timely. In this paper an analysis of seepage data observed during the first filling of Paper No. 2.95 1 10 12 13 N 9 8 7 6 1 2 5 3 11 13 4 (1) Dam Boundary (7) Head Race Tunnels (2 for HPP & 2 for PSP) (2) Dam Crest (8) Machine Hall of HPP (3) Chute Spillway (9) Transformer Hall (Common for HPP & PSP) (4) Right Bank Shaft Spillways (10) Maintenance Gate Shafts (5) Intermediate Level Outlet (11) Right Bank Diversion Tunnels (6) Left Bank Shaft Spillways (12) Left Bank Diversion Tunnels (13) Concrete Plugs Fig. 1. General Layout Plan GEOLOGY AT DAM SITE The foliation of the phyllites exposed in the Tehri gorge generally strike N 55˚ W – S 55˚ E to N 80˚ W -S 80˚ E with The rock formations at the dam site comprise phyllites of a dip of 35˚ to 67˚ in South –Westerly (d/s) direction. The Chandpur formation. These are in general, banded in rocks at the dam site are traversed by numerous major and appearance, the bands being constituted of argillaceous and minor shears classified as diagonal (D) and longitudinal (L) arenaceous materials. On the basis of extent of argillaceous shears. The L –shears more or less, coincide with bedding / and arenaceous materials, varying magnitude of tectonic foliation traces and dip in southern quadrant, whereas D- deformations suffered by them and on the basis of geo- shears dip in northern quadrant. In the main dam core area, mechanical properties, the rocks in the area have been broadly major L-shears (L6 & L7) traverse the foundation at different grouped into 3 grades, namely Phyllite Grade-I (PQM & levels on either abutment. No major D- shear has been PQT), Phyllite Grade-II (QP), and Phyllite Grade –III or exposed in core portion. Eight prominent sets of joints Sheared Phyllite (SP). The thickness of overburden in the river occurring in the area were observed to be open in weathered section at dam site was of the order of 10 to 15 m. Geological rock mass and generally tight at the depth, down to which plan of the dam area is shown in Fig. 2. stripping has been done. Paper No. 2.95 2 4 860 x 1 0 0 860 820 9 4 x 1 x 82 3 0 780 2 x 740 x 4 700 x x 780 1 660 BHAGIRATHI RIVER x 5 x 740 x 700 0 2 6 0 x 5 6 6 x 1 660 x x 6 4 6 2 0 0 7 6 0 0 0 7 0 4 7 4 1 7 0 8 8 0 2 3 8 2 0 0 1 6 4 4 0 7 2 9 0 0 0 8 7 0 0 6 0 0 8 9 2 8 Interbedded quartzite phyllite ( QP) & PQT phyllite grad 1 Phyllitic quartzite massive ( PQM) mainly 5 Phyllite grade-I 2 Phyllite quartzite thinly bedded ( PQT) mainly Dam body L6 & L7 Longitudinal shears (dipping down stream) 3 Interbedded PQM & PQT Phyllite grade-I & II 4 Interbedded PQT & PQM Fig.2. Geological Plan of Dam Site Area DAM 9.5m has been provided above full reservoir level (FRL). The crest of dam is 25.5 m wide in central portion, which has been Tehri dam is a 260.5 m high earth & rockfill dam having u/s flared to 30.5 m near abutments. The dam section is composed and d/s slopes as 2.5 H :1V and 2.0 H:1V respectively. The of central impervious core, transition zones on both u/s and d/s general elevation of the river bed in the dam area is 600m. The of core (filter zones), pervious shell zones and riprap. Typical crest level of the dam is 839.5m, full reservoir level is 830m section of Tehri Dam is shown in Fig. 3. and dead storage level is 740m. A very liberal freeboard of 5 7 2A 5 4 4 1 6 3 2B 3 8 2D 2C 11 10 9 (1) Impervious Clay Core (5) Riprap (2A) Upstream Shell (6) Inspection Gallery at El. 725 m (+/-) (2B) Downstream Shell (7) Inspection Gallery at El. 835 m (+/-) (2C) Processed Shell (8) Consolidation Grouting (2D) Processed Shell (9) Grout Curtain (3) Fine Filter (10) Underground Grouting Gallery (4) Coarse Filter (11) Coffer Dam Fig. 3. Typical Section of Tehri Dam Paper No. 2.95 3 As the deposits of clayey soils were available in the vicinity of Compacted dry density of the core was 1.9 T/cum in dam site, it was found suitable to design the dam with a central central portion and 1.85 T/cum near abutments.