Hydraulic Engineering Of Dams

This book deals with the major hydraulic aspects of dam engineering, including their relevance in the modern world, the main overflow, diversion, outlet and dissipation structures, bottom outlets and intake structures, and also with reservoir sedimentation, impulse waves and dambreak waves.

Hydraulic engineering of dams and their appurtenant structures counts among the essential tasks to successfully design safe water-retaining reservoirs for hydroelectric power generation, flood retention, and irrigation and water supply demands. In view of climate change, especially dams and reservoirs, among other water infrastructure, will and have to play an even more important role than in the past as part of necessary mitigation and adaptation measures to satisfy vital needs in water supply, renewable energy and food worldwide as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

This book deals with the major hydraulic aspects of dam engineering considering recent developments in research and construction, namely overflow, conveyance and dissipations structures of spillways, river diversion facilities during construction, bottom and low-level outlets as well as intake structures. Furthermore, the book covers reservoir sedimentation, impulse waves and dambreak waves, which are relevant topics in view of sustainable and safe operation of reservoirs.

The book is richly illustrated with photographs, highlighting the various appurtenant structures of dams addressed in the book chapters, as well as figures and diagrams showing important relations among the governing parameters of a certain phenomenon. An extensive literature review along with an updated bibliography complete this book.

1. Introduction. 2. Frontal crest overflow. 3. Spatial crest overflow. 4. Spillway chute. 5. Dissipation structures. 6. Ski jump and plunge pool. 7. River diversion structures. 8. Intakes and outlets. 9. Reservoir sedimentation. 10. Impulse waves in reservoirs. 11. Dam breach.

This book is a significant extension of Dam Hydraulics by Daniel L. Vischer and Willi H. Hager with three experts replacing their retired teacher, tutor and colleague Professor Vischer, to whom this work is dedicated. Many new topics and extensive chapters on hydraulic engineering are included to reflect the new developments and findings from the last two decades. […]

These 11 chapters are all self-contained, with their own notation and extensive bibliographies for further reading next to the cited publications. Each chapter starts with beautiful and impressive photographs in colour and all illustrations in the book are well presented and uniformly formatted. The volume also includes extensive subject and author indices, so it is convenient to be used as a reference book, both to refresh old knowledge and to obtain new information. […] This well-written and comprehensive book is one of the few currently available on the market on dam hydraulics and engineering. It meets the needs of both academics and practising hydraulic engineers, with many useful case studies, design guidance and summaries of research findings.

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In summary, this is the most comprehensive and up-to-date book on the hydraulic engineering of dams currently on the market. It is highly recommended to postgraduate students, researchers, academics and practising hydraulic engineers working on the design of the appurtenant structures of dams, as well as in related fields such as open channel flows and hydraulic structures. This book promises to be an inspiration for many current and future researchers and practitioners in hydraulics and hydraulic engineering.

Valentin Heller, Book review. P