RCC at 10

Prendergast, John; ,

RCC at 10

by John Prendergast, Managing Editor; Civil Engineering Magazine, ASCE World Headquarters, 345 East 47th Street, New York City, NY.,

Serial Information: Civil Engineering—ASCE, 1992, Vol. 62, Issue 10, Pg. 44-47

Document Type: Feature article

Abstract:

Tens years after the first roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam in the U.S.�the 169 ft high Willow Creek Dam in Oregon�was completed, the method has gained wide acceptance around the world for both new construction and rehab applications. The 1992 Water Power and Dam Construction Handbook lists 105 RCC dams 50 ft high or more, either completed or under construction around the world. Most work has ocurred since 1985, when only seven large dams had been built. Currently, there are RCC projects in 17 countries, including 16 in China, 14 in Spain and 18 in Japan (the Japanese use a variation of the method, called roller-compacted dams). In the U.S., 24 dams more than 50 ft high have been built or are under way. A total of 45 dams have been rehabbed with RCC, including 33 earth embankments, three concrete structures and nine replacement dams. The article discusses design and construction issues such as mix design and seepage protection and describes current projects including Siegrist Dam in Pennsylvania and Zintel Canyon Dam in Washington.

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