TRAPEZOIDAL CSG DAMS

Atsuyoshi Higuchi, Takashi Ikeda, Japan Dam Engineering Center

1. INTRODUCTION the bottom of the upstream slope, a gallery is built,

structural concrete is placed, and seepage control
Many technologies have been developed to
concrete is used to ensure creep length. The part
construct dams in Japan, but today, the aims of
of the CSG in contact with the foundation
this technology development must include lower
bedrock is rich mix CSG used to provide
costs and improved protection of the environment.
durability.
Conditions related to quarries needed to obtain
dam body materials are particularly severe, as
falling yields and expansion of the scale of slope
excavation are causing severe problems: higher
cost of quarrying and heavier load on the
environment among them. So “rationalization of
materials” is required to lower high costs and to
reduce environmental load.
Dam rationalization technologies include
those which achieve three goals, “rationalization
of design”, “rationalization of materials”, and
“rationalization of execution”, but a trapezoidal
Photo 1.1 Execution of the Marsh Control Works
CSG dam is a new form of dam intended to
at the Taiho Dam
achieve “rationalization of materials” which is the
most important of the three goals which must
now be achieved. It will also contribute to
“rationalization of design” and “rationalization Protection concrete
of execution”.
Protection concrete
The trapezoidal CSG dam theory has been
applied to design and execute two structures: the Structural concrete
marsh control works at the Taiho Dam operated Gallery
Seepage control concrete Rich mix CSG
by the Okinawa General Bureau of the Cabinet
Office (Photo 1.1) and the Kawai Dike at the Auxiliary curtain grouting
Foundation drain hole
Haizuka Dam operated by the Chugoku
Curtain grouting
Regional Bureau of the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport. And work is about
to begin on construction of two full-size Figure 2.1 Standard Section of a Trapezoidal CSG
trapezoidal CSG dams. Dam

2.2 Trapezoidal dam and triangular dam

2. OVERVIEW OF A TRAPEZOIDAL CSG
DAM 1) Stress and required strength
Shapes of dams are right-angled triangle
2.1 Shape and structure of a trapezoidal CSG shaped dams such as concrete gravity dams and
dam trapezoidal shaped dams such as the trapezoidal
Figure 2.1 shows the standard section of a CSG dam introduced by this report. Materials
trapezoidal CSG dam. A trapezoidal CSG dam is used to make dams require sufficient strength to
built mainly using CSG as its dam body material. resist stresses produced, but in the model shown
Protection concrete is placed on the surfaces to in Figure 2.2 for example, the maximum
ensure that they are durable and waterproof. At compressive stress produced inside the dam body

1
 Right-angled triangle dam Trapezoidal dam Calculation conditions
‧ Dam height 50m, reservoir depth 45m
‧ Elastic modulus of dam body (Ec)/elastic
First major stress

modulus of foundation bedrock (Er) = 2

‧ Self-weight + hydrostatic pressure + inertia
and hydrodynamic pressure during
earthquake
Max. tensile stress Max. tensile stress (As earthquake load, acceleration wave
forms in the upstream – downstream
direction obtained at the Hitokura Dam
Third major stress

during the Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake

adjusted to maximum acceleration of 250gal
were used)

Max. compressive stress Max. compressive stress

Figure 2.2 Distribution of Stress in the Dam Body According to Dam Body Shape

is, in the right-angled triangle dam, 1.97N/mm2,

Required compressive strength (N/mm )
2
Required compressive
and in the trapezoidal dam, it is 1.13N/mm2. strength obtained from
tensile stress
Accordingly, a trapezoidal dam need only provide Required compressive
strength obtained from
about 60% of the necessary compressive strength compressive stress

of a right-angled triangular shaped dam.

On the other hand, the tensile stress of a Right-angled triangle
right-angled triangle dam and a trapezoidal dam dam Trapezoidal dam
are 1.08N/mm2 and 0.15N/mm2 respectively. The
concrete strength sufficient to build a concrete
gravity dam is assumed to be tensile strength
equal to about 10% of compressive strength.
Applying this relationship, at a right-angled Upstream surface gradient
triangle dam, in order to ensure tensile strength of Figure 2.3 Comparison of Required Strength
1.08N/mm2, compressive strength of 10.8N/mm2
which is ten times this value is necessary, and at a base. This is a condition which must be satisfied
trapezoidal dam, similarly, compressive strength by a trapezoidal dam.
of 1.5N/mm2 is necessary. In the case of a right-angled triangle dam on
Figure 2.3 shows these relationships. The the other hand, vertical stress obtained by
compressive strength required by a trapezoidal dynamic analysis is easily transformed into
dam can be strength from 10% to 20% of the tension state near the upstream and downstream
compressive strength required by a right-angled ends during an earthquake. So a right-angled
triangle dam, permitting a broad selection of triangle dam can be made to resist tensile stress
materials. And in the case of the trapezoidal shape, by integrating its dam body with its foundation.
the gentler the gradient, the lower the required In the case of a trapezoidal dam on the other
strength. hand, it is not necessary to integrate the dam body
2) Overturning with the bedrock, because basically, vertical stress
A trapezoidal dam will, because of its shape, being constantly on the compressive side
never overturn in the way assumed to occur when throughout the surface of the base is a condition
studying a retaining wall etc. Thus, a condition for prevention of overturning. This is a big
for a trapezoidal dam is that not only at normal difference between a right-angled triangle dam
times, but also during an earthquake (according to and a trapezoidal dam (Fig. 2.4).
dynamic analysis), overturning is prevented by 3) Sliding
maintaining the vertical stress basically in The length of the base of a trapezoidal dam is
compressive state throughout the surface of its relatively long compared with that of a

2
right-angled triangle dam and its shape is entire bottom surface. At a right-angled triangle
symmetrical to the left and right, so throughout dam on the other hand, tensile stress is produced
the surface of dam base, its vertical stress (Fig. on the upstream side (Fig. 2.4) and large shear
2.4) is compressive and the shear stress (Fig. 2.5) stress is produced on the downstream side (Fig.
changes little. Consequently, sliding can be 2.5). So on a right-angled triangle dam, the dam
adequately resisted by only the friction of the dam body and foundation bedrock must be integrated
body and foundation bedrock, because frictional so the bedrock shear strength on the adhesion
force can be counted on stably acting on the surface will be used to resist sliding.

Right-angled Trapezoidal dam

triangle dam

Distance from the upstream surface (m) Distance from the upstream surface (m)

(Tension) (Tension)

Self-weight
Self-weight Self-weight + hydrostatic pressure + uplift pressure
Self-weight + hydrostatic pressure + uplift pressure Earthquake + self-weight + hydrostatic pressure +
hydrodynamic pressure + uplift pressure
Vertical stress (N/mm2)

Vertical stress (N/mm2)

Earthquake + self-weight + hydrostatic pressure +

hydrodynamic pressure + uplift pressure

(Compression) (Compression)

Figure 2.4 Vertical Stress Distribution Acting on Dam Base

Right-angled Trapezoidal dam

triangle dam

Distance from the upstream surface (m) Distance from the upstream surface (m)
Shear stress (N/mm2)

Shear stress (N/mm2)

Earthquake + self-weight + hydrostatic pressure +

hydrodynamic pressure

Earthquake + self-weight + hydrostatic pressure +

hydrodynamic pressure

(Downstream (Downstream
direction) direction)

Figure 2.5 Shear Stress Distribution Acting on the Dam Base

3
2.3 CSG AND THE CSG CONSTRUCTION necessary to construct a concrete dam, are
METHOD unnecessary. CSG is material obtained by using
simple equipment to continually mix cement and
CSG is “a mixture made by using simple
water with “CSG material”. Figure 2.7 shows an
equipment to mix cement and water with
example of CSG mixing facilities.
materials obtainable near the surroundings of a
CSG which has been mixed is executed by the
construction site, basically without sorting, grade
planar execution method in the same way as the
adjustment, nor cleaning of the materials, but
RCD method, and the equipment used to place
when necessary, removing or crushing oversize
the material includes general purpose machinery
materials”. The CSG construction method is,
such as dump trucks, bulldozers, vibrating rollers,
“Spreading CSG with a bulldozer and compacting
and other equipment used for ordinary dam
it with a vibrating roller to form a structure.”
construction. CSG is made based on a low unit
Figure 2.6 shows the normal CSG production
cement quantity (assumed to be less than
process. The “Matrixes” are made of rocky raw
80kg/m3) and low unit water content and bleeding
material relatively easily obtained: excavated
of CSG is extremely rare. Therefore, green cut is
muck and other materials produced on site,
unnecessary and transverse joints are not formed
riverbed gravel, terrace deposits, and weathered
during placement, permitting the simplification
rocks etc. “CSG material” is made by removing
and speeding up of execution. The CSG
oversize pieces only from the base material which
construction method effectively uses material
is the original raw material using an aggregate
obtainable near at hand and is executed using
sorter called a Grizzly etc. or crushing the
simple equipment and general purpose machinery
oversize pieces with a crusher, but basically
without grade adjustment and cleaning in this way,
without sorting, blending, other grading
permitting the simplification of execution,
adjustment, and cleaning the material. Thus,
reduction of impacts on the environment, cutting
equipment such as an aggregate production
costs, and speeding up execution.
system or a turbid water treatment system

Cement Water

Placement/
Matrixes CSG material CSG
curing

Oversize removal Mixing

(crushing etc. as
necessary)

Figure 2.6 Normal CSG Production Process

Mixing
Primary stock yard Secondary stock yard Cement water equipment
supply device
Bulldozer Back hoe
Bulldozer
Wheel loader
Dump truck

Figure 2.7 Example of CSG Mixing System

2.4. TRAPEZOIDAL CSG DAM unit cost, but on the other hand, it cannot be
counted on to provide strength equal to that of
The CSG construction method uses materials
concrete. However, the trapezoidal shape of the
obtainable near the construction site and builds
dam permits much lower required strength of the
the dam using simplified methods, cutting the

4
material than that of a right-angled triangle trapezoidal CSG dam. The trapezoidal CSG dam
concrete dam. Thus, the CSG construction which was developed primarily to “rationalize
method can be used to build a trapezoidal dam, materials” in this way, will also contribute to the
and the product of doing so is a new kind of dam “rationalization of design” and the
called a trapezoidal CSG dam. “rationalization of execution”.
Figure 2.8 shows the properties of a

Trapezoidal dam CSG construction method

(Rationalization of design) (Rationalization of materials and execution)
① It can control stress produced inside the dam ① It can effectively use materials easily obtained near the
body even during a large earthquake. construction site, reducing environment load and lowering the
② It can control stress fluctuation inside the dam cost.
body even when load conditions change. ② It can lower the cost by eliminating the need for an aggregate
③ It can increase safety against sliding and plant and simplifying execution equipment.
overturning ③ It can speed up execution by using general purpose machinery.

Trapezoidal CSG Dam

[Rationalization of materials]
Because the required strength of the dam body material is low, the required performance of the
materials is smaller and the freedom of choice of materials is wider.
[Rationalization of design]
The trapezoidal shape can improve stability during earthquakes and reduce the required
strength of the dam body material.
[Rationalization of execution]
Simplified execution machinery can speed up execution

Figure 2.8 Special Features of a Trapezoidal CSG Dam

3. DESIGN AND EXECUTION OF A presumably be actually produced from the

TRAPEZOIDAL CSG DAM “Matrixes”. The grades selected for use for
strength testing are the coarsest and the finest
3.1 Strength of CSG (Diamond shape theory)
grades. And to clarify the strength – grading
Materials are used for dam bodies which are relationship, the mean grading is always added to
permanent structures on the condition that for the test grades.
each material, there is a, “method of evaluating its Regarding the unit water content, if the water
strength” and “method of managing its quality”. is gradually lowered, a shortage of water clearly
Therefore, this section begins with a discussion of occurs, preventing the development of strength,
the “method of evaluating the strength” of CSG. and if the quantity of water is increased, material
“Matrixes” is basically neither classified nor will adhere to the mixing equipment blades and
grade adjusted. The only process applied is either other phenomena which reduces the quality of the
removing or crushing oversize pieces so they can execution will appear during mixing. This shows
be used. As a result inevitable fluctuation of that there is an allowed range of unit water
grading occurs, even in material obtained at the content. Consequently, to determine the unit
same location. And the fluctuation of the grading water content used for strength testing,
makes it difficult to ensure constant unit water broadening the specimen water range to perform
content. If material with fluctuating grading and the test using a number of unit water quantities
unit water content is used, even if the cement within this range clarifies the impacts of unit
quantity is constant, the strength of the CSG water content.
naturally varies. Hence, “CSG strength” is set The test results plot the strength of the
rationally by the following procedure. coarsest and finest grades for each unit water
First, the grading is done by performing many content with the vertical axis representing
grading tests of the material obtained by strength of CSG and the horizontal axis
collecting matrixes to clarify the coarsest and the representing the unit water content as shown by
finest grades of the “CSG material” which will Figure 3.1. Linking the strengths for each grading
5
 Range where (control of vibrating roller
adequate compaction Range in which unit Range where problems with
compaction frequency). To
is impossible because water content can be execution occur during
of a shortage of paste selected support this control, the
mixing and compaction
Strength of CSG (N/mm)

Hypothetical range based suitability of the control

on the control method
during execution Relationship of unit water system is confirmed based
content and strength of
CSG in the coarsest grade on the fluctuation trends of
Strength material case
range Relationship of unit the specimen strength of
CSG strength water content and
strength of CSG in the
CSG which has been
finest grade material manufactured and the
case
on-site density of the CSG
3
which has been poured.
Unit water content (kg/m )
Quality control of CSG
Figure 3.1 Range of Strength of CSG decided from the Grading Range consists of three control
and Unit water content Control Range “Diamond shape theory” items: quality control of
“Matrixes”, quality control
obtains the unit water content – strength of CSG of “CSG material”, and quality control of CSG.
line with grading as the variable. If the allowable ① Quality control of “Matrixes”
range of unit water content is entered on this To control the quality of the “Matrixes”, a
figure as the vertical axis, the strength of CSG is check is made to confirm whether or not its
within the area enclosed by two grading – material properties vary to a significant degree,
strength lines above and below, and is distributed and its quality is clarified more than one month
within the range of the “diamond shape” which is before execution to allow adequate time to
demarcated by vertical lines showing the allowed remake the diamond shape when it is necessary to
unit water range of the two lines. Regarding the do so because of quality variations.
“CSG material” which is within the range set by ② Quality control of “CSG material”
the grade and unit water content, if the lowest The quality of “CSG material” is controlled in
strength within this “diamond shaped” range is the primary stock yard (enough to be used for a 3
treated as the strength of the CSG, a value at or to 5 day period) and the secondary stock yard
higher than this strength is constantly ensured, (enough to be used the following day). Items
this value is defined as “CSG strength”, and is the controlled are dry surface density, water
strength used to design a trapezoidal CSG dam. absorption coefficient, grading, surface water (for
This is called the “Diamond Shape Theory”. The that to be used the following day, only grading
concrete strength is controlled by point-like and surface water). Setting the quantity in the
control which controls one point which applies primary stock yard as that which will be used
grading and unit water content that promise the during the following 3 to 5 days is done
greatest strength, while strength of CSG control is
planar control.

3.2 Quality control

Quality which CSG must provide as dam body
material for a trapezoidal CSG dam is strength.
Therefore, CSG quality control is performed in
order to control the strength of CSG which has
been poured. CSG is made by applying the
“Diamond Shape Theory” which is premised on
fluctuation of the grading and unit water content
of “CSG material” to control the strength of the
CSG. CSG is executed by controlling strength of
CSG based on compaction energy control Photo 3.1. View of Execution of Cofferdam
Upstream from the Tobetsu Dam
6
considering the execution, but is also a period set foundation bedrock to ensure the creep length, so
considering the time required to perform dry the part in contact with the rock must be treated in
surface density and water absorption coefficient the same way as at a concrete dam. The
testing. protection concrete is placed with joints formed at
③ Quality control of CSG intervals of 15m just like a concrete dam in order
The quality of CSG is controlled in the mixing to prevent cracking, and the protection concrete
equipment and at the placement location. In the on the upstream side is installed along with
mixing equipment, simple methods are used to cut-off plates. And in the concrete parts,
control the unit water content and grading. The construction joints are processed similarly to
time interval between measurements is short those on concrete dams.
when execution begins, then an appropriate
frequency is set based on an analysis of the first 4. EXAMPLES OF REDUCTION OF
results. In the mixing equipment, the weight is IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
controlled. Because CSG is, in principle, supplied
4.1 Example of Dam A
continuously, it is weighed in real time.
At the placement site, roller compaction Dam A was originally planned as a concrete
frequency is controlled (energy control). It is gravity dam as shown in Figure 4.1. The geology
supplemented by on-site density testing, but this distributed in the area around the dam site ranges
is done to confirm whether or not the properties from a Mesozoic Age Triassic Period geology
of the material have fluctuated, if the weighing, consisting mainly of sandstone, mudstone, and
spreading, and rolling compaction, etc. are done chert to a Jurassic Tamba Zone.
suitably, and if the control system operates
correctly. Dam crest elevation 283.0
Design flood level EL281.2.
And strength testing of specimens is done, but Surcharge water level EL277.5

this is, like the on-site density tests, done to

confirm that the control system is operating
correctly, and in order to check on the strength as
quickly as possible, strength testing should be
done every 7 days.
Foundation
3.3 Execution Consolidation grouting
elevation

The unit quantity of cement set to build a Supplementary

curtain grouting
trapezoidal CSG dam is generally extremely low
at about 80kg/m3, transverse joints are not formed Curtain grouting

in the CSG part, bleeding almost never occurs, Figure 4.1 Proposed Concrete Gravity Dam
and tensile strength is not manifest vertically. (Dam A)
Therefore, green cut which is performed to build
concrete dams is not done. In the CSG If the concrete gravity dam was built, the raw
construction joints, bedding mortar or cement aggregate (approximately 110,000m3 required)
paste are spread to ensure integration with the would be sandstone, but there are relatively few
horizontal construction joints. locations of clusters of blocks of angular
At the part of the CSG in contact with rock, sandstone distributed around the dam site, and the
the trapezoidal CSG dam need not be integrated quarry would be constructed approximately
with the bedrock, so bedding mortar is not placed. 8.5km from the dam site. A second dam (concrete
For these reasons, the execution of the CSG part gravity dam requiring approximately 270,000m3
can be performed more rapidly than at a concrete of quarried rock) was planned for a drainage
gravity dam. basin adjoining that of Dam A, and it was
Among the concrete parts, the seepage control assumed that this quarry would be used to supply
concrete integrates the dam body with the the two dams. But, as shown by Figure 4.2, at this

7
 Building the proposed trapezoidal CSG
Material A
Material B dam will allow the transport of the
Material C
Material D “Matrixes” only a short distance from the
dam site, while building the proposed
concrete dam would have required the
long distance transport of quarried rock,
sharply increasing the quantity of CO2
emitted during transport. And acquiring
the rock would have produced
approximately 1 million m3 of waste rock,
requiring that a large muck disposal yard
be obtained, but building a trapezoidal
Figure 4.2. Quarry (Dam A) CSG dam will more than halve the
quantity of waste rock produced.
quarry, deterioration extends from the surface to a In this way, at Dam A, adopting the
deep level and bedrock of CM class or higher that trapezoidal CSG dam type ensures that the impact
can be used as concrete aggregate is distributed on the environment of transporting materials from
only deep under the quarry. Therefore, it is the location they are obtained to the dam site and
assumed that a large quantity of the rock would transporting waste rock to the muck yard will be
have been discarded, reducing the yield to lower than the impact which would be imposed
between 20% and 30%. by building a concrete gravity dam.
It has been confirmed that if the planned dam
is changed to a trapezoidal CSG dam, as the 4.2 Example of Dam B
“Matrixes” of the CSG that would be used as the
The original study to plan Dam B was, as shown
dam body material (approximately 170,000m3
in Figure 4.4, intended to design a rockfill dam
required), except for its weathered surface, the CL
with central core standing approximately 70m in
class slate which is the softest of the bedrock
height. Low strength tuff breccia is widely
distributed inside the reservoir directly upstream
distributed around the dam and reservoir sites, but
from the dam site can be fully used. So based on
the stratification is mainly volcanic ash
the results of comparative design work, the
containing almost no volcanic conglomerate, so it
originally proposed concrete gravity dam was
is unusable as rock material. So as the rock
replaced by a trapezoidal CSG dam as shown in
material (approx. 1.15 million m3), the plan called
Figure 4.3. And similarly the dam planned for the
for the use of andesite which is distributed in the
adjoining river basin was also replaced by a plan
upstream region around the reservoir. And it was
for a trapezoidal CSG dam.
decided that the core material would be obtained
from the region downstream from the dam. If, on
Crest protection concrete
Dam crest elevation 352.5
the other hand, the proposed trapezoidal CSG
Design flood level EL350.900
Surcharge water level EL348.400
dam is built, as the “Matrixes” (approx.
Protection concrete
Protection concrete 700,00m3), it will be possible to use tuff breccia
distributed around the dam site and reservoir after
removing the weathered surface part, permitting
Structural
the provision of a matrixes quarry either in or
concrete
Foundation
around the reservoir near the dam site. This will
Auxiliary
elevation 295.00
shorten the distance the material is transported,
curtain Seepage control concrete
grouting sharply lowering the cost of obtaining materials.
The temporary equipment used to execute the
Curtain grouting
work in the proposed rockfill dam case would,
considering that the rock would be obtained
Figure 4.3 Proposed Trapezoidal CSG Dam upstream from the reservoir and the core material
(Dam A)
8
 Dam axis
5. CONCLUSION

Riprap
A trapezoidal CSG dam can achieve
“rationalization of materials”, cutting costs, at the
Rock Core
Rock
same time as it can lower environmental impact
Cofferdam
Blanket grouting of the dam. In Japan, the construction of dam
Contact grouting
Curtain grouting using the trapezoidal CSG dam method is about
to begin. These dams are being studied in detail to
Figure 4.4 Proposed Rockfill Dam establish execution methods, quality control
(Dam B) methods, etc. And in order to reduce impacts on
the environment, studies must also incorporate
downstream from the reservoir as explained initiatives to restore natural environments on
above, be installed over a wide work area. If, on work land: dam site surroundings and matrixes
the other hand, a trapezoidal CSG dam is quarrying locations, and so on.
constructed, it will be possible to obtain the In conclusion, the authors wish to express
materials in or around the reservoir, allowing the their deep gratitude to Councilor Fujisawa of the
work area to be very small. Japan Dam Engineering Center, for his generous
Concerning the muck yard, rock excavated at guidance concerning the preparation of this
the dam foundation and waste rock from the report.
quarry would have been disposed of together in a
single muck yard, but if the proposed trapezoidal Sources
CSG dam is built, transporting waste rock from
1) Japan Dam Engineering Center: Technical
the location the materials are obtained can be
Report on Trapezoidal CSG Dam Execution
done by transporting far less waste rock over a
and Quality Control Technology, September
shorter transport distance than in the case of the
2007.
original rock fill dam.
2) Japan Dam Engineering Center: Dam
As shown above, building a trapezoidal CSG
Technology No. 216 “Special Edition on
dam can cut costs at the same time as it can lower
Trapezoidal CSG Dams”, September 2004
the scale of the transport of materials and waste
soil and narrow the work area, reducing the
impact of the dam on the surrounding
environment.

Dam axis

Protection concrete

Structural concrete

Seepage control concrete

Auxiliary curtain grouting

Curtain grouting

Figure 4.5 Proposed Trapezoidal CSG Dam

(Dam B)