Irrigation Engineering Practice Test: Arch and Buttress Dams — Flashcards

Arch and Buttress Dams topics include: Buttress dam types, arch dams types and design.

Arch dams and buttress dams are both types of dams that use gravity to resist the pressure of water. Arch dams are curved, while buttress dams can be flat or curved. 

Here are some ways arch dams and buttress dams differ:
Arch dams: These dams are solid walls that curve across a river valley. They are usually made of cement concrete and are curved to resist the thrust of water. Arch dams are often used in valleys between mountains, when the reservoir water is deep, or when the bottom soil has low SBC.
Buttress dams: These dams have a watertight upstream side supported by a series of triangular-shaped walls (buttresses) on the downstream side. They can be made from concrete and masonry. Buttress dams are often used when the dam is very high. 

Both arch dams and buttress dams use gravity to resist the pressure of water.