US1573366A - Dam construction - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 16 1926.

' P. ZUCCO DAM CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed August l. 1922 .efnoy Pierre Zucca Ber ma( im orneys Feb. 16 ,1926. 1,573,366

P. ZUCCO DAM CONSTRUCTION Original Filed August 1, 1922 2 Sheetsheet@ Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

PIERRE Z'UOOO, on sau FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA..

D'AM CONSTRUCTION;

application flied-august 1, 1922, serial No. 578,871. Renewed December 15, ma.

T all "fwlwmz't may concern.'

Be it known that I, Pinnen ZUooo, a

which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a dam construction` It is the principal object of the present y invention to provide a novel-'structural formation particularly applicable to concrete dam structures whereb'ymaximum strength may he obtained by the use of a minimum amount of material and a cheap and effectualdam may be readily built, said structure being so formedY as to malte it possible to increase the height or to further reinforce the structure without inconvenience and danger of creating weaknessesV in the dam.

The present invention contemplates the building ofconcrete dams whichl are formed with a substantially fiat pressureI wallagainst" which water may be impounded, and which wall is reinforced horizontally by a plurality of relatively short span corruga- Y tions or reinforcing ribs formed along the back of the dam and reinforced vertically by buttresses formed integral with the Vstructure and disposed at intervals throughout the length thereof.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in

which* Fig. l is a view in plan showing the dam with which the present invention is concerned, with parts broken away.

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse vertical section and elevation showing the vertical sectional formation and reinforcement of the dam.

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section on line 3-3, Fig.. 2. f

Fig. 4 1s an enlarged plan section of a portionof the dam showing two of the vertical abutments 1l and the horizontal ribs 13 connecting the same.

Referring Vmore particularly to the drawings, .10 indicates the pressure wall of a dam as here shown. A forward surface of A this wall when considered horizontally lies in the present construction, however, as the.

buttresses 11 may be so designed as to withstand any predetermined maximum st'ain.

'Referencebeing had to Fig. 2 of the drawing, it will be seen that the pressure wall G is disposed at au angle' to the vertical and that its rear face is corrugated as indicated at 12. These corrugations are formed throughout the height of the dam and extending horizontally between the vertical abutments 11.` The corrugations are arranged to progressively decrease in depth as they reach the top of the dam while their rib sections 13 are preferably arched horizontally as indicated at 13a to tie them to the abutments and which portions also vary inv radius. i

By referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the front face of the wall lies along a plane A1, the arches or the corrugations along a plane B and the tops of the ribs along-a plane C. It will also be observed that these three planes are at slightly divergingangles to each other, thus causing the wall to be thicker and more strongly reinforced at its foot while gradually bccoming thinner and weaker toward the top. The wall will thus be gradually increased in thickness as it reaches the footing of the dam, and the ribs will increase in depth while their horizontal span will decrease. The abutments 11 may be of any desired width and thickness. They are here shown as tapering in an opposite direction from the wall, and their vertical cross section decreased towards the top. It will be evident from the examination of the drawings that the abutments may be enlarged at any time if desired, and the height of the dam increased as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

Transverse reinforcement 15 may also be provided if required. It is also desirable to form inspection runways 16 in the rear of the wall and to form passageways 1 7 therefor through the abutments.

In building the present structure a mould is formed for the corrugations and may be used successively throughoutthe height of the dam. Another mould is formed for 105 the abutments and it is thus possible to rapidly and economically last the dam in place.

It will thus be seen that the present in vention provides advantages in that a mini- U0 mum amount of material is used to construct a dam of maximum strength, the dam being so designed as to prevent it troni uplifting, and :is suoli een be used in any kind of soil, and being` of suoli i design Vis t-o and in tact insurance against lezilriige isv provided es a richer concrete inixture een be used at points vor" greet permeability without increasingthe labor or involvingA eny considerablev additional expenditure: et'. time.

'lt will further be noted that the striic.

Vture here disclosed makes it possible for the reinforcing steel work to be constantly under observation as the vdnni is beingei'ectei'l.

lll'hilc l have shown the preferred forni oi: iny invention es now known to ine, it will be understood that various changes might be inzide inthe combination, -construction end arrangement of parts by those skilled in the art, Without departing 'roin the spirit of the invention as claimed.

lnlziviiig thus described niy invention, what I elaini and de Aire to secure by `Letters Fai-f ent is*- l. A concrete dani comprising` nV engul-Lirly disposed pressure nf'elldecreasing in thickness troni the bottoni `to the top, a plurality of buttresses on the rear side ot the Well vertically disposed, interspeced and Iintegral with the pressure well, andeJ plurality of superposed interspeeed hor1Zon-- telly extending ribs disposed between the buttresses and integral with the rear 'face et the pressure Wall and the buttresses, sii-id ribs forming horizontal aiches between the butt'resses which decrease in spain, seid spans being longest at the top and .decreasing yin span towards the bottoni of the dein.

2. A concrete dani 'comprising an ingularly disposed pressure well decreasing in thickness from the bottoni to the top, zi-

tiesses and integral withV the rear trice el the pressure wall und the buttresses, sziid ribs increasing in depth'toiiirds the bottoni of the dein, and 4seid `ribs 'also irrininhorizontal arches between the butti'es.;

3. A concretedriin comprising un yangulzirly disposed pressure well decree-sing in thickness frein the bottom to the top, a pluralityl oi buttresses on the rezir side et the well, verticallyl disposed, interspaced and integral with the. pressure wail, and a. plurality of horizontally'superposed, interspeced ribs disposed between the buttresses :ind integr-sl with the rear face ot' the presl sure wall :ind the buttiesses, said ribs being disposed at right angles to the rear trice ot' the press ire wall sind the outer trice. olf eech rib terminating in en arch. l A' PIERRE ZUCCC.

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