Rehabilitation of the spillway of Sama El-Serhan dam in Jordan, using roller compacted concrete

In order to get a better knowledge of the RCC technology and to allow the use of this construction method in constructing new dams in Jordan, the Jordan Water Authority decided to rehabilitate the foundation of the spillway of Sama El-Serhan dam using RCC. The main objective of this investigation was to evaluate the RCC used in this rehabilitation work using local available materials. The work was done in two phases: phase 1 was a mix proportioning program carried out in the lab, and phase 2 was the construction of the RCC section to protect the foundation of the spillway. The methods of mixing, transporting, placing, and compacting RCC were evaluated. Field control tests during the construction of the section were conducted, and core samples were drilled to study the RCC properties. These include compressive strength, tensile strength, modulus of elasticity, field density, temperature rise, and permeability of the RCC. The results obtained met all technical design criteria and has performed satisfactorily. The rehabilitation work demonstrated the feasibility of using RCC for repairs of existing dams and for the construction of new darns in Jordan. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.