Performance of Spillway Structures Using Hoover Dam Spillways As a Benchmark

The designs of the Hoover Dam Spillways were innovative and helped shape the design of future spillways. The hydraulic models studies for the Hoover Dam Spillways and the resulting design details will be discussed and related to present day designs. With the Hoover Dam Spillway designs as a starting point, present day concerns and vulnerabilities of spillway structures will be discussed. Case histories of spillway incidents and failures will be presented. Current approaches for evaluating spillways and identifying potential failure modes related to spillway structures will be discussed, with a focus on: spillway capacity/dam overtopping issues; spillway conveyance capacity; gate performance in non-flood situations; and, performance of spillway linings under high velocity flow.