Hoover Dam

CIVE 104
Brad Bruder 20655597
Jamie Torrance-Perks
Ryan Lee

1.0 The Details of the Dam

The Hoover Dam is a shell structure which means it can carry tension, bending,
and compression in multiple directions/dimensions. Although the dam is a trapezoidal
shape from the front, its curve along the top gives it a circular radius from a birds eye
view. Therefore, trapezoidal and circular theories and elements should be considered in
order to properly analyze this structure. However, properties of triangles and rectangles
can aid the dam analysis given that a trapezoid can be split up into these simpler shapes.

37
9
m

20
1
m
The dam is 221m in height, and has an area of 890,000 m2 (Reclamation, 2015).
The interesting complication in calculating the water pressure which might be placed on
the dam is that the dam is not a constant thickness. The figure below represents the shape
in which the dam would have from a side view.

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(Reclamation, 2015).
For the purposes of this analysis, we will assume the side view to be a perfect straight
triangle as shown below because the exact shape cannot be determined for the side
profile. We will also assume that the pressure on the damn at the top of the water
elevation would be zero given all other forces to be ignored during primary parts of this
analysis.

14
m
22
1
m

20
0
m

Because the dam is thicker at the bottom and thinner at the top, it is obvious that the
bottom will carry a greater force from the static load of water, and therefore the dam is
thicker (higher weight) so it can carry the higher pressure. We know that as depth

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increases, pressure increases, which is why the dam must be built to provide a reaction
which can oppose the forces of the water as the depth changes.
For the purposes of this analysis, the water level will also be assumed to be at the top of
the dam.
We created a simplified diagram for our use in helping us analyze the dam which is
located on the next page.

2.0 Pressure Exerted on the Dam

We know that the pressure exerted on the Hoover Dam can be calculated using the static
pressure formula learned in the CIVE 104 course. The formula of the pressure exerted on
the dam is given below.

P= h
2

P=(9.81m/s )(1.00 kg/m )(221m)

P=2168.01kPa
As a result, our solution is 2168.01 kPa being placed on the ground
which we know to be the base of the triangle of our forces as shown in
the figure below.

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2168.01 kpa

3.0 Force Exerted on the Dam

We know that the force exerted on the dam can be found using the formula below.

F1= hA
1
2
3
F1=(9.81 m/s )(1.00 kg /m )(221 m) (221 m)(379 m)
2

F1=91124142 N
Therefore, our force on the dam is calculated to be 91124142 N if our dam were a
rectangle. Because we are considering it to be a trapezoidal shape from the front, we must
calculate the forces of triangles on either side, and subtract them from the forces of the
rectangle so that we can have the force exerted on the trapezoid. Since the remaining area
is 2 triangles on either side, we simplified by solving for the force on a rectangle with the
same dimensions We used the following equation to do so.

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F2 = hA
1
2
3
F2 =(9.81 m/s )(1.00 kg /m )(221 m) (221 m)(89m)
2

F2 =21398545N

Therefore, the force of the two missing triangles is 21398545 N. Our last step is to use
the following formula to calculate the force on the trapezoidal shape dam.

F1F 2=Total Force

From this equation, the force on the dam is calculated to be 7.0 x107 N or 70 MN.

4.0 Analyzing the Dam Base using Moment Concepts

A

C
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The
moment generated about point B is equal to:

1
1
M B= (70 MN ) (221 m)( x ) (200 m)=0
3
2
1
(70 MN ) (2 21 m)
3
x=
1
(200 m)
2

x=50 MN
Where x is equal to the force pushing in the vertical upward direction against the
base of the middle of the dam.
We know that the force exerted on the base of the dam would not be a single
concentrated point load. Therefore, the load as a Uniform Distributed load can be
represented by dividing the point load by the total area it covers as shown below:

UDL=

50 MN
200 m

UDL=250 KN
Therefore, the UDL on the bottom of the dam exerted upward is 250KN/m.
Normally, when a force is applied horizontally on a vertical wall from static pressure
creating a force, we would counter the force of the moment applied horizontally by
placing a horizontal beam at the bottom of the dam on the same side of the water to use
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the hydrostatic force of water to help keep the dam from rotating. However, in the case of
the Hoover Dam, there seems to be little support at the back. So, what they used was the
force of the ground against the base of the dam as shown in our above analysis to
counteract the force of the water which is an interesting approach to this difficult
problem.

5.0 Conclusion
The dam would experience a variety of forces in its lifetime. Wind, cars, boats, people,
trucks, earth shifts, and more would all have to be considered in the making of the dam
and loads in which it can support. However, holding the massive amount of water located
behind the dam in the specific geographic location presented the biggest challenge.
In our analysis, we were forced to make many assumptions and simplify the problem to
use the tools given to us from Professor Brodlands CIVE 104 course. This analysis
proved to us that the process of building of a dam is very complex and many factors must
be considered. From our lab, we could explore the pressure, and different forces the dam
might experience in its lifetime.
An appreciation for the design and engineering which went into the Hoover Dam can
now be appreciated after deepening our understanding of the elements of the dam itself.

References
Reclamation. (28 August, 2015). The Hoover Dam. Retrieved November 28, 2016 from:
http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/

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