Seepage and uplift in the safety control of Varosa and Bouçã arch dams

Abstract

The interest of seepage and uplift measurements at the foundation of arch dams, as regards the safety control of these structures, is highlighted as well as that of supplementing these measurements by analysis of water and solid matter collected in drains and displacement and strain measurements. Examples are given for the cases of Varosa and Bouçã dams, which illustrate the usefulness of the above measurements; repairing works adopted for these dams are indicated.