arch dam

Reading: Arch dam
Also known as: Arched Concrete Dam/Arched Dam
Abbreviations: Japanese "A" (English: Arch Dam), worldwide "VA" (French: Barrage-voute, English: Arch Dam)

The shape of the dam allows the water pressure from the dam lake to be dispersed to the bedrock on both sides of the embankment, thus making the embankment itself thinner and reducing construction costs. However, this type of dam is only suitable for construction on bedrock that can support a considerable amount of water pressure.

There are various variants of arch dams, but most of them are domed arches that curve downstream (or overhang), such as the Kurobe Dam in Toyama Prefecture. The Kurobe Dam, however, has "wings" on both the left and right banks to withstand the enormous water pressure.

There are also various other subtypes of arch dams, such as parabolic arch dams, non-curved cylindrical arch dams, multiple arch dams, and gravity arch dams that combine the functions of gravity concrete dams, depending on the topography and bedrock conditions in which they are constructed.

In addition, because of the beautiful appearance of overhanging arch dams and their relatively high embankment height, there are many dams in Japan, such as the Kurobe Dam, that have become tourist attractions.

Incidentally, the arch dam is the type of dam that this site's owner, Jimma, prefers the most.

>>List of arch dams