SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

BASIS FOR DAM SAFETY LEVEL ASSESSMENT

IN HANOI CITY BASED ON CURRENT DATA STATUS
OF EARTH DAM MONITORING
Nguyen Huu Hue1, Nguyen Huu Thanh1
1. Thuyloi University

Abstract: According to general assessments in the world as well as in Vietnam, one of the main
causes of dam failures is seepage and structural instability. Monitoring equipment arranged in the
dam body plays an important role in providing information to help operations managers early
identify risks and have timely treatment plans. However, dams in Hanoi city have only installed
water level monitoring equipment and a few reservoirs have installed saturation line monitoring
equipment in the dam body. To make the most of existing monitoring data, the article presents the
results of assessing the level of dam safety in the city according to the current status of earth dam
monitoring data for 2 typical cases, including: (i) The project is installed with water level
monitoring equipment. Through dam inspection, seepage appears on the downstream slope of the
dam, outside the drainage equipment; (ii) The project is synchronously installed with water level
monitoring equipment and saturation line monitoring equipment in the dam body.
Keywords: Dam monitoring, dam safety, dam safety level, Hanoi reservoir dam.

1. INTRODUCTION * 5.3%; (4) Other causes due to human impact or

According to a review by the General incidents from related works, accounting for
Department of Irrigation (now the Irrigation 4.6%; and (5) The cause has not been found,
Department) [1], 7,342 irrigation dams and accounting for 1.5%.
reservoirs have been built in Vietnam. Among In Vietnam, statistics of 17 broken earth dams
them, earth dams are the most common; in in Vietnam in the past 30 years show that, there
Hanoi, 117 dams are all earthen. Due to the are 4 common causes [3], including: (1) floods,
water permeability and deformability of soil, accounting for 59 %; (2) seismic and
the problems of seepage and deformation of the geological, accounting for 6%; (3) seepage,
dam need to be considered in the design as well accounting for 12%; (4) stability and structure,
as during the operation and exploitation of the accounting for 23%.
project. It can be seen that in addition to failure due to
According to Cheng Cuiyun and colleagues [2], floods, which account for the highest
there are 5 common causes of dam failures in proportion, seepage and structural instability
China, including: (1) Causes of floods, are also the main causes. Monitoring equipment
accounting for 50.6%; (2) Cause of arranged in the dam body plays an important
construction quality, the dam or the dam's role in providing information to help operations
foundation cannot control the problems of managers early identify risks and have timely
seepage and stability, thereby causing treatment plans.
underground erosion, landslides and Currently, the monitoring equipment for
subsidence, accounting for 38%; (3) Causes of irrigation dams in Hanoi city is not
management and operation, accounting for synchronized, and the required monitoring

Receipt Date: September 20th, 2023 Publish Approval Date: October 10th, 2023
Review Approval Date: October 2th, 2023
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equipment has not been fully arranged. assessment based on displacement monitoring
Monitoring equipment mainly focuses on water data requires support from a consulting agency
level monitoring; Only very few dams have and the dam operator cannot implement it
saturation line monitoring equipment installed themselves, so this content will not be
in the dam body; There is only one project that mentioned in this article.
has installed displacement measuring markers 2. INTRODUCTION TO IRRIGATION
on the dam surface. However, carrying out DAMS AND RESERVOIRS IN HANOI
cyclic displacement measurement has not been CITY
done due to its complexity and high technical
requirements, requiring specialized monitoring In Hanoi, there are 117 irrigation dams and
equipment and personnel with expertise in reservoirs that are within the scope of
surveying. Currently, agencies managing and regulation of Decree No. 114/2018/ND-CP
operating dams and reservoirs in Hanoi city do dated September 4, 2018 of the Government on
not have the human resources to conduct safety management of dams and reservoirs. The
monitoring and assessment of displacement People's Committee of Hanoi City issued
themselves, but must hire consultants to Decision No. 4412/QD-UBND dated August
perform this task. 20, 2019 promulgating a list of large, medium
and small irrigation dams and reservoirs in
Thus, the question is, with monitoring items Hanoi, there are 09 large dams and reservoirs;
deployed at a specific reservoir, which can be 20 medium-sized dams and reservoirs and 88
fully installed or only partially installed, how to small dams and reservoirs.
support operations managers to Assess the
safety level of the dam through limited, Dams and reservoirs are scattered in 7 districts
inconsistent or incomplete monitoring data and towns of Hanoi, including Son Tay town
(There are reservoirs with only upstream and and districts: Ba Vi, Soc Son, Chuong My, My
downstream water level measuring devices Duc, Thach That and Quoc Oai. Among them,
installed; Some with additional measurement Ba Vi district has the highest number of dams
and reservoirs of all types, followed by Soc
tubes to monitor the saturation line in the dam
Son.
body; only one dam that was installed a system
of displacement measuring markers Irrigation dams and reservoirs make an
(subsidence, horizontal)) important contribution to economic and social
development, especially serving agricultural
This article will present the basis, method, and
production, flood control and creating
calculation process for dam safety assessment
environmental landscapes. However, most of
for two typical cases of actual installation of
the projects were built in the 60s and 70s of the
earth dam monitoring equipment in Hanoi city, last century with limited funding, calculation
including Case 1: The project is installed with data, design experience, and construction
water level monitoring equipment. Through techniques. The majority of mall lakes were
inspection, exit point of the saturation line on constructed with rudimentary equipment, and
the dam's downstream slope, outside the many dams and reservoirs are no longer
drainage equipment; (ii) Case 2: The project is suitable for today's extreme rain and flood
installed synchronously with water level and conditions. On the other hand, human resources
saturation line monitoring equipment in the to manage and operate dams and reservoirs are
dam body. not enough to meet demand, especially for
The goal of the article is to support dam small lakes that lack funds for regular
managers and operators to self-inspect and maintenance and repair. Besides, so many lakes
evaluate the safety level according to dam have been damaged and degraded, which cause
monitoring data. However, the dam safety a high risk of insecurity and threat to people's
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lives and property in the downstream area. 3.2. Calculation tools

Currently, the arrangement of monitoring Geo-Studio is a popular software for
equipment for irrigation dams and reservoirs in permeability and stability calculations using the
Hanoi city is not synchronized, and the required finite element method. This software is
monitoring equipment has not been fully specialized in analyzing geotechnical problems
arranged. Monitoring equipment mainly such as: permeability, stability, stress strain.
focuses on water level monitoring (23 large and Geo-Studio is set up in separate modules to be
medium-sized water reservoirs have been used for each specific analysis, but modules can
installed with automatic water level measuring also be used in pairs to analyze effects
equipment); Only 03/09 large reservoirs simultaneously. It is widely used in real-world
including Dong Mo (Son Tay town), Ham Lon construction calculations due to its simplicity of
and Dong Do (Soc Son district) have installed use, user-friendliness and reliable results.
saturation line monitoring equipment in the 3.3. Basis and process of calculation
dam body (however, At Dong Mo reservoir,
03/28 seepage monitoring pipes in the dam 3.3.1. The levels represent the working status
body are clogged; the seepage monitoring pipes of the dam
at Dong Do lake are no longer working). Only The working status of the project is expressed
Ham Lon reservoir has a displacement in 3 levels [4]:
measurement mark on the dam surface, but Level 1: normal working status, measurements
since the project was upgraded, repaired and put of monitoring quantities are within the normal
into operation from the end of 2020 until now, working limits of the dam. The project is
the inspection and assessment of displacement allowed to be exploited according to design.
at the project has not been implemented and
there is no monitoring data in the initial cycle Level 2: measurements exceed normal limits,
(cycle 0) as a basis for future assessments. the project changes from normal to abnormal
working status. The project is still allowed to be
3. RESEARCH BACKGROUND AND exploited, but at a limited level and must have
METHODOLOGY increased monitoring.
3.1. Methodology Level 3: measurements exceed the critical
To solve the raised problems, the research uses value, the project changes from an abnormal
the following methods: working state to a state at risk of being
sabotaged. Exploitation must be limited or
Theoretical method: From calculation
stopped (lowering the water level or draining
requirements, check the dam safety according
the reservoir).
to current standards and regulations, based on
boundary conditions (water level documents, 3.3.2. Calculation basis
design documents, physical and mechanical The location of the seepage saturation line in
criteria, characteristics of dams and the dam body and the outlet point located on the
reservoirs), develop technical problems to downstream slope of the dam, in addition to the
provide corresponding standards for assessing drainage equipment, are important information
dam safety on the basis of site inspection results that can help project managers assess the
and observed data. current safety status of the dam:
Experimental method: Apply the general If the seepage saturation line is located too high,
theories that have been given, conduct over time there will be a risk that the seepage
calculations for actual projects to verify, and line will develop and be outside the drainage
provide corresponding standards for assessing equipment, above the downstream slope.
the level of dam safety. According to National Standard TCVN
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11699:2016 on Irrigation works - Dam safety determine the cause, and scope of the damage.
assessment, if "The exit point of the saturation If the permeability saturation line is too low, it
line on the dam's downstream slope is outside will lead to the risk of increasing the
the drainage equipment", the dam quality is permeability gradient J, creating the risk of
assessed as poor, it is necessary to immediately underground erosion of the dam body [5]
implement proactive measures to ensure safety
and conduct detailed surveys, investigations to

Figure 1: The working status of the dam according to the position of the saturation line
in the dam body and the position of the exit point on the dam's downstream slope,
corresponding to an upstream water level

Note: Saturation line No. 4 (Lower limit saturation

Saturation line No. 1 (Upper limit saturation line): The exit point of the saturation line is in
line): Determined according to the sliding front of the drainage equipment, determined
stability condition of the downstream dam slope according to the dam's seepage safety
Kminmin = [K]cp. conditions when J ra = [J]cp (the permeability
gradient coefficient at the exit point of the
Saturation line No. 2: The saturation line has an saturation line is equal to the gradient
exit point at the highest position of the drainage coefficient permeability allowed). If at the
device at the dam's downstream slope. exit point of the saturation line between the
Saturation line No. 3: The saturation line has an dam body and the foundation has J ra > [J]cp,
exit point at the lowest position of the drainage the dam is unsafe because of seepage.
device at the dam's downstream slope.
Table 1: Basis for dam safety assessment
No. Value to be determined Basis for calculation
Saturation line No. 1: Upper limit Determined according to the sliding stability
saturation line. condition of the dam slope.
- agh: limit height of the exit point - The critical value is the limit on dam slope
1
location (on the downstream slope) of sliding stability, the allowable sliding stability
the upper limit saturation line. Zagh - coefficient [K]cp specified in TCVN 8216:2018,
elevation corresponding to agh. changes according to the level of the project.
Saturation line No. 2: The saturation line
has an exit point at the highest position
2
of the drainage device at the dam's According to TCVN 11699:2016: The exit
downstream slope. point of the saturation line on the downstream
Saturation line No. 3: The saturation line slope of the dam is outside the drainage
has an exit point at the lowest position equipment, the dam is assessed as poor quality.
3
of the drainage device at the dam's
downstream slope.

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No. Value to be determined Basis for calculation

Determined according to the permeability
stability conditions of the dam body. The limit
value of the dam's seepage stability condition
Saturation line number 4: Lower limit
4 is Jra = [J]cp according to TCVN 8216: 2018.
saturation line.
- If the permeability gradient coefficient at the
exit point of the saturation line is > [J]cp, the
project will lose its permeability safety.

3.3.3. Calculating and evaluating dam safety To build a chart representing the working zones
procedures based on water level monitoring of the dam at a monitoring pipe, conduct
equipment, dam inspection, seepage on the calculations with many water level cases. For
downstream slope each UWL, the corresponding saturation lines
For each case of upstream water level (UWL), 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be determined (see Figure 1).
the calculation will determine the limit The intersection point of each monitoring tube
elevation of the location of the saturation exit being calculated with saturation lines 1, 2, 3,
point on the corresponding Zagh downstream and 4 will be the limit values corresponding to
slope. Drawing a graph of the relationship that water level. Drawing a graph of the
between UWL and Zagh will yield a graph relationship between the UWLs and the limit
showing zones 2 and 3 with the boundary line values of the corresponding saturation lines for
being the Zagh values. each monitoring tube will yield a diagram of the
working partition of the dam at that monitoring
To evaluate the dam safety status (level 2, level tube.
3), the manager looks up the UWL value and
the actual exit point elevation of the saturation
line on the downstream slope of the dam.
Wherever the intersection point of the two
observed values is located, the dam safety level
is assessed at that level.

Figure 3: Working zones of the dam

corresponding to saturation lines 1, 2, 3, 4
Figure 2: Relationship between UWL and Zagh at monitoring tube A

3.3.4. Procedure for calculating and To assess the status of dam safety (level 1, level
evaluating dam safety when the reservoir is 2, level 3), the operations manager looks up the
synchronously installed with water level value of the upstream water level and the height
monitoring equipment and saturation line of the saturation line in the dam body at each
monitoring equipment in the dam body monitoring tube. Wherever the intersection point
of the two observed values is located, the dam
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safety level is assessed at that level. 18.8m. The downstream slope of the dam has
4. CALCULATION RESULTS many large seepage areas.
4.1. Applying calculation and assessment of To assess the current status of dam safety
dam safety at Co Dung reservoir, Thach (level 1, level 2, level 3), the dam operators
That district look up the value of the upstream water level
and the height of the saturation line in the dam
4.1.1. General information of the project body at each monitoring tube. Wherever the
Co Dung reservoir is located in Tien Xuan intersection point of the two observed values
commune, Thach That district, Hanoi city and is located, the dam safety level is assessed at
was built and put into operation in 1963. The that level.
earth dam is 440m long, the largest height is

Figure 4: Seepage areas on the downstream slope of Co Dung reservoir dam

4.2.2. Results of calculations, assessment of From water level data and the current seepage
dam safety in practice status of the dam of Co Dung reservoir, the
For Co Dung reservoir, the dam is a level II study has evaluated the safety level of the
project and made of sub-clay soil, so the project:
permissible safety factor for dam slope stability Evaluation date: October 24, 2022.
[K]minmin = 1.30 according to TCVN 8216:2018 The lake water level is at normal rising water
- Design of compacted earth dams. Based on the level: +103.80 (m).
calculation of upstream water level cases, the
study has determined the corresponding Zagh Location of the exit point of the saturation line
values and built the relationship chart on the dam slope: above the dam downstream
ZUWL~Zagh. slope, at an elevation of + 99.30 (m).
Comparing the actual elevation of the exit point
location (on the downstream slope) of the
saturation line in the earth dam body (Za actual)
with the limit elevation determined at normal
water level rise shows: Za actual = 99,30 (m) >
Zagh = 98,8 (m). The dam is in an unsafety zone
and not allowed to store water or must control
the water level and needs to strengthen
inspection, repair or upgrade.
Figure 5: ZUWL and Zagh relationship diagram 4.2. Calculation and assessment of dam
of Co Dung reservoir safety at Ham Lon reservoir
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4.2.1. General information about the project river bed cross section, where the dam height is
the largest with monitoring pipes, including:
Q2-1, Q2-2, Q2-3, Q2-4, Q2-5.
4.2.2. Results of calculations and application of
testing and assessment of dam safety in practice
Ham Lon reservoir’s dam is a level II project,
Figure 6: Monitoring route for saturation which is made of sub-clay soil, the permissible
seepage in the dam body (Q2) safety factor for dam slope stability [K]minmin =
1.30 according to TCVN 8216:2018. Based on
Ham Lon reservoir is located in Nam Son the calculation of UWL cases, the study has
commune, Soc Son district, Hanoi city. The built relationship charts between UWL and the
project was put into operation in 1998; repaired limit elevation of the seepage saturation lines in
and upgraded in 2020. Currently, there are 04 the dam body.
monitoring routes for the saturation line in the
The relationship chart between UWL and the
dam body. Each monitoring route (Q1, Q2, Q3,
limit elevation of the seepage saturation lines in
Q4) has 05 monitoring pipes installed,
the dam body at the Q2-2 monitoring pipe
including: 01 pipe upstream side and 04 pipes
(located at the downstream slope) of the Q2
located on the downstream side. For monitoring
monitoring route is shown in Figure 7.
route Q2, the monitoring route is located in the

Figure 7: Measuring and checking the Figure 8: Relationship between UWL and limit
saturation line of Ham Lon dam at the site elevation of seepage saturation lines at pipe Q2-2

Conduct on-site inspection, and evaluate the safety exceeding normal limits. The project is still
level of the project based on the relationship chart allowed to be exploited, but at a limited level
ZUWL ~ Zt at monitoring tube Q2-2: and must have increased monitoring.
Evaluation time: September 22, 2023. 5. CONCLUSION
The water surface is at normal water level: In this study, from the requirements for
+48.0 (m). calculating and checking dam safety according
to current standards and regulations and on the
Elevation of the observed saturation line at pipe basis of boundary conditions (Water level
Q2-2: +45.20 (m). documents, design documents, physical and
Comparing the actual elevation of the observed mechanical criteria, and characteristics of dams
saturation line at pipe Q2-2 (actual Zt) with the and reservoirs), the study has developed
normal water level shows that the dam is technical problems to provide corresponding
working in a condition of measurements standards for dam safety assessment for two
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typical cases of actual installation of earth dam to current standards (TCVN 8215:2021 -
monitoring equipment in Hanoi city, including Irrigation works - monitoring equipment) is
(i) The project is installed with water level very necessary for ensuring the safety of dams
monitoring equipment. Through inspection, it and reservoirs in Hanoi city. For Co Dung
was found that the earth dam had seepage on the reservoir, if the saturation line in the dam body
downstream slope of the dam, outside the is not observed, the operators can not early
drainage equipment; (ii) The project is identify possible safety risks. During an in-
synchronously installed with water level depth assessment, the dam was at level 3: the
monitoring equipment and saturation line measurements exceeded the critical value, the
monitoring equipment in the dam body. structure changed from an abnormal working
Through inspection and evaluation at two state to a state at risk of being sabotaged. At that
typical projects, it has been shown that the full time, exploitation must be limited or stopped
installation of monitoring equipment according (lowering the water level or draining the
reservoir).

REFERRENCES

[1] Department of Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (2023). Report on
safety management of dams and irrigation reservoirs. Workshop on Safety Management of
dams and irrigation reservoirs. Vinh City, Nghe An.
[2] Cheng Cuiyun et al. (2010). Analysis of dam safety management system in China. 2010
IEEE International Conference on Emergency Management and Management Sciences.
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Beijing, China.
[3] Pham Ngoc Quy (2017). Develop criteria to evaluate earth dam safety from monitoring
results. Monitoring workshop on irrigation works. Hanoi.
[4] Nguyen Chien et al. (2018). Handbook on concrete dam monitoring. Construction
Publishing House.
[5] Nguyen Phuong Dung, Nguyen Quang Thanh and Khuat Duy Phuoc (2021). Establish a
standard set of data on the saturation line to compare with earth dam monitoring data. Journal
of Irrigation Science, Technology and Environment, special issue (December 2021), p. 51-
57.

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