Geotechnical Engineering of Dams

Geotechnical Engineering of Dams In developing countries such as Iran, geotechnical engineering of dams has received considerable attention in dam construction projects, in line with development policies, and for this purpose contracting companies cooperate extensively with geotechnical engineers. Moreover, due to the expansion of construction, vast areas of land that were previously not used as a foundation for development activities are today improved and converted into suitable foundations with the help of geotechnical science. For this reason, almost all small and large development projects, such as building construction in major cities, require soil profiling using borehole drilling, in-situ tests, and laboratory tests. In this regard, graduates of this specialization can work in consulting firms, soil mechanics laboratories, and technical offices of contracting companies, or in executive works. In general, it can be said that graduates of this course possess sufficient technical background to work in soil mechanics laboratories and geotechnical field investigations, dam construction projects, soil improvement projects, environmental projects, slope stabilization, retaining walls, foundation design in all development projects such as buildings and skyscrapers, coastal walls, road and highway subgrades, railway lines, metro projects, and others. At the beginning of every development project, through planning and conducting local geotechnical investigations, the physical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics of the project site ground are evaluated, and potential hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, and liquefaction related to the project are taken into consideration. Then, various types of foundations, retaining structures, earthworks, and pavements of the project are analyzed and designed. Rafts, piles, and caissons are examples of foundations; retaining walls and earth dams are examples of retaining structures; and the construction of embankments, excavations, tunnels, canals, reservoirs, and landfills are examples of earthworks.