Characterization of Borrow Area Materials for the Bhaunrat Dam Project – A Case Study

The geotechnical investigations play an important role in economic viability and structural stability of a dam project. The geotechnical investigation for dam project involves the borrow area investigations and foundation investigations. The borrow area locations and characteristics decide the economic viability of earthen dam project. Borrow area investigations characterizes the construction material in the vicinity of dam site, depth of construction material, extent of construction material. The foundation investigation is carried out to evaluate the compactness of foundation and abutments for the dam project, treatment to be given to foundation and depth of excavation of foundation. The extent of foundation investigation depends upon the site conditions but it provide the information regarding type of the soil or rock strata in the foundation or abutment at dam site, depth of rock, water table and locations of buried channels, seams, joints and fissures etc. The foundation investigations decide the structural safety of a dam project. The present paper presents the borrow area investigations carried out for construction of Bhaunrat Dam Project, Uttar Pradesh.