Arizona Administrative Code
Title 12 - NATURAL RESOURCES
Chapter 15 - DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES
Article 12 - DAM SAFETY PROCEDURES
Section R12-15-1215 - Construction Drawings, Construction Specifications, and Engineering Design Report for a High, Significant, or Low Hazard Potential Dam

Universal Citation: AZ Admin Code R 12-15-1215

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 38, September 20, 2024

The owner and engineer are responsible for complete and adequate design of a dam and for including in the application all aspects of the design pertaining to the safety of the dam.

1. Construction Drawing Requirements. The construction drawings required by R12-15-1208(5), R12-15-1209(E)(1), and R12-15-1210(A)(6) shall include the following:

a. The seal and signature of the responsible engineer in accordance with A.A.C. R4-30-304.

b. One or more topographic maps of the dam, spillway, outlet works, and reservoir on a scale large enough to accurately locate the dam and appurtenances, indicate cut and fill lines, and show the property lines and ownership status of the land. Contour intervals shall be compatible with the height and size of the dam and its appurtenances and shall show design and construction details.

c. A reservoir area and capacity curve that reflect area in acres and capacity in acre-feet in relation to depth of water and elevation in the reservoir. The construction drawings shall show the spillway invert and top of dam elevations. The construction drawings shall also show the reservoir volume and space functional allocations. The construction drawings may include alternate scales as required for the owner's use.

d. Spillway and outlet works rating curves and tables at a scale or scales that allow determination of discharge rate in cubic feet per second at both low and high flows as measured by depth of water passing over the spillway control section.

e. A location map showing the dam footprint and all exploration drill holes, test pits, trenches, adits, borrow areas, and bench marks with elevations, reference points, and permanent ties. This map shall use the same vertical and horizontal control as the topographic map.

f. Geologic information including 1 or more geologic maps, profile along the centerline, and other pertinent cross sections of the dam site, spillway or spillways, and appurtenant structures, aggregate and material sources, and reservoir area at 1 or more scales compatible with the site and geologic complexity, showing logs of exploration drill holes, test pits, trenches, and adits.

g. One or more plans of the dam to delineate design and construction details.

h. Foundation profile along the dam centerline at a true scale where the vertical scale is equal to the horizontal scale, showing the existing ground and proposed finished grade at cut and fill elevations, including anticipated geologic formations. The foundation profile shall include any proposed grout and drain holes.

i. Profile and a sufficient number of cross sections of the dam to delineate design and construction details. The drawings shall illustrate and show dimensions of camber, details of the top, core zone, interior filters and drains, and other zone details. The profile of the dam may be drawn to different horizontal and vertical scales if required for detail. A maximum section of the dam shall be drawn to a true scale, where the vertical scale is equal to the horizontal scale. The outlet conduit may be shown on the maximum section if this is typical of the proposed construction.

j. One or more dam foundation plans showing excavation grades and cut slopes with any proposed foundation preparation, grout and drain holes, and foundation dewatering requirements.

k. Plan, profile, and details of the outlet works, including the intake structure, the gate system, conduit, trashrack, conduit filter diaphragm, conduit concrete encasement, and the downstream outlet structure. The drawings shall include all connection and structural design details.

l. Plan, profile, control section, and cross sections of the spillway, including details of any foundation preparation, grouting, or concrete work that is planned. A complex control structure, a concrete chute, or an energy dissipating device for a terminal structure shall include both hydraulic and structural design details.

m. Hydrologic data, drainage area and flood routing, and diversion criteria.

2. Construction Specification Requirements. The construction specifications required by R12-15-1208(6) and R12-15-1210(A)(7) shall include the following:

a. The seal and signature of the responsible engineer in accordance with A.A.C. R4-30-304.

b. The statement that the construction drawings and specifications shall not be materially changed without the prior written approval of the Director.

c. A detailed description of the work to be performed and a statement of the requirements for the various types of materials and installation techniques that will enter into the permanent construction.

d. The statement that construction shall not be considered complete until the Director has approved the construction in writing.

e. The statement that the owner's engineer shall control the quality of construction.

f. The following construction information:
i. All earth and rock material descriptions, placement criteria, and construction requirements for all elements of the dam and related structures.

ii. All concrete, grout, and shotcrete material and mix descriptions, placement and consolidation criteria, temperature controls, and construction requirements for all elements of the dam and related structures.

iii. Material criteria and material testing, cleaning, and treatment. If foundation or curtain grouting is required, the specifications shall describe the type of grout, grouting method, special equipment necessary, recording during grouting, and foundation monitoring to avoid disturbance from grouting.

iv. All materials testing that will be performed by the contractor for pre-qualification of materials, including special performance testing, such as water pressure tests in conduits. The Director shall accept materials that are pre-tested successfully and constructed in-place in accordance with specifications.

v. A plan for control or diversion of surface water during construction. The design engineer may determine frequency of storm runoff to be controlled during construction, commensurate with the risk of economic loss during construction.

vi. Criteria for blast monitoring and acceptable blast vibration levels, including particle velocities for the dam and other critical appurtenances. Monitoring equipment and monitoring locations shall be specified.

vii. Instrumentation material descriptions, placement criteria, and construction requirements and a statement that instrumentation shall be installed by experienced speciality subcontractors.

3. Engineering Design Report Requirements. The engineering design report required by R12-15-1208(7) and R12-15-1210(A)(8) shall include the following:

a. The seal and signature of the responsible engineer in accordance with A.A.C. R4-30-304.

b. The classification under R12-15-1206 of the proposed dam, or for the proposed enlargement of an existing dam or reservoir.

c. Hydrologic considerations, including calculations and a summary table of data used in determining the required emergency spillway capacity and freeboard, and design of any diversion or detention structures. The design report shall include input and output listings on both hard copy and computer diskette.

d. Hydraulic characteristics, engineering data, and calculations used in determining the capacities of the outlet works and emergency spillway. The design report shall include input and output listings on both hard copy and computer diskette.

e. Geotechnical investigation and testing of the dam site and reservoir basin. Results and analysis of subsurface investigations, including logs of test borings and geologic cross sections.

f. Guidelines and criteria for blasting to be used by the contractor in preparing the blasting plan.

g. Details of the plan for control or diversion of surface water during construction.

h. Details of the dewatering plan for subsurface water during construction.

i. Testing results of earth and rock materials, including the location of test pits and the logs of these pits.

j. Discussion and design of the foundation blanket grouting, grout curtain, and grout cap based on foundation stability and seepage considerations.

k. Calculations and basic assumptions on loads and limiting stresses for reinforced concrete design. The design report shall include input and output listings on both hard copy and computer diskette.

l. A discussion and stability analysis of the dam including appropriate seismic loading, safety factors, and embankment zone strength characteristics. Analyses shall include both short-term and long-term loading on upstream and downstream slopes. The design report shall include input and output listings on both hard copy and computer diskette.

m. A discussion of seismicity of the project area and activity of faults in the vicinity. The design report shall use both deterministic and statistical methods and identify the appropriate seismic coefficient for use in analyses.

n. Discussion and design of the cutoff trench based on seepage and other considerations.

o. Permeability characteristics of foundation and dam embankment materials, including calculations for seepage quantities through the dam, the foundation, and anticipated in the internal drain system. The design report shall include input and output listings on both hard copy and computer diskette. The design report shall include copies of any flow nets used.

p. Discussion and design of internal drainage based on seepage quantity calculations. The design report shall include instrumentation necessary to monitor the drainage system and filter design calculations for protection against piping of foundation and embankment.

q. Erosion protection against waves and rainfall runoff for both the upstream and downstream slopes, as appropriate.

r. Discussion and design of foundation treatment to compensate for geological weakness in the dam foundation and abutment areas and in the spillway foundation area.

s. Post-construction vertical and horizontal movement systems.

t. Discussion of foundation conditions including the potential for subsidence, fissures, dispersive soils, collapsible soils, and sink holes.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Arizona may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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