If a dam bursts and it’s flooding with water, how does it get repaired?
In: 4
That depends on a lot of factors. A lot of dams can be controlled so it is possible to release water from the dam through the control structures in a safe way downstream. It might then be possible to lower the water pressure behind the dam enough for the dam to be repaired. For some dams it might be necisary to build temporary dams upstream and divert the water through temporary pipes or channels to lower the water level sufficiently. Or it might be necisary to wait for a dryer season to conduct the repairs. There have been a number of accidents with dams collapsing while crew is waiting for the water level to drop so they can fix the cracks in the dam. But also others where the dam have held for long enough.
Depending on exactly how the cracks have formed there is a few things that might be attempted. For example cracks going thorugh the dam might be plugged on the inside using concrete or other materials. But not all cracks are like this. It might also be possible to drill into the dam to divert the water safely downstream before it gets into the crack to errode it further. But again this depends on the crack, the material and how stable the dam structure is to work on.
It depends on the type of dam.
Earthen dams can add more material or compaction if the leak is small. Though likely if there is any flow through it will very soon lead to a [catastrophic failure](https://youtu.be/sKeQe7oc2gk) since the flow is also weakening the structure.
Bigger concrete dams generally don’t do like a “one chunk in the center flew out” type failure but will develop leaks before failing. Those are countered with grouting operations or lowering of the water line.
Though in many situations if a dam is burst, like properly flowing water through not just a few leaks, things have failed and repair likely won’t happen before downstream floods. There may be a bit of selection bias though since “dam gets properly repaired” doesn’t make as big of a headline as massive flooding.
[This channel covers a lot of when dams fail and explains what happened.](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeJkgZkJSc0Sl2kV2HUVrSDEOgHKT4un6)
You stick your finger in it. Honestly, how did you not learn this from cartoons as a kid?
If a dam bursts and it’s flooding with water, how does it get repaired?
In: 4
That depends on a lot of factors. A lot of dams can be controlled so it is possible to release water from the dam through the control structures in a safe way downstream. It might then be possible to lower the water pressure behind the dam enough for the dam to be repaired. For some dams it might be necisary to build temporary dams upstream and divert the water through temporary pipes or channels to lower the water level sufficiently. Or it might be necisary to wait for a dryer season to conduct the repairs. There have been a number of accidents with dams collapsing while crew is waiting for the water level to drop so they can fix the cracks in the dam. But also others where the dam have held for long enough.
Depending on exactly how the cracks have formed there is a few things that might be attempted. For example cracks going thorugh the dam might be plugged on the inside using concrete or other materials. But not all cracks are like this. It might also be possible to drill into the dam to divert the water safely downstream before it gets into the crack to errode it further. But again this depends on the crack, the material and how stable the dam structure is to work on.
It depends on the type of dam.
Earthen dams can add more material or compaction if the leak is small. Though likely if there is any flow through it will very soon lead to a [catastrophic failure](https://youtu.be/sKeQe7oc2gk) since the flow is also weakening the structure.
Bigger concrete dams generally don’t do like a “one chunk in the center flew out” type failure but will develop leaks before failing. Those are countered with grouting operations or lowering of the water line.
Though in many situations if a dam is burst, like properly flowing water through not just a few leaks, things have failed and repair likely won’t happen before downstream floods. There may be a bit of selection bias though since “dam gets properly repaired” doesn’t make as big of a headline as massive flooding.
[This channel covers a lot of when dams fail and explains what happened.](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeJkgZkJSc0Sl2kV2HUVrSDEOgHKT4un6)
You stick your finger in it. Honestly, how did you not learn this from cartoons as a kid?
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