Application of geosynthetics in restoration of divide bund of ukai dam: A case study of Gujarat, India

Dams have several components which are vulnerable in diferent situations at diferent points of time. No component can be ignored ever. Several dams were constructed in India were constructed soon after independence and hence have become old and therefore require repairs. Divide bund in the downstream of a dam separating tail race channel of the hydropower station and main gorge of the river that carries food water from the spillover section is a very important component as it ensures a proper hydraulics not only within the river gorge but also in the tail race channel for the turbines of the hydropower station. Any kind of disruption in hydraulics may cause a large damage to the hydro power station. Therefore, besides stability of the divide bund, maintenance of its profle is very much important. As Ukai dam on Tapi river has been over 50 years old, its divide bund was found in distress and was restored using geosynthetics in the year 2019. Fast execution of the solution of a very complex problem was possible using geosythetics. The solution has been found not only working well but also cost efective.