Opening date 2011 Height 99 m | Length 600 m (2,000 ft) Construction began 2007 | |
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Type of dam Arch-gravity, roller compacted concrete Dam volume 890,000 m (31,000,000 cu ft) Similar Bonyic Dam, Gatun Dam, Barro Blanco Dam, Gravity dam | ||
Changuinola I Dam, is located in district of Changuinola, in the Province of Bocas del Toro, in the western part of Panama. It is the largest roller-compacted concrete arch-gravity dam in the World.
Contents
Map of Changuinola Dam, Nance del Risco, Panama
Technical features
The design of the dam was conducted by Malcolm Dunstan & Associates engineering and construction company.
The construction of the dam started on October 25, 2007 and its first generator was operational on November 19, 2011. The roller-compacted concrete arch-gravity dam has a maximum height of 99.2 metres (325 ft) and length of 600 metres (2,000 ft). The upstream vertical face arch radius is 525 metres (1,722 ft). The induced joints are spaced at 20 metres (66 ft) intervals, with inducers installed in every second layer after compaction. The downstream face slope varies form 0.5:1 (H:V) in the center and 0.7:1 (H:V) on the flanks.
The RCC mix strength requirements were determined by a target direct tensile strength of 1.2 megapascals (170 psi). The composition of the high-paste RCC mix included: