Course Modules

Module 1: Fundamentals of Navigation Dam Design

• Types of navigation dams (gated, fixed-crest, movable)

• Functional requirements: navigation, flood control, energy

• Overview of design standards (USACE, ICOLD, Eurocodes)

• Key design parameters and site selection

Exercise: Identify dam types and their suitability for specific river sites

Module 2: Open Channel Flow and Hydraulic Theory Refresher

• Steady and unsteady flow in channels

• Flow regimes, Froude number, and energy principles

• Hydraulic jump, critical depth, and control sections

• Flow over structures and backwater analysis

Exercise: Solve hydraulic profile calculations using hand methods

Module 3: Spillway and Overflow Structures

• Ogee and broad-crested spillways

• Discharge coefficient selection and crest design

• Flow control gates: radial, vertical lift, flap gates

• Hydraulic design of approach and exit channels

Exercise: Design an ogee spillway for a given discharge

Module 4: Energy Dissipation Structures

• Hydraulic jumps and energy loss mechanisms

• Stilling basins, flip buckets, baffle blocks

• Tailwater depth estimation and scour prevention

• Cavitation control and aeration techniques

Exercise: Design a stilling basin based on tailwater conditions

Module 5: Navigation Locks and Flow Control

• Lock chamber hydraulics and operation

• Filling/emptying systems (culvert, valve control)

• Flow distribution and control time

• Lock gate design (miter, sector, vertical lift)

Exercise: Model a lock filling operation for a mid-size navigation dam

Module 6: Sluiceways and Sediment Management

• Sluice gates and low-level outlets

• Sediment bypass and flushing techniques

• Hydraulic design of sluices and transition zones

• Bed load and suspended sediment modeling

Exercise: Design a sediment sluicing system using historical silt load data

Module 7: Structural Design Integration

• Interaction between hydraulic and structural design

• Foundation design, uplift pressure, seepage analysis

• Structural loading from hydraulic actions

• Emergency spillways and auxiliary components

Exercise: Analyze loads on a dam section from hydraulic flow and reservoir pressure

Module 8: Hydraulic Modeling and Software Applications

• Introduction to HEC-RAS, FLOW-3D, or OpenFOAM

• 1D/2D hydraulic modeling for dam simulation

• Flood routing and reservoir operation modeling

• Visualizing water surface profiles and flow velocities

Exercise: Simulate flow over a spillway using HEC-RAS

Module 9: Safety, Risk, and Environmental Considerations

• Dam safety inspection criteria

• Fish passage and ecological design adaptations

• Environmental flows and minimum release standards

• Climate change and adaptive design strategies

Exercise: Review safety design and propose modifications for an existing dam

Module 10: Final Design Project and Presentations

• Complete the design of a navigation dam section (including spillway, lock, and sluice)

• Hydraulic profile generation and design documentation

• Peer review and expert feedback

• Course wrap-up and certificate distribution

Deliverable: Full hydraulic design report and presentation