The majority of dams in Canada were built more 60 years ago, with many over 100 years old. Canada’s harsh winters can cause freeze-thaw deterioration in older concrete structures, particularly dams. Air-entrained concrete significantly improves durability in these conditions, however, it was not widely used in Canada until the mid-1900s. Therefore, most of our concrete dams were constructed without air-entrainment. Fast-forward to the 2020s and we see dams throughout the country with severe freeze-thaw deterioration, particularly in the splash-zone. If these areas are left unattended, material may spall off and the structure may leak and ultimately become unstable. Stoplog and gate gains are uniquely susceptible to this type of deterioration, in combination with turbulence erosion, often resulting in operational issues for intakes and spillways.
MKE’s will perform a structural inspection of your dam and help develop a rehabilitation program that includes repairs, upgrades, preventative maintenance, and monitoring – all based on dam condition and budget restrictions.
Emergency Winter Repair to hole in side of concrete sluiceway at stoplog gain.
Repair and strengthening of 100-year old concrete power canal buttressed wall.
Repairs to Weir, Sluiceway, and Retaining Wall for Concrete Spillway Channel