Scrivener Dam is a critical piece of Canberra’s infrastructure, maintaining water levels of the iconic Lake Burley Griffin. Like all dams in Australia, it requires regular maintenance and assessment to ensure ongoing safe operation. A recent inspection identified potential for undesirable uplift forces under the stilling basin slab, triggering a more detailed assessment of dam stability.
UNSW Sydney’s Water Research Laboratory was commissioned by the National Capital Authority, opens in a new window to construct and test a 1:40 scale physical model of the dam in WRL’s hydraulics laboratory at Manly Vale.
Despite advances in numerical (computer) modelling, physical modelling remains the most trusted method for determining complex hydraulic behaviours found in dams, particularly in the energy dissipation basins. Modelling provides critical data on flow behaviours, pressures and forces that impact ...
