Geotechnical Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Geotechnical - Essay Example A simpler definition of a dam would be that it is a man-made barricade for water that is built across a river or large source/mass of water especially at the far ends so as to contain the water for use in various means. In the older days, this structure was used with people back then applying dynamic remote materials to contain the flow of water across a river and then engage the reserved the intended usage. This practice of building dams has been carried along historical lines and is still being practiced in the modern world by current generation. However, it is expected that the uses of dams may have been improved and made to be quite sophisticated due to the advancement in technology and techniques of setting up such structures. Currently, dams have been put to use in areas such as the generation of electric power, controlling of floods, supply water for commercial and domestic use, and in navigation among other uses. Subsequently, there are various dams that have been currently built in the world and one such dam is the Aswan High Dam that is situated in Egypt, and built across the Nile River by two main engineers, Maurice Fitzmaurice and Benjamin Baker. A study on this dam would reveal that it is approximately 3,600m in length and approximately 111m in height. The construction of the dam was completed in the year 1970, and its inauguration took place in January 1971. Other than the domestic uses that the dam has been to, it is used to generate electricity that approximates 10 billion kilowatts in a single year, much of which is supplied in the whole of Egypt. To this regard, it can be said that dams are of a great value to economies all over the world. A diagrammatic representation of the Aswan High Dam is as shown in the figure below. Dams are also constructed in various forms and natures and currently, the