Fighting aging in concrete dams

The years extract an ugly toll from concrete dams: surface cracking, leaking joints, erosion, ineffective drains. Sometimes, these and other products of aging affect only the appearance of a dam and the routine maintenance expense associated with it. Other times, aging can raise significant questions about dam performance, reliability, and safety. BC Hydro has a comprehensive program to monitor the effects of aging on its network of hydropower dams, and implement the right repair and rehabilitation measures. The program, which involves dozens of members of the utility's engineering staff and millions of dollars in expenses, has proven that techniques are available to compensate for the effects of time on the structure and reliability of dams. However, they are most effective when applied after careful analysis and with good judgment.