Question

A shaft spillway is located _______________________

(a) inside the body of a gravity dam

(b) inside the upstream reservoir

(c) inside the downstream reservoir

(d) on the side flanks of the main dam

This question was addressed to me by my college professor while I was bunking the class.

I'd like to ask this question from Shaft Spillway topic in section Spillways, Energy Dissipators and Spillway Gates of Irrigation Engineering

Answer 1

The correct option is (b) inside the upstream reservoir

Easiest explanation: The shape of the shaft spillway is just like a funnel. The lower end of the funnel is turned at right angles and then taken out below the dam horizontally. Water spills over the circular crest and then enters the vertical shaft and comes out of the dam through the horizontal tunnel.