BADUSH DAM: PLANNED AND DESIGNED AS A PROTECTION DAM, NW IRAQ

  • VAROOJAN K. SISSAKIAN
  • NASRAT ADAMO
  • NADHIR AL-ANSAR
Keywords: Badush Dam; Mosul Dam; Karstification; Karstified Foundations; Flooding.

Abstract

Badush Dam is uncompleted combined earthfill and concrete dam, it is located on the Tigris River. The
dam is planned and designed to be a protection dam downstream of the already existing Mosul Dam to
protect population and infrastructure downstream of Mosul Dam. Thisa is attributed to the safety
concerns of Mosul Dam which suffers from severe karstification in its foundation due to the presence of
thick gypsum beds. The safety of Mosul Dam is a matter of debate since its construction and
commissioning in 1986. The construction of Badush Dam started in 1988 and suspended in 1991, although
(30 – 40) % of the dam was already built. The geological setting of Badush Dam is almost similar to that of
Mosul Dam. Therefore, the foundation of Badush Dam will suffer from the same problem which is
karstification because they are located on gypsum beds which are the same rocks under the foundations of
Mosul Dam. The thin inclined clay core and foundation treatment works indicate clearly that Badush
Dam is designed to have temporary nature which is to contain the volume of Mosul Dam wave (11 × 11
km3
) in case of collapse of Mosul Dam and to pass the wave downstream without flooding.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

VAROOJAN K. SISSAKIAN
Dept. of Natural Resource Engineering and Management, School of Science and Engineering, University of Kurdistan Hewler, KRG , Kurdistan Region - Iraq
NASRAT ADAMO
Consultant Engineer, Norrköping - Sweden
NADHIR AL-ANSAR
Dep t . of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Lulea University of Technology, Lulea - Sweden

References

Adamo, N., Al-Ansari, N., Knutsson, S., Issa, A.I.,
Sissakian, V. And Knutsson, S., 2015 a.
Mystery of Mosul Dam the most Dangerous
Dam in the World: Problems Encountered
During and After Impounding the Reservoir.
Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical
Engineering, Vol. 5, No.3, p. 47-58.
DOI:
www.divaportal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=div
a2:980979.
Adamo, N., Al-Ansari, N., Knutsson, S., Issa, A.I.,
Sissakian, V. And Knutsson, S., 2015 b.
Mystery of Mosul Dam the most Dangerous
Dam in the World: Maintenance Grouting.
Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical
Engineering, Vol. 5, No.3, p. 71 – 77.
DOI:
www.scienpress.com/journal_focus.asp?main_
id=59&Sub_id=IV&volid=190.
Adamo, N., Al-Ansari, N., Knutsson, S., Laue, J. and
Sissakian, V., 2017. Mosul Dam. A
catastrophe yet to unfold. Engineering, Vol. 9,
p. 263 – 278.
DOI:
www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx
?PaperID=75133.
Adamo, N., Al-Ansari, N., Sissakian, V.K., Laue, J.
And Knutsson, S., 2019. Badush Dam:
A Unique Case of Flood Wave Retention
Dams Uncertain Future and Problematic
Geology. Journal of Engineering, Vol. 11, p.
189- 205.
https://doi.org/10.4236/eng.2019.114014.
Al-Ansari, N., Issa, I.E., Sissakian, V., Adamo, N.
and Knutsson, S., 2015 a. Mystery of Mosul
Dam the most Dangerous Dam in the World:
Karstification and Sinkholes. Journal of Earth
Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering, Vol.
5, No.3, p. 33 – 45, ISSN: 1792-9040 (print),
1792-9660 (online) Scienpress Ltd.
www.scienpress.com/Upload/GEO/Vol%205_
3_3.pdf.
Al-Ansari, N., Adamo, N., Sissakian, V.K. and
Knotsson, S., 2015 b. Geological and
Engineering Investigation of the Most
Dangerous Dam in the World, Mosul Dam.
Scienpress Ltd. ISBN 978-0-9934819.
DOI=www.ltu.se/cms_fs/1.146950!/file/Mosul
-Dam-Nadhir-Al-Ansari.
Bonacci, O. and Bonaci, T., 2013. The possible
negative consequences of underground dam
and reservoir construction and operation in
coastal karst areas: an example of the hydro-
electric power plant (HEPP) Ombla near
Dubrovnik (Croatia). Natural Hazards Earth
System Sciences, Vol. 13, p. 2041 – 2052.
DOI: www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-
sci.net/13/2041/2013/doi:10.5194/nhess-
13.2041.
Bonacci, O., Gottstein, S. and Roja- Bonacci, T.,
2009. Negative impacts of grouting on the
underground karst environment.
Echohydrology, Vol.2, Issue 4, p. 492–502.
DOI: www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-
sci.net/13/2041/2013/nhess-13-2041-2013.pdf. EDR GmbH, Cedre Team International, 2014.
Badush Dam: Final Feasibility Study Report,
October 2014.
ENERGOPROJEKT, 1988. Badush Dam Project 265,
Feasibility Study, Preliminary Report for
Badush Dam Project, Vol. 1. Mosul Dam
Library, Mosul, Iraq.
Elconcord, Paul Rizzo, Energoprojekt, MED
INGEGNERIA, 2009 a. Badush Dam Project
Phase A: Analysis of Existing Works and
Documentation”. Januaary, 2009.
Elconcord, Paul Rizzo, Energoprojekt, MED
INGEGNERIA, 2009 b. Badush Dam Project
Phase B: Design Adjustments and Final
Design. November 2009. Badush Dam:
Controversy and Future Possibilities 33.
Fouad, S.F., 2012. Tectonic Map of Iraq, scale
1:1000000, 3rd edition. Iraq Geological Survey
Publications, Baghdad, Iraq. DOI:
www.scirp.org/ reference/
ReferencesPapers.aspx?Reference.
Fouad, S.F., Al-Shuwaily, A., Zainy, M. Al-
Mousawi, H., Abdul Rahman, A., 2003.
Detailed Geological Mapping Aiming for
Native Sulphur Investigation in Mosul –
Badush vicinity. Iraq Geological Survey
Library, internal unpublished report.
Hagopian, D.H. and Veljupek, M., 1977. Report on
the regional geological mapping of Mosul –
Erbil Area. Iraq Geological Survey Library
Report No. 843, 55 pp., Baghdad, Iraq.
Johnson, K.S., 2008. Gypsum-karst problems in
constructing dams in the USA. USA
Publications Warehouse. DOI:
10.1007/s00254-007-0720-z
Milanović, P., 2011. Dams and Reservoirs in Karst.
In: Philip E. van Beynen (Editor), Karst
Management. Springer, Dordrecht. DOI:
sudartomas.files.wordpress.com/
2012/11/karstmanagement.pdf
Muhi Al-Deen, R.M., Sissakian, V.K., Yousif, N.S.,
Amin, R.M. and Rofa, S.H., 1977. Report on
the Regional Geological mapping of Mosul –
Tel Afar Area. Iraq Geological Survey Library
Report No. 831, 65 pp., Baghdad, Iraq.
Sissakian, V.K. and Abdul-Jabbar, M.F., 2005. Site
selection problems in gypsum-bearing
formations. A case study from north of Iraq.
Iraqi Bulletin of Geology and Mining, Vol. 1,
No. 2, p. 45 – 52.
Iasj.net/iasj?func=issues&jId=225&uiLanguag
e=en
Sissakian, V.K., Hagopian, D.A. and Hassan, E.A.,
2013. Geological Map of Mosul Quadrangle,
scale 1:250000, 2nd edition. Iraq Geological
Survey Publications, Baghdad, Iraq.
Sissakian, V.K., Al-Ansari, N. and Knutson, S., 2014.
Karstification problems in Mosul Dam and its
assessment, North Iraq. Engineering. DOI:
http://www.scirp.org/journal/eng.
Sissakian, V.K., Al-Ansari, N. and Knutson, S., 2015.
Karst Forms in Iraq. Journal of Earth Sciences
and Geotechnical Engineering, Vol. 5, No. 4,
p. 1 – 26. DOI: www.diva portal.org/
smash/get/ diva2 :982702/FULLTEXT01.pd
Sissakian, V.K., Abdul Ahad, A.D., Al-Ansari, N.
and Knutson, S., 2016. Factors controlling
Karstification in the Fatha Formation in Iraq.
Journal of Earth Sciences and Geotechnical
Engineering, Vol.6, No. 3, p. 147 – 162. DOI:
www.diva-
portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:981197.
Sissakian, V., Adamao, N., Al-Ansari, N., Knutsson,
S. and Laue, J., 2017. Defects in Foundation
Desigsn Due to Miss-Interpretation of the
Geological Data. A Case Study of Mosul
Dam. Scientific Research, Engineering, Vol. 9,
No.7, p. 1 – 15. http://file.scirp.org/Html/5-
8102857_78053.htm. https://doi.org/10.4236/
eng.2017.90742.
Sissakian, V., Adamo, N., Al-Ansari, N., Laue, J. and
Knutsson, S., 2018 a. Geological and
Geotechnical Study of Badush Dam, Iraq.
Athens: ATINER'S Conference Paper Series,
No: WAT2018-2546.
Sissakian, V.K., Adamo, N., Al-Ansari, N., Knutsson,
S. and Laue, J., 2018 b. Badush Dam, NW
Iraq: A Geological Study. Journal of Earth
Sciences and Geotechnical Engineering, Vol.
8, No. 2, p. 1 – 15.
Sissakian, V.K., Al-Ansari, N. and Adamo, N., 2019.
The Role of Geological Investigations in Dam
Siting. Mosul Dam a Case Study.
Geotechnical and Geological Engineering,
Vol. 38, p. 1 – 12. DOI:10.1007/s10706-019-
01150-2.
Swiss Consultants Consortium, 1985. Security
Measures II, Addendum 3. Flood Wave
Studies.Task 2, Mosul Flood Wave, Volumes
(1,2,3). Ministry of Irrigation, Baghdad, Iraq.
Thuro, K., Baumgartner, W. and Esslinger, W., 2000.
Gypsum Karst problems along Alpine
Motorway Tunnel. GeoEngineering. An
International Conference on Geotechnical and
Geological Engineering. Millburn, Australia.
DOI: www.geo.tum.de/ people/
thuro/pubs/2000_geoeng_fuessen.pdf.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2017. Engineering
and Design. GROUTING TECHNOLOGY.
Manual No. 1110-2-3506. EM 1110-2-3506.
Washington D.C.
DOI:
www.publications.usace.army.mil/Portals/76/P
ublications/EngineerManuals/EM_1110-2-
3506.pdf.
Yacoub, S.Y. Othman, A.A. and Kadhum, T.H.,
2011. Geomorphology. In: Geology of the
Low Folded Zone. Iraqi Bulletin of Geology
and Mining, Special Issue No. 5, p. 7 – 38.
DOI:
iasj.net/iasj?func=issues&jId=225&uiLanguag
e=en.
Published
2020-12-28
How to Cite
SISSAKIAN, V. K., ADAMO, N., & AL-ANSAR, N. (2020). BADUSH DAM: PLANNED AND DESIGNED AS A PROTECTION DAM, NW IRAQ. Journal of Duhok University, 23(2), 31-39. https://doi.org/10.26682/csjuod.2020.23.2.3