Cemented Material Dams: Design and Practice. Cemented Soil Dams / Barrages en Matériau Cimenté: Conception et Réalisation. Barrages en sol cimenté

ICOLD

1st Edition

ICOLD / CIGB

December 16, 2025

The Cemented Material Dam (CMD) is defined as a series of new dam types utilizing cementitious binder together with various natural or manufactured materials in the construction of a dam. The principles used to design the dam section are different from those used in conventional gravity, rockfill and embankment dams. CMD dams offer the possibility to build dams safely, quickly and economically in an environment-friendly way, to decrease the risk of overtopping failure and the associated flood caused as much as possible, as well as to adapt, in some of the CMD types of dams, conventional “concrete” gravity dam design to foundation conditions usually not acceptable for concrete gravity dam structures. CMD is still in an early stage of development.

ICOLD Incident database Bulletin 99 update / Base de données des incidents de la CIGB Mise à jour du Bulletin 99

Statistical analysis of dam failures / Analyse statistique des ruptures de barrages

1st Edition

ICOLD / CIGB

December 5, 2025

In all hazardous industries, incident analysis is an important tool to improve safety. Understanding the causes of incidents makes it possible to change what was identified as a weakness, either in the design, the construction or the operation of any industrial plant. Dams obey the same rules, and it is the reason why ICOLD has always been involved in dam incidents collection and analysis.

Technical Advancements in Spillway Design / Progrès Techniques dans la Conception des Évacuateurs de Crues

Progress and Innovations from 1985 to 2020 / Progrès et innovations de 1985 à 2020

1st Edition

ICOLD / CIGB

December 23, 2025

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide the dam engineering community with information on the technical characteristics of the various types of spillways that have been developed and implemented over the past four decades, as well as the hydraulic characteristics associated with these structures.

Asphalt Concrete Cores for Embankment Dams / Noyaux de Béton Bitumineux Pour Les Barrages en Remblai

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

August 19, 2025

This Bulletin covers the state-of-the-art of current practice after the important development in design and construction during the last 25 years. It addresses all aspects of the design, construction, performance and operation. Characteristics of asphalt concrete cores, requirements for the mix design, laboratory testing and quality control are discussed. Technical specifications are also presented and proposed. Finally, several typical case histories with characteristics and performance are given in Appendices.

Global Climate Change, Dams, Reservoirs and Related Water Resources / Changement Climatique, Barrages, Réservoirs et Ressources en eau associées

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

August 8, 2025

The purpose of ICOLD Bulletin 169 is to assess the role of dams and reservoirs in adapting to the effects of global climate change, determine the threats, and potential opportunities, posed by global climate change to existing dams and reservoirs, and then recommend measures to mitigate against or adapt to the effects of global climate change.

Selection of Materials for Concrete in Dams / Choix des Matériaux Pour les Bétons de Barrage

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

April 17, 2025

ICOLD Bulletin 165, Selection of Materials for Concrete in Dams, is dedicated to the choice of hydraulic binders and mineral additions as well as adjuvants and waste water. This applies to both conventional concrete (CVC) and roller compacted concrete (RCC) dams. The Bulletin is a Practical Guide for the choice of materials for concrete dams, and provides project actors with the decision-making framework to make the right choices of materials in places where resources may be limited.

Multipurpose Water Storage Essential Elements and Emerging Trends / Les Retenues d'Eau Multi-Usages Élements Essentiels et Tendances Émergentes

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

June 10, 2025

The bulletin is structured to present the global and local role of water storage in the modern world and provide the basis for multi-purpose developments in the context of the hydrological cycle, the water-energy nexus, stakeholder engagement and environmental assessments.

The Physical Properties of Hardened Conventional Concrete in Dams / Propriétes Physiques du Béton Conventionnel Durci des Barrages

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

May 22, 2025

ICOLD Bulletin 145, The Physical Properties of Hardened Conventional Concrete in Dams, provides a comprehensive treatise on the physical properties of hardened conventional concrete for dams, refreshing the partial information. Most of the book addresses physical properties of...

INTERNAL EROSION OF EXISTING DAMS, LEVEES AND DIKES, AND THEIR FOUNDATIONS / L’ÉROSION INTERNE DANS LES BARRAGES ET DIGUES EN EXPLOITATION ET LEUR FONDATION Case histories, Investigations, Testing, Remediation and Surveillance / Études de cas, Reconnaissances, Essais, Réparation et Surveillance

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

February 25, 2025

ICOLD Bulletin 164 Volume 2 presents case histories of internal erosion failures and incidents, and advises on the investigations, sampling and testing that can be used to provide the data needed to carry out analyses of the vulnerability of dams and levees to internal erosion. It also advises on...

FLOOD EVALUATION, HAZARD DETERMINATION AND RISK MANAGEMENT / ÉVALUATION DES CRUES, DÉTERMINATION DES DANGERS ET GESTION DES RISQUES

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

April 14, 2025

Design criteria for the construction or rehabilitation of dams and hydraulic structures generally begin with a section defining the design flood. Flood determination methods have evolved over the years, but must continue to progress given the degree of uncertainty surrounding the assessment of extreme floods and the fact that factors external to flooding must be taken into account...

Regulation of Dam Safety: An Overview of Current Practices Worldwide / Reglementation de la Securité des Barrages: Revue Internationale des Practiques Actuelles

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

December 31, 2024

ICOLD Bulletin 167, Regulation of Dam Safety: An Overview of Current Practices Worldwide, provides a comprehensive review of legal and regulatory arrangements for the safety of dams among the countries represented at ICOLD. As such, this review is essentially a snapshot of the situation...

Tailings Dam Safety / Sécurité des Barrages de Stériles

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

December 31, 2024

The ICOLD Tailings Subcommittee has produced this Bulletin to assist the international community to further develop and adopt safe practices for tailings dam planning, design, construction, operation, and closure with a focus on the technical aspects that are mentioned but not fully developed in other recent National and Industry Guidelines and...

Blockage of Reservoir Outlet Structures by Floating Debris / Blocage des Evacuateurs de Crue, Prises d'Eau et Vidanges de Fond par les Corps Flottants

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

December 31, 2024

The production of this Bulletin is a joint effort by the Committees on Hydraulics for Dams and on Dams and Floods to pool resources in producing an overview of the state of the art, latest research and industry developments relating to the subject of blockage of spillways, intakes and bottom outlets...

Integrated Operation of Hydropower Stations and Reservoirs/Exploitation des centrales hydroélectriques et des Réservoirs

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

November 30, 2023

Integrated operation of hydropower stations and reservoirs has become a trend of hydropower exploitation, as an effective technical measure, integrated operation can improve the utilization efficiency of water resources, reduce the risks of flood and drought disaster, increase the safety and stability power grid and make sure that hydropower stations and...

Tailings Dam Design / Conception des Barrages de Stériles Miniers: Technology Update / Mise à Jour des Technologies

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

November 20, 2023

Tailings are produced from the processing of mineral ores and are commonly stored within embankment dams. The design of the dams requires application of sound engineering principles and an understanding of the properties of the tailings. This Bulletin provides a framework for classifying different types of tailings, ranging from ultra-fine to coarse, based on...

Supplement to the Position Paper on Dams and the Environment from a Global Perspective / Supplément au Document de Synthèse sur les Barrages et l'Environnement d'un Point de Vue Perspective

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

October 22, 2025

ICOLD Bulletin 159, Supplement to the Position Paper on Dams and the Environment, summarizes the role of dams in the future in the context of the global environmental changes which have become a significant issue in recent years. Global problems such as climate change have impacts on dam safety. Dams can therefore be both affected by global problems and help provide solutions to these issues. And although the issue of dam safety...

Sedimentation and Sustainable Use of Reservoirs and River Systems / Sédimentation et Utilisation Durable des Réservoirs et Systèmes Fluviaux

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

November 15, 2023

ICOLD Bulletin 147 discusses the upstream and downstream fluvial morphological impacts of reservoir sedimentation and possible mitigation measures. The current state of and possible future sediment deposition in reservoirs have been investigated globally with the aid of the ICOLD Register on Dams. The global mean reservoir sedimentation rate was found to be 0.8 % of the original storage...

Dams and Water Transfers – An Overview / Barrages et Transferts d’Eau – Aperçu

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

November 4, 2021

The present Bulletin presents a complete response from the ‘Technical Committee of ICOLD on Dams and Water Transfer (CDWT)’ to the Terms of Reference. It starts with related global information, brings out related efforts made in countries with completely differing climate, economy, population distribution etc. about present...

Operation of Hydraulic Structures of Dams / Exploitation des Structures Hydrauliques de Barrages

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

July 11, 2022

This bulletin 178, Operation of Hydraulic Structures of Dams, is an update of Bulletin 49A (1986), which was the second edition of Bulletin 49 (1984). The current update was prepared using developments and progress made in the last 30 years with operation equipment, staff building and training, and regulatory requirements...

Dam Surveillance – Lessons Learnt From Case Histories / Surveillance des Barrages – Leçons Tirées d’Études de cas

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

September 1, 2022

ICOLD Bulletin 180 presents the vast experience gained over the past 6 decades by the dam engineering community in the field of dam surveillance by means of 80 case histories. The documented case histories endeavour to cover the practical experiences related with one or several of the following points: a) Methods for...

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Méchanique des Fluides Environnementaux

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

October 31, 2022

Dams are planned, constructed, and operated to meet human needs - generation of energy, irrigated agricultural production, flood control, public and industrial supply, supply of drinking water, and various other purposes. Dams impound water in reservoirs during times of high flood that can be used for human requirements during times with inadequate natural flows...

Position Paper Dam Safety and Earthquakes / Sécurité des Barrages et Tremblements de Terre

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

June 28, 2021

Earthquakes have always been a significant aspect of the design and safety of dams. This position paper deals with the seismic safety of large dams, based on experiences with large earthquakes in Japan (Tohoku earthquake, 2011, Richter magnitude 9.0), in China (Wenchuan earthquake, 2008, Richter magnitude 8.0) and in Chile (Maule earthquake, 2010, Richter magnitude 8.8). It presents...

Mathematical Modelling of Sediment Transport and Deposition in Reservoirs - Guidelines and Case Studies / Modélisation Mathématique du Transport et des Dépôts de Sédiments dans les Réservoirs - Lignes Directrices et Études de Cas

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

June 28, 2021

As reservoir sedimentation has proven to be a serious problem in South Africa, research in this field has been ongoing for more than 70 years. This publication emanates from extensive research which has been undertaken over the past 30 years with the support of the South African Department of Water and Sanitation as well as the South African Water Research Commission. A great deal of information ...

Dam Safety Management / Gestion de la Sécurité des Barrages

Pre operational phases of the dam life cycle / Phases de conception, construction et mise en service

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

June 11, 2021

Dam Safety Management is a major concern during the entire lifetime cycle of a dam scheme. This is particularly true for the operational phase of the scheme that represents by far the longest period in its lifetime cycle. Bulletin 154 presented a general approach and concepts to be applied to dam operation. The current Bulletin 175 extends...

Roller-Compacted Concrete Dams

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

December 23, 2020

ICOLD Bulletin 177 ‘Roller-Compacted Concrete Dams’ presents the state-of-the-art on roller-compacted concrete technology for dams, incorporating the advances of the RCC technology for dams over the last 15 years since the previous Bulletin on the topic was released in 2003. Hence, the present...

Cutoffs for Dams

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

December 18, 2018

Cutoffs for Dams, discusses foundation treatment methods using cutoff-type barriers. High emphasis is given to alluvial deposits throughout this document; however, different materials may require cutoff. The construction of cutoffs has made significant advances mainly through...

Dams for Hydroelectric Energy Barrages pour l’Énergie Hydroélectrique

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

December 16, 2020

The Bulletin is intended as a general document aimed at a wide technical audience involved with or affected by hydropower. Basic background data and some statistics are presented, with specific reference to hydro-electricity production, hydropower dams, hydropower plants, in operation or under construction. Key aspects of hydropower...

ICOLD Dam Decommissioning - Guidelines

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

October 17, 2018

Dam decommissioning or dam removal has been increasingly common since the past decade. The reason for considering dam removal may have to do with the safety of dams, high repair costs, high operating and maintenance costs, or effects on fish passage and water quality. However, the decision to...

Flood Evaluation and Dam Safety

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

August 10, 2018

Hydrology and dams are two fields that are obviously closely related. Four bulletins have so far been published by the Committee: Selection of Design Flood – Current methods, Dams and Floods – Guidelines and cases histories, Role of Dams in Flood Mitigation – A review and Integrated Flood...

Dam Surveillance Guide

1st Edition

CIGB ICOLD

August 10, 2018

Dams are part of human achievements that induce great benefits for society but also bear a potential risk to people, property and the natural environment. The risk of a dam rupture is extremely low and diffi cult to quantify accurately. The aim of ‘Dam surveillance’ (ICOLD Bulletin 158), is to help...