Calculating Water Dam Forces and Stress for Building a Durable Dam

[pheonixchin]

Hi

I have questions about building a dam. (a simple dam)

Part1
please see picture below

1. Will the force (red arrow) that water exert on the dam equal from the surface till the bottom? If yes then how can I calculate the force exert on the dam?
If not then how can I calculate the force exert on the dam at a specific point?

2. What variables will I need to know in order to calculate? water height? , volume of water?
3. Which part of the dam is subjected to most stress
4. Which part of the dam is subjected to least stress
5. What calculation and information do I need in order to build a dam that can withstand the water (roughly)? e.g. dam thickness, dam height?


http://img64.imageshack.us/img64/7277/dam1.png



Part2

please see picture below

1. Will the knowledge from part 1 sufficient to let me calculate how high and wide of water I need in the second dam(smaller dam) in order to prevent the first dam from failing?
2. What is the optimum high of water I need in second dam and the optimum distance I need in the second dam in order to prevent the first dam from failing?
3. Is it better to have more distance between the two dam and less water height or more water height and less distance between the dam?


http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8016/dam2x.png

Thank you very much

 

[russ_watters]

All you need for pressure is p=mgh

To actually design a dam? That can't be explained in an internet forum thread.

 

[pheonixchin]

p=mgh?

m=mass?

mass of water?

could you please clarify?

or you mean P=ρgh?

 

[russ_watters]

Dang, sorry - that should be p=ρgh... that's rho. Density.