Planning Concrete Dam Construction Control Surveys

The planning and development of survey controls for construction of a high double curvature concrete arch dam, Marrow Point Dam, Colorado, are reviewed. The planning involves the phases of reconnaissance, site investigation, and preconstruction layouts, to fit the structure and its appurtenances to rough terrain as required to satisfy the intent of the designers and then serve the needs of the builder for construction operations. Methods and procedures developed by the Bureau of Reclamation over a period of years implement planning of control and construction surveys and establish tolerances for the geometric layout of this type of structure. The operations were aided by the use of electronic computer facilities for adjustment of triangulation and level nets, and other computations, with resulting cost reductions, and increased accuracy and efficiency.