ADVANTAGES OF RUBBER DAMS IN Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Pakistan.

Rubber dams have certain definite advantages over conventional dams, weirs and gated regulating structures like barrages, etc. some major advantages are mentioned below:

The dam body is flexible and can be adjusted to any dam height subject to the design maximum following real time requirement including lowering the dam bag flat on the base floor leaving the full waterway open to pass floods.

• Rubber Dams can have, theoretically, infinite span lengths. However, considering practical limitations, spans of more than 100 meters are not advisable. Successive spans with dividing piers may be used for longer dam lengths.

• The light rubber- nylon shell dam bodies replacing conventional heavy concrete dam bodies or steel gates, hoisting gears and concrete piers reduce pressure on the foundation soil. Also the load of the dam body is evenly distributed on the foundation soil. These lessen requirement of foundation soil treatment.
• Replacement of gates, hoist and piers of conventional gated structure by the lightweight rubber shell dam saves considerable amounts of construction materials like steel, cement, timber, etc.
• Rubber Dams provide full watertight condition and perform better in earthquakes.

• Constructions of Rubber Dam take less time as compared to conventional gated concrete structures.

• Operation of Rubber Dam is simple and, usually, is a one-man activity. The dam bag needs little maintenance.

• Rubber Dams require about 30% less investment cost compared to gated regulating structures.

• Rubber Dams have slim, simple and streamlined appearances the match perfectly with the surrounding in certain applications like at recreation facilities and scenic spots.