Tarbela Dam is one of the most iconic structures in Pakistan and its 4th extension was commissioned in 2013 in order to enhance water management and electricity production capacity by 1410 MW.
Project Requirements
A hydropower dam is a complex structure with a number of functions, from the main dam to spillways & intake structures and the powerhouse. The total volume of concrete for this project was 600,000 cubic meters. A key requirement of this project was the prevention of cold joints due to hot weather concrete work. There were also small concrete pours requiring more than 10,000 psi strength.
The project also required a speciality solution for shotcreting, which required that the water be reduced for high strength to offset the effects of using an accelerator, all the while ensuring that the rebound was less than 10%.
Proposed Solution
Vertex Chemicals worked hand in hand with the contractor across the 4 year duration of the project. Firstly, the stringent requirements set by the client had to be met, over the course of several trials, to ensure that the chosen company can not only meet the technical requirements but also be able to deliver large amounts of material, consisten