Clyde Dam Spillway

Clyde dam has four radial spillway gates, each weighing 117 tonnes.  The gates are 10 metres wide and 14 m high.  They are operated using 4 steel wire ropes, which are connected to a winch system.  The steel wire ropes are 44 mm in diameter and galvanised.  These ropes would have a design life expectancy around 15 to 20 years, depending on the chemical aggressiveness of the waters they are submerged in.  The current ropes were showing corrosion and broken strands at the gate connection point.  The decision was made to replace them with a synthetic fibre rope. Dynex was chosen as the replacement rope.  The rope is 35 mm in diameter with a final diameter of 43mm, due to core and overbraided cover.  It is expected that the new rope will have a longer life than the existing steel ropes and be kinder to the skin plate of the gates, which had suffered some minor damage from the existing steel ropes.  At present, one gate has already been modified and experience in using the gate shows the new rope is performing well.  It is planned to modify the remaining 3 gates in 2008.

Grant Campbell Asset Manager