Asphalt Concrete Cores for Embankment Dams / Noyaux de Beton Bitumineux Pour les Barrages en Remblai

Approximately 5000 years ago, a small dam was built in the Indus river valley, using asphalt as a mortar between stones. That was one of the first utilization of asphalt as an impervious material. However, the first -modern- asphalt concrete core dam, mechanically placed and compacted, was built in Germany in 1962. This method expanded first in Europe, particularly in Germany and Austria. Since the last fifteen years, this type of dam is gaining in popularity. Comprehensive research in the technology and development of asphalt concrete core machinery has been done. The Committee has decided to update the Bulletin which was published in 1992. That ambitious task was taken by specialists from Austrian, German, Norwegian, Chinese and Canadian national committee representatives.

As of today, nearly 200 asphalt concrete core embankment dams (ACED) have been built worldwide with excellent field performance or are under construction in different countries around the world. Among them