arch dam
- a dam resisting the pressure of impounded water by an arch principle, especially a dam having in plan the form of a single arch abutted by natural rock formations.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
arch dam
- a dam that is curved in the horizontal plane and usually built of concrete, in which the horizontal thrust is taken by abutments in the sides of a valley. Arch dams must be built on solid rock, as a yielding material would cause a failure
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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