ABSTRACT

In the period between 1950 and 1990, in addition to reinforced concrete facings, asphaltic concrete facings also found a wide application in the world practice of construction of rockfill dams, as watertight elements (Schmid & Frohnauer, 2001). Textbook references denote more than 200 such dams. The main advantages of asphaltic concrete facings, in relation to reinforced concrete facings, are as follows:

• Asphaltic concrete produced for application in hydraulic engineering, is almost completely watertight;

• From a structural point of view, it is very simple because it is constructed as a monolithic unit, without joints;

• Asphaltic concrete linings, i.e. facings, have plastic properties and so are capable of following the deformations of the slope, without the occurrence of significant cracks; besides, there has been proved the ability of asphaltic concrete of selfhealing (self-repair) under the effects of water pressure;

• Mechanization of the entire construction process considerably facilitates the decrease in workforce and material resources, as well as time necessary for construction.