KITUI SAND DAMS

UpstreamDown streamSupporting stickMortar (1:3)Sliding stoneGuiding stringOne day after constructing the stone wall, the middle section is filled with masonrycomprising hard core and about 25mm mortar (1:4) .The joints between the wall hardcore are filled with about 25mm of the mortar (1:3). The mortar used for filling shouldhave more water to avoid seepage. Arrangement of the rocks should be well interlockedfor strength. These rocks might be permeable or impermeable. because the dam is buildon masonry only. The mortar will fill up the spaces between the stones.Horizontal Reinforcements.Strands of barbed wire are placed horizontally every 30cm of construction across to boththe wing walls. the width of the wings and the spillway are laid lengthways as before.The number of strands of the barbed wire reduces with two strands every layer startingwith ten strands of the barbed wire.Plaster layerThe top of the dam is covered by a layer of plaster of mortar (1:3) 1.5cm thick. The wallon the upstream is also plastered to ensure that the dam is watertight and an extrathickness plaster is put at the foot of the wall on either sides of the wall for the samepurpose. The wall on the down stream side is plastered for only 15cm (skirting) below thetop of the spillway and the wings .The down stream is only decorated at the joints.The Back flowAfter the filling has been done to the sand level, a slab of mortar (1:3) of 5cm is laid.Then strands of barbed wire making both lengths and spaces at --- are laid then coveredwit a 5cm slab of mortar (1:3) laid and smoothed properly52