Source:         Bureau of Reclamation, 2011, Seismic Induced Loads on Spillway Gates Phase I – Literature Review, Salamon J. W., Dam Safety Technology Development Program, Denver, Colorado. 


Electric analogy tray experiments were conducted by Zangar (1952) at the Bureau of Reclamation Laboratory. The experiments determined water pressure distribution for various inclined dams with a constant slope and are presented on Figure below, together with empirical curves developed using an analytical approach.


Comparison of experimental (solid line) and empirical (dashed line) pressure distribution Zangar (1952)