Construction, operation, and maintenance of rubber dams

Rubber dams are inflatable and deflatable hydraulic structures. Thousands of rubber dams have been installed worldwide for various purposes: irrigation, water supply, power generation, tidal barrier, flood control, environmental improvement, and recreation. Furthermore, rubber dams have been used in cold areas where the temperature is as low as – 40°C. The simplicity and flexibility of the rubber dam structure and its proven reliability are key considerations in its wide scope of applications. Based on the management practices of 20 rubber dams in Hong Kong in the past 35 years, interviews with rubber dam experts and practitioners, and the investigation to the construction of a recent rubber dam, this paper provides a detailed discussion on various issues related to the construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of rubber dams.Key words: construction, hydraulic structure, maintenance, operation, repair, rubber dam.