The work and the technique: Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project, Ethiopia

To built this major project, two large construction sites were established in a remote area where there were no roads. The first steps involved building a new road network, an airport to connect with the capital, a bridge to link the two banks of the Blue Nile, and a village with housing for 15,000 people.

The construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project was marked by two major challenges: the sheer scale of the structure itself and the formidable size of the river.

A diversion system was engineered to shift the course of the Blue Nile from one bank to the other as needed, using temporary intake and redirection works with controlled release of the turbine waters downstream. At the same time, excavation work began to ensure the stability of the main dam and to shape its geometry. This was followed by the construction of the main dam itself, the two hydroelectric power stations, the secondary closure dam, and the spillways for discharging floodwaters.

For the roller-compacted concrete (RCC) used to build the main dam, research was carried out in the project’s internal laboratories in collaboration with international experts. This led to the development of a mix with extended setting times and superior mechanical performance.

Another innovative feature that distinguishes GERD is the network of galleries inside the main dam, which continuously monitors key parameters in real time. These include hydrostatic pressure and reservoir levels; the integrity of the concrete block joints; millimetric displacements of the structure; and the performance of turbines and mechanical components. Monitoring is carried out through a network of sensors and precision instruments (including high-sensitivity pendulums) arranged from the top to the base of the dam. These devices measure and record every variation in the structural configuration, ensuring constant oversight of operational conditions. All acquired data is collected in a centralized database hosted in the control center located at the base of the dam on the right bank. Here, the data is analyzed in real time to support predictive maintenance activities and ensure maximum operational reliability.