Pulvino

A Pulvino is a foundation for an arch dam . It serves to level out uneven bedrock and to create a base for the dam so that it can have a regular shape. This simplifies the static conditions so that the dam wall can be calculated more easily. The Pulvino is made of concrete , wider than the dam, usually stretches over both slopes and over the entire foundation base and can reach a considerable thickness in the depths of the valley. The joint between Pulvino and the dam wall must be sealed and interlocked ; it can also be designed in the manner of a movable joint .