The article examines the pressing problem of designing concrete for building dams on rock foundations as it relates to the problem of crack resistance under severe climatic conditions. The article advances and examines a new trend in conducting scientific-research work for providing homogeneity of the concrete and continuity of massive concrete hydrotechnical structures. The trends consist in the extensive combined approach to solving the basic problem of achieving crack resistance and in examining the individual problems of concrete that derive from the struggle with crack formation. The article examines general aspects of the problem, problems of choosing cements, specifications for fillers, and questions of the homogeneity of the concrete of hydrotechnical structures and makes the appropriate recommendations. (Author).

Dealing with dam types such as gravity, counterfort and arch, this guide examines construction techniques, their development over the years, and their merits and demerits. As well as providing citations of dams, patents and codes, the text presents comparative data on world dams, updated to 1991.