Sliding Stability Assessment of Concrete Dams Using a 3D Discontinuum Hydromechanical Model Following a Discrete Crack Approach
Evaluation of the sliding stability of concrete dams requires the use of numerical tools not only able to simulate the coupled hydromechanical behavior but also able to adequately represent the foundation discontinuities and the specific features of dam foundations. The formulation of a three-dimens...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Geotechnics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7094/2/1/6 |
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| author | Maria Luísa Braga Farinha Nuno Monteiro Azevedo Noemi Alejandra Schclar Leitão João Rocha de Almeida Sérgio Oliveira |
| author_facet | Maria Luísa Braga Farinha Nuno Monteiro Azevedo Noemi Alejandra Schclar Leitão João Rocha de Almeida Sérgio Oliveira |
| author_sort | Maria Luísa Braga Farinha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Evaluation of the sliding stability of concrete dams requires the use of numerical tools not only able to simulate the coupled hydromechanical behavior but also able to adequately represent the foundation discontinuities and the specific features of dam foundations. The formulation of a three-dimensional (3D) small displacement finite element model based on interface elements to simulate the discontinuities is presented. In this model, the hydraulic behavior is simulated assuming that the water flow occurs only along channels located at the edges of the triangular interface elements that simulate the discontinuities. The model is used to perform coupled hydromechanical analysis of a large arch-gravity dam and to assess safety against dam base sliding, assuming different constitutive models at the dam/foundation interface and two different approaches: (i) strength reduction method and (ii) amplification of the hydrostatic pressure, assuming an increase in the reservoir level. The present study shows that consistent results are obtained with the proposed numerical model and that stability analysis should preferably be carried out using the method of increasing the hydrostatic pressure and the corresponding uplift pressures, as this methodology leads to significantly lower safety factors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:47:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5760dc71268549eabf0b0566c52b8b8a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-7094 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:47:13Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geotechnics |
| spelling | doaj.art-5760dc71268549eabf0b0566c52b8b8a2023-11-24T01:20:57ZengMDPI AGGeotechnics2673-70942022-01-012113315710.3390/geotechnics2010006Sliding Stability Assessment of Concrete Dams Using a 3D Discontinuum Hydromechanical Model Following a Discrete Crack ApproachMaria Luísa Braga Farinha0Nuno Monteiro Azevedo1Noemi Alejandra Schclar Leitão2João Rocha de Almeida3Sérgio Oliveira4Concrete Dams Department, Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC), Av. do Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, PortugalConcrete Dams Department, Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC), Av. do Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, PortugalStructures Department, Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC), Av. do Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, PortugalCivil Engineering Department, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa (FCT NOVA), 2825-149 Caparica, PortugalConcrete Dams Department, Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC), Av. do Brasil 101, 1700-066 Lisboa, PortugalEvaluation of the sliding stability of concrete dams requires the use of numerical tools not only able to simulate the coupled hydromechanical behavior but also able to adequately represent the foundation discontinuities and the specific features of dam foundations. The formulation of a three-dimensional (3D) small displacement finite element model based on interface elements to simulate the discontinuities is presented. In this model, the hydraulic behavior is simulated assuming that the water flow occurs only along channels located at the edges of the triangular interface elements that simulate the discontinuities. The model is used to perform coupled hydromechanical analysis of a large arch-gravity dam and to assess safety against dam base sliding, assuming different constitutive models at the dam/foundation interface and two different approaches: (i) strength reduction method and (ii) amplification of the hydrostatic pressure, assuming an increase in the reservoir level. The present study shows that consistent results are obtained with the proposed numerical model and that stability analysis should preferably be carried out using the method of increasing the hydrostatic pressure and the corresponding uplift pressures, as this methodology leads to significantly lower safety factors.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7094/2/1/6concrete dam foundationsrock foundationshydromechanical behaviorthree-dimensional numerical modelingsofteningsliding stability |
| spellingShingle | Maria Luísa Braga Farinha Nuno Monteiro Azevedo Noemi Alejandra Schclar Leitão João Rocha de Almeida Sérgio Oliveira Sliding Stability Assessment of Concrete Dams Using a 3D Discontinuum Hydromechanical Model Following a Discrete Crack Approach Geotechnics concrete dam foundations rock foundations hydromechanical behavior three-dimensional numerical modeling softening sliding stability |
| title | Sliding Stability Assessment of Concrete Dams Using a 3D Discontinuum Hydromechanical Model Following a Discrete Crack Approach |
| title_full | Sliding Stability Assessment of Concrete Dams Using a 3D Discontinuum Hydromechanical Model Following a Discrete Crack Approach |
| title_fullStr | Sliding Stability Assessment of Concrete Dams Using a 3D Discontinuum Hydromechanical Model Following a Discrete Crack Approach |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sliding Stability Assessment of Concrete Dams Using a 3D Discontinuum Hydromechanical Model Following a Discrete Crack Approach |
| title_short | Sliding Stability Assessment of Concrete Dams Using a 3D Discontinuum Hydromechanical Model Following a Discrete Crack Approach |
| title_sort | sliding stability assessment of concrete dams using a 3d discontinuum hydromechanical model following a discrete crack approach |
| topic | concrete dam foundations rock foundations hydromechanical behavior three-dimensional numerical modeling softening sliding stability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7094/2/1/6 |
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