Seismic fracture analysis of concrete gravity dams

Abstract

Nonlinear seismic analyses of a 90 m high concrete gravity dam, assumed to be located in eastern Canada, have been conducted using a smeared crack finite element model. Reduced frequency-independent added matrices have been used to represent the hydrodynamic and foundation interaction effects. Parametric analyses have been performed to assess the effects of the initial conditions induced by severe winter temperature, and the effects of hydrodynamic and foundation interaction mechanisms, on the nonlinear seismic behaviour of the dam. Key words: gravity dams, nonlinear seismic response, finite element, crack propagation.