On a Benchmark Problem for Modeling and Simulation of Concrete Dams Cracking Response

Abstract

Concrete dams are massive unreinforced quasi-brittle structures prone to cracking from multiple causes. The structural safety assessment of cracked concrete dams is typically performed using computational analysis through numerical methods, with adequate representation of the material model. Advances in the last decades including computational processing power, novel material, and numerical models have enabled remarkable progress in the analysis of concrete dams. Nevertheless, classical benchmarks remain reliable references for the performance analysis of these structures. This paper presents the main aspects of modeling and simulation of a concrete gravity dam cracking response based on a broad literature survey. Emphasis is given to an in-depth review of the benchmark problem analyzed by Carpinteri et al. (1992). We then use the Abaqus concrete damage plasticity constitutive model to solve the benchmark problem and provide recommendations to obtain accurate results with an optimal computational cost. The best practices of modeling, simulation, verification, and validation are presented.