The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the fracture of concrete. Final report
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:151801
The topic of this research deals with (1) the hydrostatic pressure distribution along dam upstream face cracks and (2) the material resistance versus cracking when water pressure is present in the crack. Fracture experiments were performed where hydrostatic pressure was present during formation and growth of a crack in a concrete specimen. Experimental results yielded information regarding both the pressure distribution along cracks and the fracture properties as affected by the presence of hydrostatic pressure. Cracking of concrete is characterized by the formation of a fracture process zone along which a transition from intact to completely fractured material occurs. Water penetrates into this fracture process zone, and pressure is built-up gradually from zero pressure to full hydrostatic pressure. The water distribution along the crack is.independent of the concrete mix and specimen size; it is a function of the crack opening displacement alone. The relationship between water pressure and crack opening displacement is influenced by the level of hydrostatic pressure. For the application of this research to the analysis of darns with upstream cracks, the experimental results are approximated by simple functions describing the relationship between water pressure and crack opening displacement and fracture properties and hydrostatic pressure. In a case study, a gravity dam subjected to overtopping is analyzed, and the impact of this research on dam analysis is discussed. The conclusions from this investigation apply primarily to the concrete dam.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Colorado Univ., Boulder, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 151801
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR--105823
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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