Three-dimensional dynamic response analysis of earth dams

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6224866

Mejia, L H

The purpose of the present work has been to develop numerical techniques for the three-dimensional dynamic analysis of earth and rockfill dams and to study the dynamic behavior of embankment dams in three dimensions. A computer program suitable for the three-dimensional dynamic response analysis of earth dams was used to back-calculate the dynamic material properties of Oroville Dam from the recorded response of the dam to the August 1, 1975 Oroville earthquake. The dynamic response characteristics of earth dams which exhibit considerable three-dimensional behavior have been studied and the applicability of two-dimensional analysis to the computation of the dynamic response of such structures has been evaluated. Additionally, the effects that the degree of discretization in the cross-valley direction has on the computed three-dimensional dynamic response of earth dams have been studied. A K/sub 2/max value of 170 was found to be representative of the in-situ dynamic characteristics of the Oroville gravels. The three-dimensional effects of canyon geometry on the dynamic response of dams in triangular canyons were found to depend on the crest length to height ratio, L/H, of the dam. For dams with L/H greater than 7, these effects are small. The dynamic characteristics of these dams can, therefore, be simulated reasonably well using two-dimensional analyses. However, 2-D analyses cannot simulate correctly the dynamic response of dams in narrower canyons since the effects of canyon geometry for these dams are very pronounced.

• OSTI ID: 6224866
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420200* -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
DAMS
DYNAMIC LOADS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS