Faulting effects on stability of embankment dams

抄録

Many embankment dams are constructed on active faults or in their vicinity and the effect of fault rupture propagation through these dams has been studied over the past two decades. However, of crucial importance is to pay decent attention to the post-faulting stability of the dams according to their response to fault-induced unequal ground displacement. In this study, two typical homogeneous and zoned embankment dams have been studied numerically when faulting occurs in their underlying bedrock during steady state seepage conditions. Unequal ground displacement of normal and reverse dip-slip faults, with various dip angles, are applied in multiple locations of the dam’s base. The results of the numerical analyses are studied regarding the variations of pore water pressures within the embankments. Thereafter, the dam’s stability after faulting is evaluated. The results show that reverse faults may cause general increase in pore water pressure values and, consequently, reduction in slope stability safety factors; whereas normal faults have less destructive effects on the general stability of the embankment dams.