PRACTICAL EVALUATION OF HYDRODYNAMIC PRESSURES ON DAM-GATES DURING EATHQUAKES

Abstract

Checking the seismic safety of dam-gate systems in addition to the dam body is an essential requirement. In this paper, the present design standards and studies on dam-gate are summarized. As a case study, shaking table tests and numerical analyses were carried out, with findings that hydrodynamic pressures expressed by the Westergaard equation was likely to give overestimation for dam-gate systems. The overestimation resulting from positional effects of the dam-gate systems were evaluated. Finally, simple procedures to reduce the overestimation were proposed for practical application.