Abstract
A series of shaking table experiments was performed to investigate hydrodynamic pressure inside narrow cavities like cracks in concrete gravity dams. In the experiment, the cavities surrounded with rigid plates were rectangular in shape, and had three different opening widths. Hydrodynamic pressure sensors were used to measure hydrodynamic pressure at several points along the cavities. Input table motions were sinusoidal with their frequencies and amplitudes changed variously. As far as the present experiment was concerned, hydrodynamic pressure inside cavities showed an almost linear increase with the distance along the cavity. The increment of hydrodynamic pressure along the cavity was found to depend on factors such as acceleration, frequency and cavity opening. In addition, phase difference was observed between hydrodynamic pressures at several points inside the cavity.
