2 DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF SEISMIC CRACKING IN CONCRETE GRAVITY DAMS

Abstract

This paper deals with seismic cracking of concrete gravity dams. First, the nonlinear tensile behavior of concrete is represented by the smeared crack model. The solution method of dynamic equation is discussed and improved to be consistent with the smeared crack model. Then, the seismic cracking of Koyna Dam is reproduced, to demonstrate the validation of such a nonlinear analysis on cracking in concrete gravity dams during strong earthquakes. Finally, the effect of hydrodynamic pressure inside cracks on the cracking in dam body is investigated and the calculation shows that hydrodynamic pressure inside cracks tends to increase the length of cracking.