Structural safety of existing concrete dams: Influence of construction joints - Final report

Research project included: (1) a comprehensive literature review, (2) development of lift joints constitutive models using thin layer interface elements and gap-friction elements implemented in finite elements computer programs to perform numerical simulations of flood and earthquake responses of three gravity dams, (3) an experimental program to characterize the shear load-deformation response of small concrete lift joint speciments with different types of surface preparation, (4) a shake table experimental program to study seismic sliding response of three concrete dam models with a weak lift joint at mid-height, and (5) correlations between numerical simulations and experimental seismic sliding responses of selected dam models.

Weak concrete lift joints in gravity dams significantly reduce the ability to resist floods and earthquakes of large magnitudes. The objective of this work is to study the structural response of existing concrete dams under thermal load, AAR swelling and seismic loads. Finite element programs are used to model the behaviour of the dam in the nonlinear range taking into account cracking of the concrete.
This project encompasses: 1) a literature review; 2) the development of lift joints constitutive models using thin layer interface finite elements and gap-friction elements that were implemented in finite elements computer programs to perform numerical simulations of the flood and earthquake responses of three gravity dams (17.9 m, 90 m, and 115 m high); 3) an experimental program to characterize the shear load-deformation response of small concrete lift joint specimens with different types of surface preparation; 4) shake table experimental program to study the seismic sliding response of three 3.4 m high concrete dam models with a weak lift joint at mid-height; and 5) correlations between numerical simulations and experimental seismic sliding responses of the 3.4 m dam models.