Numerical analysis and monitoring of pappadai dam

This paper presents a case history for the construction of the Pappadai dam in Italy. The dam is constructed from rockfill, with an upstream bituminous membrane, and is built on stiff clay foundations. The instrumentation of the dam and of the foundation soil provides detailed insight into the deformation patterns and pore-water pressure changes during dam construction and for the subsequent 7 years. Two-dimensional plane-strain finite element analyses, using fairly simple constitutive models for soil and rockfill behaviour, were performed to reproduce the soil–structure interaction so that the effects of reservoir impoundment, which has yet to be carried out, could be investigated. The paper shows that a careful choice of parameters and an understanding of the mechanical behaviour of the in situ soils can result in satisfactory predictions of the overall soil–structure interaction.Key words: rockfill, stiff clay, dam, field data, numerical analysis.

[1]  Richard J. Jardine,et al.  Then and now: some comments on the design and analysis of slopes and embankments , 2004 .

[2]  Richard J. Jardine,et al.  Advances in Geotechnical Engineering - The Skempton Conference: Vols 1-3. Proceedings of a three day conference on advances in engineering, organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers, held at the Royal Geographical Society, London, 29-31 March 2004 , 2004 .

[3]  D. Potts,et al.  Finite element analysis of progressive failure of Carsington embankment , 1990 .

[4]  A. Näätänen,et al.  FINITE ELEMENT CALCULATIONS ON HAARAJOKI TEST EMBANKMENT , 1998 .

[5]  Lidija Zdravković,et al.  Finite Element Analysis in Geotechnical Engineering: Theory , 1999 .

[6]  Gholamreza Mesri,et al.  Settlement analysis of embankments on soft clays , 1985 .

[7]  Federica Cotecchia,et al.  A general framework for the mechanical behaviour of clays , 2000 .

[8]  A. Macdonald,et al.  Ladybower Dam: upgrading in a national park , 2004 .

[9]  Federica Cotecchia,et al.  Structure degradation and changes in the mechanical behaviour of a stiff clay due to weathering , 2001 .

[10]  Lidija Zdravković,et al.  The effect of strength anisotropy on the behaviour of embankments on soft ground , 2002 .

[11]  D. Potts,et al.  Finite Element Analysis in Geotechnical Engineering: Volume Two - Application , 1999 .

[12]  Federica Cotecchia.  Effect of structure on the properties of an Italian Pleistocene clay , 1996 .

[13]  T. C. Kenney.  Closure of "Pore Pressures and Bearing Capacity of Layered Clays" , 1964 .

[14]  Paul W. Mayne,et al.  K o - OCR Relationships in Soil , 1982 .

[15]  J. Burland.  On the compressibility and shear strength of natural clays , 1990 .

[16]  Federica Cotecchia,et al.  Geotechnical properties of the Pleistocene clays of the Pappadai Valley, Taranto, Italy , 1995, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology.

[17]  F. Tavenas,et al.  Failure of a Test Embankment On a Sensitive Champlain Clay Deposit , 1974 .

[18]  F. Tavenas,et al.  Immediate Settlements of Three Test Embankments on Champlain Clay , 1974 .

[19]  Federica Cotecchia,et al.  The influence of structure on the pre-failure behaviour of a natural clay , 1997 .

[20]  N. Kovacevic.  Numerical analyses of rockfill dams, cut slopes and road embankments , 1994 .

[21]  Gholamreza Mesri,et al.  Settlement of Embankments on Soft Clays , 1994 .

[22]  J. Atkinson,et al.  Stiffness of fine-grained soil at very small strains , 1995 .