A hybrid distinct element–boundary element approach for seismic analysis of cracked concrete gravity dam–reservoir systems

Abstract This paper proposes a new algorithm for modeling the nonlinear seismic behavior of fractured concrete gravity dams considering dam–reservoir interaction effects. In this algorithm, the cracked concrete gravity dam is modeled by distinct element (DE) method, which has been widely used for the analysis of blocky media. Dynamic response of the reservoir is obtained using boundary element (BE) method. Formulation and various computational aspects of the proposed staggered hybrid approach are thoroughly discussed. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study of a hybrid DE–BE approach for seismic analysis of cracked gravity dam–reservoir systems. The validity of the algorithm is discussed by developing a two-dimensional computer code and comparing results obtained from the proposed hybrid DE–BE approach with those reported in the literature. For this purpose, a few problems of seismic excitations in frequency- and time-domains, are presented using the proposed approach. Present results agree well with the results from other numerical methods. Furthermore, the cracked Koyna Dam is analyzed, including dam–reservoir interaction effects with focus on the nonlinear behavior due to its top profile crack. Results of the present study are compared to available results in the literature in which the dam–reservoir interaction were simplified by added masses. It is shown that the nonlinear analysis that includes dam–reservoir interaction gives downstream sliding and rocking response patterns that are somehow different from that of the case when the dam–reservoir interaction is approximated employing added masses.

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