Back analysis of mechanical parameters of roller compacted concrete dam

In view of the diversity and complexity of mechanical parameters of roller compacted concrete dam (RCCD), the uniform design method, partial least-squares regression (PLS) and least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) were applied to the back analysis of RCCD with the use of the complex nonlinear relationship between dam mechanical parameters and dam displacements. During the process of back analysis, the initial samples of parameters were designed with uniform design method. Then, a transversely isotropic model of RCCD was established by MSC.Marc software. Through this model, training samples of LSSVM model could be obtained. And then, the complex nonlinear relationship between relative values of hydraulic components of dam displacements and mechanical parameters was established. Finally, actual relative values of dam hydraulic components are isolated from the measured data of dam displacements by using PLS. By inputting the isolated relative values into LSSVM model, the back analysis values of RCCD mechanical parameters can be obtained. The example analysis showed that mechanical parameters obtained by the above-mentioned back analysis method are reasonable, and the back analysis method is feasible.