Failure and overall stability analysis on high arch dam based on DFPA code

Abstract A code of practice for three dimensional cracking and a failure process analysis of high arch dams, based on the finite element method, dam failure process analysis (DFPA) has been developed. In this code, by changing mesh density, consideration of heterogeneity when calculating the elements is achieved. Random strength and elastic modulus are assigned to the elements in accordance with a Weibull distribution. A stress analysis is carried out based on consideration of the deformation of an elastic material containing an initial random distribution of microcracks, which simulates the progressive failure of solids. The dam cracking and failure process associated seismicity accumulation can be analyzed using acoustic emissions. The proposed method was applied in investigating the failure mechanism, and overall stability of the Xiluodu high arch dam. The numerical mesh model was fine, and the total number of hexahedral elements was 300 million. The DFPA analysis results, when compared with those derived by the Tfine code, and the 3D geomechanical model test show that the DFPA code is effective in fully simulating the failure processes of the dam and foundation. The analysis results were used to successfully guide the design of the Xiluodu high arch dam. The proposed DFPA method may also be of value to the reinforcement design and construction of high arch dams, associated with similar hydropower projects worldwide which are also located in complicated rock foundation areas.

[1]  Qingbin Li,et al.  Fracture and Tension Properties of Roller Compacted Concrete Cores in Uniaxial Tension , 2002 .

[2]  Chi King Lee,et al.  Validation of surface crack stress intensity factors of a tubular K-joint , 2005 .

[3]  M. Labibzadeh,et al.  Crack Analysis of Concrete Arch Dams Using Micro-Planes Damage Based Constitutive Relations , 2007 .

[4]  W. Weibull.  A Statistical Distribution Function of Wide Applicability , 1951 .

[5]  Mahmood Md. Tahir,et al.  In situ performance of field-moulded joint sealants in dams , 2013 .

[6]  Chun’an Tang,et al.  NUMERICAL SIMULATION ON SHEAR FRACTURE PROCESS OF CONCRETE USING MESOSCOPIC MECHANICAL MODEL , 2002 .

[7]  Qingbin Li,et al.  Effect of Aggregate Type on Mechanical Behavior of Dam Concrete , 2004 .

[8]  Arthur Raefsky,et al.  A simple and efficient method for introducing faults into finite element computations , 1981 .

[9]  Chun An Tang,et al.  Influence of heterogeneity on fracture behavior in multi-layered materials subjected to thermo-mechanical loading , 2009 .

[10]  Li Qingbin.  DEFORMATION STABILITY ANALYSIS OF XILUODU ARCH DAM UNDER STRESS-SEEPAGE COUPLING CONDITION , 2013 .

[11]  Hiroshi Morioka,et al.  Back-analysis of rock mass strength parameters using AE monitoring data , 2007 .

[12]  Hongyuan Liu,et al.  Numerical studies on the failure process and associated microseismicity in rock under triaxial compression , 2004 .

[13]  Richard E. Clegg,et al.  The theory of critical distances and fatigue from notches in aluminium 6061 , 2012 .

[14]  P. Meredith,et al.  Microcrack formation and material softening in rock measured by monitoring acoustic emissions , 1993 .

[15]  Xia-Ting Feng,et al.  Stability assessment of the Three-Gorges Dam foundation, China, using physical and numerical modeling—Part I: physical model tests , 2003 .

[16]  Hongyuan Liu,et al.  Effects of Outlets on Cracking Risk and Integral Stability of Super-High Arch Dams , 2014, TheScientificWorldJournal.

[17]  Peng Lin,et al.  Hazard and seismic reinforcement analysis for typical large dams following the Wenchuan earthquake , 2015 .

[18]  Silvio Valente,et al.  Asymptotic fields at the tip of a cohesive frictional crack growing at the bi-material interface between a dam and the foundation rock , 2013 .

[19]  Anthony R. Ingraffea,et al.  Case studies of simulation of fracture in concrete dams , 1990 .

[20]  Omid Omidi,et al.  Seismic cracking of concrete gravity dams by plastic-damage model using different damping mechanisms , 2013 .

[21]  Chun’an Tang,et al.  Micromechanical Model for Simulating the Fracture Process of Rock , 2004 .

[22]  Hongyuan Liu,et al.  Experimental Study on Cracking, Reinforcement, and Overall Stability of the Xiaowan Super-High Arch Dam , 2015, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.

[23]  Leslie George Tham,et al.  Numerical studies of the influence of microstructure on rock failure in uniaxial compression — Part I: effect of heterogeneity , 2000 .

[24]  Peng Lin,et al.  Experimental Study on Cracking and Integrity Stability of Xiluodu Arch Dam , 2007 .

[25]  X. Tao,et al.  Fracture spacing in layered materials: A new explanation based on two-dimensional failure process modeling , 2008, American Journal of Science.

[26]  Jay N. Meegoda,et al.  Micro‐mechanical simulation of geotechnical problems using massively parallel computers , 2003 .

[27]  C. Tang,et al.  Numerical simulation of progressive rock failure and associated seismicity , 1997 .

[28]  Wai-Fah Chen,et al.  Cracking model for finite element analysis of concrete materials , 1990 .

[29]  Genki Yagawa,et al.  Porting an industrial sheet metal forming code to a distributed memory parallel computer , 1998 .

[30]  Peter K. Kaiser,et al.  Numerical simulation of cumulative damage and seismic energy release during brittle rock failure-Part I: Fundamentals , 1998 .

[31]  H. Mirzabozorg,et al.  Non‐linear behavior of mass concrete in three‐dimensional problems using a smeared crack approach , 2005 .

[32]  Huilin Xing,et al.  A three-dimensional numerical investigation of the fracture of rock specimens containing a pre-existing surface flaw , 2012 .

[33]  Gen Li,et al.  Numerical Simulation of 3D Hydraulic Fracturing Based on an Improved Flow-Stress-Damage Model and a Parallel FEM Technique , 2012, Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering.

[34]  Hongyuan Liu,et al.  Reinforcement design and stability analysis for large-span tailrace bifurcated tunnels with irregular geometry , 2013 .