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Effects of concrete cracking on the earthquake response of gravity dams
Author(s) -
VargasLoli Luis M.,
Fenves Gregory L.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
earthquake engineering and structural dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.218
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9845
pISSN - 0098-8847
DOI - 10.1002/eqe.4290180411
Subject(s) - cracking , gravity dam , geotechnical engineering , geology , ultimate tensile strength , classification of discontinuities , response analysis , structural engineering , materials science , finite element method , engineering , composite material , mathematics , mathematical analysis
Tensile stresses exceeding the tensile strength of concrete can develop in concrete dams subjected to earthquake ground motion. This study examines the earthquake response of gravity dams including tensile cracking of the concrete. The interaction between the dam and compressible water is included in the analysis using a numerical procedure for computing the non‐linear dynamic response of fluid‐structure systems. The crack band theory is used to model tensile cracking with modifications to allow for the large finite elements necessary for dam analysis. The earthquake response of a typical gravity dam monolith shows that concrete cracking is an important non‐linear phenomenon. Cracking is concentrated near the base of the dam and near the discontinuities in the face slope. The extensive cracking, which develops due to ground motion typical of maximum credible earthquakes, may affect the stability of dams during and after strong earthquakes.