Applied Mechanics and Materials Online: 2012-11-29

ISSN: 1662-7482, Vol. 238, pp 252-255

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.238.252
© 2012 Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland

Stability Analysis of Concrete Gravity Dam

Zhonghua Wen a and Juan Zhou b
School of Civil Engineering and Communication, North China University of Water Resources and
Electric Power, Zhengzhou 450011, China
a
wzhzhonghua@126.com, bzhoujuan@ncwu.edu.cn

Keywords: concrete gravity dam; stability; rigid body limit equilibrium method; finite element
technique.

Abstract. The safety is first-class important event of the dam. The crash for the gravity dam usually
causes due to slid, the slippery stable is a key problem of big dam. This paper checks the stability of
one dam by rigid body limit equilibrium method and finite element technique. Rigid body limit
equilibrium method is a kind of traditional stable analytical method, which is confirmed by factual
engineering, the safe coefficient is always used to judge the big dam safety degree. The finite element
technique is a method which is quickly developed in the calculator science and the basic theories of
the rock soil mechanics. The paper compares the two methods and makes sure the fact that the finite
element is more reasonable than rigid body limit equilibrium method for analyzing the stability of
gravity dam.

Introduction
One reservoir lies in Yellow River tributary Luo river midstream, its important function is flood
controlling, and doubling as irrigation, generating electricity, providing water and so forth. Reservoir
building consists of dam, powerhouse of power station and closed conduit .The type of dam is solid
gravity dam. The highest part of dam is 125m, the elevation of dam top is 553m,the length of dam top
is 315m,The dam is consist of 21 dam section, the width of normal dam station is 16.5m,the biggest
width is 19m,the least width is 13m.The upper gradient of dam is 1:0.2,the elevation of slope point is
510m,the lower gradient is 1:0.8. The sliding resistance of this concrete dam is computed by rigid
body limit equilibrium method and FEM in this paper.

Anti-sliding Stability Analysis of Gravity Dam.

Primary loads on gravity dam are self-weight, hydrostatic pressure, uplift pressure, sediment
pressure. The paper mostly researches Sliding stability of gravity dam on basic loads of what is
mentioned.
Rigid Body Limit Equilibrium Method
The formula of stability coefficient is computed by rigid body limit equilibrium method has two style:
shear formula, shear strength formula. Shear strength formula considered the cementation of dam and
bedrock, friction and cohesion is included in, it is conformed to the real working conditions and
physical concept is also distinct [1].But the result of experiment indicated that the on-the-spot
inspection values is not stability in most cases and the adhesion forms of specimens are not exactly in
line with the fact. The safety factor which is set in criterion would be reduced because of the
development of trial technology and the increase in daming experience. Therefore, shear strength
formula is more reasonable on condition that the dam has good foundation and reliable shear strength
parameter by detail investigations. Taking thought of the case of gravity dam, shear strength formula
is adopted to calculate stability coefficient in the paper [2, 3].
The base parameter of material as follows: concrete density γc=2400Kg/m3,water density
γ0=1000kg/m3, sediment buoyant density γc=900Kg/m3.
Self-weight of dam: W=vγs=[15×15+ (15+37.4)×28/2+(37.4+119.4)×82/2]×1×24
= (225+733.6+6428.8)×1×24=7387.4×1×24=177297.6kN/m

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 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 238 253

Sydrostatic pressure on the surface of dam: P1=24.8×24.8×10/2=3075.2 kN/m,

F=(24.8×10+106.8×10)×83.6/2=55008.8 kN/m, P=53956 kN/m, W1=10791.2 kN/m.

Fig. 1 Section of gravity dam (m)

Uplift pressure: U1=H2γ0 l=25312.8kN/m3, U2=Hγ0/2 l=51103.2kN/m3, U=U1+U2=76416kN/m3.
Sediment pressure: Sediment weight can be neglected because the engineering has bigger upper
gradient. By correlative criterion, buoyant weight of Sediment as follows:
1 12o
γ c = 9.0 , Φ n = 12o , Pn = γ n hn2 tg(45o − ) =7983.42kN/m
2 2
Anti-sliding stability safety factor k (f ′=1.0 c′=0.7MPa)
W3 = W1 + W2 + W = 10791.2 + 1797.8 + 177297.6 = 189886.8kN / m
P3 = P1 + P + Pn − P2 = 3075.2 + 53956 + 79833.42 − 2247.2 = 62767.4kN/ m
f (W3 − U ) f ′(W3 − U ) + c′A
K= =1.27 K′ = = 3.14
P P
Table 1 Safety factor of anti-sliding stability
grade of dam
Safety factor load combination
1 2 3
basic combination 1.10 1.05 1.05
K (1)especial combination 1.05 1.00 1.00
(2)especial combination 1.00 1.00 1.00
basic combination 3.0
K′ (1)especial combination 2.5
(2)especial combination 2.3
The results indicate that sliding stability of the dam is enough by comparing it is safety factor of
anti-sliding stability with above table.

Finite Element Method

Fig. 2 Mesh of gravity dam

254 Innovation in Civil Engineering, Architecture and Sustainable Infrastructure

The research object is an integrated dam section here, the scope of calculation include length along
stream direction which is the same with the width of dam foundation and dam foundation depth which
as big as the height of dam. Normal constraint is set on the boundary of the upper and lower of dam
section, the boundary of bottom is fixed end [4, 5].the dam model of FEM as shown in Fig. 2.

Calculation of Dam Foundation Stability Coefficient by FEM

The general solution method about stability analysis of concrete dam is calculating dam stress first
and comparing it with foundation rock’s, then checking whether the foundation rock would distorted
by strength ,at last analyzing the safety of the whole dam. A plane is cut out according to
two-dimensional analysis and the model is calculating by plane strain, the computational result of
shear stress along dam foundation surface as shown in Fig.3 and Fig.4.

Fig. 3 yx-direction shear stress on dam Fig. 4 y-direction shear stress on dam base
foundation surface foundation surface

For some point, the Safety factor of different direction is different, so Kp=f(θ), θ indicate direction
angle, the minimum safety factor Kpmin must satisfied:
d K P dθ = 0
So the minimum safety factor is as follows:
σ1 + σ2 σ1 −σ2
c + tg φ[ + cos2α]
KPmin = 2 2 (1)
σ1 −σ 2
sin2α
2
σ1 −σ2
( )tgφ
1 2
α = cos-1 (2)
2 σ +σ
c + ( 1 2 )tgφ
2
Where, c, φ — cohesion and internal friction angle of rock, σ1, σ2—maximum and minimum
normal stress of the calculational point.
The result is c =0.7MPa, σ1=3.62MPa, σ2=3.62MPa, α=15o,
3.62 + 0.72 3.62-0.72
0.7 + tg15[ + × 0.303]
K P min = 2 2 = 1.02
3.62-0.72
× 0.9592
2
The stability coefficient of the project ranges from 1.0 to 1.3 [6] by correlative criterion, so the
stability of creativity dam is enough according to the above result.
 Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 238 255

Conclusions
From above calculating result about anti-sliding stability safety factor of the gravidity dam by rigid
body limit equilibrium method and FEM, we can get conclusions as follows: the safety factor from
rigid body limit equilibrium method is bigger than that from FEM, it signals that rigid body limit
equilibrium method is more safe and conservative than FEM. the result from FEM is closer to the
gravity dam because it accord with the project fact by considering uneven material. FEM provides
more reasonable theory and method for the resolution of gravity dam and more powerful guarantee
for reliability of gravity dam.

References
[1] Y. Duan, Y. He, Study on failure process of gravity dam along interface between dam and
foundation with theory of real shear strength, Journal of Wuhan University of Hydraulic and
Electrical Engineering, 32 (1999) 13-18.
[2] G. Zhang, F. Jin, Comparison of stability of gravity dams by discontinuous deformation analysis
and finite element method, Journal of Hydroelectric Engineering, 23 (2004) 10-14.
[3] J. Liu, The anti–sliding stability numerical analysis of gravity dam with weak interralated layer in
foundation, Thesis for Master Degree, Dalian University of Technology, 2005.
[4] W. Hao, ANSYS Civil Engineering Application Example, China WaterPower Press, Beijing,
2005.
[5] L. Li, ANSYS Finite Element Analysis Practical Course, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 2005.
[6] SL319-2005, Design Specification for Concrete Gravity Dams, China WaterPower Press, Beijing,
2005.