For the following section of a gravity dam, examine the stability at the base.
Also indicate the values of
various stresses which are developed at each of the heel and the toe. α h = 0.1,αv = 0.05
Solution:
The stability analysis shall be carried out for two cases:
1. Assuming the reservoir is empty.
a. Vertical forces acting downward.
b. Vertical forces acting upward. (Homework).
2. Assuming the reservoir is full.
a. With uplift pressure.
b. Without uplift pressure. (Homework).
1/a Empty reservoir case with the vertical earthquake forces acting downward
Tabulating the calculations makes the solution easier.
Forces (t)
Forces acted Lever arms Moments about the toe
Designaiton
by (m) (t.m), (CCW+)
Vertical (↓+) Horizontal (←+)
1
W1 ×6 × 60× 2.4=432 65 28080
2
Downward W2 7 × 90× 2.4=1512 59.5 89964
weight of
the dam 1 112
W3 ×56 × 80× 2.4=5376 200704
2 3
W ∑ V 1=7320 ∑ M 1=318,748
Pw1 0.1 ×W 1=43.2 20 864
Horizontal
Pw2 0.1 ×W 2=151.2 45 6804
earthquake 80
forces Pw3 0.1 ×W 3=537.6 14336
3
∑ H 1 =732 ∑ M 2=22,004
0.05 × ∑ V 1 0.05 × ∑ M 1
Vertical
earthquake 0.05 ×7320 0.05 ×318,748
forces
∑ V 2=366 ∑ M 3=15,937.4
Summations ∑❑ ∑ V =7686 ∑ H =732 ∑ M =356,689.4
x=
∑ M = 356,689.4 =46.41 m
∑V 7686
B 69 B
e= −x= −46.41=−11.91m =11.5 m
2 2 6
B
e > the resultant force acts near the heel∧causes slight tension at the toe .
6
∑V
σ v(max/ min) =
B (1 ± 6Be )= 7686
69 (
1±
6 × 11.91
69 )
t t
σ v(heel )=226.75 2
¿σ v(toe) =−3.97 2 ¿
m m
Principal stress at the toe
2
σ 1 D=σ vt sec φ D
0.7
φ D =tan −1 =34.99 °
1
t t
σ 1 D=−3.97 ×1.49=−5.92 2
<42 2 OK
m m
σ 1U =σ vh sec 2 φU
−1 1
φ U =tan =5.71°
10
t t
σ 1U =226.75× 1.01=229.02 2
< 300 2 OK
m m
Shear stress
t t
τ D =σ vt tan φ D =−3.97 ×0.7=−2.78 2
< 42 2 OK
m m
t t
τ U =σ vh tan φU =226.75× 0.1=22.68 2
<300 2 OK
m m
2/a Reservoir full with uplift pressure
First find the hydrodynamic force
According to Zanger :
PeH =Cm α h γ w H
[ ( )( ( )) ]
1 /2
Cm y y y y
C= 2− + 2−
2 H H H H
C m=0.735 1− ( φ°
90 )
for (y=H) C=C m
Since the U/S face inclination is more than (½H),
6
tan φ= φ=3.99 °C m=0.735 C=0.75 ×0.702=0.527
86
t
PeH =0.527 ×0.1 ×1 ×86=4.53 F =0.726 PeH H =0.726 ×4.53 × 86=282.84 t
2 eH
m
2 2
M eH =0.299 P eH H =0.299× 4.53 ×86 =10,017.66 t . m
Forces (t) Lever
ame of force Designation arms Moments (t.m) (CCW+)
Vertical (↓+) Horizontal (←+) (m)
1
W1 ×6 × 60× 1× 2.4=¿ 65 28,080
2
Weight of the
W2 7 × 90× 1× 2.4=1512 59.5 89,964
dam 1 112
W3 ×56 × 80× 1× 2.4=5376 200,704
2 3
∑ V 1=7320 ∑ M 1=318,748
6 ×26 × 1× 1=156 66 10,296
Weight of 1
water
×60 × 6× 1× 1=180 67 12,060
supported on
2
U/S and D/S 1
×6 × 4.2 ×1 ×1=12.6 1.4 17.64
slope 2
∑ V 2=348.6 ∑ M 2=22,373.64
U1 ¿ 34.5 -14,283
Uplift forces U2 ¿ 46 -126,960
∑ V 3=−3,174 ∑ M 3=−141,243
86
P ¿ -106,009.33
3
Horizontal
1
hydrostatic
P’ ×1 ×6 2=18 2 36
force 2
∑ H 1 =−3,680 ∑ M 4 =−105,973.33
Upward
¿ ¿
vertical
earthquake ¿ ¿
∑ V 4=−366 ∑ M 5=−15,937
forces
Horizontal
hydrodynamic
force
Pe ∑ H 2 =−282.84 ∑ M 6 =−10,017.66
PW1 −0.1 W 1=−43.2 20 -864
Horizontal PW2 −0.1 W 2=−151.2 45 -6,804
inertia forces
due to 80
earthquake
PW3 −0.1 W 3=−537.6 -14,336
3
∑ H 3 =−732 ∑ M 7 =−22,004
Summation of
forces ∑ V =4,128.6 ∑ H =−4,694.84 ∑ M =45,946.65
x=
∑ M = 45,946.65 =11.13 m e= B −x=23.37 m , and B =11.5 m ,e > B
∑ V 4,128.6 2 6 6
∑V
σ v(max/ min) =
B (1 ± 6Be )= 4,128.6
69 ( 1±
6 ×23.37
69 )
t t
σ v(toe) =181.43 2
¿σ v(heel )=−61.76 2 ¿
m m
Principal stresses
σ 1 D=σ v (toe ) sec 2 φD −( P' −P 'eH ) tan 2 φ D (neglect D/S hydrodynamic pressure, P 'eH )
t t
¿ 181.43 ×1.49−6× 0.49=267.39 2 <300 2 OK
m m
σ 1U =σ v ( heel) sec 2 φU −( P−PeH ) tan 2 φU
t t
¿−61.76 ×1.01−( 86−4.53 ) × 0.01=−63.19 2
> 42 2 failure
m m
Shear stresses
[ ] (
D
τ D = σ v (toe )−( P' −P'eH ) tan φ D Neglect
S
hydrodynamic pressure )
t t
¿ ( 181.43−6 ) × 0.7=122.80 2 <300 2 OK
m m
τ U =¿¿ ¿
Factor of safety against overturning
F.S.O.=
∑ M +¿ ¿
∑ M −¿= 341,121.64
295,175
=1.16< 1.50 unsafe¿
μ∑V 0.7 ×4,128.60
F.S.S.= ; μ=0.7¿ =0.61< 1 unsafe
∑H 4,694.84
μ ∑ V + Bq 2
S.F.F.= ; q is taken as 1.4 MPa (140 t / m ¿ for preliminary design
∑H
0.7 × 4,128.60+69 ×140
S.F.F.= =2.67 <3 unsafe Homework: Examine the stability of the above dam
4,694.84
section if there are no seismic forces. Also calculate the magnitude of maximum stresses.
