• Title/Summary/Keyword: Dam failure

Search Result 155, Processing Time 0.033 seconds

Numerical Analysis of Rainfall Induced Landslide Dam Formation

  • Do, Xuan Khanh;Regmi, Ram Krishna;Jung, Kwansue
    • Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
    • /
    • 2015.05a
    • /
    • pp.245-245
    • /
    • 2015
  • In the recent years, due to long-lasting heavy rainfall events, a large number of landslides have been observed in the mountainous area of the world. Such landslides can also form a dam as it blocks the course of a river, which may burst and cause a catastrophic flood. Numerical analysis of landslide dam formation is rarely available, while laboratory experimental studies often use assumed shape to analyze the landslide dam failure and flood hydraulics in downstream. In this study, both experimental and numerical studies have been carried out to investigate the formation of landslide dam. Two case laboratory experiments were conducted in two flumes simultaneously. The first flume (2.0 m 0.6 m 0.5 m) was set at $22^{\circ}$ and $27^{\circ}$ slope to generate the landslide using rainfall intensity of 70.0 mm/hr. On the other hand, the second flume (1.5 m 0.25 m 0.3 m) was set perpendicularly at the downstream end of the first flume to receive the landslide mass forming landslide dam. The formation of landslide dam was observed at $15^{\circ}$ slope of the second flume. The whole processes including the landslide initiation and movement of the landslide mass into the second channel was captured by three digital cameras. In numerical analysis, a two-dimensional (2D) seepage flow model, a 2D slope stability model (Spencer method) and a 2D landslide dam-geometry evaluation model were coupled as a single unit. This developed model can determine the landslide occurrence time, the failure mass and the geometry of landslide dam deposited in the second channel. The data obtained from numerical simulation results has good agreement with the experimental measurements.

  • PDF

Hydraulic and structural considerations of dam's spillway - a case study of Karkheh Dam, Andimeshk, Iran

  • Faridmehr, Iman;Jokar, Mohammad Javadi;Yazdanipour, Mohammadreza;Kolahchi, Ali
    • Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
    • /
    • v.6 no.1
    • /
    • pp.1-17
    • /
    • 2019
  • Preserving reservoir safety has recognized to be important for the public where a vast majority of dams are located upstream of greatly populated cities and industrialized areas. Buckling, floatation and cavitation have caused failure in the spillway gates and conveyance features during past catastrophic events; showed their vulnerability and need for regular inspection along with reviewing design calculations to ensure the spillway meet current design standards. This paper investigates the hydraulic and structural consideration of dam's spillway by evaluating the data of Karkheh Dam's. Discharge capacity, flood routings and cavitation damage risk were main features for hydraulic considerations where hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces and stability conditions were considered in structural considerations.

Assessment of Carsington Dam Failure by Slope Stability and Dam Behavior Analyses (사면안정 해석과 댐 거동분석을 통한 Carsington Dam 파괴의 고찰)

  • 송정락;김성인
    • Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
    • /
    • 1991.10a
    • /
    • pp.87-102
    • /
    • 1991
  • It has been reported that the failure of Carsington Dam in Eng1and occured due to the existence of a thin yellow clay layer which was not identified during the design work, and due to pre-existing shears of the clay layer. The slope stability analyses during the design work, which utilized traditional circular arc type failure method and neglected the existence of the clay layer, showed a safety factor of 1.4. However, the post-failure analyses which utilized translational failure mode considering the clay layer and the pre-existing shear deformation revealed the reduction of safety factor to unity. The post-failure analysis assumed 10。 inclination of the horizontal forces onto each slice based on the results of finite element analyses. In this paper, Bishop's simplified method, Janbu method, and Morgenstern-Price method were used for the comparison of both circular and translational failure analysis methods. The effects of the pre-existing shears and subsquent movement were also considered by varying the soil strength parameters and the pore pressure ratio according to the given soi1 parameters. The results showed factor of safefy 1.387 by Bishop's simplified method(STABL) which assumed circular arc failure surface and disregarding yellow clay layer and pre-failure material properties. Also the results showed factor of safety 1.093 by Janbu method(STABL) and 0.969 by Morgenstern-Price method(MALE) which assumed wedge failure surface and considerd yellow clay layer using post failure material properties. In addition, dam behavior was simulated by Cam-Clay model FEM program. The effects of pore pressure changes with loading and consolidation, and strength reduction near or at failure were also considered based on properly assumed stress-strain relationship and pore pressure characteristics. The results showed that the failure was initiated at the yellow clay layer and propagated through other zones by showing that stress and displacement were concentrated at the yel1ow clay layer.

  • PDF

Three dimensional seismic deformation-shear strain-swelling performance of America-California Oroville Earth-Fill Dam

  • Karalar, Memduh;Cavusli, Murat
    • Geomechanics and Engineering
    • /
    • v.24 no.5
    • /
    • pp.443-456
    • /
    • 2021
  • Structural design of the vertical displacements and shear strains in the earth fill (EF) dams has great importance in the structural engineering problems. Moreover, far fault earthquakes have significant seismic effects on seismic damage performance of EF dams like the near fault earthquakes. For this reason, three dimensional (3D) earthquake damage performance of Oroville dam is assessed considering different far-fault ground motions in this study. Oroville Dam was built in United States of America-California and its height is 234.7 m (770 ft.). 3D model of Oroville dam is modelled using FLAC3D software based on finite difference approach. In order to represent interaction condition between discrete surfaces, special interface elements are used between dam body and foundation. Non-reflecting seismic boundary conditions (free field and quiet) are defined to the main surfaces of the dam for the nonlinear seismic analyses. 6 different far-fault ground motions are taken into account for the full reservoir condition of Oroville dam. According to nonlinear seismic analysis results, the effects of far-fault ground motions on the nonlinear seismic settlement and shear strain behaviour of Oroville EF dam are determined and evaluated in detail. It is clearly seen that far-fault earthquakes have very significant seismic effects on the settlement-shear strain behaviour of EF dams and these earthquakes create vital important seismic damages on the swelling behaviour of dam body surface. Moreover, it is proposed that far-fault ground motions should not be ignored while modelling EF dams.

Comparative Evaluation of Dam-Break Models

  • Lee, Chang-hoon;Lee, Kil-Seong
    • Korean Journal of Hydrosciences
    • /
    • v.1
    • /
    • pp.27-38
    • /
    • 1990
  • Three representative dam-break models, HEC-1, DAMBRK, and SMPDBK were analyzed respectively in their theories and then applied to the failure of Teton Dam for which some observed data exist. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that:(1)HEC-1, which uses the hydrologic routing method, produces stable solutions for almost all the cases that were tested in this study :(2)DAMBRK, which uses the dynamic routing method, is most accurate among the three models ;(3)SMPDBK, which uses the generalized dyanmic routing relationships, is most economical and easily applicable.

  • PDF

Numerical Study on Earthquake Performance of Gravity Dam Considering Earthquake Frequencies (지진진동수에 따른 콘크리트 중력댐의 내진성능에 대한 해석적 사례연구)

  • Chai, Young-Suk;Min, In-Ki
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
    • /
    • v.31 no.4
    • /
    • pp.64-74
    • /
    • 2016
  • Recently, the seismic stability evaluation of concrete gravity dams is raised due to the failure of dams occurred by the Izmit, Turkey and JiJi, Taiwan earthquake in 1999. Dams failure may incur loss of life and properties around the dam as well as damage to dam structure itself. Recently, there has been growing much concerns about "earthquake - resistance" or "seismic safety" of existing concrete gravity dams designed before current seismic design provisions were implemented. This research develops three evaluation levels for seismic stability of concrete gravity dams on the basis of the evaluation method of seismic stability of concrete gravity dams in U.S.A., Japan, Canada, and etc. Level 1 is a preliminary evaluation which is for purpose of screening. Level 2 is a pseudo-static evaluation on the basis of the seismic intensity method. And level 3 is a detail evaluation by the dynamic analysis. Evaluation results on existing concrete gravity dams on operation showed good seismic performance under designed artificial earthquake(KHC earthquake).

Stability analysis on the concrete slab of the highest concrete-faced rock-fill dam in South Korea

  • Baak, Seung-Hyung;Cho, Gye-Chun;Song, Ki-Il
    • Geomechanics and Engineering
    • /
    • v.13 no.5
    • /
    • pp.881-892
    • /
    • 2017
  • Design and management of concrete slabs in concrete-faced rock-fill dams are crucial issues for stability and overall dam safety since cracks in the concrete face induced by stress, shrinkage, and deterioration can cause severe leakage from the reservoir into the dam. Especially, the increase of dam height to a certain level to enhance the storage capacity and to improve hydraulic stability can lead to undesirable deformation behavior and stress distribution in the existing dam body and in the concrete slabs. In such conditions, simulation of a concrete slab with a numerical method should involve the use of an interface element because the behavior of the concrete slab does not follow the behavior of the dam body when the dam body settles due to the increase of dam height. However, the interfacial properties between the dam body and the concrete slab have yet to be clearly defined. In this study, construction sequence of a 125 m high CFRD in South Korea is simulated with commercial FDM software. The proper interfacial properties of the concrete slab are estimated based on a comparison to monitored vertical displacement history obtained from the concrete slab. Possibility of shear strength failure under the critical condition is investigated based on the simplified model. Results present the significance of the interfacial properties of the concrete slab.

A Comparative Study on Geotechnical System Response Probabilities of Fill Dams in Korea Using Internal Erosion Toolbox (내부 침식 평가 도구를 이용한 국내 필댐의 지반공학적 시스템 응답 확률에 대한 비교 연구)

  • Kim, Woo-Yong;Lim, Jeong-Yeul;Mok, Young-Jin;Jung, Young-Hoon
    • KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
    • /
    • v.36 no.2
    • /
    • pp.245-258
    • /
    • 2016
  • In this study the geotechnical system response probabilities (SRP) of the failure modes caused by the interal erosion in three dams with different histories of defects in Korea were analyzed via the internal erosion toolbox developed by USACE. The calculated values of SRP were compared with the values reported for other dams in worldwide and also the statistics on the past failures of dams and embankments in Korea. The calculated values of SRP related to the internal erosion adjacent to the conduits or spillway structures are as high as in the order of $10^{-5}$ that is significantly greater than the SRP values related to other mechanisms of internal erosion. The statistical data showing that the interal erosion adjacent to the structure is the most frequent cause of the failure of the dam in Korea could be a collateral evidence of this finding. In contrast, the values of SRP related to the internal erosion through foundation, one of the major causes of dam failure in worldwide, are relatively as low as in the order of $10^{-7}$. This result could be comparable with the rareness of the failure cases of dam caused by the internal erosion through foundation in Korea.

Seismic damage assessment of a large concrete gravity dam

  • Lounis Guechari;Abdelghani Seghir;Ouassila Kada;Abdelhamid Becheur
    • Earthquakes and Structures
    • /
    • v.25 no.2
    • /
    • pp.125-134
    • /
    • 2023
  • In the present work, a new global damage index is proposed for the seismic performance and failure analysis of concrete gravity dams. Unlike the existing indices of concrete structures, this index doesn't need scaling with an ultimate or an upper value. For this purpose, the Beni-Haroun dam in north-eastern Algeria, is considered as a case study, for which an average seismic capacity curve is first evaluated by performing several incremental dynamic analyses. The seismic performance point of the dam is then determined using the N2 method, considering multiple modes and taking into account the stiffness degradation. The seismic demand is obtained from the design spectrum of the Algerian seismic regulations. A series of recorded and artificial accelerograms are used as dynamic loads to evaluate the nonlinear responses of the dam. The nonlinear behaviour of the concrete mass is modelled by using continuum damage mechanics, where material damage is represented by a scalar field damage variable. This modelling, which is suitable for cyclic loading, uses only a single damage parameter to describe the stiffness degradation of the concrete. The hydrodynamic and the sediment pressures are included in the analyses. The obtained results show that the proposed damage index faithfully describes the successive brittle failures of the dam which increase with increasing applied ground accelerations. It is found that minor damage can occur for ground accelerations less than 0.3 g, and complete failure can be caused by accelerations greater than 0.45 g.

Seismic evaluation of Southern California embankment dam systems using finite element modeling

  • Kamalzare, Mehrad;Marquez, Hector;Zapata, Odalys
    • Geomechanics and Engineering
    • /
    • v.31 no.3
    • /
    • pp.319-328
    • /
    • 2022
  • Ensuring the integrity of a country's infrastructure is necessary to protect surrounding communities in case of disaster. Embankment dam systems across the US are an essential component of infrastructure, referred to as lifeline structures. Embankment dams are crucial to the survival of life and if these structures were to fail, it is imperative that states be prepared. Southern California is particularly concerned with the stability of embankment dams due to the frequent seismic activity that occurs in the state. The purpose of this study was to create a numerical model of an existing embankment dam simulated under seismic loads using previously recorded data. The embankment dam that was studied in Los Angeles, California was outfitted with accelerometers provided by the California Strong Motion Instrumentation Program that have recorded strong motion data for decades and was processed by the Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data to be used in future engineering applications. The accelerometer data was then used to verify the numerical model that was created using finite element modeling software RS2. The results from this study showed Puddingstone Dam's simulated response was consistent with that experienced during previous earthquakes and therefore validated the predicted behavior from the numerical model. The study also identified areas of weakness and instability on the dam that posed the greatest risk for its failure. Following this study, the numerical model can now be used to predict the dam's response to future earthquakes, develop plans for its remediation, and for emergency response in case of disaster.