University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Hydromechanical Evaluation of Flow Behavior in Rock Foundations of Concrete Gravity Dams

Gimenes, Evandro De Avila

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9990005.pdf

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/83519

Description

Title
Hydromechanical Evaluation of Flow Behavior in Rock Foundations of Concrete Gravity Dams
Author(s)
Gimenes, Evandro De Avila
Issue Date
2000
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Gabriel Fernandez
Department of Study
Civil Engineering
Discipline
Civil Engineering
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Date of Ingest
2015-09-25T21:05:23Z
Keyword(s)
Geology
Language
eng
Abstract
The main concluding points of the study can be summarized as follows: (1) Present design uses a constant cohesion intercept along potential sliding surfaces, regardless of the magnitude of the effective normal stresses, to explain satisfactory structural behavior observed in concrete dams. The results obtained in this study indicate that adequate dam behavior might actually be the result of factors other than cohesion, such as the presence of 3-D rock wedges at the dam foundations, the arching of reservoir water loads into the abutments, the hydromechanical interaction along foundation joints and enhanced natural drainage. (2) For the dams analyzed in this study, estimated changes in rock joint permeability within dam foundations during reservoir filling are in the range of one to two orders of magnitude along the dam rock interface instead of the extreme permeability contrast assumed in current design guidelines (FERC, USBR), which assume open crack at full reservoir and closed at the tip of the crack. (3) The hydromechanical analyses carried out in this research indicate a gradual reduction in factors of safety during reservoir filling assuming that drains work beyond maximum operating elevations, instead of the rapid reduction obtained with design guidelines.
Graduation Semester
2000
Type of Resource
text
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/83519

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