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Numerical Analysis of Seepage for Concrete Face Rockfill Dam with Cracks Based on Block Equivalent Continuum Method

  • Research Article-Civil Engineering
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Abstract

There are many practical problems in the rapid development of the concrete face rockfill dam, which mainly focus on a large number of cracks and extrusion breakages in the face slab caused by temperature-induced stress, shrinkage stress, deformation of dam and other reasons, which eventually lead to leakage, threatening the safety of the dam. To solve this problem, the three-dimensional finite element analysis method is combined with the block equivalent continuum method to calculate the three-dimensional seepage field of the dam area, in order to study the seepage characteristics of numerous and unevenly distributed cracks in the concrete face rockfill dam; then, the corresponding head distribution and seepage characteristics, including the phreatic line, the hydraulic gradient and the seepage discharge, were obtained. The findings of this paper validate the accuracy and reliability of the block equivalent continuum method. It not only meets the requirements of simulation accuracy, but also can obtain the characteristics of the local seepage field near the crack. At the same time, it greatly simplifies the finite element model and significantly improves the efficiency of seepage calculation. This method provides a reference for the seepage analysis of similar projects.

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Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51679197), the Natural Science Basic Research Program of Shanxi Province-Key Project (Grant No. 2017JZ013) and the Leadership Talent Project of Shaanxi Province High-Level Talents Special Support Program in Science and Technology Innovation (Grant No. 2013KCT-15).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Eco-Hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, 710048, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Shan Gao, Junrui Chai, Jing Cao, Zengguang Xu, Yuan Qin & Meiting Xian

  2. College of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, China, Xijing University, Xi’an, 710123, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China

    Junrui Chai

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  1. Shan Gao
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  2. Junrui Chai
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  3. Jing Cao
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  5. Yuan Qin
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Correspondence to Junrui Chai.

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Gao, S., Chai, J., Cao, J. et al. Numerical Analysis of Seepage for Concrete Face Rockfill Dam with Cracks Based on Block Equivalent Continuum Method. Arab J Sci Eng 46, 10341–10354 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-021-05368-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13369-021-05368-2

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