Evaluation of long-term stability for high arch dam based on the viscoplasticity damage model

Abstract

Evaluating the long-term stability of high arch dam is essential for its long-term safety. Not only do the time-dependent deformation and damage evolution need to be considered, but also the reasonable criteria of global and local stability need to be adopted. A kind of method of evaluating the long-term stability of high arch dam was presented based on the time-dependent plastic complementary energy (PCE) and the overstress. Based on the Kelvin viscoelastic model, the Duvaut-Lions viscosity model and continuum damage mechanics model, a three-dimensional visco-elasto-plastic finite element analysis program considering damage has been developed to simulate the long-term stability of high arch dam. The evaluation of long-term stability is based on the curve of the global plastic complementary energy to time and the analysis of local stability is based on the development and distribution of the overstress. The results show that this method is very effective to evaluate the long-term stability of high arch dam.