Abstract
A simple trapezoidal element is presented for use in the analysis of thin core rockfill dams with nonlinear soil parameters. Handling of nonlinear soil parameters and allowance for the intermediate principal stress in plane strain problems are discussed. The analysis of El Infiernillo rockfill dam using trapezoids in the core and transitions, and variable Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio, reveals the transfer of stress that takes place around the core. Comparisons of strain observations at El Infiernillo Dam with results from the analysis are good, except in zones of compacted rockfill. It appears that the actual stiffness of compacted granular fills may be seriously underestimated, if soil parameters are based on data obtained from triaxial tests on normally consolidated samples. A fundamental understanding of soil deformation behavior would lead to an improvement in the finite element analysis of soil structure.
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