Impact of the ‘5.12’ Wenchuan earthquake on Zipingpu concrete face rock-fill dam and its analysis

Abstract

The ‘5.12’ Wenchuan Earthquake hit Zipingpu concrete rock-fill dam hard and rendered a maximum permanent settlement of 100 cm and a horizontal displacement of 60 cm to the dam. Such a large permanent deformation due to earthquake has brought about a large area of separation between the concrete face and the cushion layer plane, resulting in an obvious dislocation of the construction joints of the concrete face above the reservoir water level and a crushed damage of the vertical joints of the concrete face. The damage mechanism has been analysed according to the field investigation. Proposals are also put forward for the future analytical computation of the earthquake impact on the concrete face rock-fill dam, anti-seism design and the principle of rehabilitation of the Zipingpu concrete rock-fill dam after the quake as well.