Numerical Simulation Study on Slaking Deformation Properties of High Earth Core Dam

Abstract

The initial soaking of coarse-grained soil will trigger significant slaking deformation of this material. In order to study the slaking deformation of a certain dam during impounding process and its impacts on the dam body, we have adopted the slaking constitutive model by singe-line method and relevant test parameters from Changjiang River Scientific Research Institute, and conducted numerical simulation on the whole process from rock filling to impounding and slaking process of high earth core rockfill dam. The result has shown that, after considering slaking deformation of upstream shell materials, the upstream settlement is generally larger than downstream settlement on the same horizontal line, and the settlement of downstream shell materials generally stays unchanged after considering slaking deformation; at the early impounding period, the settlement of dam body is increasing, and the horizontal displacement of upstream side shell materials is pointing towards upstream. These findings can adequately explain the slaking deformation of the dam caused by impoundment, testify the new slaking constitutive model by single-line method and relevant test parameters, and provide reasonable basis for engineering design.