Abstract
The height of reservoir water is one of the important factors affecting the seismic behaviour of earth dams. A large number of earth dams have been constructed in different countries that are sometimes located in a high-risk geographical zone. The studies on the seismic behaviour of earth dams have been conducted for several decades. However, this study, considering the importance of the subject, it investigates the seismic behaviour of Sumbar rock-fill embankment dam under near- and far-field earthquakes with variation in the water level behind the dam. The ratio of water height of the dam to dam height is considered as an important indicator to investigate the seismic performance of these structures. The analyses were performed using the ABAQUS finite element platform, under 7 near-field and 7 far-field earthquake records. In this research, the changes in dam stresses, displacements, and failure of the dam have been discussed. The results indicated that the effect of near-field earthquakes on the seismic behaviour of earth dams is more significant than far-field earthquakes.
Highlights
One of the main causes of earth dams’ instability is the impact of earthquake loads on them
When the earthquake load is applied, the dam has a reservoir water level which is an important factor in dam stability
The results show that when the dam reservoir is full, with changing the internal friction angle, the stability factor of the upstream slope can be changed by about 1%
Summary
One of the main causes of earth dams’ instability is the impact of earthquake loads on them (earthquake-induced failure). When the earthquake load is applied, the dam has a reservoir water level which is an important factor in dam stability. The minimum safety factor in the SEISMIC BEHAVIOR OF EARTH DAMS WITH DIFFERENT RESERVOIR WATER 127 LEVELS UNDER NEAR-FIELD AND FAR-FIELD EARTHQUAKES possible wedge of failure and the magnitude of permanent displacement on downstream were studied [8]. The results showed that considering the nonlinear behaviour in the modelling procedure, increases the safety in the seismic stability of the earth dam [19]. Studies of earthquake deformation modelling during earthquakes have been conducted by Fattah et al. According to the results, the values of seismic displacement depend on the elasticity modulus ratio of the dam crest to the dam base [20]. The stability and seismic safety of the studied dam against each of these categories were examined
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