Study of Anti-Sliding Stability of a Dam Foundation Based on the Fracture Flow Method with 3D Discrete Element Code

Chong Shi, Wenkun Yang, Weijiang Chu, Junliang Shen and Yang Kong
Additional contact information
Chong Shi: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Wenkun Yang: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Weijiang Chu: HydroChina-ITASCA R&D Center, ITASCA Consulting Group, Hangzhou 311122, China
Junliang Shen: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
Yang Kong: Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Geomechanics and Embankment Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-15

Abstract: Fractured seepage is an important factor affecting the interface stability of rock mass. It is closely related to fracture properties and hydraulic conditions. In this study, the law of seepage in a single fracture surface based on modified cubic law is described, and the three-dimensional discrete element method is used to simulate the dam foundation structure of the Capulin San Pablo (Costa Rica) hydropower station. The effect of construction joints and developed structure on dam stability is studied, and its permeability law and sliding stability are also evaluated. It is found that the hydraulic-mechanical coupling with strength reduction method in DEM is more appropriate to use to study the seepage-related problems of fractured rock mass, which considers practical conditions, such as the roughness of and the width of fracture. The strength reduction method provides a more accurate safety factor of dam when considering the deformation coordination with bedrocks. It is an important method with which to study the stability of seepage conditions in complex structures. The discrete method also provided an effective and reasonable way of determining seepage control measures.

Keywords: seepage flow; anti-sliding stability; discrete element method; dam foundation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/10/1544/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/10/10/1544/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:10:y:2017:i:10:p:1544-:d:114223

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().