MODEL STUDIES FOR EARTH AND ROCKFILL DAM

Abstract

Reported are the results of a study carried out experimentally and analytically to know if the behaviour of a dam during earthquake is affected by change in geometrical shape of its section, with the object of obtaining minimum deflections and inelastic deformations of the dam. Experiments have been carried out on shake table with two model dams, one having a berm on upstream side and the other without berm. The, core, filter, and shell material quantities have been kept exactly same in both the model dams. The model dams were given exactly the same base motion. Observations were made for crest accelerations and inelastic deformations induced due to given base motion under dry as well as reservoir full and partial pool level conditions. It was observed that the model dam with berm has less crest acceleration and inelastic deforma-tions as compared to that without berm, during the above montion- ed conditions of testing.