Evaluation of Dam–Water–Soil Interaction in Static and Dynamic Analyses of Concrete Gravity Dams

In this study, the dam–water–foundation interaction is described in a combined mathematical model. The static and dynamic analyses of concrete gravity dams were carried out by the finite element method. It was assumed that materials are linear elastic. A dam with a foundation 242 meters in length and 48 meters in depth was considered. The effect of the co-vibrating soil mass on the natural frequencies was studied. In the added mass approach, effects of the fluid on the dynamic properties of the structure are modeled as an apparent fluid mass added to the structural mass. The structure is therefore solved without the fluid, but the structural mass matrix is modified to include the added mass due to the fluid. The study consists of eight chapters. The first chapter outlines the study. The second chapter provides general considerations in designing concrete gravity dams. The third chapter presents the theoretical investigation of the static and dynamic analyses of concrete gravity dams. The fourth chapter gives general information about the finite element and shear beam methods. The fifth chapter presents static analyses of concrete gravity dams by the finite element method for the following cases: full dam — flexible foundation, full dam — fixed foundation, empty dam — flexible foundation, and empty dam — fixed foundation. The sixth chapter covers the dynamic analyses by the finite element method for the same cases. Additionally, dynamic analyses using the shear beam method (assuming a fixed foundation) were performed for both full and empty dam cases. In the seventh chapter, results of the static and dynamic analyses are compared. In the dynamic analysis, taking into account the 0.33 g maximum ground acceleration of the north–south component of the El Centro earthquake (1940), the design spectrum developed by Housner was considered. The results obtained from these studies are summarized in the eighth chapter.