600

International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering

ISSN 0974-5904, Volume 04, No 06 SPL, October 2011, pp 600-603
#020410331 Copyright 2011 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY. All rights reserved
3 D Stress Analysis around Large Openings in Concrete Gravity Dam

A. S. Shirkande
Post-graduate student, Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Pune -5, Email: aceshirkande@gmail.com
V. B. Dawari
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, Pune -5, Email: vbd.civil@coep.ac.in

ABSTRACT: The effect of openings is generally neglected in design of dam but it is considered when openings are
large. Large openings create critical zones for tensile stresses in dam. The work reported here comprise of analysis of
dam with large openings. The parameters considered are size and shape of large openings. Three models viz without
gallery, dam with regular size galleries and dam with large inspection gallery are considered for comparing the effect of
the size variation of inspection gallery on dam. The effect of different shapes of galleries like rectangular, square,
circular and horse shoe on stresses in dam is studied for various locations. Overall square shaped inspection gallery gives
minimum stress around gallery. Due to large openings, there is increase in stresses around the openings and in the dam.
Three dimensional finite element analyses are carried out using ANSYS 12.

KEY WORDS: Concrete Gravity Dam, large opening, Finite Element Method, Inspection Gallery.

INTRODUCTION:
A system of openings is provided within the body of dams
to serve various purposes. The layout, size and shape of
the openings are based on their requirements in dam.
Openings develop zone of tensile stresses since concrete is
not designed to take up any tension hence it become
necessary to reanalyze the dam section with openings. In
this paper the effect of size variation and shape variation
of large inspection gallery on dam are studied.

Large openings in dam
Opening is considered large when either of the following
is complied with:
a) d 6m or
b) Concrete cover anywhere around it is less than d.
(Where d is the maximum cross-sectional dimension)
Finite element analysis of the dam with large opening is
necessary to determine the general stress field, as large
openings are not considered in the IS: 12966: 1990.

MODELING OF DAM
For finite element analysis dam model representing the
actual 3-D behavior of the system is developed. Dam has
been modeled using eight noded brick element.

Finite element mesh for dam is achieved by considering
geometry after a detailed convergence study of the dam.
Khadakwasla dam profile as shown in fig. 1 is taken for
the study. Dam is considered in block of 30 m length.
Details of the dam profile are as follows:
Height = 32.34 m Base width = 17.45 m
Length = 1939 m Water level = 30.34 m
Top width = 2.74 m Base width = 17.45 m
U/S slope = 1V:0.050H D/S slope = 1V: 0.405H

Effect of size variation of inspection gallery
Theoretical limits of dam are influenced by openings with
different sizes. Finer mesh is provided around gallery for
accurate stress results. Sizes of openings in the dam are
given in Table 1 and Concrete cover of 2m is provided.



Fig.1: Khadakwasla dam profile

Table 1: Sizes of the openings
Dam model Drainage
gallery (m)
Inspection
gallery (m)
With regular sized opening 1.50X 2.25 1.50X 2.25
With large sized opening 1.50X 2.25 3.00X 3.50

Following three models as shown in fig. 2 are considered
for the analysis:
a) Dam without gallery,
b) Dam with regular sized openings: with equal size
of drainage and inspection gallery,
c) Dam with large inspection gallery and regular
sized drainage gallery.


Fig. 2: Dam models for effect of size variation

601
3 D Stress Analysis around Large Openings in Concrete Gravity Dam

International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering
ISSN 0974-5904, Volume 04, No 06 SPL, October 2011, pp 600-603
Effect of Shape variation of large inspection gallery
Considering requirements of dam cross section, different
shapes for inspection gallery are generally provided. The
dam is modeled for different shapes keeping area of cross
section constant as shown in fig. 3 and 4. The effect of
different shapes of large inspection gallery on stresses in
dam is studied considering following dam models,
a) Without opening,
b) Rectangular opening,
c) Square opening,
d) Circular opening and
e) Horseshoe shaped opening.


Fig 3: Dam with Rectangular and Circular shaped opening


Fig. 4: Dam with Square and Horseshoe shaped opening

Table 2: Sizes of different shapes of Inspection galleries
Type Size Area (m
2
)
Rectangular 3.05 m x 4.00 m 12.25
Circular 3.95 m (diameter) 12.25
Square 3.50 m x 3.50 m 12.25
Horse shoe Diameter = 4.00 m
Base width = 3.00 m
Height = 2.60 m
12.25
For comparison of results between different shapes eight
key points or nodes around periphery of the gallery are
considered in clockwise manner as shown in Fig. 5. In the
dam without opening the stresses at nodes at same
position where gallery located are considered.



Fig. 5: Key points around different shapes of gallery


FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF THE DAM
In FEA of dam with various size and shapes of opening,
the stress field to which the opening is acted upon and
stress distribution around such opening due to the stress
field is determined. The gravity dam is analyzed for seven
load combinations as per IS 6512: 1984.

The static loadings on a concrete gravity dam include self-
weight of the dam, water pressure from the reservoir, and
uplift pressure from the foundation. Density of concrete is
taken as 2400 kg/m. There is no tail water downstream of
dam. Seismic Coefficient Method is used for earthquake
analysis. Horizontal and vertical seismic coefficients are
obtained as 0.2 g and 0.1 g respectively. Modal Analysis
is carried out first to find out natural frequencies which
are used in the earthquake analysis. Harmonic response
analysis is used to determine steady-state response
considered for analysis using ANSYS 12.

EFFECT OF LARGE OPENINGS
Normal stresses are found out at toe, heel and top
upstream and top downstream. Stress results are obtained
at eight nodes around inspection gallery. Stresses at two
corners (Node no 1 and 5) and at centers of sides (Node
no. 2 and 6) of opening are represented for seven load
combinations as shown in fig. 7 and 8 for size variation
and in fig 10 and 11 for shape variation.

Effect of size variation: stress contours
Stress contours in fig. 6 show stress for normal operating
condition with earthquake. Tensile stresses are given by
positive signs and compressive stresses by negative signs.

a) Dam without Opening

b) Dam with Regular Opening

c) Dam with Large Opening
Fig. 6: Normal stresses in Longitudinal and Transverse
direction

602 A. S. Shirkande, V. B. Dawari
International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering
ISSN 0974-5904, Volume 04, No 06 SPL, October 2011, pp 600-603
Graphical representation of normal stresses in
longitudinal and transverse direction:

Heel Toe

Top (Upstream) Top (Downstream)

Node No. 1 Node No. 2

Node No. 5 Node No. 6
Fig. 7: Comparison of stresses in longitudinal direction for
effect of size variation.

Heel Toe

Top (Upstream) Top (Downstream)

Node No. 1 Node No. 2

Node No. 5 Node No. 6
Fig. 8: Comparison of stresses in transverse direction for
effect of size variation

Results of stresses for the effect of size variation give
following observations:
1) Dam with large opening gives 40 -50 % more stresses
at heel and around gallery than dam without opening.
2) The stresses at top and bottom of the dam decrease with
increase in size by 10 -15%.
3) Tensile stresses around large opening found to be
increase in dam with large opening. It gives 20- 25% more
stresses than dam without opening.
4) From the deflection at different nodes in dam it is
observed that it is maximum at dam model with large
opening whereas it is very less in dam without gallery.
5) Stresses around opening in dam with large opening are
maximum (3.90 MPa) at node 6 for normal operating
condition with Earthquake and minimum (0.02 MPa) at
toe for normal operating condition.

Shape variation of large inspection gallery:
Stress contours show stresses for normal operating
condition with earthquake. Tensile stresses are given by
positive sign and compressive stresses by negative sign.

a) Rectangular shaped gallery

b) Square shaped gallery
603
3 D Stress Analysis around Large Openings in Concrete Gravity Dam

International Journal of Earth Sciences and Engineering
ISSN 0974-5904, Volume 04, No 06 SPL, October 2011, pp 600-603

c) Horse-shoe shaped gallery

d) Circular shaped gallery
Fig. 9: Stresses in longitudinal and transverse direction

Graphical representation of normal stresses:

Node no.1 Node no.2

Node no.5 Node no.6

Fig. 10: Comparison of stresses in longitudinal direction

Node no.1 Node no. 2

Node no. 5 Node no. 6

Fig. 11: Comparison of stresses in transverse direction

Results of stresses for the effect of shape variation of
inspection gallery gives following observations:
1) Stresses around the horizontal large openings are 15
20% greater than that without opening. The stress
variation among different shapes is 5 -10 % only.
2) Dam with Square gallery gives minimum stresses at
all points except at bottom upstream corner. Overall
square gallery shows less stresses as compared to
others.
3) It is seen that at crown and invert point and side walls
show nearly equal values of stresses with 2 % average
variation. Vertical displacement is 10 % more in self
weight case than other cases i.e. water pressure and
uplift decreases the vertical displacement.
4) Results of displacement of different galleries are
nearly same in that square gives 5 % less than others.
5) Stresses around opening in dam with large opening
are maximum (4.40 MPa) at node 5 for normal
operating condition with earthquake and minimum
(0.50 MPa) at toe for normal operating condition.

CONCLUSIONS
It has been observed that large openings in the dam induce
higher stresses in the vicinity of them. In some cases,
these openings have contributed upto fifteen to seventeen
percent increase in stresses.
The variation according to different shapes is five to ten
percent. However, square galleries show less increase in
stresses as compared to other shapes.

REFERENCES

[1] Chen Jin Masoud Soltani, Xuehui An. (2005).
Experimental and numerical study of cracking
behavior of openings in concrete dams. Computers
and Structures, Nov. 8, 2004 Vol. 83, 525-535.
[2] Da Silva J.F. (2006). Optimization of concrete gravity
dams foundation drainage systems. Proc. 22
nd

ICOLD- Barcelona, Spain.
[3] Dike Anirudhdha M. (1994). Finite Element Analysis
of Khadakwasla Dam. M. E. dissertation, University
of Pune, India.
[4] Mohamed Abd El Razek and Magdy M. Abo Elela.
(2001). Optimal Position of Drainage Gallery
underneath Gravity Dam. Proc. 6
th
International
Water Technology Conference, Alexandria, Egypt,
181-192.
[5] Wieland Martin and Malla Sujan, (2000). Earthquake
safety of an arch-gravity dam with a horizontal crack
in the upper portion of the dam. 12
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