ESTIMATION OF UPLIFT IN CRACKS IN OLDER CONCRETE GRAVITY DAMS: ANALYTICAL SOLUTION AND PARAMETRIC STUDY

The estimation of uplift pressure in cracks in older concrete gravity dams is discsussed, and a solution is presented that allows the crack to be of finite dimensions and to be intersected by a single drainage well at any point in the crack domain. The crack is of constant aperture and the flow in the crack is assumed to be laminar and steady. This solution can be used as a special case for a crack intersected by a line of drains such as analyzed by Goodman et al (1983). The analytical solution is presented in dimensionless form and is used to show that drains are effective in reducing uplift pressures in cracks in dams. A parametric study on the effect of drainage gallery elevation, crack elevation, entrance head, geometry, aperture and roughness and drain radius and location on uplift, and drain effectiveness is presented.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/8674500
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  345 East 47th Street
  New York, NY  United States  10017-2398
• Authors:
  • Amadei, B
  • Illangasekare, T
  • Morris, D I
  • Boggs, H
• Publication Date: 1989-4

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 19-38
• Serial:
  • Journal of Energy Engineering
  • Volume: 115
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: American Society of Civil Engineers
  • ISSN: 0733-9402
  • Serial URL: https://ascelibrary.org/journal/jleed9

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Concrete; Cracking; Drains; Gravity dams; Laminar flow; Uplift pressure
• Uncontrolled Terms: Concrete cracking
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Materials; I20: Design and Planning of Transport Infrastructure;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00484059
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1989 12:00AM