Concrete-faced rockfill dams: experience in study of stress-strain state

Introduction. At present the urgent problem in hydraulic construction is establishing the causes of crack formation in seepage-control reinforced concrete faces at a number of rockfill dams. For solving this problem the studies are conducted of stress-strain state (SSS) of concrete-faced rockfill dams which are fulfilled by different methods. Materials and methods. Gives a review and analysis of the results of studies of stress-strain state of concrete-faced rockfill dams (CFRD) fulfilled by different authors over the last 15 years. The results of analytical, experimental and numerical studies are considered. Descriptions are given of the models used for simulation of non-linear character of rockfill deformation at numerical modeling of dam SSS. Results. Analysis showed that solving the problem of CFRD SSS causes a number of methodological difficulties. At present the only method permitting study of CFRD SSS is numerical modeling. The rest methods do not permit considering the impact of important factors on SSS. Large complications are caused by scarce knowledge of rockfill deformation properties in real dams. Conclusions. It was revealed that at present SSS of reinforced concrete faces has been studied insufficiently. The results of conducted studies do not give full and adequate understanding about operation conditions of reinforced concrete faces. Impact of various factors on the face SSS has not been studied. Besides, there are contradictions in the results of studies obtained by different authors. Differences in the results are based on objective and subjective reasons. A considerable obstruction for numerical studies is complicated modeling of rigid thin-walled reinforced concrete face behavior at large deformations inherent to rockfill. The obtained results of studies often do not permit conducting full analysis of SSS of concrete-faced rockfill dams.