Finite Element Assessment of the ASR-Affected Paulo Afonso IV Dam
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 34, Issue 4
Abstract
Various numerical models have been developed to appraise alkali-silica reaction (ASR) induced expansion and to predict its potential to generate further damage. A previous work proposed a finite element approach that does not oversimplify nor overcomplicate the reaction analysis, while still being capable of representing the anisotropic expansion and its macroscopic consequences. Slender structures have already been successfully simulated using this approach, although it has never been applied to assess massive structures. This paper presents the validation analyses and the simulations performed on an ASR-affected dam in Brazil to appraise the accuracy of the previously proposed approach for massive structures. The results suggest that the numerical model is quite promising for appraising ASR development over time, based on the damage observed both in the field and on test specimens. Moreover, phenomena not directly accounted for in the model (such as alkali release from aggregates and the absence of an important amount of leaching) were found to play an important role in ASR-affected massive structures.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article. Yet, if needed, some or all data, models, or code generated or used during the study are available from the corresponding author by request.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support received from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC) and Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) in partnership with GHD. Moreover, the authors would like to thank the Companhia Hidro-Elétrica do São Francisco (CHESF), and in particular Mr. Alberto Cavalcanti and Mrs. Patricia Neves, for all the help and data provided throughout the project.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 34 • Issue 4 • August 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 6, 2019
Accepted: Jan 13, 2020
Published online: May 12, 2020
Published in print: Aug 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Oct 12, 2020
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