Influence of Material Strength on the Apparent Cohesion of Unbounded Gravity Dam Joints under Low Normal Stress
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147, Issue 10
Abstract
International gravity dam design guidelines consider that the different joints of a dam or its foundation (rock–rock, rock–concrete, and concrete–concrete joints) are unbounded and recommend using the Mohr–Coulomb criterion to evaluate their shear strength. By implementing these considerations into the calculations, it appears that an apparent cohesion value () can be used, even at low normal stress levels. It has been suggested that both the mechanical properties of the material forming the unbounded joint and the type of joint (uniform or composite) may influence the apparent cohesion. An experimental protocol comprising 24 shear tests on natural rock joint replicas was developed in this study. Replicas of the same granite joint were made with three types of mortars, exhibiting very different mechanical properties. These replicas were used to reproduce both rock–rock and concrete–concrete lift joints (uniform joints) and the rock–concrete foundation contact (composite joint). Tests were conducted under normal stresses of 100–1,000 kPa, corresponding to those found in gravity dam foundations. The results showed that the joint shear strength and apparent cohesion were not strongly influenced by the type of joint or joint material strength.
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Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Hydro-Québec and INRAE (France) for funding the project. We thank Danick Charbonneau and Ghislaine Luc for their technical help during the experimental project. We are also grateful to Claude Bacconnet (Université Clermont Auvergne), Claudio Carvajal, Jérôme Duriez (INRAE), and Marco Quirion (Hydro-Québec) for their involvement in the project. Prof. Arezki-Tagnit-Hamou from the Groupe Ciment et Béton (Université de Sherbrooke) is acknowledged for his advice on the fabrication of high-strength mortar.
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Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 147 • Issue 10 • October 2021
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© 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 26, 2020
Accepted: May 14, 2021
Published online: Aug 3, 2021
Published in print: Oct 1, 2021
Discussion open until: Jan 3, 2022
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