Comparative and Numerical Analyses of Response of Concrete Cutoff Walls of Earthen Dams on Alluvium Foundations
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145, Issue 10
Abstract
Although a number of cutoff walls have been built in dams with alluvial foundations, the produced wall response still requires further understanding. This paper focuses on the comparative study of responses of cutoff walls on the basis of comparative analysis and numerical simulation. The present study first gathered a database of 58 cases describing the performance of concrete cutoff walls. The loading characteristics, typical deformation pattern, and deformation response of the walls installed at different locations were reviewed from a comparative point of view based on case histories. The effects of several factors on the wall response were discussed. A three-dimensional (3D) finite-element deformation analysis was conducted to provide further understanding of the response of cutoff walls and the mechanisms that affect their response. The mechanical response, damage distribution, and cracking of the concrete cutoff wall located in the upstream face of the dam were analyzed and compared with those of walls located at the middle of the base of the dam fill. The numerical results for the mechanical responses of the wall were also compared with the in situ measurements and comparative results to verify the validity of the numerical model.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51722907, 51579207, and 51879217).
References
Abbaslou, H., A. R. Ghanizadeh, and A. T. Amlashi. 2016. “The compatibility of bentonite/sepiolite plastic concrete cut-off wall material.” Constr. Build. Mater. 124 (Oct): 1165–1173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.08.116.
Arnold, M., K. Beckhaus, and U. Wiedenmann. 2011. “Cut-off wall construction using Cutter soil mixing: A case study.” Geotechnik 34 (1): 11–21. https://doi.org/10.1002/gete.201000021.
Ata, A. A., T. N. Salem, and N. M. Elkhawas. 2015. “Properties of soil–bentonite–cement bypass mixture for cutoff walls.” Constr. Build. Mater. 93 (Sep): 950–956. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2015.05.064.
Bagheri, A. R., M. Alibabaie, and M. Babaie. 2008. “Reduction in the permeability of plastic concrete for cut-off walls through utilization of silica fume.” Constr. Build. Mater. 22 (6): 1247–1252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2007.01.024.
Bathe, K. J. 2003. Adina theroy and modeling guide, 399–417. Watertoen, WA: Adina R&D.
Brown, A. J., and D. A. Bruggemann. 2002. “Arminous Dam, Cyprus, and construction joints in diaphragm cut-off walls.” Géotechnique 52 (1): 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.2002.52.1.3.
Bruce, D. A., T. L. Dreese, M. C. Harris, and D. M. Heenan. 2012. “Composite cut-off walls for existing dams: Theory and practice.” In Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Grouting and Deep Mixing. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Brunner, W. G., R. Fiorotto, E. Stötzer, and M. Schöpf. 2006. “The innovative CSM-cutter soil mixing for constructing retaining and cut-off walls.” In Proc., GeoCongress, 1–6. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Chen, Y., R. Hu, W. Lu, D. Li, and C. Zhou. 2011. “Modeling coupled processes of non-steady seepage flow and non-linear deformation for a concrete-faced rockfill dam.” Comput. Struct. 89 (13–14): 1333–1351. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruc.2011.03.012.
Dakoulas, P. 2012. “Nonlinear seismic response of tall concrete-faced rockfill dams in narrow canyons.” Soil Dyn. Earthquake Eng. 34 (1): 11–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soildyn.2011.09.004.
Dascal, O. 1979. “Structural behaviour of the Manicouagan 3 cutoff.” Can. Geotech. J. 16 (1): 200–221. https://doi.org/10.1139/t79-017.
Dounias, G. T., A. Kountouris, and K. Anastasopoulos. 2012. “Long-term behaviour of embankment dams: Seven Greek dams.” Proc. ICE Geotech. Eng. 165 (3): 157–177. https://doi.org/10.1680/geng.11.00052.
Durgunoglu, H. T., S. Ikiz, S. Eser, O. Akcakal, and M. Sutman. 2012. “A case study-installation of cut-off wall in Seyrantepe Dam project.” In Proc., 4th Int. Conf. on Grouting and Deep Mixing, 1287–1293. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Fell, R., P. Macgregor, D. Stapledon, and G. Bell. 2005. Geotechnical engineering of dams. London: A.A. Balkema/Taylor & Francis.
Gikas, V., and M. Sakellariou. 2008. “Settlement analysis of the Mornos earth dam (Greece): Evidence from numerical modeling and geodetic monitoring.” Eng. Struct. 30 (11): 3074–3081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2008.03.019.
Gopalaratnam, V. S., and S. P. Shah. 1985. “Softening response of plain concrete in direct tension.” ACI J. Proc. 82 (3): 310–323.
Gularte, F., J. Barneich, J. Burton, E. Fordham, D. Watt, T. Johnson, and J. Weeks. 2007. “First use of TRD construction technique for soil mix cutoff wall construction in the United States.” In Proc., Geo-Denver, 1–12. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Hinchberger, S., J. Weck, and T. Newson. 2010. “Mechanical and hydraulic characterization of plastic concrete for seepage cut-off walls.” Can. Geotech. J. 47 (4): 461–471. https://doi.org/10.1139/T09-103.
Hou, Y. J., Z. P. Xu, and J. H. Liang. 2004. “Centrifuge modeling of cutoff wall for CFRD built in deep overburden” In Proc., Int. Conf. of Hydropower, 86–92. Beijing: Chinese National Committee on Large Dams.
Kalkani, E. C., and A. J. Michali. 1984. “Steady flow calculations for cutoff wall depth variation.” J. Geotech. Eng. 110 (7): 899–907. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9410(1984)110:7(899).
Karsan, I. D., and J. O. Jirsa. 1969. “Behaviour of concrete under compressive loading.” J. Struct. Div. 95 (12): 2535–2563.
King, G. J. W., and P. Collins. 1968. “On the design of a rectangular dam with a central cut-off wall.” Géotechnique 18 (4): 489–498. https://doi.org/10.1680/geot.1968.18.4.489.
Kupfer, H., H. K. Hilsdorf, and H. Rusch. 1969. “Behaviour of concrete under biaxial stresses.” ACI J. 66 (8): 656–666.
Lee, J., and G. L. Fenves. 1998. “A plastic-damage concrete model for earthquake analysis of dams.” Earthquake Eng. Struct. Dyn. 27 (9): 937–956. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-9845(199809)27:9%3C937::AID-EQE764%3E3.0.CO;2-5.
Li, N. H., Z.k. Mi, and D. W. Sun. 2007. “Study on affecting factors of stress-deformation of diaphragm walls for concrete face rockfill dams built on thick alluvium deposit.” Chin. J. Geotech. Eng. 29 (1): 26–31.
Li, Y. C., P. J. Cleall, Y. D. Wen, Y. M. Chen, and Q. Pan. 2015. “Stresses in soil-bentonite slurry trench cut-off walls.” Géotechnique 65 (10): 843–850. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeot.14.P.219.
Moharrami, A., G. Moradi, M. H. Bonab, J. Katebi, and G. Moharrami. 2015. “Performance of cutoff walls under hydraulic structures against uplift pressure and piping phenomenon.” Geotech. Geol. Eng. 33 (1): 95–103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-014-9827-7.
O’Neal, T. S., and D. J. Hagerty. 2011. “Earth pressures in confined cohesionless backfill against tall rigid walls—A case history.” Can. Geotech. J. 48 (8): 1188–1197. https://doi.org/10.1139/t11-033.
Rice, J. D., and J. M. Duncan. 2010a. “Deformation and cracking of seepage barriers in dams due to changes in the pore pressure regime.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 136 (1): 16–25. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000241.
Rice, J. D., and J. M. Duncan. 2010b. “Findings of case histories on the long-term performance of seepage barriers in Dams.” J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng. 136 (1): 2–15. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0000175.
Rosen, J. B., M. A. Arnold, R. C. Bachus, and P. E. D. Schauer. 2011. “GIS for geotechnical decision making: Visualization of cut-off wall construction data.” In Proc., Geo-Frontiers Congress. Reston, VA: ASCE.
Song, H., and W. Cui. 2015. “Stop-end method for the panel connection of cut-off walls.” Proc. ICE Geotech. Eng. 168 (5): 457–468. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeen.14.00086.
Soroush, A., and M. Soroush. 2005. “Parameters affecting the thickness of bentonite cake in cutoff wall construction: Case study and physical modeling.” Can. Geotech. J. 42 (2): 646–654. https://doi.org/10.1139/t04-090.
Takai, A., T. Inui, and T. Katsumi. 2016. “Evaluating the hydraulic barrier performance of soil-bentonite cutoff walls using the piezocone penetration test.” Soils Found. 56 (2): 277–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sandf.2016.02.010.
Wang, Q. Y., W. G. Sun, and H. Xiong. 2008. Plastic concrete cutoff wall. Beijing: China Water Conservancy and Hydropower Press.
Wen, L., J. Chai, Z. Xu, Y. Qin, and Y. Li. 2017. “Monitoring and numerical analysis of behaviour of Miaojiaba concrete-face rockfill dam built on river gravel foundation in China.” Comput. Geotech. 85 (May): 230–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2016.12.018.
Wen, L., Y. Qin, J. Chai, Y. Li, X. Wang, and Z. Xu. 2015. “Behaviour of concrete-face rockfill dam on sand and gravel foundation.” Proc. ICE Geotech. Eng. 168 (5): 439–456. https://doi.org/10.1680/jgeen.14.00103.
Xiao, M., M. Ledezma, and J. Wang. 2016. “Reduced-scale shake table testing of seismic behaviors of slurry cutoff walls.” J. Perform. Constr. Facil. 30 (3): 04015057. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CF.1943-5509.0000795.
Xu, B., D. Zou, X. Kong, Z. Hu, and Y. Zhou. 2015. “Dynamic damage evaluation on the slabs of the concrete faced rockfill dam with the plastic-damage model.” Comput. Geotech. 65 (Apr): 258–265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2015.01.003.
Yu, X., X. Kong, D. Zou, Y. Zhou, and Z. Hu. 2015. “Linear elastic and plastic-damage analyses of a concrete cut-off wall constructed in deep overburden.” Comput. Geotech. 69 (Sep): 462–473. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2015.05.015.
Zhang, G., and J.-M. Zhang. 2009. “Numerical modeling of soil–structure interface of a concrete-faced rockfill dam.” Comput. Geotech. 36 (5): 762–772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compgeo.2009.01.002.
Zhang, G., J.-M. Zhang, and Y. Yu. 2007. “Modeling of gravelly soil with multiple lithologic components and its application.” Soils Found. 47 (4): 799–810. https://doi.org/10.3208/sandf.47.799.
Zheng, H., D. F. Liu, C. F. Lee, and L. G. Tham. 2005. “A new formulation of Signorini’s type for seepage problems with free surfaces.” Int. J. Num. Methods Eng. 64 (1): 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/nme.1345.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 145 • Issue 10 • October 2019
Copyright
©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 31, 2017
Accepted: Apr 25, 2019
Published online: Jul 25, 2019
Published in print: Oct 1, 2019
Discussion open until: Dec 25, 2019
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.