Discrete numerical modelling of rockfill dams

The aim of this study is to obtain quantitative information on the behaviour of rockfill used in embankment dams, and particularly on the influence of block breakage on the displacement field, from a numerical analysis using the Distinct element method. A methodology is set up to define the resistance of the 2D particles so that the same probability of breaking blocks may be reproduced as in a 3D material. The model uses the discrete element code PFC^2D (Itasca Consulting Group Inc., PFC2D (Particle Flow Code in Two Dimensions), Version 3.0, 2002) and considers breakable clusters of 2D balls. The different parameters are determined from experimental data obtained from laboratory tests performed on rock blocks. The model is validated by comparing the results of the simulation of shearing tests with actual triaxial tests on rockfill material published in the literature. The numerical analysis of block crushing in an actual dam is proposed in the last part of this paper. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

粗粒料流变研究的现状与展望

粗粒料是土石坝的主要填料,高土石坝的流变已成为坝工专家和工程师广为关注的问题,其流变特性是研究的基础。分析了粗粒料流变研究的现状,介绍了长江科学院新取得的进展,并对粗粒料流变研究的前景提出了展望。     

龙首二级面板堆石坝三维真非线性地震反应分析和评价

基于土石料三维粘弹塑性动力本构模型,并采用新型三维各向异性有厚度薄单元来模拟面板和堆石的接触面特性,建立了高面板堆石坝地震反应分析的三维真非线性动力分析方法.利用坝料动力特性的大型三轴试验成果,分析计算了龙首二级(西流水)面板堆石坝的地震反应,主要包括加速度反应、堆石体应力反应及坝体单元抗震安全系数、面板应力反应和变形及接缝位移、高趾墙动力反应等.为大坝的抗震设计提供了有力的技术依据.     

水布垭面板堆石坝的三维弹塑性数值分析研究

在建的清江水布垭面板堆石坝高达233 m,是目前同类坝型中最高的.采用MSC.Marc非线性有限元程序,发展了三维子模型法,对该坝进行了三维弹塑性有限元仿真分析,模拟了面板的分缝、坝体材料分区、填筑及蓄水过程,采用双屈服面弹塑性模型模拟堆石体的变形特征.根据数值分析的结果,对坝体和面板的应力变形分布规律进行了探讨.     

Discrete modelling of time‐dependent rockfill behaviour

This modelling study deals with the time‐dependent behaviour of rockfill media, which is of particular interest during the life of rockfill dams. Breakage of rock blocks and crack propagation are the main processes responsible for rockfill creep and collapse. The modelling procedure presented here is performed on two scales: on the rock block scale, where the grain is taken to be an assembly of rigid particles initially endowed with cohesive bonds, and on the rockfill scale, which is taken to involve a set of breakable grains interacting via contact and friction processes. The grain breakage process is described in term of a thermodynamically consistent damage interface model, where the damage is a gradual delayed process. This model was implemented in a non‐smooth contact dynamics code. The effects of the main parameters involved were analysed by performing numerical studies. The ability of the model to predict the creep behaviour of rockfill media is confirmed by presenting several simulations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

应力路径和干湿状态对堆石料颗粒破碎的影响研究

堆石料颗粒破碎是引起高土石坝变形的重要因素。在大坝填筑、蓄水期,堆石料的应力路径和干湿状态均是变化的。通过大型三轴试验,系统地研究了应力路径和干湿状态对堆石料颗粒破碎规律的影响。试验结果表明：（1）相同初始条件下,按不同应力路径达到同一轴向应变停机时测定的颗粒破碎率是不同的,等围压?3试验产生的颗粒破碎最大,等平均主应力p试验的次之,等最大主应力?1试验的最小,但不同应力路径下的颗粒级配演化规律是一致的。（2）相同初始条件下,湿样的颗粒破碎率明显高于干样,且二者的差距随着围压的增大而增大,不同干湿条件下的颗粒级配演化规律同样是一致的。（3）建立的考虑母岩强度的颗粒破碎率与塑性功的关系可以较好地统一描述不同应力路径及干湿状态下的颗粒破碎。该研究成果可为建立复杂应力路径及干湿变化条件下考虑颗粒破碎的堆石料弹塑性本构模型提供依据。     

考虑颗粒破碎效应的堆石料静动力本构模型

为合理反映颗粒破碎对堆石料力学特性的影响,基于试验结果分析,得出了堆石料在压缩和剪切作用下的颗粒破碎特性规律。通过引入压缩破碎和剪切破碎的相关参数,借鉴已有本构模型的合理定义,吸收临界状态理论和边界面理论的优点,发展了考虑颗粒破碎和状态相关的堆石料静动力统一弹塑性本构模型,并阐述了模型参数的确定方法。该模型不仅能够反映堆石料在静力荷载作用下的低压剪胀、高压剪缩、应变软化和硬化等特性,还能够反映在循环荷载作用下应力-应变的滞回特性和残余变形的累积效应。最后为验证模型的合理性,分别对堆石料的静力三轴和循环三轴试验进行了数值模拟预测,结果表明：模型预测与试验数据吻合良好,所提出的本构模型能够合理地描述颗粒破碎对堆石料静动力变形特性的影响。     

Numerical evaluation of soft inter‐slab joint in concrete‐faced rockfill dam with dual mortar finite element method

Recently constructed concrete‐faced rockfill dams (CFRDs) often use soft inter‐slab joints to prevent axial compression‐induced extrusion damage in the concrete face. Due to the complexity of the multibody contact and the lack of information on the actual behavior of soft joints, it is highly challenging to numerically assess the effect of soft joints in CFRDs. In this paper, we present a numerical approach for the three‐dimensional modeling of CFRDs with hard and soft joints. A dual mortar finite element method with Lagrange multiplier is developed to treat the multibody contact in hard joints with impenetrability condition. The soft joint slab‐filler‐slab contact system is modeled using an equivalent contact interface approach, where the soft contact constraints are imposed using a perturbed Lagrange formulation. Through a series of laboratory tests, the mechanical behavior of soft joint is investigated. An extrusion model for the soft joint is presented and implemented in the dual mortar finite element method. The proposed numerical method is applied to the three‐dimensional analysis of Tianshengqiao‐1 CFRD. Despite the complex multibody contact and strong material and geometry nonlinearities in the CFRD, the proposed method is stable and capable of capturing salient characteristics of the CFRD. Numerical results show that in Tianshengqiao‐1, the employment of soft joints can effectively reduce the axial compression stress, thus greatly alleviating the risk of extrusion damage in the concrete face.     

Study on wetting deformation characteristics of coarse granular materials and its simulation in core-wall rockfill dams

The wetting deformation of coarse granular materials is often considered to be an important cause of the core wall rockfill dam cracks during impounding. By analyzing existing research results, this paper proposes a hyperbolic relationship between the wetting axial strain and wetting stress level and puts forwards a warped surface relationship among spherical stress, shear stress, and the ratio of wetting volumetric strain to wetting axial strain. To illustrate its practicability, the wetting strain model's parameter determination process is introduced and the rockfill materials wetting parameters are determined using the triaxial wetting test data. Moreover, the collapse settlement of Guanyinyan rockfill dam during first impounding is numerically simulated using the proposed method to calculate rockfill wetting deformation and verified by field measurements and monitoring data. The results show that the calculative method of wetting deformation proposed in this paper is reasonable and practical; the wetting deformation of upstream rockfill materials would cause an adverse deformation trend, which may lead to crack occurrence at the upstream slope and dam crest; and the Guanyinyan rockfill dam cracks on the top of junction mainly caused by the wetting deformation of upstream rockfill.     

堆石料三维形状量化及其对颗粒破碎的影响

筑坝堆石料由于尺寸较大,必须对其按一定比例缩尺后才能用来开展室内三轴试验。但缩尺前后颗粒形状难免会有差异,如何评价颗粒形状变化对堆石料变形特性的影响是十分重要的。引入了高精度的三维激光扫描技术对紫坪铺面板坝筑坝堆石料2.5～5、5～10、10～20 mm以及20～40 mm 4个粒径组的颗粒进行了空间形状分析,在此基础上进一步开展了单一粒组的三轴试验,研究了4个粒组的颗粒形状指标与颗粒破碎率的相关性。试验表明,紫坪铺堆石料颗粒破碎率随着其平均球度的增加而减小,并且呈近似半对数线性关系;随着围压的增加,颗粒形状对颗粒破碎的影响逐渐减弱,颗粒强度的影响逐渐增大。紫坪铺堆石料的颗粒强度随着颗粒尺寸的增加逐渐减小,但其破碎率反而随着颗粒尺寸的增加而逐渐减小,主要是因为试验所采用的紫坪铺堆石料颗粒尺寸越小时,其形状越不规则。因此,研究缩尺效应对颗粒破碎率的影响时,要同时考虑颗粒尺寸和颗粒形状。