Thermal-stress behaviour of RCC gravity dams

Abstract

Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) is a special concrete mixture with low cement content, frequently used for concrete gravity dams. This paper deals with the 3D finite element model for unsteady phased thermal-stress analysis of RCC dams. Model calibration and verification has been done, based on the in-situ measurements of the Platanovryssi dam. The study has been done using the actual dam shape, RCC time schedule, and material properties. The results prove that the recommended 3D model enables a reliable thermal-stress prediction and transversal joint distance computation for an RCC gravity dam.

Keywords

• rcc dam
• thermal analysis
• thermal-stress
• transversal joint distance