The Earthquake Engineering Online Archive

EAGD-84: a computer program for earthquake analysis of concrete gravity dams

Fenves, Gregory L.; Chopra, Anil K.

UCB/EERC-84/11, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, 1984-08, 92 pages (555.6/F45/1984)

A computer program is presented that implements a general analytical procedure developed by the authors to evaluate the earthquake response of gravity dams, including the effects of dam-water-foundation rock interaction and of materials, such as alluvium and sediments, at the bottom of reservoirs. The program incorporates major extensions and improvements over the original version. The analytical procedure and computer program are restricted to systems assumed to be in generalized plane stress or plane strain. The hydrodynamic effects of the water impounded in the reservoir are assumed to be adequately modeled by the two-dimensional wave equation. Water compressibility is included because it can significantly affect response. Linear behavior of the dam, impounded water, and foundation rock is analyzed. The development of an appropriate idealization of the system is discussed, the required input data to the computer program are described, the output is explained, and the response results from a sample analysis are presented.

Available online: http://nisee.berkeley.edu/documents/EERC/EERC-84-11.pdf (7 MB)