The Earthquake Engineering Online Archive

ADAP: a computer program for static and dynamic analysis of arch dams

Clough, Ray W.; Raphael, Jerome M.; Mojtahedi, Soheil

UCB/EERC-73/14, Earthquake Engineering Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, 1973-06, 180 pages (555.6/C58/1973)

The development of a finite element computer program for linear static analysis and dynamic earthquake response analysis of arch dam-foundation systems is described. The program utilizes most of the logical features of the computer program SAP. Three different element types are included in the program; these are considered to be the most suitable elements for use in the three-dimensional analysis of arch dam systems. The program generates the finite element mesh of the system from a relatively small amount of input data, performs a static or dynamic analysis of the system and prints out the resulting displacements and stresses. The dynamic part of the program utilizes special numerical procedures which are shown to be very efficient in the analysis of arch dams. The report includes a brief description of the elements, a study of the efficiency of different elements, and presents the mesh generation algorithm and the analysis capabilities of the program. Finally the application of the program to the static and earthquake response analysis of the Morrow Point Dam is demonstrated.

Available online: http://nisee.berkeley.edu/documents/EERC/EERC-73-14.pdf (4 MB)