J. Br. Papi, M. Jovanovski, I. Peevski, V. Vitanov, Sp. Gjorgjevski, J.

Josifovski
Chair of Geotechnics, Faculty of Civil Engineering Skopje, R. Macedonia; papic@gf.ukim.edu.mk

ALTERNATIVE FOR LARGE SCALE TESTING OF INTERFACE SHEAR STRENGTH SUMMARY This paper presents a specific methodology for testing shear strength of interfaces implemented when investigating and designing the rockfill dam Kozyak in the Republic of Macedonia. There are details about applied apparatus for testing, as well as the results from shearing along interfaces bedrock-rockfill material, bedrock-filter zone, bedrock-clay and concrete-clay. The testing is performed in shear box with size 100x100x60 cm. The benefits of this unique large scale methodology are underlined, as well as the possibilities for data extrapolation. 1. INTRODUCTION For designing purposes of large rockfill dams, it is from great importance the shearing strength parameters at the interface of the bedrock and the other materials which are used for their construction. This is especially emphasized during the numerical modelling of the artificial structure (the dam) and the foundation media (the geological setting), respectively, their consideration as a whole in mutual synergy, when the alleged parameters are necessary and from cruciall importance for the correct interpretation of the behavior of this system. On the current level of development of the geotechnical science, few rare examples from testing of these parameters on a small scale models or as in-situ tests are known. During analysis it is very usual to assume them, and very often this problem is not even treated. Along with this, it is very difficult to conclude how close is the prognosis of the parameters to the actual conditions which are expected in the phase of exploitation of the dam. From present knowledge for analysis of this problem, it can be stressed that in the rock mechanics very good experimental and analytical methods are developed, when behavior of the discontinuities as a specific type of interface is of interest. Also, there are known methodologies for testing of the interface concrete-bedrock, for the purposes of designing of concrete dams. On the other hand, the shearing strength parameters along the interface of different materials which are composed during the construction of the rockfill dams, very rare are treated in the scientific literature, even thou certain data for these problems can be met. In this context, the authors goal is to stress out the advantages of the methodology which they implemented during the solving of a specific practical problem in the phase of investigation and designing of the rockfill dam Kozyak on the river Treska. However, the goal is not to present the possible models with which the stress-strain relations on the contacts are defined, but to present a specific methodology of investigation which was implemented in this case. This methodology arises from the age-long experience of the authors during the solving of different practical problems connected with phases of investigation and designing of rockfill and concrete dams. Its uniqueness is in the physical modeling of the problem, where a large scale model for shearing was made. With the conducted investigations it enabled gathering of number of data related with the mechanical behavior of the interface between the bedrock with the rockfill material, the filter zones with the bedrock, as well as the interfaces claybedrock and clay-concrete. Some of the obtained conclusions are very interesting, so,

recommendations that can help in eventual implementation for similar structures and the possible conditions for exploitation are given. 2. APPLIED APARATURE AND METHODOLOGY OF INVESTIGATION The idea for defining the contacts properties came out in the Chair of Geotechnics at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Skopje, R. Macedonia, where all the testing was conducted. For that goal, direct shear-box (figure 1) for coarse-sized material with known surface of shearing and restrained side spreading of the material was used. The original version is with dimensions 1,50x1,50x0,60 m, but it was modified to dimensions 1,00x1,00x0,60 m in order to make conditions for appliance of higher normal stresses.

Measuring of vertical displacements Measuring of horizontal displacements

Figure 1. Direct shear box 1,00x1,00x0,60 m applied during the testing

The shear surface is horizontal (it is positioned in the middle between the lower and the upper frame of the shear box), the normal stress is achieved with 4 vertical presses from 1000 kN, and the horizontal load (shear stress) is achieved with two inclined hydraulical presses mounted under an angle of around 11 in relation to the horizontal plain. The lower frame is static, while the upper frame is moving over it with the help of rollers which help to restrict unwanted resistance from any kind. Usually, coarse-sized material which is used in embankment bodies is compacted under certain conditions in the whole height of the box, after which a procedure of testing with know methodologies for shearing is applied. In this case, a specific treatment of the contacts is applied, where modelling of the bedrock is done in the lower frame of the shear box (figure 2). For the modelling, data for the conditions of the rock from geological mapping is used. The most present scale and type of fracturing in the diversion tunnel is adopted, given through the number of monoliths on 1 m2. The space between the monoliths is filled with concrete. The surface part of the modeled base is with local irregularities which are in the order of 5-6 mm, with which the roughness of the bedrock under the dam is simulated. It was intended that the modelled surface of the bedrock is as close as possible to the lower part from the upper frame, in order to secure failure along the contact surface rather than in the materials which are compacted in the upper frame.

On this model, along with the direct shearing between the interface surfaces, continual measuring of the vertical displacements was also performed. With such disposition the next types of interfaces were investigated -bedrock (marbleized limestone) - rockfill; -bedrock - filter material; -bedrock - clay. After the performed tests with the bedrock, it was removed and changed with concrete slab to conduct the testing of the interface concrete-clay.

rock concrete force /displacement direction

Figure 2. Illustration of modelled bedrock in the lower frame of the shear box

3. METHODOLOGY OF TESTING During the testing of the rockfill material, granulometric composition with mix of grains with d15cm was adopted, coefficient of uniformity Cu=d60/d10=11-14 and maximal content of fine fraction under 0.6 cm around 8-11%, which corresponds with the confirmed assumptions in the practice of similar materials. The filter material is filled as an average sample of granulometric content from the filter zone II of the dam. The testing is conducted in the given aparature with dimensions 110.6 m. Its construction in the current state allows appliance of maximal vertical stress of around 1 MPa. The materials are installed in the aparature in two layers with height of the individual layers of around 0.15 m. The physical and mechanical parameters obtained during the compaction are shown in the next table.
Table 1 Physical and mechanical parameters of the compacted materials
Material Rockfill Filter Clay Volumetric weight in natural condition [kN/m3] 20,45-21,50 23,28 17,93-20,22 Volumetric weight in dry condition d [kN/m3] 19,70-20,93 22,28 14,52-16,18 Water content w [%] 2,60-3,74 4,00 21,4626,40 Liquid limit wL [%] Plasticity limit wP [%] Plasticity index IP [%]

43,30

23,30

20,00

After installation, the material is subducted under a vertical laod, with which normal stress is applied over the surface of shareing. This was done in 4 stages, until consolidation of the vertical displacements (Uv) on every stage, as well as during max, after which the vertical load was maintained constantly for 24 hours. The selection of the intensity of the loading depends from the characteristics of the aparature i.e. its maximal value. For the rockfill and the filter it was adopted max=0.9 MPa, while the others are interpolated on 0.30 MPa and 0.60 MPa. Because of the expected greater displacements, for the clay it was adopted =0.20, 0.40 and 0.60 MPa, where at certain points, for control, it was continued until max= 1.0, relatively 0.3 MPa. After the performed consolidation, a horizontal load was applied, also in stages (r=1/20i,max), up until the provoking of failure along the contact surface (bedrock, or concrete-properly installed material). During that, the horizontal displacements (Uh) are permanently registered for every step of stress to their consolidation, apropos until failure. Also, during the whole process of shearing, the vertical displacements are also controlled, in order to get the complete picture for the testing and the behavior of the material. One example of the adopted stress pattern in the phase of shearing is shown on the next picture.
Uh [cm] 5 failure 4 3 0.5 2 1 0 0 Uh 0.3 0.1 50 100 Time t [min] 150 200 0 max=0.90 MPa max=0.72 MPa 0.9 0.7 =f(t); Uh=f(t) bedrock-filter zone interface (seriae I) [MPa]

Figure 3. Example of stress pattern in the phase of shearing One experiment in one series consists of three points with proper maximal vertical loading. For every material a total of two series of examinations over the bedrock, and two series of clay over concrete base were conducted.

4. REVIEW ON SOME OF THE RESULTS For illustration of the obtained results, few typical diagrams are shown on the next figures. On figure 4 the diagrams of normal stress and vertical displacement (= f(Uv)), for all the types of contacts are shown. On figure 5 summarized diagrams for the relation of shear stress and horizontal displacement (= f(Uh)) are given, where a example of same level of vertical stress (=0.6 MPa) is chosen, in order to get an insight in the differences in the achieved displacements until the moment of failure. On figure 6, classic diagrams for the relation of tangential and normal stress (= f()) are presented. All these diagrams show very clear the difference in the mechanical behaviour of the different contacts, from which it can be concluded that the contacts of the filter material and the rockfill with the base give similar relations, while the contacts clay-bedrock and clayconcrete show specific behaviour.

1.0 0.8
Normal stress [MPa]

concrete - clay 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.0 bedrock - clay bedrock - filter bedrock - rockfill

10 20 30 40 50 Vertical displacement [mm] Figure 4. Summarized diagram of the relation normal stress-vertical displacement
6 Shear stress [MPa] 5 4 3 2 1 0 0 10 concrete-clay 20 30 40 Horizontal displacements Uh [mm] 50 60 bedrock-clay

=600 kPa

bedrock-rockfill bedrock-filter

Figure 5. Summarized diagram of the relation shear stress-horizontal displacement under same level of vertical stress

It is very obvious that failures in rockfill and filter material occur under large displacements, while for the clay under much lower. It is very typical that the time for failure is shortest for the clay, and for same value of max, which is very logical and consistent with the properties of the clay in relation to the other materials.

1.0

0.8

concrete-clay bedrock-clay bedrock-filter bedrock-rockfill

Shear stress [MPa]

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0 0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

Normal stress [MPa]

Figure 6. Summarized diagram of the relation shear stress-normal stress In relation to the shearing strength parameters at the contacts, in all the cases certain nonlinearity is noticed, which is illustrated in diagrams of the type /=f(). These diagrams show that

the influence of the amount of the normal effective stress () is very important, especially for the interface rockfill-bedrock.
0,86 Stress ratio ( / ) 0,84 0,82 0,8 0,78 0,76 0,74 0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1 Norm al stress [M Pa]
Figure 7. Relation /=f() for interaction bedrock-rock fill (summarized diagram for two series)

Bedrock-rockfill

/= 0,8776e^(-0,146 ) R^2 =0,6498

1,2 Stress ratio ( / ) 1 0,8 0,6 0,4 0,2 0 0 0,2 0,4 0,6 / =0,7592 ^(-0,1894) R^2 = 0,928

Bedrock-filter

0,8

Norm al stress [M Pa]

Figure 8. Relation /=f() for contact bedrock-filter (summarized diagram for two series)

0,5 Stress ratio ( / ) 0,4 0,3 0,2 0,1 0 0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 / =0,3186 ^(-0,081) R^2 =0,6854

Bedrock-clay

0,6

0,7

Norm al stress [M Pa]

Figure 9. Relation /=f() for contact bedrock-clay (summarized diagram for two series)

0,4 Stress ratio ( / ) 0,3 0,2 0,1 0 0 0,2 0,4 Normal stress [MPa] / = 0,2417 ^(-0,2355) R^2 = 0,6062

concrete-clay

0,6

0,8

Figure 10. Relation /=f() for interface concrete-clay (summarized diagram for two series)

Analyzing the obtained data, the authors think that the applied methodology has many advantages, considering that it enables obtaining of the needed input data for stress-strain analysis for rockfill dams. With careful additional analysis, authors had concluded that there are possibilities for comparison of the obtained results and extrapolation of the parameters with the method which was first introduced by Barton and Kjaersli (1981), which is not subject of this paper. 5. CONCLUSION The knowledge of the shear strength parameters and deformability of the interfaces of the bedrock with the other materials which are used for the construction of large rockfill dams are from great importance, so the development of methodologies for investigation of the interfaces presents a great challenge for scientific research. Authors stress out that for all significant structures, examination on physical models always should be conducted, which further will be analyzed numerically in order to get a real picture of the behavior of the system in interaction artificial construction (dam)-foundation (geological setting). Having in mind the obtained results, authors think that the applied methodology of direct shearing in large scale is very convenient for implementation. In combination with well known established methods, there are possibilities for comparison of the obtained results and extrapolation of the parameters for areas which are in same range of size as is the structure. In this way a

prerequisites for real stress-deformation analyses and successful designing of large rockfill dams are created. REFERENCES
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