2nd International Conference on Electronic & Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology (EMEIT-2012)

Finite Element Simulative Analysis of Concrete Arch Dam Structure

Dongyu Ji1,a, Weixing Chen2,b
1
Hunan Urban Construction College, Xiangtan, Hunan Province 411101, P.R. China
2
Survey, Design & Research Institute of Henan Petroleum Exploration Bureau (HPEB), SINOPEC,
Nanyang, Henan Province 473132, P.R. China
a
hnjdy@126.com, b1949cwx@163.com

Keywords: Concrete arch dam; Finite element method; Simulation analysis; Stress distribution.

Abstract. In this paper, finite element simulative analysis is proceeded for the concrete arch dam of
Tianshengqiao reservoir. Deducing variation law of the dam’s stress and displacement in construction
process and operational process. The analytic results are shown: concrete arch dam of Tianshengqiao
reservoir is reasonable structure, and every index meets the requirements for design.

Introduction
Tianshengqiao reservoir is located Laliu River, which is located Nandan county in the Guangxi
zhuang autonomous region. The main function of reservoir is irrigation, and it is a comprehensive
utilization water conservancy and hydropower engineering. The main buildings include concrete
arch dam, left bank gravity pier, shore spillway, penstock, power station and underport, etc. Total
reservoir storage capacity is 402 million m3, reservoir’s normal storage level is 24 m, design level is
28.1 m, flood level is 30.3 m. The dam is concrete single arch dam, maximum dam high is 31.6 m,
the arc length of dam crest is 43.44 m, thickness of dam crest is 1.2 m, thickness of dam bottom is
1.7 m, hickness-to-height ratio of arch dam’s section is 0.07. River valley of dam site is
ladder-shaped, gravity pier is set at the left bank, river valley is rectangular-shaped.

Calculation Model
Model Parameters. Concrete strength grade of Tianshengqiao reservoir concrete arch dam is
C15, elastic modulus E1=22 GPa[1], Poisson ratio μ1 =0.167, density γ 1 =24 kN/m3. The foundation of
dam is Qixia limestone of permian period, the limestone is medium thickness seam, lithology is
hard, it is basic complete. Rock stratum tends to upstream, karst of dam site is not the development,
the rock stratum is not leaking. Rock’s elastic modulus E2=12 GPa[2], Poisson ratio μ 2 =0.28.
Model Element. Concrete arch dam and bedrock structure model is divided by eight nodes
isoparametric block element. The element is often applied to three-dimensional model of entity
structure, it has plasticity, creep, expansion, stress rigidization, large deformation and large strain
characteristics. It has eight nodes, each node has three translational degree of freedoms[3].
Model size. Calculation model simulation range is listed below, calculation model along the
river is 90 m, transverse of the river is 75 m, vertical direction is 76 m. The simulation range of
whole calculation model is 90 m×75 m×76 m. Element division of dam and bedrock is shown in
Fig.1.
Calculation Cases. Considering mechanical characteristics of dam structure in operating
process[4], researching three calculation cases as follows. Case 1, normal storage level and dam
weight, case 2, design level, tail water level and dam weight, case 3, flood level, tail water level and
dam weight.

Arch Dam Structure Analysis

Analysis Path. In order to analyzing concrete arch dam of Tianshengqiao reservoir, one analysis
path is defined, on the upstream face of crown cantilever, choosing one calculation point every 5 m

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© the authors
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 2nd International Conference on Electronic & Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology (EMEIT-2012)

from dam bottom to dam crest, there are seven calculation points totally, these points assembled
analysis path. Stress distribution of the path is provided in the paper.

Fig.1 Element division of dam and bedrock

Stress Analysis. In order to researching stress distribution law of crown cantilever, obtaining
circumferential and vertical stress values of analysis path under various cases, the stress values of
crown cantilever under various cases are listed in the table 1.
Table 1. Calculation point’s circumferential and vertical stress values on the dam’s analysis path
under various cases(MPa)
Calculation Point 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Circumferential
0.386 -0.418 -1.513 -1.229 -0.425 -0.070 0.034
Case 1 stress
Vertical stress 1.871 0.522 -0.861 -0.405 0.117 0.116 0.001
Circumferential
0.455 -0.095 -1.821 -1.862 -1.057 -0.377 0.067
Case 2 stress
Vertical stress 1.850 1.089 -0.981 -0.583 -0.092 0.056 0.001
Circumferential
0.559 -0.513 -2.219 -2.226 -1.452 -0.736 -0.137
Case 3 stress
Vertical stress 2.666 0.969 -0.138 -0.098 -0.058 -0.020 0.005
We can see from table 1, under various cases, circumferential stress of crown cantilever’s
upstream face is mainly compressive stress. But vertical stress is mainly tensile stress, tensile stress
value is larger especially in the junction of dam bottom and bedrock, this is mainly because the
junction appears stress concentration phenomenon. These larger stress values can be reduced by the
finite element equivalent stress method[5].
We obtain concrete arch dam’s contour maps of first principal stress and circumferential stress
under various cases, contour maps are shown from Fig.2 to Fig.7.
We can see from Fig.2, Fig.4 and Fig.6, arch dam’s contour map of first principal stress is similar
under various cases, maximum principal tensile stress appears the junction of dam bottom and
bedrock. And first principal stress values increase with water pressure increases, distribution range
of principal tensile stress values also gradually increases. In the Fig.3, Fig.5 and Fig.7,
circumferential stress of arch dam is mainly compressive stress, and stress distribution is more
complex, near the arch dam’s bottom appears tensile stress, but tensile stress values are smaller.

Published by Atlantis Press, Paris, France.

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0845
 2nd International Conference on Electronic & Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology (EMEIT-2012)

ANSYS 10.0
NODAL SOLUTION NODAL SOLUTION
BBB BB B B B BB B BB STEP=1 G
FE GG G G H H G G GG FG
B B G G
F G H G G
F STEP=1
B B B B G G H G
B B B B SUB =1 F F G G FG F SUB =1
B B F GF G F
F G
B B TIME=1 GF F GG G TIME=1
B B G G G G F F
BB S1 (AVG) F F GF G G SY (AVG)
F
BB TOP F F F F F F F TOP
B F F F F
BBB B B B B B B BB B DMX =.001968 E E
E E E E F RSYS=15
B BB FE E E E E E
B BB SMN =-306738 D D E EE DMX =.001968
B B B DE D D D D D D D D E FG
B SMX =.208E+07 D
C
B EFC D C C D
C CC C D C C DC CE SMN =-.182E+07
C C A =-174324 D C C B D
CB B
B C C C C C C C C C C F ED C B B G
F
E SMX =698701
G BB C B B B C A H
D B =90506 A =-.168E+07
D D D D D B BCB E B D BADEFGH
D
D C C =355336 B AA A MN B =-.140E+07
C C GC
F CD B C D DCC BC
D D D =620165 D E B C B C C =-.112E+07
B A E
B BC
CB D D D C G EDC E
F C B B C H
G
F
D D E =884995 C C C D BD B B C D D =-839361
D C B B C B C D DD D C C B
DEFGH
CC D C B C B
B B B B BBCB F =.115E+07 E E E E E E D C
E =-559713
BB D
D
B
E C B B C C GF E D D D D E D DDCDC
B F E E EF EEEEF E
B FB
CCCE EF HGE B D
I C C A A B B CBBB C
C BB
E
DFGH
G =.141E+07 FF FGF FG F GCHG E E
EE EEE F =-280066
F
D
D CC B C B
D DE EF F F F E EE
F F
F FE
E E D FHI MX
F
F
G
C C CB C C CC B H =.168E+07 FG
D F EGH
F G =-418.234
BC D D B D EG F F F F F F E FH
B DB
C E
D
EBF B E
F E F
G
E F E D DB C
B I =.194E+07 E
H
F G G G H =279229
G F F H G G G
CD BFBC F D G
GH A
E C B
H A
F G
CD
H
I
IBMXMN
H EAFD
C AH
I
GDBIH
AB G E D
E FCHGD E CEBBBCB F
G G H G H F HF HGF FH H G GH GH G GG G I =558877

Fig.2 Arch dam’s contour map of first Fig.3 Arch dam’s contour map of
principal stress under case 1(Pa) circumferential stress under case 1(Pa)
NODAL SOLUTION
BB B BB B B C C BC
NODAL SOLUTION
C BBBB B BB STEP=1 DGFGG FG HGG H H H
B B B B B B B
B EE G HF
H I II HI HHH H G HG GGF EG F STEP=1
B B B
B
SUB =1 G F HG H
H H HF F G
GF SUB =1
B B F G GH G GG G
TIME=1 F G GF
B B
F G G G G F G FF TIME=1
B S1 (AVG) G F G F
B B B FF F F FF F F SY (AVG)
F
F FF E F F F F F
B B B TOP E F
E
F
E E E E E EE EDD F TOP
B B B DMX =.002597 E E E E E E
EDEED D D DE D D FG E RSYS=15
B B B B B B B SMN =-282353 D D D D D E
C B C GF DC C C D C C C G DMX =.002597
CB B SMX =.231E+07 C C D BD
C
D
E
GB B C
F C DB CD CF SMN =-.239E+07
C CC CC A =-138102 B B CB B AE
C BC E B B B C SMX =649867
C D D D D D D D D D B =150399 C CD D BA FG H
D
BC B CB D B AA MNA A =-.222E+07
B D D C C =438901 HGFED C D C A CDB GHE
EI B =-.189E+07
CB B CD
AA E D A D E
A
E E E E EA B D =727402 HB B B B
D
G
F C B C B
E DC CI F
A E
D D A
A BC C DC E DBD C C CB B B B CB F G
E
E
D C =-.155E+07
C E E =.102E+07 E C C C C H
C C B C B C C C D B DC CB E D F D D D D CE D =-.121E+07
B C
D DE B D
C
B D C B C
B B B BDB C F =.130E+07 HGDF E F E D D D D D F EDC
EC
B CCD
B E B F F F E E E E E E FGHEF E =-871870
C F
B A C G =.159E+07 F F F F F F F D
B EFC B EHCG
DG F MX
B I
H G ED A A E
A E MN AA B B DBD BCDBEF G G G F F F
G G F GG G G GFF F F =-533707
BFD
D
C E
C C C C C C C C CD
H =.188E+07 GG H G H FEFF
HFH G GG
GGG G GG G IMX
G
B C
D D
C B
D D D D D D C B FH G GG G GG H G =-195543
B G H
BB
CD FF
E F E E E
E
F E E E EB C I =.217E+07
HG H H G H =142621
G H
BC ECDF C
B
E
D G C
E
D
C EA C
D HA
BH B
G
F
E
D G
F
G
CA H AH
G
GBA C
F G F FD EB
F B
B DB C B G H H GH H
H HH H H H H H I =480785

Fig.4 Arch dam’s contour map of first Fig.5 Arch dam’s contour map of
principal stress under case 2(Pa)
ANSYS 10.0
circumferential stress under case 2(Pa)
NODAL SOLUTION NODAL SOLUTION
BB BB BB B B BB B B ED FG F
F G GF G H H
G G HG H
H G G F
G G
F GF FEEDF STEP=1
BB B STEP=1 F G F E F
B B
B F EF G
E G
F GGF F GF F
G F G G SUB =1
B SUB =1 F F E FF G F E F F
B B E E F F F E TIME=1
B TIME=1 F EE E FE EF E EF
B BB E E E SY (AVG)
B B B S1 (AVG) E E E E DD
D E E F TOP
B B B TOP F D E E E E
D D D DE
B D D
B DMX =.003232 E D D D D D
E RSYS=15
C CD D CD C G
D
E
F D D C C D DCBBBG F DMX =.003232
B B B B B B B B B B B BC
B SMN =-402559 D C D C C C D
C FE SMN =-.290E+07
B SMX =.294E+07 BDB B BB C BB C B D B
A
D FE
C
C A =-217129 E
D
GC CCD B AE HG SMX =914744
C C C C C C C B C D D
B =153729 GF C B CB BD GH
F A =-.268E+07
CB B C D C BCB MN
D D D D D D D DD C =524588 B B B B C D CAD FE B =-.226E+07
B C F
D ED C
E B C
C C CA C =-.184E+07
D
D D D B C D =895446 GC CD C D C
BD EB D ED H
G
C B D C C D C E C C B
C D =-.141E+07
D E =.127E+07 D
C
BB D DBC D D
C
B C
B B B B B C BCB E E EE
GF E E
E
D D D D D CCGH F
E =-990636
BB C
C
B C
B CC C C F =.164E+07 F EF F EE E E E
E EF E E E F
E
CD E BF C B FG G F FG F F =-567218
BC E B FC D CG
EF
GI
HG D C D D A
D
D
C A
D AA CA A A ACDA D B C CCB B C
B
C BGH G =.201E+07 GE E
HD G FF F FF F F FF F G FFFEF EF FFGGHI
MX
B
D
ED B B DCEFD B FF F F G =-143800
C B C C C B C B H =.238E+07 E
F
G G G G G GF F F H
C B B D E C DC C C H G G G G F G H H =279618
B E E
F F G E
F G EE B DB B I =.275E+07 F F G G
E F H H G
C
B DE C
F
BFC B E
G
GHA C H B
A F G
E I
H
DMX
H
I
D
MN
C EF
DB H
I
GB
D IHC FGF
B
FHG
E D C B BCB GH H G H H G G H G H H HGHG G I =703035

Fig.6 Arch dam’s contour map of first Fig.7 Arch dam’s contour map of
principal stress under case 3(Pa) circumferential stress under case 3(Pa)
Displacement Analysis. Through displacement analysis of Tianshengqiao reservoir concrete
arch dam, getting radial displacement of crown cantilever’s calculation points under various cases,
the radial displacement values of crown cantilever under various cases are listed in the table 2,
contour maps of displacement under various cases are shown from Fig.8 to Fig.9.
Table 2. Calculation point’s radial displacement values on the analysis path of arch dam’s crown
cantilever under various cases(mm)
Calculation Point 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Case 1 0.160 0.766 1.785 1.638 0.869 0.443 0.306

Case 2 0.057 0.579 2.177 2.446 1.734 1.049 0.640

Case 3 0.222 1.087 2.774 3.055 2.383 1.673 1.159

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© the authors
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 2nd International Conference on Electronic & Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology (EMEIT-2012)

NODAL SOLUTION NODAL SOLUTION

I G F
GH F
G GHGF G
H H
G G
H F GH F HG STEP=1
I I MX I H G GGG HH
G HH
I III STEP=1 G F F
I I H G FF F F H SUB =1
H G FF G H SUB =1 H
H G F F F G G H H
F F H
TIME=1
H G
G F F
E E E F GG TIME=1 I F F G
HH
GG F E
E E
E G HHH UX
G H FI I UZ
HH F E F H G
FF E D D DD E FFFF G F
I I
TOP
H F D D F G TOP E F F
I
F F EE D D C D GG RSYS=15
C CC EE RSYS=15 F H I H
H C H
E DD C C D F G E I I DMX =.002597
G GF C B B B B B E FH DMX =.002597 E H F F G
C C C G HH SMN =-.464E-03
H F
FE BB BB G SMN =-.002595 E H
H F
G A A B C E FG EFG G G
SMX =.101E-03
B AA A CD SMX =.455E-03 F F G G
H E ED D C B B A AA B B D CD H F G G G G G F G
F A =-.433E-03
MN A =-.002425 F F F F G F F GF F F G
FG C H F G E E G F F F B =-.370E-03
C B AA B =-.002086 F E G E E E
GH F A A A C D EFGE FG G D D
H D
B BB B C =-.001747 F GD D HC C C I I IC
D E C =-.307E-03
H E ED DD C C B B B B C H F B I I C HD F
C C C C C DD E D =-.001409 G I B B BMX I H G F
D =-.244E-03
F E D C C F D CH I
A
GG
F E D D D D D DD D F H E =-.00107 A A
I
A A E =-.181E-03
G
H G GG F F
E E E E E E E F FG EG B H H A B H B H H B H H HB H HC
IB C G F F =-.119E-03
H G GG G F F F F F F G HH F =-.731E-03 F FE E C E C
DFE
EC B
G
GB
G A
G HMNB BABHA C B BHCHC DDE
E EF G
G GG G H D G GF G =-.557E-04
GG GG H H
G =-.392E-03 D FC BG AH H
ED C B G G F G F H =.716E-05
H H =-.532E-04 F G G G
H H H H EDD C F FB F C D F D E FF F I =.700E-04
H H HHH HH H I =.286E-03 E
D E EC DED E EE FFG

Fig.8 Arch dam’s contour map of radial Fig.9 Arch dam’s contour map of vertical
displacement under case 2(Pa) displacement under case 2(Pa)
We can see from table 2, Fig.8 and Fig.9, calculation point’s radial displacement values of arch
dam’s crown cantilever obviously increase with water pressure increases. But maximum radial
displacement appears the middle of crown cantilever, displacement values of crown cantilever’s top
and bottom are smaller. Arch dam’s radial displacement values are more larger than vertical
displacement values, maximum vertical displacement appears crown cantilever’s top.

Conclusion
From the above, Tianshengqiao reservoir adopts concrete arch dam is economic and reasonable.
The arch dam’s circumferential stress is basically compressive stress, and arch dam’s first principal
stress values are smaller, stress values can meet strength requirements, the arch dam structure is safe
and reliable.

References
[1] SL191-2008: Design Code for Hydraulic Concrete Structures(China Water Conservancy and
Hydropower Press, China 2008)(in Chinese)
[2] M.R. Shen, J.F. Chen: Rock Mechanics(Tongji University Press, China 2006)(in Chinese)
[3] X.CH. Wang, M. Shao: Finite Element Method Basic Principle and Numerical Method(Tsinghua
University Press, China 1997)(in Chinese)
[4] SL282-2003: Design Code for Concrete Arch Dam(China Water Conservancy and Hydropower
Press, China 2003)(in Chinese)
[5] B.F. Zhu, J.ZH. Gao, Z.Y. Chen, Y.SH Li: Arch Dam Design and Research(China Water
Conservancy and Hydropower Press, China 2002)(in Chinese)

Published by Atlantis Press, Paris, France.

© the authors
0847