Boundary Element Model for the Seismic Analysis of Arch Dams

Abstract

A three-dimensional boundary element model for the seismic analysis of arch dams is presented. The soil and the dam are assume to be viscoelastic domains the former being boundless. The water is assume to be compressible subject to small amplitude motions. The soil-water, soil-dam and water-dam dynamic interactions are taken into account rigurously. The analysis is done in the frequency domain and factors such as an infinite soil, the effect of the local topography, the actual non-uniform geometry of the reservoir and the spacial distribution of the ground motion about the canyon walls are taken into account in a direct way as apposite to the existing FEM models which are not able to consider those factors.