Dynamic response of Akcakoca RCC Dam including galleries

Abstract

Dams are structures that demand a significant amount of concrete, making them costly constructions. Hence, various alternative methods are employed for dam construction, one of which is the use of Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC). This is a case study, which focuses on examining the behavior of RCC dams with and without galleries under seismic excitations, considering the Akçakoca RCC dam in Düzce Province. The seismic ground motion data from the 1999 Düzce earthquake were utilized. The impact of galleries inside the concrete dams was investigated through stress and displacement, considering both empty and full reservoir conditions. The Eulerian-Lagrangian coupled (CEL) approach was employed for two-dimensional fluid finite elements. This study revealed that reservoir water and galleries have a notable influence on the behavior of dams under seismic forces. In cases with reservoirs and galleries, stress and displacement values increased, and critical changes in stresses were observed around gallery areas. Therefore, careful design considerations are essential for dams with galleries under significant seismic forces.