Seismic analysis of the embedded control tower at Success Dam

Abstract

This thesis presents the analyses carried out to compute the Dynamic Soil-Structure Interaction (DSSI) effects of the embedded control tower at Success Dam, California. The particular case of the Success Dam in Sacramento, California was chosen because the control tower at this dam is partially embedded in its upstream slope. The analyses carried out included two dimensional plane strain models based on finite element and explicit finite difference formulations. Several 2D models were analyzed including models with and without the control tower, with and without the intake pipe, with different elastic properties, and incorporating soil nonlinearity using the equivalent linear method. The 3D effects involved in the problem were also studied. This was done by using 3D models and the finite elements formulation. The results obtained herein were compared with previous studies, and conclusions were drawn and recommendations for future work were provided.

Esta tesis presenta los análisis realizados para calcular los efectos de Interacción Dinámica Suelo Estructura (IDSE) de la torre de control embebida en la presa Success, California. El caso particular de la presa Success en Sacramento, California fue seleccionado porque la torre de control en esta presa está parcialmente embebida en su talud aguas arriba. Los análisis realizados incluyeron modelos bidimensionales de deformación plana usando formulaciones de elementos finitos y diferencias finitas explícitas. Varios modelos 2D fueron analizados con y sin la torre de control, con y sin la tubería de toma, con diferentes propiedades elásticas, e incorporando la no linealidad del suelo usando el método lineal equivalente. Los efectos 3D del problema fueron también estudiados. Eso fue realizado por modelos 3D usando el método de los elementos finitos. Los resultados obtenidos fueron comparados con estudios previos, y se presentan conclusiones y recomendaciones para estudios futuros.