Advanced Geotechnical Works
Course Description:
Following an introduction on types of dams and auxiliary works, the course focuses on embankment dams, and the geotechnical issues that govern their analysis, design and construction: seepage (calculation and control), static stability (end-of-construction, steady state seepage, rapid drawdown), seismic stability (pseudo-static analysis, performance-based design), settlements, clay core compaction, filter and drains. The course employs computer software for analysis and design.
- Semester 8
- Teaching hours 3
- Website http://mycourses.ntua.gr/announcements/announcements.php?cidReq=CIVIL1030&viewMode=STUDENT
- Instructors A. Papadimitriou
Prerequisite Knowledge
Συνιστάται στους φοιτητές να έχουν τις βασικές γνώσεις Εδαφομηχανικής Ι και ΙΙ.Course Units
| # | Title | Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Types of dams – auxiliary works | Basic definitions. Focus on types of dams (gravity, arch, earth dams, RCC, etc.) and on auxiliary works (spillways, gates, etc.). | 2Χ3=6 |
| 2 | Embankment dams | Description of different types of embankment dams, as a function of employed materials and restrictions due to insitu conditions. Numerical analysis of embankment dam construction. | 1Χ3=3 |
| 3 | Seepage through soil | Introduction – Review of Darcy and Bernoulli equations for water seepage through soil. Laplace equation for water seepage in 3 dimensions. Flow nets. Numerical analysis of seepage through an embankment dam. | 2Χ3=6 |
| 4 | Static stability of embankment slopes | Basic definition. Methods of slices for slope stability, analyses for effective and total stresses. Design States: End-of-Construction, Steady-State Seepage, Rapid Drawdown. Calculation of Factors of Safety. | 3Χ3=9 |
| 5 | Seismic stability of embankment slopes | Design earthquakes. Pseudo-static analysis, selection of seismic coefficient, sliding-block analysis and estimation of slope displacements. Calculation of Factors of Safety and permanent slope displacements. Numerical analysis of seismic loading of an embankment dam. | 3Χ3=9 |
| 6 | Construction issues for embankment dams | Reservoir loss reduction, clay core compaction and densification of shells, design of filters and drains | 2Χ3=6 |
Learning Objectives
After the successful completion of the course, the students will be able to:
know the main categories and characteristics of dam types and their auxiliary works, with the knowledge being broader for embankment dams and their construction issues requiring solution.
compute with the aid of related software: a) static and dynamic factors of safety of embankment dam slopes, b) permanent slope displacements and settlements under seismic loading, c) seepage through and under embankment dams.
design a zoned embankment dam, in terms of composition of filters and drains, the (static and seismic) stability of its slopes, and the water loss due to seepage through and under its mass.
understand the use and the limitations-problems of numerical analysis of embankment dam construction and embankment dam response under seismic loading.
Teaching Methods
| Teaching methods | In class lectures. Solving of examples and applications in class. Discussion of case studies in class. One-day field trip to dam locations within Attiki. |
|---|---|
| Teaching media | Blackboard teaching Power Point slide projection Calculations in PC using dedicated software of analysis |
| Laboratories | 1 tutorial for use of finite element code for estimating steady state seepage & code for methods of slices |
| Computer and software use | In class the students solve examples by hand, but for their homework they are required to use dedicated codes and spreadsheets in PC. |
| Assignments (projects, reports) | There are 5 deliverable homework sets, which are of different types: 1 is a Power Point presentation, 2 are solved by hand and the last 2 have the form of technical report for an embankment dam design. |
Student Assessment
- Final written exam: 50%
- Assignments (projects, reports): 50%
Textbooks - Bibliography
Textbooks:
- Papadimitriou A.G., Advanced Geotechnical Works: Notes, 2015 (in Greek)
Moutafis Ν. Ι., Embankment Dam Technology: Notes, 2009 (in Greek) Indicative Bibliography
Specialized:
- Harr M. E.: Groundwater and Seepage, 1991
- Abramson L. E, Lee T. S., Sharma S., Boyce G. N.: Slope Stability and Stabilization Methods, 2002 General on Geotechnical Engineering:
- Verruijt A.: Soil Mechanics, 2006 http://www-mdp.eng.cam.ac.uk/web/library/enginfo/textbooks_dvd_only/soilmechs/SoilMechBook.pdf
- M. Budhu: Soil Mechanics & Foundations, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 1999
- Towhata I.: Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, 2008
- Kramer S. L.: Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, 1996
- G. Barnes: SOIL MECHANICS: Principles and Applications, Klidarithmos Editions, 2005 (in Greek)
Lecture Time - Place:
- Wednesday, 10:45 – 13:30,
Rooms:- Ζ. Κτ. 1 Πολ., Αιθ. 2