Numerical Seismic Analysis of Pine Flat Dam Using Finite Difference Method

Abstract

The seismic analysis of Pine Flat Dam, a 122 m high concrete gravity dam in California is the subject of the Theme A of the 15th ICOLD Benchmark Workshop on Numerical Analysis of Dams. For that purpose different steps of analyses have been carried out from eigenmodes determination and wave propagation calculations to linear and non-linear time history simulations. The use of free-field boundary conditions in order to model a semi-infinite medium confirms the results from previous works, such as those of the theme B of 14th ICOLD Benchmark Workshop [1]. The use of Endurance Time Acceleration Function (ETAF) record in order to assess the dynamic stability of the dam has been investigated. Finally, the hypotheses and the results of the non-linear analyses are analyzed and discussed.