Using the Finite Element Method in the Coupled Analysis of Earth Dams and Estimating the Associated Pore Water Pressure

A significant increase in pore water pressure during construction of earth dams may lead to the hydraulic fracture of dam body in pounding. Thus having sufficient information about generation pattern of excess pore water pressure inside the core is essential. In the present study, using finite element method in coupled analysis of earth dams, excess pore water pressure and displacement values are estimated during the construction of Daroongar dam by developed Fortran code, and the results were compared with instrumentation data. Finally the actual amounts of horizontal and vertical permeability coefficients were determined for the materials by regression analysis.