Impact of the pseudo-seismic coefficient on the finite element (FE) analysis of clay-core rockfill dam

Standards and approaches play a crucial role in assessing any engineering issue. This study highlights the differences between the maximum permitted seismic coefficients in various standards and approaches and examines how these differences affect the performance of clay-core rockfill dams. Specifically, the paper compares the behavior of a Clay Core Rockfill (CCR) dam under nine different pseudo-seismic coefficient standards. The dam is evaluated under two material conditions: elastic and plastic. For the analysis, the Düzçam CCR Dam, located in Karabük, Turkey, is chosen as a case study. The Düzçam Dam, with a height of 54 meters and an irrigation area capacity of 5,615 decares annually, is modeled for evaluation. The most critical section of the dam is selected for the two-dimensional model, which is constructed using the finite element method. The Düzçam Dam's two-dimensional finite element model is created using Phase2 software, and the material and soil mechanical properties are derived from experimental data. Numerical analyses are performed in four stages for each of the nine different standards: gravity loading, dam body construction, water application, and finally, the application of the pseudo-seismic coefficient to the dam body and rock foundation model. In cases where the pseudo seismic coefficient is 0.15 and 0.5, the displacement increases by approximately 61.5%, while the principal tensile and compressive stress increases by approximately 30% and 33%, respectively. The impact of selecting the maximum pseudo-seismic coefficient on the results is demonstrated.