Seismic analysis of rock-filled concrete (RFC) dam with various rock-fill ratios

Rock-filled concrete (RFC) is an innovative material that combines large rocks with high-performance self-compacting concrete, mainly used in dam construction. A key aspect of RFC dam design is its seismic performance, which requires further study. This research examines the seismic design of a gravity dam, evaluating RFC alternatives with rock-fill ratios of 50%, 55%, and 60%. Analysis of displacement and stress distributions in models with different ratios revealed consistent patterns, with the 55% rock-fill ratio model showing slightly lower maximum values than the 50% and 60% models. Dynamic seismic analysis indicated a significant reduction in damage for the 55% model, due to the optimal balance between rock-fill content and concrete strength. Results show that the seismic performance of the RFC dam with 55% rock-fill surpasses the other ratios, highlighting the importance of the rock-fill ratio in improving the seismic resilience of RFC dams.