Seismic Deformation Analyses of Seymour Falls Dam

T. Thavaraj, L. Murray, N. Singh, F. Huber, M. Gant

In the proceedings of: GeoManitoba 2012: 65th Canadian Geotechnical Conference

Session: T1C - Design of Earth Dams

ABSTRACT: Seymour Falls dam, which is located in a region of high seismic hazard in British Columbia, provides a safe and reliable source of quality drinking water to over two million people in the Greater Vancouver area. The dam was seismically upgraded between 2004 and 2007 to meet modern seismic standards. As part of the upgrade, a new dam was constructed immediately downstream of the existing dam on foundation soils that were improved using dynamic and explosive compaction techniques. During the design stage, extensive seismic deformation analyses were conducted using FLAC to evaluate the seismic performance of the old and the new dam and to assess the sensitivity of several key uncertainties in the design including the effectiveness of the explosive compaction technique and the residual strengths of liquefiable soils. The robustness of the new dam design under increased levels of seismic loading was also checked through these deformation analyses.

RÉSUMÉ: Le barrage de Seymour Falls, qui se trouve dans une zone de risque sismique élevé en British Columbia, offre une taine de Vancouver. La résistance sismique du barrage a été amélioré entre 2004 et 2007 pour satisfaire les normes sismiques modernes. Dans le cadre de son amélioration, un nouveau barrage a été construit immédiatement en aval du barrage existant sur des sols de fondation qui ont été améliorés en utilisant les techniques de compaction dynamique et explosive. Durant la phase de conception, des analyses importantes en matière de déformation sismique ont été menées à l'aide de FLAC pour évaluer la performance de l'ancien et du nouveau barrage et aussi évaluer des incertitudes clés dans la conception, y compris l'efficacité de la technique explosive de compaction et les forces résiduelles des sols liquéfiables. a soutenir une augmentation de charges sismiques a été également .

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