Comparison of constitutive laws for soil materials

on earth dams
D. Nikolovski1
Geoing MK, Skopje, Macedonia

ABSTRACT
The Kozjak dam is one of the highest earth dams in the Republic of Macedonia and the region, and consequently is of great
importance. Although it was built several years ago, it still arouses interest in scientific and professional circles. The object of
this research is to perform stress and strain analysis for the earth-rock dam Kozjak, applying different constitutive laws for
materials in dam body. The problem will be analyzed numerically, by finite elements method for the following conditions:
immediately after construction condition and full reservoir condition. The objective of this research is to notice the difference in
the results gained through the different methods - linear and nonlinear constitutive law, as well as, sensitivity of the model to the
variation of input geotechnical parameters. In this research will also be compared the results gained through analysis, with the
results of the monitoring of Kozjak dam.

Keywords: earth-rock dam, constitutive law, stress and strain, finite elements

with an inclination of 1.015, 4.0m wide, and in

1 INTRODUCTION its foundation is 63.0m wide. The Kozjak dam
has relatively narrow bed with an inclination of
The Kozjak dam is located on the river Treska, a the slopes of the terrain 1:1 and 1:1.5.
right tributary to Vardar (Figure 1a). Its primary
function is to prevent the capital city of R.
Macedonia - Skopje from floods, and its
secondary function is to produce electric power.
The Kozjak dam is an earth-rock dam, with
limestone supporting bodies, sand filters and a
slanted clay core (Figure 1b). The core and the
filters are set on rock foundation, while the
foundation for the dam supports is made of river
sediment. The height of the dam is 114.0m,
while its constructional height is 130.0m. The
dam’s top is 10.0m wide, while its length is
305.0m. The clay core is set in the center of the
dam, sloping towards the upstream, with an Figure 1a. Situation of the Kozjak dam
inclination of 1:0.45, and on the downstream

1
Geoing MK, M. T. Gologanov, No. 147/III/lok.5, 1000 Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. done.nikolovski@gmail.com
 unifying of the filtering zones into one, with
shared strength parameters.
One of the most complex assignments in the
numeric modeling is choosing geotechnical
parameters for the materials, as well as choosing
constitutive laws that will estimate the real state
of the stress and strains in the dam’s body. In
Figure 1b. Typical cross section of Kozjak dam.
Table 1 are presented material parameters,
information taken from geotechnical researches
about materials that will be used in the analysis.
2 COMMENTARY REGARDING THE It is also important to note that the analysis
MODELING OF THE DAM will be provided as two-dimensional as a plain
state deformation problem, for the typical cross
A cross section of the Kozjak dam has been section (Figure 1).
modeled using the Sofistik program package
based on the finite elements method. First of all, Table 1. Representative parameters for the soil materials.
a physical approximation of the continuum is
material clay sand gravel gravel
made; a system made of elements with finite
element unit core filter dambody аlluvial
dimensions and mutually connected through
ν / 0.40 0.33 0.31 0.30
node points. Each finite element is assigned with
the same characteristics as the objects of the Е kN/m2 25000 40000 60000 50000
analysis, in accordance with the soil parameters γ kN/m3 19.8 21.5 21.7 21.7
from Table 1, in order to numerically present the φ º 20.0 38.5 40.0 38.7
physical behavior of the dam in the best possible c kN/m2 55.0 0.0 5.0 5.0
way. The discretisation of the dam’s body is n / 0.45 0.55 0.60 0.60
carried out in a way that the zones with different KL / 400 650 1000 700
materials are comprised, while the basis of the Rf / 0.90 0.85 0.75 0.80
dam is considered as non-deformable. The model
is adapted in a way to enable a 12 layer modeling
of the dam, each with a thickness of 9.5m, which 3 THE CHOICE OF CONSTITUTIVE LAW
is enough to obtain the real values about the
stress and strain in the body of the dam. This is Choosing a constitutive law is one of the most
based on Ray Clough’s initial conclusion (1967), important steps in FEM modeling and in
which proves that the way of simulation of dam conducting stress and strain analysis of the earth-
construction in multiple layers is crucial for rock dams. The constitutive law defines the
determining the value and positioning of vertical interdependence of the unknown values, of stress
deformations. For the purpose of the analysis of and strain at any point of the dam’s body, and in
the dam, a cross section of constructed situation this paper the stress and strain of the Kozjak
of the dam is adopted, as well as certain dam, according to the linear law and the
simplifications, which are considered not to nonlinear hyperbolic law of Duncan and Chang
affect on the results. Also, considering the scope will be analyzed.
of this research, these simplifications are
certainly useful, and they refer to: (a) the 3.1 Linear law
disregard of downstream berms and to the
determining of a constant inclination of the With regard to the linear elastic model, it can be
slope, (b) the disregard of the core and filtering said that it is the simplest model for estimating
zones in the upstream cofferdam, incorporated in the behavior of soil materials and of materials in
the upstream of the dam’s body and (c) to the general. The behavior of soil materials is
determined only by two elastic constants (E, ν) while the shear strength of the soil material is
and the bulk weight of the material (γ). defined through Mohr-Coulomb’s failure criteria.
The linear material law implies that
deformations due to a change in stress
completely return after unloading and material 4 RESULTS FROM THE ANALYSIS
stiffness is completely independent of the
momentary stress and strain. In this research about the Kozjak earth-rock dam,
will be conducted two types of stress and strain
3.2 Nonlinear law analyses, more precisely the analyses of the
The constitutive law of Duncan and Chang following states:
represents the nonlinear dependence between the - Stаte immediately after construction (2)
vertical dilatation and the deviator of stresses. In - State of full reservoir (3)
fact, the law is based on the initial statement of In providing analysis for state (3), filtration
Konder and his associates that the soil sample through the clay core was not taken into account.
tested through triaxial examinations gives a very In addition, the obtained results from the
close functional dependence of the curve stress – analyses conducted in the program package
specific dilatation, on the hyperbola, given with Sofistik will be also presented in the paper. The
the formula (1): displacements and stresses in the dam’s body
will be analyzed, and the results show and
ε1 compare both for the linear and nonlinear law.
σ1 − σ 3 = (1)
a + bε 1
4.1 Results from linear law state (2)
In this relation, a and b are constant values,
where b is reciprocity of the initial modulus of
elasticity, while the meaning of the parameter 1/a
is asymptotical value of the difference between
principal normal stresses.
This law has also been used in geotechnics in
the analysis of certain kind of problems, while
the used parameters can be easily determined
through the standard triaxial test.

Figure 3. Vert. stresses σY = (0.01 to 2.88) MN/m2

Figure 2. Stress and strain relation for hyperbolic law.

For better comparison of the results obtained Figure 4. Vert. displacements Uv = (0.0 to 1887.0) mm
by the two analyses of the Kozjak dam, it is
important to note that this model includes the soil
stiffness through the change of the initial
modulus of elasticity, which is stress-dependent,
 4.3 Results from linear law state (3)

Figure 5. Hor. displacements Uh = (−181.0 to 181.0) mm Figure 9. Vert. stresses σY = (0.0 to 2.76) MN/m2

4.2 Results from nonlinear law state (2) 4.4 Results from nonlinear law state (3)

Figure 6. Vert. stresses σY = (0.01 to 2.58) MN/m2 Figure 10. Ver. displacements Uv = (−27.0 to 1767.0) mm

Figure 7. Vert. displacements Uv = (0.0 to 1220) mm Figure 11. Hor. displacements Uh = (−34.0 to 808.0) mm

Figure 8. Hor. displacements Uh = (−310.0 to 292.0) mm Figure 12. Vert. stresses σY = (−0.01 to 2.52) MN/m2
When examining the results for both conditions
analyzed, regarding the position of the maximum
values of vertical displacement, as it was
expected they appear in the middle part of the
dam, at 60% of its height in the very core. As it
was already said, this confirms the modeling of
the dam in multiple layers in order to get a more
realistic picture of the stresses and strains in the
dam’s body. In contrary, if dam construction was
simulated in one or only several layers with
greater height than the previously adopted,
deformations would have their maximum in the
top of the dam with higher absolute values. In
terms of the vertical deformation in the body of
the dam, comparing the two constitutive laws,
we can recognize a difference between the
results of 35%. The difference in results is due to
the fact that unlike the linear-elastic model, the
hyperbolic law takes into account the
deformation hardening of the material, i.e. the
change of the modulus of elasticity according to
the state of stress, which leads to less vertical
deformations.
It can be also said that the differences arising
in terms of the horizontal deformation are
expected to be in agreement with the formulation
of the two laws, and for higher levels of stress.
Their positions are logical if one takes into
account the condition of loading, according to
the two states of analyzing the dam. The
distribution of vertical stresses and the shape of
isolines clearly show the transfer of stresses
among the materials with different
characteristics, the clay core and the supporting
bodies. The magnitude of vertical stresses is the
same in the two conducted analyses for both
constitutive laws.
5 RESULTS FROM MONITORING OF
KOZJAK DAM
The displacements that occur during construction
and exploitation of the dam are of great
importance in estimating the preciseness of the
law applied, and even more important, in
estimating the behavior and functioning of the
earth-rock dams.
At the end of the construction of the dam in
2003, it was performed the first zero
measurement. In the period after the first filling
of the reservoir, at elevation of 450.0 mNV,
certain instrumental geodetic measurings have
been conducted in order to determine the spacial
position of the geodetic measuring points.

Table 2. Results for displacements from monitoring.

Point Height Side Uh Uv

Figure 13. Vert. displacements Uv = (−0.0 to 1364.0) mm
1 380mNV downstream 9.3mm 4.7mm
2 400mNV downstream 10.1mm 10.6mm
3 420mNV downstream 13.3mm 18.9mm
4 440mNV downstream 20.9mm 30.2mm
5 455mNV downstream 22.4mm 43.3mm
6 471mNV downstream 50.8mm 157.7mm
7 455mNV downstream 31.7mm 125.9mm

The displacement of the dam’s body in the

last session has been followed through 69
measuring points positioned on the contour of
the dam’s body, placed at typical and easily
Figure 14. Hor. displacements Uh = (−74.0 to 629.0) mm reachable places - the upstream berms, the slopes
and the dam’s top. Some of the results obtained
during the last session of measurements in
October 2010, are given in the following Table 2.
Figure 15.Typical cross-section of the dam with points of
measurement of the displacements.
During the comparison of the results from the
nonlinear analysis with the results of the
monitoring of the dam, the aberrations in terms
of the horizontal deformations have been noted
to be greater than the aberrations in terms of the
vertical deformations, for the state of full
reservoir.
6 CONCLUSION
When comparing results from the numerical
analyses with the results of monitoring for
Kozjak dam, in a state of full reservoir, we can
notice that Duncan and Chang’s hyperbolic law
gives closer values for vertical and horizontal
deformations then the linear constitutive law. As
previously noted, that can be explained with the
fact that this model comprises the nonlinearity,
stress-dependent and inelastic behavior of the
soil, unlike the linear law which describes the
soil behavior in a simple way that does not
correspond with its real behavior.
However, the gained values from the
numerical analyses and measuring from the
monitoring of the dam differ with a greater
aberration in term of the horizontal deformations,
due to the fact that unlike the deformational
hardening, the hyperbolic law disregards the
shear hardening of the material from the body of
the dam, as result of change in stress. Of course,
regardless of the choice of constitutive law, the
differences in the values of the displacements are
also result of other factors in regard to the
modeling of the dam for the plain state
deformation problem in cases when there is a
relatively narrow bed with V shape with a steep
inclination of the slopes, still unfinished
reological processes in terms of the deformations
of the materials of the dam’s body etc.
When choosing constitutive law for the
model analyses, there should always be a
tendency to present numerically the relation
between the stresses and strains for the object, as
realistically as possible, always taking into
account the principles to which every law is
subjected, its advantages and disadvantages, in
coordination with the problem which is analyzed.
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