Seismic analysis of post-tensioned concrete gravity dams using scaled boundary finite elements implemented as ABAQUS UEL

This paper presents an efficient numerical framework for the seismic analysis of post-tensioned concrete gravity dams, which automatically inserts anchors into the structure. The proposed approach is implemented in the commercial finite element software ABAQUS by introducing a polygonal user element (UEL) derived by the scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM). By inserting nodes in the polygonal structural mesh along the anchor layouts, duplicating the inserted nodes representing anchors, and generating cohesive elements on the node pairs, post-tensioned anchors are naturally embedded into the structure, and the bond–slip interactions are considered. Furthermore, an unbounded UEL derived by the SBFEM is implemented to simulate the unbounded foundation in the dam–reservoir–foundation interaction systems. The unbounded UEL only requires a small truncation area around the region of interest to rigorously capture the dynamic properties of the infinite foundation in terms of a displacement unit-impulse response. This ABAQUS implementation allows the use of built-in capabilities of ABAQUS for nonlinear dynamic analysis, including contact modeling and cohesive fracture. Weak structural interfaces existing in a concrete gravity dam (dam–foundation interface and construction joints) are modeled by a cohesive–frictional contact scheme. In the end, sophisticated numerical models dams featuring post-tensioned gravity dams with weak interfaces and anchors can be generated in a fully automatic manner, requiring no special treatments for mesh generation such as partitioning. The accuracy of the proposed technique is verified through a numerical example of the Manly dam strengthened by a vertical anchor. The efficiency of this approach is demonstrated through a dam with three construction joints anchored by multiple inclined anchors. The input files of the numerical examples are available from the authors upon request.