Hydrodynamic Pressure on Short‐Length Gravity Dams

Abstract

Analytical expressions are derived for the hydrodynamic pressures generated in reservoirs behind short‐length gravity dams, and resulting from vibrational motions of the dam and ground motions. The dams have vertical upstream faces. The reservoirs are assumed to have rectangular cross‐sections, constant depths and to extend to infinity in the upstream direction. Water compressibility is taken into consideration, and solutions of the three‐dimensional wave equation are obtained under both flexible and rigid boundary assumptions. The formulas obtained are used to calculate the hydrodynamic pressure for a range of geometries, and the results are presented in a form that clearly shows its dependence on the various parameters of the problem. The effect of the length to height ratio of the dam, and the significance of the cross‐stream and vertical components of ground motion on the pressure response are investigated.