Numerical modeling of sealing curtain design performance in earth-dams implemented on layered soils (Case study: Abbasabad dam)

In the design and operation of earthen dams, leakage control and permeability of the bed can be considered as one of the most important geotechnical and hydraulic issues of the dam. Studies have shown that the optimal implementation and functional control of the sealing curtain significantly plays a significant role in reducing leakage flow and also the stability of the dam. In this regard, in the present study, an attempt has been made to pay attention to this issue and to evaluate the leakage and permeability conditions to evaluate the performance of the sealing curtain for Abbasabad earthen dams based on layered bed sediments. To take. For this purpose, the finite element numerical approach and Plaxis software have been used. Methodologically, two modeling groups were implemented for the dam state without sealing the curtain and with the sealing curtain, and then the dam was dewatered and the hydraulic behavior was measured. The results of the simulation show that when the sealing curtain was not implemented, these elements had limited changes in the range of the dam core, which has become more widespread with the implementation of the sealing curtain. This issue indicates the movement and effect of the current resulting from the implementation of the sealing curtain in the area of the dam core. However, the stress drop in the dam area indicates the activity of the drains in order to relieve the pore water pressure. On the other hand, the strain expansion in the core range reflects the phenomenon of fine-grained plastic behavior resulting from in-situ stress and pore-water pressure.