Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Development of an empirical criterion for predicting the hydraulic fracturing in the core of earth dams

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Acta Geotechnica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this research, based on the laboratory studies, a new empirical criterion was developed to predict the hydraulic fracturing pressure in the core of earth dams. To simulate the core condition in the laboratory, a special cell was designed and assembled based on advanced consolidation cell (Rowe cell). The hydraulic fracturing tests were performed in unconsolidated and unsaturated conditions on the materials of an under-construction dam and the results were used according to critical conditions in which the hydraulic fracturing is initiated in the embankment dams. It can be concluded that for fine-grained soils and also coarse-grained soils containing considerable percent of fine particle, the hydraulic fracturing initiation pressure is dependent on the minor principal stress of the soil and increase linearly with the increase in mentioned stress. In addition, an empirical equation is introduced to estimate the hydraulic fracturing initiation pressure based on shear-strength properties of the soil, and also the effect of compaction energy on the pressure is discussed. Afterward, the numerical analysis has been carried out on the Madani Earth dam considering three types of soil for the core of the dam. Furthermore, by using several empirical criteria, the districts of the core which are susceptible to hydraulic fracturing were identified for each soil. Results of numerical study show that among three selected soils for the core of the dam, the CL which is susceptible to hydraulic fracturing is identified as critical soil and the GM-GC as the recommended one.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. BS 1377-6 (1990) Method of test for soils for civil engineering purposes. Consolidation and permeability tests in hydraulic cells with the pore pressure measurement. British standard institution

  2. Fukushima S (1986) Hydraulic fracturing criterion in the core of fill dams. Rep Fujita Kogyo Tech Inst 22:131–136

    Google Scholar 

  3. Ghanbari A (2003) Laboratory study of the hydraulic fracturing in the core of earth dams, PhD thesis, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran

  4. Haimson BC (1968) Hydraulic fracturing in porous and nonporous rock and its potential for determining in situ stresses at great depth, PhD. Thesis, University of Minnesota

  5. Hassani AW, Singh B, Saini SS (1983) Experimental investigation of hydraulic fracturing. Indian J Power River Valley Dev 12:181–187

    Google Scholar 

  6. Holcomb D, Rudnicki JW, Issen AK, Sternlof K (2007) Compaction localization in the Earth and the laboratory: state of the research and research directions. Acta Geotechnica 2(1):1–15

    Google Scholar 

  7. Independent Panel to Review Cause of Teton Dam Failure (1976) Report to United States department of the interior and the State of Idaho on failure of Teton dam. United States Bureau of Reclamation, Denver, CO

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jaworski GW, Duncan JM, Seed HB (1981) Laboratory study of hydraulic fracturing. J Geotech Eng Div ASCE 107(6):713–732

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kim H, Wangoner MP, Buttlar W (2009) Numerical fracture analysis on the specimen size dependency of asphalt concrete using a cohesive softening model. Constr Build Mater 23(5):2112–2120

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. KomakPanah A, Yanagisawa E (1989) Laboratory studies on hydraulic fracturing criteria in soil. Soils Found 29(4):14–22

    Google Scholar 

  11. Lo KY, Kaniaru K (1990) Hydraulic fracture in earth and rockfill dams. Can Geotech J 27(4):496–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Medeiros CH de AC, Moffat AIB (1996) A hydraulic fracturing test based on radial seepage in the Rowe consolidation cell. In: Advanced in site investigation practice. Thomas Telford, London

  13. Mhatch HK (1991) An experimental study of hydraulic fracture and erosion, Ph.D. thesis, City University, London

  14. Mori A, Tamura M (1987) Hydrofracturing pressure of cohesive soils. Soil Found Jpn Soc Soil Mech Found Eng 27(1):14–22

    Google Scholar 

  15. Murdoch LC (1993) Hydraulic fracturing of soil during laboratory experiments: methods and observations. Geotechnique 43(2):255–265

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  16. Nobari ES, Lee KL, Duncan JM (1973) Hydraulic fracturing in zoned earth and Rockfill dams, contract report TE-73-1. U.S. Army engineers waterways experimental station, Vickburg MS

    Google Scholar 

  17. Satoh H, Yamaguchi Y (2008) Laboratory hydraulic fracturing tests for core materials using large size hollow cylindrical specimens. In: The 1st international symposium on Rockfill Dams, Chengdu, China

  18. Shams Rad S (2010) Numerical study of the hydraulic fracturing in the core of earth dams, MSc thesis, Tarbiat Moallem University, Tehran

  19. Sherard JL (1986) Hydraulic fracturing in embankment dam. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng ASCE 112(10):905–927

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Wang SY, Sun L, Au ASK, Yang TH, Tang CA (2009) 2D-numerical analysis of hydraulic fracturing in heterogeneous geo-materials. Constr Build Mater 23(6):2196–2206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Wood DM, Maeda K (2008) Changing grading of soil: effect on critical states. Acta Geotech 3(1):3–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Yanagisawa E, KomakPanah A (1994) Two dimensional study of hydraulic fracturing criteria cohesive soil. Soil Found 34(1):1–14

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Engineering, Kharazmi (Tarbiat Moallem) University, No. 49 Mofatteh Ave, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

    Ali Ghanbari & Shima Shams Rad

Authors
  1. Ali Ghanbari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shima Shams Rad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ali Ghanbari.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ghanbari, A., Shams Rad, S. Development of an empirical criterion for predicting the hydraulic fracturing in the core of earth dams. Acta Geotech. 10, 243–254 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-013-0263-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11440-013-0263-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation