Optimization of the Temperature and Thermo-Stressed State of a Concrete Dam Constructed from Particularly Lean Roller-Compacted Concrete

In this paper, we consider the optimization of temperature conditions and the thermo-stressed state of a concrete gravity dam made of extra lean roller-compacted concrete constructed in climate conditions corresponding to the Pskem HPP in the Republic of Uzbekistan. We show the need to take into account the effect of solar radiation on the heating of the concrete mass during the layer-by-layer construction of a gravity dam. A methodology was used to estimate solar radiation, considering cloud cover and the use of field and satellite observations. The seasonality of the concrete work and the terrain surrounding the construction site were also examined. We assessed the degree of influence of the factors acting on the formation of the temperature regime and the thermo-stressed state using the factor experiment technique. Regression equations, which allowed us to estimate the values of temperature and thermal stress arising in the structure during the construction period, were obtained. The created numerical model has been used for the estimation and optimization of the thermo-stressed state of the Pskem HPP dam option made of low-cement roller-compacted concrete. On the basis of calculations of the stress–strain state in elastic and elastic-plastic formulations, the possible cracking of concrete was evaluated. The competitiveness of the considered concrete option of the dam with the ground one is shown.

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