Date: May 13, 2002
Place: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
Attendees: U.S.-side -- Robert Hall (Chairman) USACE-ERDC
Enrique Matheu LSU
Japan-side -- Yoshikazu Yamaguchi (Chairman) PWRI
Ken-ichi Torii NILIM
1. Objective and Scope of Work
To develop technical insights into better understanding of the response of dams to seismic effects, the T/C will plan, promote, and develop research initiatives to assist in assuring seismic safety and economical protective countermeasures against earthquake loading for these critical structures.
The scope of work includes:
(1) Develop methods of analysis for seismic design of dams including outlet works.
a) Comparative analysis of design methods and evaluation criteria used by U.S. and Japan.
b) Development of "Design Earthquake Ground Motions" for analysis and evaluation of dams.
c) Assessment of models and numerical procedures used for seismic dynamic analysis.
(2) Perform research to better understand the dynamic characteristics of dam construction materials and site conditions.
a) Strength and deformation characteristics of concrete, soil and rock materials during earthquakes.
(3) Evaluate observed performance of dams and outlet works during earthquakes.
a) Develop a database that contains measured ground accelerations and dynamic response of dams and outlet works during earthquakes, and other related information necessary to evaluate their seismic behavior, such as experimental and/or analytical data with description of test and analysis procedures used.
b) Investigation of damage mechanisms due to earthquake loading.
c) Application of the analysis of the observed dynamic behavior to the improvement of design criteria.
2. Accomplishments
(1) The Task Committee developed a database that contains measured ground accelerations and dynamic response of dams and outlet works during earthquakes. The database has been expanded to include other relevant information necessary to evaluate their seismic behavior, such as experimental and/or analytical data with description of test and analysis procedures used.
(2) In investigating seismic design ground motions at dam sites in Japan, technical information from U.S. in this field was referred to.
(3) The U.S.- and Japan-side Task Committee members have actively planned, advertised, and organized the upcoming "3rd U.S.-Japan Workshop on Advanced Research on Earthquake Engineering for Dams", San Diego, USA, June 22-23, 2002:
a) The Organizing Committee is chaired by Dr. Robert Hall (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), and it also includes Dr. Yoshikazu Yamaguchi (PWRI), Dr. Enrique E. Matheu (Louisiana State University) and Dr. Ziyad H. Duron (Harvey Mudd College).
b) The workshop is co-sponsored by the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and the U.S. Society on Dams (USSD). It will be part of the pre-conference activities of the 22nd USSD Annual Meeting and Conference (to be held at the same location on June 24-28, 2002).
3. Future Plans
(1) The Task Committee will continue the current efforts focused on the development of improved mechanisms to facilitate the continuous exchange of results of research activities and general technical information related to dam earthquake engineering.
(2) The Task Committee will coordinate exchange visits of scientists and engineers from the U.S. and Japan. A series of technical problems of mutual interest will be identified and prioritized and they will serve as the focus for this exchange program.
(3) The Task Committee will promote the development of a research program to improve test and analysis procedures based on the comparative study of representative case studies that will be available in the jointly developed database.
(4) Following large earthquakes in the US or Japan, the Task Committee will assemble a reconnaissance team to investigate the performance of dams and outlet works.
(5) The Task Committee will conduct the "3rd U.S.-Japan Workshop on Advanced Research on Earthquake Engineering for Dams" June 22-23, 2002. The Task Committee will compile the technical contributions in the corresponding Workshop Proceedings, which will be published by ERDC later in the year.
a) The workshop will focus on a variety of technical aspects covering concrete and embankment dams, and outlet works. The technical sessions will address seismic evaluation criteria, numerical techniques for seismic analysis, seismic design and evaluation of appurtenant structures, instrumentation, condition assessment, seismic upgrade and rehabilitation, foundation problems, case studies, as well as many other general topics.
b) The program includes several keynote lectures and invited presentations from well-recognized participants from government agencies, academia, and private sector. The technical presentations include 8 papers from Japan and 20 papers from the U.S. and other countries.