Cracks are always a serious concern in the stability analysis of gravity dams. One of the main reasons for the initiation of cracks is overflows. In evaluating dam safety under flood conditions, it is crucial to consider the balance between the strength of the dam body and the propagation of cracks. In this context, simplified equations serve as valuable tools in dam design as they offer a quick and efficient way to estimate the behavior of the dam structure. In this study, firstly using a polygonal material-based model (P-MBM), which is improved in considering the softening behavior of joints, the micro-crack propagation in masonry material is investigated. Then, based on performing 81 numerical simulations in a parametric study on the geometrical and geotechnical properties of the dam subjected to overflow, a great database of the behavior of different dams is investigated. Then, using the genetic algorithm, a set of equations is proposed, and their accuracy is validated through UDEC simulations and some theoretical methods from existing literature. For all models, the crack tends to be horizontal at the initial phase. Then, due to increasing the compressive stresses on the downstream side, the fractures tend to the dam toe. The results also indicate that the proposed equations can reasonably determine the behavior of gravity dams and the development of cracks in the dam body. The outcomes highlighted the considerable effects of geometry and geotechnical properties on dictating the trajectory of crack growth.

中文翻译：

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使用遗传算法和基于材料的模型预测重力坝溢流裂纹扩展的简化方法


裂缝始终是重力坝稳定性分析中的一个严重问题。产生裂纹的主要原因之一是溢流。在评估洪水条件下大坝的安全性时，考虑坝体强度与裂缝扩展之间的平衡至关重要。在这种情况下，简化方程成为大坝设计中的宝贵工具，因为它们提供了一种快速有效的方法来估计大坝结构的行为。在本研究中，首先使用基于多边形材料的模型（P-MBM），该模型在考虑接缝软化行为的情况下进行了改进，研究了砌体材料中的微裂纹扩展。然后，基于对溢流大坝的几何和岩土特性进行参数化研究的 81 次数值模拟，研究了不同大坝性能的大型数据库。然后，使用遗传算法提出一组方程，并通过UDEC模拟和现有文献中的一些理论方法验证其准确性。对于所有模型，裂纹在初始阶段往往是水平的。然后，由于下游侧压应力的增加，裂缝趋向于坝趾。结果还表明，所提出的方程可以合理地确定重力坝的行为和坝体裂缝的发展。结果强调了几何形状和岩土特性对裂纹扩展轨迹的显着影响。