Interface Problems between Gura Apelor Dam and Abutments.

Gura Apelor Dam is a clay core rockfill structure 168 m high with a total fill volume of 9,020,000 m**3. Finite element studies were made employing elastic, non-linear elastic, and viscoelastic-plastic analyses, to determine where tensile stresses and high strain gradients could appear in the dam and foundation. The trend to development of some stress concentration including some tensile stresses was noted as well as the appearance of some high displacement gradients in the contact area between the dam body and the abutments, both on the right one, due to its steep gradient, and on the left one, where the physical-mechanical characteristics of the rock are very poor. Measures taken to counter these effects are reported.