Seismic response analysis of an earth dam by using geostatistical methods and 3-D measurement

Recently, a three-dimensional (3-D) survey has been developed, using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which has made the rebuilding of the 3-D topography of structures easier. In this study, for the purpose of incorporating the three-dimensional measurement technique into the design of geo-structures, an earth-fill dam is surveyed three- dimensionally by a drone, and its 3-D finite element model (FEM model) is made based on the measurement results. Finally, the FEM model is applied to a seismic response analysis, in which a search is made for the structurally weak locations inside the dam. The stiffness inside the earth-fill dam is interpolated based on the results of Screw Weight Sounding (SWS) tests. The 3-D kriging method, one of the geostatistical methods, is used as the interpolation method. According to the analytical results, the locations of high acceleration and high shear stress inside the earth-fill dam have been identified.