A nonlinear local equivalent stress method in stress analysis of concrete gravity dam

Abstract When the stress state of the structure is analyzed by the finite element method (FEM), the stress at the stress concentration points such as the dam’s heel and toe gets infinitely larger as the element size decreases. In order to overcome this defect, many equivalent stress methods of normal stress have been proposed to convert the FEM stress into equivalent stresses on the boundary between the dam and the foundation. This paper proposes a nonlinear local equivalent stress method that reflects the mechanical equivalent conditions and material continuity in the areas near the dam’s heel and toe and proves that the stress state obtained by the nonlinear local equivalent stress method is close to the actual stress state through calculation experiment.