Numerical and Physical Analysis on the Response of a Dam’s Radial Gate to Extreme Loading Performance

Maintaining the reservoir safety of large dams has considerable importance for the public where they are constructed in heavily populated and industrialized areas. The extreme hydrodynamic force caused by ground acceleration, cavitation damage, and vibration are among concerns that threaten the safety of the spillway and its conveyance structures when subjected to a natural disaster, such as earthquakes and severe floods. Current research investigates the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic performance of the Karkheh Dam spillway radial gate through 3-D finite element (FE) models using ABAQUS/Explicit. The common loads applied on the radial gate were reviewed and stress–strain in the skin plate and trunnion were investigated as a result of developed hydrodynamic pressures. The performance of conveyance structures subjected to significant discharge was also investigated through a small-scale model to evaluate the cavitation damage index. The results of this research will help researchers in the field of civil and hydraulic engineering for the risk analysis of the radial gates and conveyance structures.