Assessment of the permanent deformation at the earth core of a rockfill dam under heavy vehicle loading

Dams are structures designed primarily for water containment. They usually are found in areas with special transportation needs, either for mining purposes or for transporting heavy equipment, and with limited road infrastructure available. Heavy traffic over dams is discouraged, due to the damage this can cause to the integrity of the structure. The possible deformations caused by the passage of vehicles on the dam crest are not typically considered in the design of earth dams; however, the authorization of vehicle traffic on dams can be beneficial both economically and environmentally. A tolerance criterion is required to determine the allowable vehicle load on the dam crest. This paper presents an analysis of the permanent deformation caused in the core of a rockfill dam. Stress conditions that may be associated with a rapid accumulation of permanent deformation were identified, and an analysis method is proposed to specify the acceptable heavy traffic conditions for the dams.