ESTUDO DA FISSURAÇÃO TÉRMICA DOS BLOCOS DE CONTRAFORTE DA UHE ITAIPU: ANÁLISE NUMÉRICA TERMO-QUÍMICO-MECÂNICA
Palavras-chave:
Thermal cracking, massive structures, Itaipu damResumo
Itaipu Dam’s hydroelectric power plant is the largest producer of electric power in the
world. It is composed by structures made of concrete, rock and earthfill that serve to harness the water
and obtain the difference in levels of 120 m, which allows the operation of the turbines. The first
buttresses blocks, which were located in the right bank dam, began to be built in November 1978. The
first cracks were noticed by visual inspection in August 1980. A 2-D simplified FEM analysis has
shown a high adiabatic raise of temperature in the core of the blocks due to the cement hydration,
causing thermal stresses. The location of the cracks in the modelling is very similar to the pattern of
cracking that is presented in the construction reports. Therefore, it is possible to assure that the cause
of cracking in the buttresses blocks of Itaipu Dam is thermal cracking.
