Modeling of Observed Permanent Deformation at La Villita Dam

The observed behavior of La Villita dam in Mexico during five different earthquakes which have occurred in the period 1975-1985 is analyzed. Asymmetry observed in the recorded crest acceleration time histories is interpreted to be due to localized stick-slip behavior below the recording instrument. Yield acceleration associated with each stick-slip event can be inferred directly from these crest records. Values of observed average yield accelerations for the November 15, 1975 and September 19, 1985 earthquakes are used to predict the observed horizontal displacements during these earthquakes. Response of other soil systems involving stick-slip deformations during dynamic loading is also briefly discussed

Computation of Dynamic Large Displacements in Earth Systems

A model for the computation of seismically induced permanent displacements is earth structures are proposed. This model allows relative sliding between different zones of the structure under investigation. Large displacements are allowed between these zones. Elasto-plastic constitutive soil behavior is accounted for. An updated Lagrangian Jaumann Finite Element formulation is used. The proposed model is used to predict the observed behavior of LaVillita Dam during the November 15, 1975 earthquake

Closure [Closure to “Three‐Dimensional Seismic Analysis of La Villita dam"] by Ahmed-Waeil M. Elgamal, Ronald F. Scott, Members, ASCE, Mohamed F. Succarieh. and Liping Yan

The authors are grateful to the discusser for contributing his experience and insight to the discussion of their paper; he raises a number of important issues regarding the response of earth dams to earthquakes in general, and La Villita Dam in particular. They would like to respond to some of the questions he has raised. There is, of course, only one site near the crest of the dam, on the downstream side, at which the accelerations were measured during the earthquakes discussed