ABSTRACT
This article aims to determine the Ultimate bearing capacity (qu), safe bearing capacity (qs) and the allowable bearing capacity (qa) at the Misicuni Dam foundation based on rock characterization. This is a Concrete Face Rockfill Dam (CFRD) 120 m high and a foundation that is called plinth. The design of the plinth was based on proposed methodologies to determine rock, shear strength, settlements and bearing capacity of the rock.
The Rock Mass Rating (RMR) was determined according to RMRin by Bieniawski (1989) and to other RMR variant applicable to dam foundations (RMRfi). Based on test and RMRfi estimated in the plinth foundation, intact rock, rock mass and discontinuity shear strength was computed; in addition, the settlements were determined based on the modulus of elasticity of the rock derived from rock classification. The qu is determined from the collection of information, geological structure, rock properties and characteristics of the foundation in rock where the following sequence will be followed. The first step is to determine the type of failure that will occur according to the type of rock mass. The second stage consists of determining qu from the type of failure that will occur according to the type of rock mass by means of different authors approaches and qs is determined from qu, a factor of safety and the settlements in the plinth. The qa is assumed as equal to qs in this study.
