On the interpretation of cyclic triaxial test data with application to the seismic behaviour of fill dams

Traditionally the evaluation of the seismic stability of earth and rockfill dams has been carried out using the simple pseudo-static approach. Only in the last few years have more advanced techniques been introduced, especially in connection with the re-evaluation hydraulic fill dams following the failures that occurred during the San Fernando earthquake in 1971. The most popular method employed today combines a dynamic total stress analysis of the dam - usually modelled by finite elastic elements under the plane strain assumption - with a laboratory investigation of the material properties for dynamic loading ( Seed et al 1973 ). Design earthquake considerations apart, the crucial part of the overall analysis is the second part concerned with material-technological aspects.