Inspect pre-solved models in your browser in 2 seconds (up to 300k DOF) or solve 1.5M+ DOF assemblies 100% offline on Windows and macOS.
Hoover Arch-Gravity Dam with Canyon Abutments
Monolithic mass-concrete arch-gravity dam model with stepped canyon abutments, crest spillway weirs, twin intake towers, and outlet tunnels under 18 MN reservoir thrust.
Hoover Dam on the Colorado River is the quintessential arch-gravity dam, transferring immense water thrust both vertically into the riverbed foundation and horizontally into the canyon rock walls through three-dimensional arching action. The structural geometry features a curved upstream face (R = 1,600 mm in scaled model), a variable trapezoidal cross-section thickening towards the base (from 180 mm crest to 620 mm base), stepped rock thrust blocks keyed into canyon abutments, 4 crest spillway bays with piers, twin upstream intake towers, and downstream outlet discharge tunnels. WebCAE evaluates 3D stress distributions under 18 MN hydrostatic thrust, verifying total reaction equilibrium within 0.31%.
1. Geometry & FEA Mesh
- •B-Rep geometry: curved arch-gravity concrete body (height 1,400 mm, radius 1,600 mm, base width 620 mm), downstream toe apron with twin outlet discharge tunnels (Ø 90 mm).
- •Abutment thrust blocks: 6 stepped lateral rock keying blocks along left (-X) and right (+X) canyon walls ensuring monolithic rock-concrete contact transfer.
- •Hydraulic structures: 2 upstream intake towers (Ø 130 mm, H = 1,450 mm) and 5 crest spillway piers forming 4 overflow weir bays.
- •Mesh discretization: 81,165 1st-order tetrahedral solid elements (TET4), 17,722 nodes, totaling 53,166 structural degrees of freedom in a single conforming continuum.
2. Loads & Boundary Conditions
- •Fixed boundary constraints (u_x = u_y = u_z = 0) applied to the planar foundation base and all stepped left/right canyon abutment surfaces.
- •18.0 MN total upstream hydrostatic water thrust (+Y component) area-distributed across all upstream reservoir-facing cylindrical surfaces and intake tower shells.
- •Downstream and vertical water weight loads (-4.5 MN in -Z) plus crest roadway live load (-0.35 MN in -Z).
3. Simulation Results & Findings
- ✓Maximum horizontal arch crown deflection |u| = 3.06 mm at the crest center under full 18 MN water thrust, confirming high structural stiffness.
- ✓Peak localized von Mises stress σ_vm = 269.8 MPa located at the canyon abutment notch interfaces and spillway pier root transitions.
- ✓Total foundation reaction along the loading axis matches applied hydrostatic thrust within 0.31% relative equilibrium error (expectReaction gate passed).
WebCAE delivers high-fidelity 3D solid finite element analysis for massive hydraulic structures, arch dams, and spillway monoliths, computing hydrostatic thrust balance, stress concentrations, and foundation reactions directly in the browser.
14 days of full Pro access. The first charge occurs only after 14 days unless canceled beforehand.
- ✓14-Day Trial ($0 Today) (cancel anytime)
- ✓Up to 1.5M+ DOFs (direct sparse solver)
- ✓Native Windows & macOS Apps (100% offline)
- ✓Nonlinear Contact & Buckling (Kσ, MITC4, RBE2/RBE3)
Ask an Engineer About Your Model
Describe your part, load case, or CAD format — we reply within 2 business hours.
Want an instant answer on FEA theory or this model?
Click the AI chat button in the bottom-right corner to ask about boundary conditions, stress criteria, mesh convergence, or DSL scripting.
More Engineering Simulation Cases
Twin-Inlet Swirl Mixing Collector & Header Manifold (CFD)
Heat Exchanger Staggered 5-Tube Bundle Cross-Flow & Vortex Wake (CFD)
1.5 MW Wind Turbine Cast Rotor Hub
