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Unravelling the Mysteries of the Katse Dam Seismic Belt and Performed Joint

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SANCOLD 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE 5-6 November 2025

By Ryan Cassells, ARQ Dams Pty Ltd
-co-author QHW Shaw, L Phooko, R Hlajoane and L Hattingh, South Africa.

Considering that significant developments have been made in analysis systems for arch dams since the design of Katse Dam in the 1990s, in their 2018 review, the Panel of Experts for Katse Dam recommended an updated Finite Element structural analysis to provide a clearer picture of the respective structural function and the associated level of dam safety. As a result, the dam owner (LHDA) initiated a comprehensive study to investigate the status of the dam, including a calibrated finite element analysis.

With a substantially improved ability to model non-linear features of the dam, such as the “pre-formed heel joint”, the crest tension belt and the foundation shear keys, together with the use of ambient vibration monitoring calibration, the updated FE analysis provided an extremely useful tool to gain a more detailed insight into the actual structural function of the dam/foundation system. On the basis of this improved understanding, it was possible to develop a more quantitative evaluation of the safety of the dam.

The analysis comprised a suite of seismic loadings, established on the basis of ICOLD best practices, using a calibrated finite element model. A site-specific seismic hazard assessment was undertaken to accurately establish the local seismic conditions in respect of applicable earthquake loading.

In this paper, the authors discuss the methodology and outcomes of the dynamic analysis of Katse Dam, using the finite element method. The simulated behavior of the seismic belt and preformed joint are presented, and the structural function is critically evaluated.