Abstract: The finite element methods of “activation and deactivation elements” and “air elements” commonly used in the numerical simulation and the displacement modification for earth-rock dam construction have low efficiency. To improve the efficiency of construction simulation and the modification of construction displacement, a method of dealing with the construction elements is proposed, which is that every element is given a construction information to control the construction sequence, and the non-construction elements are not taken in the simulation computation. By using this method, half of the time can be saved compared with the conventional methods. Because the settlement mechanism of a single gravity loading in FEM simulation is different from that of step loading in practical construction, the computed displacement field in the new filling soil should be modified. On the basis of one-dimensional elasticity settlement theory for soil, the displacement modification formulas for single construction layer and multi-layers are given. This research improves the displacement modification method for construction simulation of earth-rock dam.

Key words: earth-rock dam, construction simulation, finite element method, displacement modification