Seismic analysis of a system of dam-massed foundation-reservoir under inclined excitation

One of the acceptable assumptions in engineering practice is vertical propagation of earthquake waves. When the source of earthquake is located very deep in the ground, this assumption is valid, but for sources located in shallow ground, it loses its viability. In this study, linear seismic analysis of a system of concrete dam-massed foundation-reservoir is performed under inclined earthquake excitation. Both P- and SV-type earthquakes are considered for the purpose of the seismic analysis. To consider the effects of inhomogeneous waves for the case of SV wave propagation, post-critical angles are also considered in the analysis. To investigate the effects of earthquake frequency content on the results, three different records with contents of low, intermediate, and high frequencies are selected. Results indicate that considering vertical propagation underestimates the obtained responses. For the case of SV-type earthquakes, post-critical angles must be looked at. Frequency content of the earthquake also has considerable effects on trend and absolute values of responses.