Dynamics of submerged intake towers including interaction with dam and foundation

• Coupled dam-intake towers–reservoir–foundation model is generated and verified.
• Steady-state response of system is studied for horizontal and vertical excitations.
• Effects of dam presence on towers with various distances are studied and vice versa.
• Effects of foundation flexibility and inside water are studied.
• The simultaneous presence of two submerged towers adjacent to the dam is studied.

The dynamics of a coupled concrete gravity dam-intake tower–reservoir water–foundation rock system is numerically studied considering two hollow slender towers submerged in reservoir of gravity dam. The system is investigated in the frequency-domain using frequency response functions of the dam and the towers, and in the time-domain using time-history seismic analysis under a real earthquake ground motion. The analyzes are separately conducted under horizontal and vertical ground motions. The coupled system is three-dimensionally modeled using finite elements by Eulerian–Lagrangian approach. It is shown that presence of the dam significantly influences the dynamic response of the towers under both horizontal and vertical excitations; however the dam is not affected by the towers. When the dam is present in the model, the water contained inside the towers has different effects if the foundation is rigid, but it alleviates the towers motion if the foundation is flexible. It is concluded that the effects of foundation interaction are of much importance in the response of tall slender towers when they are located near concrete gravity dams.