Abstract
As a new dam type, the rubber-face rockfill dam (RFRD) is composed of rockfill dams as the mainstay and impervious rubber slabs rather than concrete slabs. With such advantages of rubber as high plasticity, high flexibility, good impermeability, low cost, and simple construction, the RFRD has offset what is inclined to be problematic for concrete-face rockfill dams (CFRDs), that is, slab joints are easy to open due to temperature stress and ground settlement. For operational mechanism of the RFRD, the paper designed and optimized its structure. Also, for durability of rubber, the paper undertook a freeze-thaw test and a chemical resistance test aimed to analyze how durable the rubber is and to further analyze feasibility of RFRDs.
