| This Thesis studies the stress-strain behavior of floodable rockfills, using data obtained from quality control of materials, control of construction and instrumentation records.; As a case of study, a rockfill part of the final works for a new Madrid-Valencia motorway, located at Contreras Reservoir is used. Data were collected during construction (December 1997–August 1998) and are extended to July of 2000.; After reviewing the state of art on properties of usual materials, models of behaviour, numerical tools and experiences dealing with studies based in combined analysis and field measurements, several works have been developed. Namely the synthesis of all available data, study of construction procedures, implementation of an analysis methodology and its application to the study of the stress-strain behavior during and after construction.; FLAC 2D (Itasca, 1994), an explicit finite difference code, has been selected as numerical tool to perform the analysis, and results have been compared with measurements registered by total pressure and settlement cells.; In order to improve the quality of analysis and to make use of all collected records to calibrate the models (taken on a weekly basis), the real constructive sequency has been simulated.; Numerical calculation based in linear elastic, non linear elastic, elastoplastic and viscoelastic models have been performed. Newly developed routines have permitted to accomplish the upgrading of tangent parameters involved in non-linear hyperbolic formulation, calculation of creep deformation and settlements due to reservoir filling.; As a result of the works, the stress-strain behavior of the structure has been characterized, the importance of creep deformation from first stages of construction has been identified, and capability of usually assumed models in reproducing observed behavior has been evaluated. |
