The seepage fields and stability of concrete face rockfill dam(CFRD) in Jinchuan Hydropower Station are calculated by FEM

when vertical joints and seal failure x occurred in the face plate. Two-dimensional plane element without thickness simulating the vertical joints and the sealing peripheral fractures is adopted; meanwhile

Signorini’s variational inequality is adopted to solve the problem. This method can locate the frozen points and the saturation line accurately. The results show that the saturation line and equipotential line are affected by the position and the width of the vertical joints and the sealing peripheral joints. Some references will be given for designing the joints of CFRD.