In order to research the effect of the canyon terrain on the stress and displacement of cutoff wall in dam foundation with deep overburden

taking an asphalt concrete core rockfill dam project as a background

a narrow canyon and a broad canyon were simulated and corresponding finite element models were also established respectively. The filling materials of dam and overburden were simulated by the Duncan-Chang E-B model. The interface without thickness was used to simulate the contact relation between the cutoff wall

overburden and bedrock. A 3-D nonlinear finite element calculation was carried out to analyze the stress and displacement of cutoff wall in different canyon terrains. Results indicate that vertical deformation and horizontal displacement of cutoff wall

as well as unequal settlement between cutoff wall and overburden in narrow canyon are less than that in a broad one; the maximum unequal settlement reduced 24.8%. The cutoff wall is less restrained by the broad canyon than that in a narrow one; thus the vertical stress in the broad canyon is greater and increases by 40.3% utmost. The position of the maximum vertical stress of cutoff wall is affected both by the position of neutral point and canyon terrain. The maximum vertical stress is approximately 30% by the weight of embankment and 70% by negative skin friction. The studied results can provide a reference for the design of cutoff wall in dam foundation in different canyon terrains.