Seepage Monitoring of an Embankment Dam Based on Hydro-Thermal Coupled Analysis

Abstract

Distributed temperature sensing (DTS)-based fiber optic sensors are widely used for monitoring spatially continuous temperature distribution in structures. In this research, hydro-thermal (H-T) coupled analysis is used to monitor seepage conditions in an embankment dam. Variably saturated two-dimensional heat transport (VS2DHI), a computer code developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, was used for this coupled analysis. From the coupled analysis, the temperature profile for a dam with an artificially generated crack clearly showed the location of the crack. In addition, it turned out that the temperature change in the dam took much longer than the seepage time due to the additional time required for heat transfer. The study shows that temperature variation in the dam is comparable to the seepage condition with time delay for heat transfer. This study also shows the possibility that temperature data may serve as a tool to diagnose prior seepage conditions and past incidents of a dam.

A Hydrothermal Coupling Model for Estimating Temperature Variations in the Riparian Zone

“…According to the results in Table 4, the average RMSE, R 2 , and Re values for the Ren model, Lu model, and Côté and Konrad model were 0.86°C, 0.95, and 3.57%, respectively, and each evaluation index reflected a satisfactory result. e Lu model is a thermal conductivity model that has been widely used in recent years [43,44] and provides a good simulation effect [18]. Research by Ren et al [18] revealed that coupled hydrothermal modeling based on the Lu model yielded better results than the traditional modeling technique, suggesting that changes in the equivalent thermal conductivity model can promote the accuracy of coupled riparian zone modeling.…”

Morris Sensitivity Analysis for Hydrothermal Coupling Parameters of Embankment Dam: A Case Study

“…Referring to the customary engineering design data and literature, the influencing parameters to account for the seepage and temperature fields are given in Table 1. Among these parameters, the unsaturated seepage parameters are selected from [1,4,30], and the other parameters are based on empirical evaluations and engineering design data [31]. The thermal diffusion coefficient is 0.01 m, and the thermal conductivity of air and water are, respectively, considered to be 0.024 W/(m⋅ ∘ C) and 0.58 W/(m⋅ ∘ C).…”

“…In normal operating conditions, the temperature of dam foundation and dam body are mainly affected by the seepage conditions. Water movement in the rock-soil medium of the dam can affect its temperature distribution during the time [1]. Consequently, studying the coupled temperature and seepage effects of the embankment dam may provide a theoretical basis to make a correlation between seepage and temperature fields, in order to find the safe states of the seepage [2].…”

“…Development of the seepage-heat monitoring technology in embankment dams makes it possible to analyze the seepage field and find the seepage failure points, by monitoring the temperature field. Accordingly, many researchers have tried to develop mathematical models that can reflect the coupled effects of temperature and seepage fields in embankment dams [1,[3][4][5][6]. However, these models show nonlinear behaviors with many affecting parameters that will make the models very complex.…”

Strain Analysis of the Nuozhadu High Rockfill Dam during Initial Impoundment

“…Prototype monitoring is an important part of safety evaluation for rockfill dams [11][12][13][14][15]. In general, pore pressures, earth pressures, seepage pressures, seepage discharge, and displacement are measured during construction and the initial impoundment.…”