Damage identification in concrete gravity dams using static and dynamic measurement data

Dams and reservoirs are important elements of civil infrastructure as they play critical roles in irrigation, flood control and electricity generation. Historically, dam failures have led to catastrophic loss in lives and properties. The need to monitor structural performance and detect the onset of damage in these structures using structural measurement data is thus evident, yet the relevant research has been limited. This paper presents an approach for damage detection of concrete gravity dams based on changes in static deflection and modal parameters. Theoretical formula of the static deflection change with regard to the damage characteristics taken into account both flexural and shear effects is developed. Based on this, the research shows that changes in the static deflection follow certain patterns that can be used to locate and quantify the damage in concrete gravity dams. The proposed static damage detection concept is then incorporated with vibration measurements through the modal flexibility to assess the damage. Numerical studies in this study show that the proposed approach is promising in detecting seismic cracks that are often a common damage type in real concrete dams