Seminar on CFRDs, Iran, 12 October 2004

Instrumentation and Monitoring of CFRDs with

Special Reference to the

Siah Bishe Pump Storage Project, Iran

Karl Steiger & Peter Eichenberger, Colenco AG, Switzerland

Instrumentation and Monitoring of CFRD

2

Overview
1.

Instrumentation Objectives

2.

Instrumentation Concept

3.

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

4.

Typical Monitoring of CFRD`s

5.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

6.

DAMOSY A Tool for Data Interpretation

Instrumentation Objectives
3

Observation of Dam Behaviour

Analytical Assessment of Structure and Foundation
Prediction of Future Performance
Safety Evaluation
Development and Verification of Future Designs

Instrumentation Concept
4

Parameters to be measured in a CFRD

Surface
Displacement

Displacement
Concrete Face Slab
Reservoir
Water Level
Displacement
Dam Body

Water Pressure at Plinth, Grout

Curtain & Foundation

Leakage

Instrumentation Concept
5

Selection of Instruments
Parameter to monitor
Magnitude of expected measuring
range
Resolution
Instrument location
Reliability, long-term behaviour
=>Redundancy
Layout Cable Routing and Instrument
Houses / Switch Boxes

Instrumentation Concept
6

Monitoring Particulars
Measurement frequency
Planning of calibration
and maintenance
intervals
After-sales services

Instrumentation Concept
7

Planning of Data Management at

Conceptual Stage
1. Acquisition
2. Storage
3. Handling
4. Analysis
5. Reporting

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

8

Zones:
1A/1B
2A
2B
3A/3B/3C

Project Data
Lower Dam:

CFRD, Height 106.5 m

Dam volume 4.93 million m3

Upstream Earthfill
Semi-Pervious Transition Zone
Coarse Transition Zone
Rockfill Material

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

9

Parameters to be measured
Deformations and Displacements (of Embankment and Foundation)
Deflection of Slab and Joint Movements
Piezometric Level (in Embankment and Foundation)
Leakage (through the Face Slab, Joints, Grout Curtain and/or
Abutments)
Earthquake Accelerations

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

10

Measurement of absolute displacement

Survey Reference Monuments

Bench Marks

6 monuments (3 on each abutment)

17 bench marks to be placed on

sound rock

Surface Displacement Points

25 points on concrete structure, i.e.

15 points on parapet wall /
concrete face
10 points on spillway structure

22 points on rockfill, i.e.

downstream dam face

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

11

Measurement of relative displacement

Cross Arm Extensometer
(Cross Section)
Elevation

1890.0 masl.
1870.0 masl.
1850.0 masl.

2 instruments near left abutment

3 instruments at central section
2 instruments near right abutment
Cross arm / anchor plates at 15 m
intervals

Central Cross Section

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

12

Cross Arm Extensometer

(Longitudinal Section)

Elevation

1890.0 masl.
1870.0 masl.
1850.0 masl.

3 instruments along dam axis

Cross arm / anchor plates at
25 m intervals

Longitudinal Profile along Dam Axis

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

13

Hydrostatic Settlement Cell

Elevation

1890.0 masl.
1870.0 masl.
1850.0 masl.

5 instruments near left abutment

10 instruments at central section
5 instruments near right abutment
Central Cross Section

Distance between Settlement Cells

30 m
Measurement:
Vertical Displacement

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

14

Vertical Inclinometer and

Settlement Measurements
2 vertical inclinometer casings,
surrounded by settlement plates
(spaced at 6 m),
i.e. 1 instrument at the dam axis,
1 instrument within the downstream
shell
Central Cross Section

Measurement:
internal displacement

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

15

Total Pressure Cells

6 instruments at the central

instrumentation section
Elevation

1890.0 masl.
1870.0 masl.
1850.0 masl.

Measurement:
vertical and horizontal earth
pressure

Central Cross Section

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

16

Perimeter Joint Meter

5 set of triple joint meter

installed along the perimeter joint

Measurement:
relative displacement between
concrete face and plinth
(in terms of opening, sliding and
offsetting)

Upstream View of Dam

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

17

Vertical Joint Meter

4 instruments within the face
tension zone near the abutment

Measurement:
opening between adjacent
concrete face slabs
Upstream View of Dam

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

18

Electro-Level
21 instruments at the
instrumentation sections
(every 10 m in elevation)

In-place Inclinometer
1 instrument at central
instrumentation section (8 probes
every 10 m in elevation

Measurement:
deflection of the concrete face

Upstream View of Dam

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

19

Electrical Piezometer (e.g.

vibrating-wire type)

9 instruments on plinth foundation

4 instruments on both sides of the
grout curtain (pore pressure cells)
8 instruments in the dam
foundation along the river bed

Central Cross Section

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

20

Seepage Measurement

measured at 9 locations

inside the grouting/drainage

galleries and
at the downstream toe of the
dam

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

21

Reservoir Water Level Measurement

measured by
a system of staff gauges
a water level transducer

Siah Bishe CFRD Instrumentation

22

Seismic Instrumentation
5 strong motion
accelerographs

2 on dam crest
1 at right abutment
1 at downstream toe of
the dam on firm rock
1 at a point inside drainage
gallery
(to check the effect of
earthquake on underground
structure)

Typical Monitoring of CFRD`s

23

Measuring Frequency
During Construction
purpose:

to check correspondence between actual

behaviour and prediction (e.g. FE analysis of structure)

Possibility to modify construction procedure / material
1 to 4 measurements per month

Typical Monitoring of CFRD`s

24

First Impounding

measurements according to steps of filling concept

1 to 7 measurements per week

1 geodetic survey per step

Typical Filling Steps

Typical Monitoring of CFRD`s

25

First Year of Operation

special point of interest:

Deformation of embankment and foundation under water load
Variation and stabilisation of ground water level

1 to 4 measurements per month

2 to 4 geodetic survey campaigns per year

Normal Operation

1 to 2 measurements per month

geodetic survey every 1 to 5 years

Typical Monitoring of CFRD`s

26

Earthquake

observation of specific instruments (i.e. joint meter, piezometer,

seepage measurements)

Flood events

observation of spillway displacement points, seepage and piezometer

Visual inspection

during each measurement sequence

Data Analysis and Interpretation

27

Data Management comprises:

Data Acquisition: adding measurement value to
database
Data Reduction and Processing: error detection and
filing as physical data
Data Presentation: graphical presentation of
measurements (in function of time, reservoir level,
temperature etc.)

Data Analysis and Interpretation

28

Analysis
addresses two basic aspects of dam safety
monitoring
performance of structure being monitored

to show trends

to enable comparison of predicted behaviour with actual

behaviour

performance of instrumentation system

DAMOSY
29

Features of DAMOSY
(DAm MOnitoring SYstem)
Storage of Data
Processing of Data
calculation
correlation
Output / Presentation of Data

DAMOSY Storage of Data

30

Database 1

Database
Database 2

Dam

...

Dam 1
Dam 2

...

Hydrostatic Pressure Cell

Type of Instrument
Jointmeter

...

Instrument

HM 1
HM 2
HM 3

Data Set

...

Date
10.05.2003
15.06.2003
08.08.2003
.

Value
15.6
18.3
17.4
..

DAMOSY - Storage of Data

31
date

measurement reading
instruments

DAMOSY - Processing of Data

32

DAMOSY provides tools for

Calculation of New Values

(based on values available in the database, e.g. total seepage, relative
piezometric pressure)

Deterministic Model
comparison of actual and theoretical value

Statistical Correlation
for prediction based on values measured in the past under similar
conditions)

Analysis of Trends of Measurements

DAMOSY - Output of Data

33

Time Diagram

water level vs. time

total seepage vs. time

DAMOSY - Output of Data

34

Minimum-Maximum Diagram

water level vs. time

total seepage vs. time

DAMOSY - Output of Data

35

Relation Diagram

e.g.
deformation vs. temperature

temperature
deformation

DAMOSY - Output of Data

36

Trend Analysis

e.g.
trend deformation vs. time

trend
deformation
time