Integrated Multi-Level Control Value and Variation Trend Early-Warning Approach for Deformation Safety of Arch Dam

Appropriate early-warning index of dam deformation can be used to identify the structural behavior in real time. It is an important measures to monitor the service safety of dam engineering. This paper focuses on the approach determining the early-warning index of arch dam deformation by analyzing the prototypical observations of dam safety and implementing the numerical simulation of dam structure. First, according to the long-term deformation process of arch dam, an early-warning criterion, which combines the multi-level control value and variation trend of dam deformation, is presented. Second, the numerical analysis for structural failure is implemented to calculate the global safety factor of arch dam. A method determining the global safety factor-based control value of dam deformation is developed. Third, the multi-resolution analysis of wavelet is introduced to identify the variation trend of dam deformation from the measured data. The variation trend rule is given to judge the deformation status of arch dam. Finally, the deformation behavior of one actual arch dam is taken as an example. The multi-level control value formula of dam deformation is given. It is combined with the variation trend of dam deformation to fulfill the comprehensive evaluation of deformation safety. It is indicated that the proposed approach is suitable to be used to determine the early-warning index of arch dam deformation, can help with identifying the service safety and potential risk of dam engineering.