Damage Process Criterion for the Concrete Dam in Geomechanical Model Test

Abstract

The geomechanical model test (GMT), a means of intuitively exploring the model’s failure modes and revealing failure mechanisms, is considered an effective approach for studying the structural characteristics of dams under complex geological conditions. However, during the overloading process of the model, the catastrophe trends of monitoring data are unclear, and catastrophe points differ at different monitoring sites. These factors have led to large errors in the judgment of researchers regarding the model’s state and misperception of the structural properties during the damage process. In this study, a comprehensive evaluation method for the model’s state intervals in the damage process is proposed. The criterion employed an interval analysis hierarchy process that considered the differences, consistency, and credibility (CDC‐IAHP) among multiple decision‐makers (DMs), effectively reducing the subjectivity of their judgments. Additionally, this process was combined with cusp catastrophe theory (CCT) to determine whether the model underwent an abrupt change at various overload factors comprehensively. This is the first time that CDC‐IAHP and CCT have been combined as criterion for a comprehensive method on the damage process of concrete dams in GMTs, and was applied to the Wudu gravity dam, indicating its applicability is very good. Compared to the researcher’s judgment, this approach is used to analyze and judge the structural state more accurately and scientifically while reducing subjectivity, which can help to better understand the structural characteristics and bearing capacity of actual engineering projects.