Finite element simulation of seepage thermal monitoring of earth-rock dam based on COMSOL

Abstract

The seepage of porous dam materials in sand and gravel soil is complicated, the basic principle of seepage heat monitoring technology for earth-rock dams is introduced, and the similarities between seepage theory and heat transfer theory are summarized in this paper. A homogeneous sand dam model coupled with transient seepage field and temperature field based on Darcy equation and heat transfer equation of porous media is established by using COMSOL Multiphysics finite element software. In order to analyze the change of dam temperature field influenced by seepage field, simulation examples of dam seepage field and temperature field under different working conditions are given according to heat conduction theory and seepage theory. The example shows that seepage water temperature is the main influencing factor of temperature field in dam saturated seepage area, and the influence of environmental temperature and seepage field on dam temperature field should not be ignored. The existence of seepage field changes the spatial distribution of temperature field, that is, the change of the temperature field can reflect the change of seepage field to a certain extent. At the same time, it is also observed that heating can increase the change amplitude of seepage influence temperature.