Monitoring the deformation of a concrete dam: a case study on the Deriner Dam, Artvin, Turkey

Abstract

This paper investigates the behaviour of the double-curvature Deriner dam, which is in the operation phase and also one of the highest dams in the world. In order to determine the displacements, a geodetic network consisting of twelve reference and seven object points was measured in four periods by means of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) data. The -Criteria method was used to determine the extent of the deformation. The deformation analysis results based on the GNSS measurements revealed significant horizontal and vertical displacements on the object points on the dam crest. Hence, the vertical displacements found based on the GNSS measurements can be considered erroneous, because they are greater than expected. This may be due to the narrow topography of the valley. Another conclusion drawn from the results is that there is a strong relationship between the change in the reservoir water level and horizontal deformations, as can be seen from the horizontal deformation vectors.