Temperature Control Measures and Temperature Stress of Mass Concrete during Construction Period in High-Altitude Regions

Abstract

The focus on the development of China’s vast hydropower resources has shifted to Tibet and other plateau regions. These areas are high-altitude regions whose basic climatic characteristics are as follows: dry climate, significant differences in daily temperature, and strong solar radiation. If a dam is built under such special climate conditions, specific and strict temperature control and crack prevention measures should be taken. Therefore, this study explores the temperature control standards, as well as temperature control and crack prevention measures, for concrete in high-altitude regions using three-dimensional finite element methods and based on the concrete gravity dam in Tibet in combination with the characteristics of material properties that are disadvantageous to temperature control and crack prevention. The temperature drop process can be optimized in time, and the temperature drop rate can be controlled to prevent excessive scale and temperature drop rates. Moreover, the temperature gradient can be spatially optimized, and thus, the differences in foundation temperatures, upper- and lower-layer temperatures, and internal and external temperatures can also be reduced. The research shows that the recommended temperature control and crack prevention measures can effectively reduce temperature stress. This study has a significant value as a reference for similar projects in high-altitude regions.