Response Of Dams Research Articles

Damage mechanism of model arch dam subjected to far-field underwater explosion

The dynamic response and damage modes of arch dams subjected to explosions are key topics having been extensively researched in recent years. However, the majority of research employs numerical simulation, and there is a lack of experimental investigations to further support those numerical simulation results. Given this, small-scale model experiments were conducted on the arch dam to investigate its dynamic response to underwater explosions. The findings of these experiments indicated a potential overall damage mode along the crown cantilever profile. A numerical investigation of the experimental arch dam was executed employing the CEL method in combination with the Concrete Damage Plasticity model. The damage development process and cracking mechanism of the arch dam under a far-field underwater explosion were examined. According to the numerical findings, the damage process to the arch dam resulting from a far-field underwater explosion might be divided into two phases: the shock wave action phase and the overall response phase. During the shock wave action phase, slight damage first appeared on the downstream dam face. Later, during the overall response phase, a crack spread from the dam base to dam crest and from the downstream side to the upstream side, eventually penetrating through the crown cantilever profile. The damage mechanism in the shock wave action phase is the reflected rarefaction wave off the downstream dam face causing localized tensile damage to surrounding concrete. While the cracking mechanism in the overall response phase is structural bending-induced tensile damage driven by the overall response.

Analysis on dynamic characteristics of dam material and seismic response of embankment dam in Longyang Reservoir

PurposeThe geological conditions of Longyang Reservoir are complex and it is located in strong earthquake area. In order to determine its seismic characteristics, the seismic response and residual deformation of embankment dam should be studied to provide calculation basis for dam design and construction.Design/methodology/approachBased on the geological survey data of Longyang Reservoir, the dam filling materials are tested by dynamic deformation tests, and the equivalent linear constitutive model parameters of the filling materials are obtained. Based on Duncan-Chang E-B model, the stress state of embankment dam in Longyang Reservoir before earthquake is calculated, and the dynamic response and earthquake residual deformation of embankment dam in Longyang Reservoir under earthquake condition are calculated by using equivalent linear model and Shen Zhu-jiang’s residual deformation model.FindingsThe results show that with the increase of dynamic shear strain, the dynamic shear modulus decreases and the damping ratio increases. The scatter plot between dynamic shear modulus and dynamic shear strain, and the scatter plot between damping ratio and dynamic shear strain under different confining pressures show strips. The calculation results shows that the acceleration of embankment dam in Longyang Reservoir increases with the increase of dam height, and the acceleration distribution has obvious amplification effect. Combined with the maximum dynamic shear strain during the earthquake and the state before the earthquake, the maximum vertical residual deformation of embankment dam in Longyang Reservoir is 2.98 cm which occurs at the top of the dam, calculated by the Shen Zhu-jiang’s residual deformation model.Originality/value Finite element calculation model parameters of embankment dam are obtained by dynamic triaxial tests. Seismic dynamic responses and residual deformation of embankment dam are analyzed. With the increase of dam height, the acceleration distribution shows an obvious amplification effect. The vertical displacement of embankment dam is larger along the dam axis and decreases in the upstream and downstream direction. The maximum horizontal displacement of embankment dam occurs in the middle of upstream and downstream dam slopes.Highlights(1)Finite element calculation model parameters of embankment dam are obtained by dynamic triaxial tests.(2)Seismic dynamic responses and residual deformation of embankment dam are analyzed.(3)With the increase of dam height, the acceleration distribution shows an obvious amplification effect.(4)The vertical displacement of embankment dam is larger along the dam axis and decreases in the upstream and downstream direction.(5)The maximum horizontal displacement of embankment dam occurs in the middle of upstream and downstream dam slopes.

Effect of valley topography on dynamic response of arch dams

Arch dams are typically built in the mountain and gorge regions with complex terrain. In the current engineering practice, foundation models are commonly simplified as the half-space with the canyon of regular geometry. The complex topography conditions above the dam crest are neglected. This study investigates the effect of realistic valley topography on the dynamic response of arch dams. The direct finite element method is generalized and applied to the dam-reservoir-foundation system with realistic valley topography. The input ground motions are transformed into the effective earthquake loads at the truncated boundaries by performing several dynamic reaction calculations using one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) auxiliary finite element models. The effect of valley topography on the seismic response of the Baihetan arch dam is evaluated as a case study. Results indicate that the valley topographic irregularities significantly influence the dynamic responses of the arch dam, including relative displacement and stress distribution. Notably, the valley topography effect on the seismic response of arch dams depends on the incident ground motions and is hardly predicted in advance, demonstrating the necessity to account for the realistic topography conditions.

Study on the seismic wave input method for earth-rock dam on overburden foundation with dynamic nonlinearity based on nonlinear artificial boundary

Accurately obtaining the seismic response of earth-rock dams on overburden foundations is crucial for seismic safety assessment and design, and a reasonable seismic input method is necessary. The seismic wave input method based on artificial boundaries is widely used in elastic foundations. However, the overburden with obvious dynamic nonlinearity is an insurmountable obstacle for the traditional method. In this research, relying on a specific earth-rock dam project, the essence of the seismic wave input method for nonlinear foundations is analyzed in detail from equivalent loads and viscous boundaries, respectively. The mechanism of inapplicability of the traditional seismic wave input method is illustrated, and an effective modified method is validated and presented. The research indicated that equivalent loads for the nonlinear dynamic response of the overburden foundation can be accurately acquired with the shear box model. The dynamic parameters of soil can be captured dynamically by the nonlinear viscous coupling boundary. The states of the lateral boundary of the overburden foundation are consistent with the free field precisely with the modified seismic wave input method by combining the shear box model and the nonlinear viscous coupling boundary. A large error will be caused by neglecting the dynamic nonlinear behavior of the overburden foundation, where the maximum deviation of peak acceleration may be over 55 % or more. A numerical model with a relatively small lateral range of overburden foundation will be obtained when the modified seismic wave input method is engaged. Moreover, the computational accuracy is enhanced remarkably, with a maximum deviation of no more than 5 %. This study provides effective theoretical support for seismic analysis and safety assessment of earth-rock dams on deep overburden foundations.

Experimental investigation on dynamic response of concrete gravity dam under shock wave and bubble pulsation

The main components of underwater explosion loads are the shock wave and bubble pulsation. However, there are few studies on the combined effects of shock wave and bubble pulsation on the dynamic response of concrete gravity dams (CGDs). In this study, a 1:100 scaled-down model of a CGD was designed, and ten tests were conducted. The load characteristics of the shock wave and bubble pulsation, and the acceleration and velocity time histories of the CGD caused by underwater explosions were recorded. The distribution laws of peak acceleration and velocity in the CGD due to shock wave and bubble pulsation were analyzed. Additionally, the influence of standoff distance, explosive weight, and detonation depth on the dynamic response of the CGD was systematically discussed. The study also explored the mitigation effects of bubble curtain on the CGD’s response to underwater explosion. Findings reveal that the peak pressure generated by bubble pulsation represents approximately 10.41–15.03 % of that by the shock wave, and the impulse from the bubble pulsation is nearly equivalent to that of shock wave. Contact or near-field explosion shock wave induces a strong local response in the dam, with maximum acceleration occurring directly opposite the detonation. In contrast, the shock wave causes the overall response of the dam during far-field explosion, with maximum acceleration at the junction between the dam head and body. Bubble pulsation predominantly affects the dam’s overall response. The average ratio of peak acceleration induced by bubble pulsation to that induced by shock wave is 4.69–17.11 %, and the average ratio of peak velocity ranges from 13.08 to 36.27 %. The response of the CGD caused by the explosion suspended in water is notably greater than that caused by a bottom explosion. Bubble curtains can reduce peak acceleration due to shock wave by 93.8–97.26 %, and almost completely shield against bubble pulsation.

A new seismic wave input method for canyon sites based on the finite element method-indirect boundary integral equation method

The seismic input is the basis for the seismic safety analysis of dams, but current seismic input methods have not reasonably considered the influence of canyon scattering effects on the dynamic response of dams. In this paper, the total motion field of the canyon is deconstructed into the free field of a uniform half space and the scattering field of the canyon and they are obtained separately. The indirect boundary integral equation method (IBIEM) is used to determine the scattering field of the canyon, which is superimposed with the free field to obtain the seismic ground motion field (total motion field) of the canyon. The accuracy of the total motion field of the canyon is verified through reference solutions. In the finite element analysis of seismic ground motion field in the canyon, the total motion field at the truncation boundary of the canyon foundation is transformed into the equivalent seismic input loads and the interior of the canyon are simulated using the finite element method (FEM). Then, based on the wave input for the free field combined with the viscoelastic artificial boundary, a new wave input method for the total motion field combined with the viscoelastic artificial boundary is established. The seismic wave input method based on the finite element-indirect boundary integral equation method is applied to numerically determine the seismic response of a trapezoidal canyon. The differences in the seismic response of the canyon under free-field input and total motion field input are discussed. The results show that there is a certain deviation between the displacement and waveform obtained from the free-field input and the solutions obtained from the indirect boundary integral equation method. There is a large error for a large angle of incidence, and the errors increase with increasing seismic wave frequency. When the incident angle is 60°, the maximum error in the frequency domain reaches 92.3 %, and the maximum error in the time domain reaches 250 %. The displacement amplitude and waveform of the canyon obtained from the total motion field input showed agreement with the results of the indirect boundary integral equation method. The wave input method established in this paper has high calculation accuracy and reasonably considers the scattering effect of canyons, which provides a basis for more accurate predictions of the seismic response of dams on canyon foundations.

Maternal choline supplementation modulates cognition and induces anti-inflammatory signaling in the prefrontal cortices of adolescent rats exposed to maternal immune activation

Maternal infection has long been described as a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, especially autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia. Although many pathogens do not cross the placenta and infect the developing fetus directly, the maternal immune response to them is sufficient to alter fetal neurodevelopment, a phenomenon termed maternal immune activation (MIA). Low maternal choline is also a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders, and most pregnant people do not receive enough of it. In addition to its role in neurodevelopment, choline is capable of inducing anti-inflammatory signaling through a nicotinic pathway. Therefore, it was hypothesized that maternal choline supplementation would blunt the neurodevelopmental impact of MIA in offspring through long-term instigation of cholinergic anti-inflammatory signaling.To model MIA in rats, the viral mimetic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) was used to elicit a maternal antiviral innate immune response in dams both with and without choline supplementation. Offspring were reared to both early and late adolescent stages (postnatal days 28 and 50, respectively), where anxiety-related behaviors and cognition were examined. After behavioral testing, animals were euthanized, and their prefrontal cortices (PFCs) were collected for analysis. MIA offspring demonstrated sex-specific patterns of altered cognition and repetitive behaviors, which were modulated by maternal choline supplementation. Choline supplementation also bolstered anti-inflammatory signaling in the PFCs of MIA animals at both early and late adolescent stages. These findings suggest that maternal choline supplementation may be sufficient to blunt some of the behavioral and neurobiological impacts of inflammatory exposures in utero, indicating that it may be a cheap, safe, and effective intervention for neurodevelopmental disorders.

A rapid and automated analysis procedure for seismic response of arch dams

The seismic safety of arch dams has long been a focal point of research. Due to the complexity of modeling and computation, analyzing the seismic response of arch dams using traditional finite element methods requires a considerable amount of time. In the event of a sudden earthquake, it is challenging to quickly obtain stress analysis results or conduct a safety assessment. To address these issues, a rapid and automated analysis procedure is proposed in this paper, providing seismic response of arch dams within hours after an earthquake. The procedure includes a pre-processing program, a computing program EACD-3D-2008, and a post-processing program, achieving a fully automated process from generating non-uniform earthquakes to analyzing dam dynamic responses and visualizing computation results. As a case study, the 294.5 m high Xiaowan arch dam in southwest China is analyzed, which is equipped with strong motion instruments that have recorded several small earthquakes. The case study revealed that accounting for the non-uniformity of the earthquake significantly improves simulation results, with maximum principal stresses typically occurring near the dam-foundation rock interface. Additionally, the procedure effectively compensates for missing data, allowing for the successful supplementation of the missing acceleration records. For stronger earthquakes, high-stress regions are clearly displayed in the result visualization, providing an effective reference for safety assessment. The case study validated the accuracy and wide applicability of the procedure, demonstrating its potential to offer valuable insights for similar analyses in various engineering projects.

Nonlinear Seismic Analysis of Concrete Dams Using ABAQUS-Based Scaled Boundary Finite Element Method

ABSTRACT The scaled boundary finite element method (SBFEM) is implemented in ABAQUS through the user subroutine interface. The accuracy of the proposed method and computer program are verified by using two benchmark examples. With the coupled SBFEM and standard finite element method (FEM), the dynamic interaction model of concrete dam – reservoir – foundation considering the geometrical nonlinearity of transverse joints is established using the viscous-spring absorbing boundary conditions. The overlaying element technique is applied to define the contact interface of transverse joints. The dynamic characteristics and linear seismic response of the Koyna gravity dam have been analyzed using polyhedral elements. Finally, nonlinear seismic analysis of the NG5 arch dam has been conducted. The calculated results are in good agreement with those of ABAQUS built-in elements. Moreover, numerical examples demonstrate that proposed method has high computational accuracy and can be applied to the dynamic analysis of complex engineering structures.

Early-Life Resource Scarcity in Mice Does Not Alter Adult Corticosterone or Preovulatory Luteinizing Hormone Surge Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress.

Early-life stressors can affect reproductive development and change responses to adult stress. We tested if resource scarcity in the form of limited bedding and nesting (LBN) from postnatal days (PND) 4 to 11 delayed sexual maturation in male and female mice and/or altered the response to an acute, layered, psychosocial stress (ALPS) in adulthood. Contrary to the hypotheses, age and mass at puberty were unaffected by the present application of LBN. Under basal conditions and after ALPS, corticosterone concentrations in males, diestrous females, and proestrous females reared in standard (STD) or LBN environments were similar. ALPS disrupts the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge in most mice when applied on the morning of proestrus; this effect was not changed by resource scarcity. In this study, the paucity of effects in the offspring may relate to a milder response of CBA dams to the paradigm. While LBN dams exited the nest more often and their offspring were smaller than STD-reared offspring on PND11, dam corticosterone concentrations were similar on PND11. To test if ALPS disrupts the LH surge by blunting the increase in excitatory GABAergic input to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons on the afternoon of proestrus, we conducted whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings. The frequency of GABAergic postsynaptic currents in GnRH neurons was not altered by LBN, ALPS, or their interaction. It remains possible that ALPS acts at afferents of GnRH neurons, changes response of GnRH neurons to input, and/or alters pituitary responsiveness to GnRH and that a more pronounced resource scarcity would affect the parameters studied.

Modal Identification Techniques for Concrete Dams: A Comprehensive Review and Application

Throughout history, the implementation of structural health monitoring systems has played a crucial role in evaluating the responses of dams to environmental and human-induced threats. By continuously monitoring structural integrity and analyzing dynamic characteristics, these systems offer a robust alternative to traditional visual inspection methods, ensuring the long-term safety of dams. This paper delves into the intricate process of operational modal analysis applied to dams, encompassing data collection, preprocessing, and the utilization of diverse modal identification techniques across both time and frequency domains. Moreover, it explores innovative approaches aimed at overcoming challenges encountered in previous methodologies. Also, the evolution of automated modal identification techniques and their application in dams are investigated. It explores the advancements in this field and their implications for enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of modal analysis processes. Furthermore, this paper evaluates the effectiveness of damage detection methods in dams based on operational modal identification.

A new macro- and micro- coupling model of barrier dam soil

Barrier dams are widely distributed worldwide. It is highly important to accurately evaluate the safety and emergency response of barrier dams. However, the stressstrain relationship of barrier dam soil, which is an important issue for the safety evaluation of barrier dams, has not been elucidated clearly because of its complex composition and wide particle gradation. Based on the proposed macro- and micro- coupling modeling scheme, a series of CT triaxial tests were carried out on barrier dam soil to observe the macroscopic and microscopic behavior. Based on the particle displacement distribution, a fabric evolution rate was proposed as an index to describe the evolution of fabric behaviors. A significant correlation was detected between the shear band fabric evolution rate and the macroscopic mechanical properties of the soil. The fabric evolution equation, modulus evolution equation and Poisson's ratio evolution equation were proposed to set up a new macro- and micro- coupling model for barrier dam soil. The model has only five parameters that have definite physical meanings and can be easily determined by a series of triaxial tests. The validity of the proposed model was verified by different types of tests of barrier dam soil and soilrock mixtures. The model can reasonably describe the fundamental properties of barrier dam soil with wide particle gradation. The proposed model established by macro- and micro- coupling modeling considers the relationship between macroscopic mechanical properties and microscopic fabric behavior, which is suitable for barrier dam soils with wide particle gradations.

Fragility analysis of high arch dam against far-field underwater blast

The security assessment of high arch dams is a significant topic that has been researched in recent years. It is troublesome to develop a security assessment for high arch dams under far-field underwater blasts because the high arch dam is a sophisticated statically indeterminate spatial shell structure, and the underwater blasting shock wave has the characteristics of a large peak value and high frequency. Hence, the fragility analysis of a 300-m-high arch dam against a far-field underwater blast based on the probabilistic method is conducted for safety evaluation with the index of downstream peak displacement (and Downstream Peak Displacement-Span ratio). The fragility analysis process of the high arch dam under the far-field underwater blast is proposed for the first time. The impact of foundation plasticity on the high arch dam under far-field underwater blast is discussed regarding dynamic response and damage patterns with the coupled acoustic-structural (CAS) method first. The damage limit states are presented based on different damage patterns and index values from enormous computational schemes. The fragility curves with different indexes of downstream peak displacement, upstream peak displacement, and damage volume ratio are also compared. The fragility curves of the high arch dam against the far-field underwater blast with different explosive distances of 50 to 200 m are established with the Artificial Neural Network method. The results demonstrate that the non-linear dynamic response and damage of the high arch dam under the far-field underwater blast are significantly influenced by the foundation plasticity, especially for vibration upstream and damage of the foundation face. The explosive situations with an explosive distance of 50–100 m and explosive weight of more than 12000 kg cause a greater threat to the security of the high arch dam with the probability of severe damage approaching 100 %. The explosive situations with an explosive distance of more than 150 m or explosive weight of less than 3000 kg have a small effect. The research results can be used as a reference when conducting safety assessments of high arch dams to blasting loads.

Dynamic response of Akcakoca RCC Dam including galleries

Dams are structures that demand a significant amount of concrete, making them costly constructions. Hence, various alternative methods are employed for dam construction, one of which is the use of Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC). This is a case study, which focuses on examining the behavior of RCC dams with and without galleries under seismic excitations, considering the Akçakoca RCC dam in Düzce Province. The seismic ground motion data from the 1999 Düzce earthquake were utilized. The impact of galleries inside the concrete dams was investigated through stress and displacement, considering both empty and full reservoir conditions. The Eulerian-Lagrangian coupled (CEL) approach was employed for two-dimensional fluid finite elements. This study revealed that reservoir water and galleries have a notable influence on the behavior of dams under seismic forces. In cases with reservoirs and galleries, stress and displacement values increased, and critical changes in stresses were observed around gallery areas. Therefore, careful design considerations are essential for dams with galleries under significant seismic forces.

Estimation of Extreme Value Distribution and Probability of Minor Failures in Rockfill Dam Response to Non-Stationary Seismic Excitation

Estimation of Extreme Value Distribution and Probability of Minor Failures in Rockfill Dam Response to Non-Stationary Seismic Excitation

Space–time finite element method with domain reduction techniques for dynamic soil–structure interaction problems

AbstractDesign of earth structures, such as dams, tunnels, and embankments, against the vibrational loading caused by high‐speed trains, road traffic, underground explosions, and, more importantly, earthquake motion, demands solutions of the dynamic soil–structure Interaction (SSI) problem. This paper presents a velocity‐based space–time finite element procedure, v‐ST/finite element method (FEM), to solve dynamic SSI problems. The main goal of this study is to present the computation details of implementing viscous boundary conditions of Lysmer–Kuhlemeyer to truncate the unbounded soil domain. Furthermore, additional time‐dependent boundary conditions, in terms of the free‐field response, are included to facilitate energy flow from the far field to the computation domain at the vertical truncated boundaries. In the FEM, seismic input motion is applied to an effective nodal force vector, which can be obtained explicitly in the numerical simulations. Finally, the response of a concrete gravity dam resting on an elastic half‐space to the horizontal component of earthquake motion is computed and successfully compared with the results of semidiscrete FEM using the Newmark‐ method.

Seismic analysis of gravity dam-foundation systems using stochastic spectral finite element method

Seismic analysis of dam-foundation systems is inherently complex due to uncertainties in material properties. This study investigates the effects of material randomness and heterogeneity on the seismic response of gravity dam-foundation systems using the stochastic spectral finite element method (SSFEM) based on the Karhunen Loève expansion and the polynomial chaos expansion. The Pine Plane dam is taken as an analysis example. First, the appropriate Karhunen Loève expansion modes and polynomial chaos order are determined for SSFEM by comparing them with the Monte-Carlo simulations. Subsequently, the seismic response of the dam is analyzed in the stochastic and deterministic models, respectively. Results indicate that material randomness and heterogeneity may reduce the seismic response of gravity dams, and the deterministic model may overestimate dynamic responses. Subsequently, the parametric analysis of the correlation length, which measures the spatial correlation between variables in different positions and indicates the size of heterogeneity material patches, is conducted. It is demonstrated that the correlation length would not significantly affect the mean responses, but a larger correlation length leads to greater dispersions in responses. Finally, the effects of randomness in the foundation are investigated. The heterogeneities in the foundation affect the response of the dam in the high-frequency range. Therefore, the uncertainty in material properties should be fully considered in a structural assessment and risk analysis.

Ultimate water level and deformation failures of the artificial dam in the coal mine underground reservoir

Coal mine underground reservoirs provide a new choice for the protection and utilization of water resources. This paper takes the underground reservoir of Wulanmulun Mine as the background, and takes the MB-1# artificial dam in the goaf of 31104–31116 working face of 3–1 coal seam as the research object. The theoretical model of artificial dam is established by elastic–plastic two-way slab theory, and the theoretical mechanical analysis and calculation are carried out. A similitude physical model for the coal mine underground reservoir was built by using the self-developed nested dual-dynamic-pressure similitude simulation testing system. Later, the mechanical response and deformation failure features of the artificial dam under different water pressure values were analyzed and the ultimate water pressure was determined. In addition, FLAC3D was used to determine the stress-seepage field-coupling model for the artificial dam. Using this model, the influence of water pressure on the multi-load coupling effect of the artificial dam and coal pillar dam was characterized. The dam form is optimized and the safety water level evaluation method of the dam body is proposed. The research results are as follows: (1) Based on the theory of elastic–plastic two-way slab, the theoretical analysis model of artificial dam is established, the expression of the ultimate water level function of artificial dam is derived, and the theoretical ultimate water head is determined to be 18.2 m (2) The seepage law of underground reservoir under different water pressures is obtained, and the ultimate water pressure of the model is determined to be 11.43 kPa. (3) It is clarified that the failure modes of the artificial dam are seepage failure and mechanical failure, and it is revealed that the groove area is the weakest position where the dam is most vulnerable to failure. In view of the failure modes of the dam, the I-shaped structure artificial dam is proposed. (4) A safe water level assessment method is proposed for the constructed artificial dam. According to the analysis of on-site monitoring data of MB-1# dam, the actual water level in the reservoir is within the allowable water level range of the artificial dam, and the whole reservoir is in a stable and relatively safe state at present. The reliability of this assessment method has been verified.

Conducting In Situ Full-Scale Tests of a Concrete Dam Response to Weak Dynamic Effects

Conducting In Situ Full-Scale Tests of a Concrete Dam Response to Weak Dynamic Effects

Identification of Trends in Dam Monitoring Data Series Based on Machine Learning and Individual Conditional Expectation Curves

Dams are complex systems that involve both the structure itself and its foundation. Rheological phenomena, expansive reactions, or alterations in the geotechnical parameters of the foundation, among others, result in non-reversible and cumulative modifications in the dam response, leading to trends in the monitoring data series. The accurate identification and definition of these trends to study their evolution are key aspects of dam safety. This manuscript proposes a methodology to identify trends in dam behavioural data series by identifying the influence of the time variable on the predictions provided by the ML models. Initially, ICE curves and SHAP values are employed to extract temporal dependence, and the ICE curves are found to be more precise and efficient in terms of computational cost. The temporal dependencies found are adjusted using a GWO algorithm to different function characteristics of irreversible processes in dams. The function that provides the best fit is selected as the most plausible. The results obtained allow us to conclude that the proposed methodology is capable of obtaining estimates of the most common trends that affect movements in concrete dams with greater precision than the statistical models most commonly used to predict the behaviour of these types of variables. These results are promising for its general application to other types of dam monitoring data series, given the versatility demonstrated for the unsupervised identification of temporal dependencies.