Hazard Analysis of Dam Corridor Cracks Based on Field Detection and Numerical Calculation

The longitudinal cracks distributed along the dam axis in the corridor of a dam may have potential safety hazards. According to the detection results of crack depth and width and the analysis of monitoring data, a three-dimensional finite element model is established for numerical simulation calculation and the influence of cracks on the safety of dam structure is analyzed from different aspects such as deformation, stress value, and distribution range. The calculation results show that the maximum principal tensile stress value and the location of the dam body are basically independent of the change of crack depth (within 1.0 m). Regarding local stress around the corridor, the high upstream water level causes cracks to deepen, resulting in an increase in the maximum tensile stress near the crack tip and an expansion of the tensile stress region.