Development of the MethODology to identify potEntial modes of dam failuRe aNd to estImate Structural hEalth of water management Dams (MODERNISED)

Description:

Water is the most important natural resource for human existence. However, the scarcity of drinking water as a result of the intensive exploitation of drinking water supplies and climate change is one of the greatest threats to humanity. Changes in the timing and amount of precipitation and temperature conditions are leading to an increasing number of heat waves and more heavy rainfall and droughts. Changes in hydrological conditions have an impact on the water balance and require innovative approaches to water management both in Slovenia and globally. Innovative approaches are also needed in the management and maintenance of water infrastructure, particularly dams designed to retain water. Since dams and reservoirs provide for the necessary amount of water to be retained and used in times of scarcity, when the quantities can be redistributed to different users, depending on their needs and the development of hydrometeorological processes. Water management dams are infrastructure of strategic importance. The lifetime of dams is very long (at least 100 years), which means that during their lifetime, regulations related to the construction and maintenance of the structures, general legislation, ownership, the operator, changes in the environment and, last but not least, advances in science and expertise may occur. There are currently 68 registered water infrastructure facilities in Slovenia, 42 of which meet the criteria of large dams (a dam with more than 15 m of structural height) or are subject to a special regime for operational safety as critical infrastructure. According to the Slovenian National Committee for Large Dams (SLOCOLD), more than 60% of Slovenian dams were built before 1980. The average age of our dams is therefore already more than 45 years. Observation or monitoring of dams is also regularly carried out in Slovenia, at least in the form of technical monitoring of the structures and provides us with time-dependent monitoring data about the structure. Professional knowledge of the maintenance and operational safety of dams has advanced considerably since the time when most of the dams in our region were built. In particular, the understanding of dam safety has changed and is now understood in a broader sense, encompassing the safety of the dam and auxiliary structures under all conditions throughout its life cycle, as well as the safety of the population and the environment in the dams’ impact area (downstream areas).

With the information obtained by monitoring the individual parameters of a dam, we can take timely and preventive action, avoiding costly remediation or, in extreme cases, preventing failure. Sound structural management improves the structural health of dams and extends their service life.

Main goals:

The main objectives of the proposed research project are to define a methodology for the condition monitoring of dams, to identify potential failure mechanisms (PFM) according to the type of dam, and to develop a methodology for the identification of failure mechanisms and a methodology to define the failure modes of the dam. The steps of the methodology will also be presented with practical examples. The proposed methodologies will be presented to the professional public and to institutions working in the field of dams and dam engineering. The proposed methodology will also provide a sound document to support the engineers and other professionals in the field of dams and operational safety of dams.

The project theme addresses both the World Declaration on Dam Safety, concluded in Porto in 2019, and the World Declaration Water Storage for Sustainable Development, concluded in Kyoto in 2012. Both declarations were concluded under the auspices of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), of which Slovenia is a member.
Objectives of the MODERNISED project proposal are the following:
·         To analyse the current state of the practice in the field of dam surveillance in Slovenia.
·         Develop a set of potential failure mechanisms for each type of dams.
·         Developing a methodology for identifying failure mechanisms and monitoring the condition of dams
·         Implementation of pilot cases.

The proposed project, which will last 24 months, will be divided into 5 main work packages (WP):
·         Work Package 1 (WP1): Review of relevant literature, acquisition of documentation, and status review.
·         Work Package 2 (WP2): Identification of critical failure mechanisms for each type of dam

Project packages:

The proposed project, which will last 24 months, will be divided into 5 main work packages (WP):

• Work Package 1 (WP1): Review of relevant literature, acquisition of documentation, and status review.
• Work Package 2 (WP2): Identification of critical failure mechanisms for each type of dam
• Work Package 3 (WP3): Development of a methodology for identifying and monitoring failure mechanisms and the condition of dams and associated structures, with pilot cases or examples of good practice.
• Work Package 4 (DS4): Hydrology
• Work Package 5 (WP5): Dissemination of results and project management