Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Crack status analysis for concrete dams based on measured entropy

  • Article
  • Published:
Science China Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The integrity and safety of concrete dams are seriously affected by the existing cracks in dam bodies, and some serious cracks may cause dam failure or disaster. The propagation of cracks in concrete dams is accompanied by changes in energy distribution, which can be represented by changes in the structure’s system entropy. Therefore, the entropy theory can be used in analyzing the behavior of dam cracks. Due to the randomness and locality of crack propagation, it is difficult to predict the location of cracks by traditional monitoring methods. To solve this problem, the influence of spatial positions of monitoring points on inspection zones is represented by a weight index, and the weight index is determined by the distance measure method proposed in this paper. Through the weighted linear fusion method, the entropy of multiple monitoring points is obtained for analyzing the behavior of dam cracks in the selected zones. Meanwhile, the catastrophe theory is used as the variation criterion of an entropy sequence in order to predict the instability time of dam cracks. Case studies are put forward on a high arch dam, and the fusion entropy is calculated according to the monitoring data from strain gauges. Results show that the proposed method can effectively predict the occurrence time and location of dam cracks regardless of the layout of monitoring instruments, and it is a new way to analyze the occurrence and propagation of dam cracks.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wu Z R, Li J, Gu C S, et al. Review on hidden trouble detection and health diagnosis of hydraulic concrete structures. Sci China Tech Sci, 2007, 50: 34–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Li Z, Chen F, Zheng J B, et al. Study on Key Problem of Super High Arch Dam. Beijing: China Electric Power Press, 2004

    Google Scholar 

  3. Zhang C H. Discrete-contact-fracture analysis of rock and concrete. Chin J Rock Mech Eng, 2008, 27: 217–235

    Google Scholar 

  4. Xu S L. The Fracture Mechanics of Concrete. Beijing: Science Press, 2011

    Google Scholar 

  5. Liu Y R, Chang Q, Yang Q, et al. Fracture analysis of rock mass based on 3-D nonlinear finite element method. Sci China Tech Sci, 2011, 54: 556–564

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  6. Pan Y, Liu Y, Cui Z, et al. Fracture analysis of brittle materials based on nonlinear FEM and application in arch dam with fractures. J Appl Math, 2013, 2013

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bao T F, Yu H. Detection of subcritical crack propagation for concrete dams. Sci China Tech Sci, 2009, 52: 3654–3660

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  8. Bao T F, Qin D, Zhou X W, et al. Abnormality monitoring model of cracks in concrete dams. Sci China Tech Sci, 2011, 54: 1914–1922

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Gu C S, Li Z C, Xu B. Abnormality diagnosis of cracks in the concrete dam based on dynamical structure mutation. Sci China Tech Sci, 2011, 54: 1930–1939

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Li Z C, Gu C S, Wu Z R. Abnormality diagnosis of cracks in the concrete based on double crack tip opening displacement criterion. Sci China Tech Sci, 2013, 56: 1915–1928

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Li Z C, Gu C S, Wang Z Z, et al. On-line diagnosis method of crack behavior abnormality in concrete dams based on fluctuation of sequential parameter estimates. Sci China Tech Sci, 2015, 58: 415–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Bazant Z P, Kazemi M T. Determination of fracture energy, process zone length and brittleness number from size effect, with application to rock and concrete. Int J Fract, 1990, 44: 111–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Navalurkar R K, Hsu C T T, Kim S K, et al. True fracture energy of concrete. ACI Mater J, 1999, 96: 213–225

    Google Scholar 

  14. Atkins A G, Chen Z, Cotterell B. Prediction of the energy dissipation rate in ductile crack propagation. Fatigue Fract Eng Mater Struct, 2003, 26: 67–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Kowsika M V, Mantena P R, Balasubramaniam K. Energy absorption and dissipation characteristics of pultruded glass-graphite/epoxy hybrid composite beams. J Thermoplast Compos Mater, 2002, 15: 227–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Gu C S, Wu Z R. Safety Monitoring of Dams and Foundations—Theories & Methods and Their Application. Nanjing: Hohai University Press, 2006

    Google Scholar 

  17. Xu Z L. Elasticity. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2006

    Google Scholar 

  18. Bao T F, Peng Y, Cong P J, et al. Analysis of crack propagation in concrete structures with structural information entropy. Sci China Tech Sci, 2010, 53: 1943–1948

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. Carpinteri A. Cusp catastrophe interpretation of fracture instability. J Mech Phys Solids, 1989, 37: 567–582

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  20. Xu C H, Ren Q W. Criterion of entropy catastrophe of stability of surrounding rock. Rock Soil Mech, 2004, 25: 437–440

    Google Scholar 

  21. Fu C H, Chen S H. Study on instability criteria of surrounding rock of underground engineering cavern based on catastrophe theory. Rock Soil Mech, 2008, 29: 167–172

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

    BangBin Wu, ZhongRu Wu, Bo Chen, HuaiZhi Su, TengFei Bao & ShaoWei Wang

  2. College of Water Conservancy and Hydropower Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, China

    BangBin Wu, ZhongRu Wu, Bo Chen, HuaiZhi Su, TengFei Bao & ShaoWei Wang

Authors
  1. BangBin Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. ZhongRu Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bo Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. HuaiZhi Su
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. TengFei Bao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. ShaoWei Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to ZhongRu Wu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, B., Wu, Z., Chen, B. et al. Crack status analysis for concrete dams based on measured entropy. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 59, 777–782 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-016-6018-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-016-6018-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation