RELIABILITY AND EFFICIENCY OF DAM DEFORMATION MONITORING SCHEMES

New technological developments in geotechnical and geodetic monitoring sensors and new methods of integrated analysis require a new approach to the design and integrated analysis of the monitoring schemes. The optimal design must be based on a good understanding of the expected mechanism of deformations, expected magnitude and localization of the maximum deformations, and required accuracy and sources of errors. A poorly designed monitoring scheme may lead to false decisions concerning mitigation measures. These issues are addressed in a recently developed concept of Integrated System (IS) for monitoring, modeling, and predicting deformations, which consists of five interacting components of the deformation monitoring process, namely: deterministic (a-priori) modeling of deformations, design of the monitoring scheme, collection of the monitoring data, geometrical analysis, and physical interpretation. The individual components of IS are discussed on examples of concrete, embankment, and concrete face rock fill dams.