Reservoir Dam Safety Surveillance: A Multifaceted Approach with Deformation, Seepage, Weather, and Termite Monitoring

The safety of reservoir dams is crucial to the lives and property of people in downstream areas, making it essential to establish a scientific and systematic monitoring system. It mainly consists of four core components: deformation monitoring, seepage monitoring, meteorological monitoring, and termite monitoring, each relying on professional equipment to achieve precise data collection and risk early warning.

Deformation Monitoring

Using a GNSS monitoring station, deformation monitoring measures dam displacement, settlement, and other changes with millimeter-level accuracy. Based on global satellite navigation systems, the GNSS monitoring station deploys multiple monitoring points at key positions such as the dam crest and abutments. Each point is equipped with an antenna and receiver to continuously receive satellite signals. The system uses carrier phase difference technology to calculate real-time 3D coordinate changes of monitoring points. When the dam shows uneven settlement or horizontal displacement, data deviates from the normal range, and the monitoring system automatically issues an alarm, providing a reliable basis for evaluating dam structural stability.

Seepage Monitoring

Seepage monitoring relies on devices like Pore water pressure gauges to achieve quantitative analysis of dam seepage status. Pore water pressure gauges are typically installed in downstream drainage ditches or collecting wells of the dam. Using the principle of thin-walled weirs, they measure the water level height as flow passes through the weir opening and calculate seepage volume per unit time by combining with weir dimension parameters. Meanwhile, piezometers are embedded inside the dam to monitor changes in seepage pressure at different elevations. By analyzing seepage volume and pressure data, staff can determine whether the anti-seepage structure has failed or hidden dangers like piping exist, and promptly take measures such as grouting reinforcement.

Meteorological Monitoring

Meteorological monitoring uses weather stations to collect environmental data, providing decision support for dam operation. Equipped with anemometers, rain gauges, temperature-humidity sensors, and other devices, weather stations monitor meteorological elements such as air temperature, precipitation, wind speed, and direction in real time. Extreme weather conditions like heavy rainfall (causing rapid reservoir water level rise) and strong winds (triggering wave erosion) pose significant threats to dam safety. By integrating weather station data with hydrological models, it is possible to predict water level trends in the coming period, assist in scientific reservoir dispatch, and prepare in advance for flood control and wind resistance.

Termite Monitoring

Termite monitoring relies on termite detectors to prevent biological erosion risks. A termite detector consists of bait stations and sensors. The bait stations contain cellulose bait attractive to termites and are buried at regular intervals in the dam body and surrounding areas. When termites feed on the bait, sensors detect changes in bait weight or physical structure and transmit signals to the monitoring terminal. Through data analysis, staff can determine the scope and severity of termite activity, promptly carry out control measures such as drug baits, and avoid safety accidents caused by termites hollowing out the dam.

These four monitoring modules work in tandem to provide all-around surveillance of structural deformation, water flow status, environmental impacts, and biological hazards, jointly building a safety defense line for reservoir dams.