Research Progress on Deformation Behavior Analysis and Safety Monitoring of High Arch Dams

Deformation is the comprehensive reflection of the structural behavior of high arch dam bodies and their foundations. To ensure the safe service of such projects, it is of utmost importance to study and propose scientific theories for deformation behavior analysis and safety monitoring of high arch dams. This study reviews the current research progress on deformation behavior analysis, monitoring models, and early warning criteria for the deformation behavior of high arch dams, providing a new perspective for intelligent monitoring, characteristic analysis, and safety monitoring of dam deformation. Three key scientific issues that need to be addressed urgently are emphasized, namely, the mutual feedback mechanism of time-varying effects of deformation between high arch dams and adjacent dam abutments, the mutual feedback mechanism of progressive failure process of deformation between the two, and the buckling instability modes and corresponding early warning criteria for the deformation behavior of high arch dams. In future research and practice, the following aspects should be given due attention. First, research on the deformation mechanisms of high arch dams and adjacent dam abutments under complex environmental conditions should be strengthened, with particular emphasis on the impact of cold waves, freeze-thaw cycles, dissolution, and carbonation in cold regions, along with their coupled effects, to refine theoretical models. Second, interdisciplinary integration should be advanced by leveraging emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and blockchain, to enable in-depth mining and intelligent analysis of deformation characteristics of high arch dams and adjacent dam abutments. Furthermore, a comprehensive monitoring database and shared platform should be established for deformation of high arch dams and adjacent dam abutments to facilitate efficient management and utilization of monitoring data, thereby providing scientific evidence and technical support for the safe operation, performance improvement, and service life extension of high arch dam projects.