Integrating Engineering Geophysics into the Service Life of Dams
With the increase in population and demands of clean water, the number of dams has increased dramatically over the last century. The increase in demand has led to the construction of higher dams and larger reservoirs. Strict and careful procedures were established for ensuring the safety during service life of dams. There is a growing demand to incorporate engineering geophysics to see into the dam and facilitate early detection or diagnosis of anomalous phenomena. Near surface geophysical techniques can play a significant role in the siting, construction, and operational safety and management of the structures. Site characterization, quality control of compacted soils, investigation of abnormal leakage in an earth dam, evaluation of an aged concrete dam, geophysical health monitoring for a newly-constructed dam, and monitoring of sediment transport for sediment management are all proved in fields to show the power of engineering geophysical technologies. A systematic guideline was draft in engineering perspective for promotion.