Thermal anti-cracking safety control for concrete dams

Thermal cracking is an inevitable phenomenon in concrete dam construction. In this study, we develop a set of control technologies for concrete dam construction that mitigates thermal cracking. The key technological innovations include: (1) material production technology that improves the crack resistance of hydraulic concrete; (2) progress-temperature-behavior coupling control with the time interval as the key variable; (3) spatiotemporal temperature closed-loop intelligent control with pipe cooling as the core; (4) thermal anti-cracking safety systematic control based on five factors (homogeneity, continuity, proportionality, integrity, and durability (HCPID)); (5) an intelligent construction management and control platform based on dynamic perception, analysis, and control. A comprehensive technical system for thermal anti-cracking safety control in concrete dams is established, with concrete quality functioning as the basis, construction process as the timeline, temperature control technology as the core driver, and the intelligent management and control platform functioning as a tool. The developed technologies were implemented in the construction of the Xiluodu, Wudongde, and Baihetan concrete dams in China. Subsequently, thermal cracking was not observed in post-construction investigations. Our results provide a reference for the design and construction of similar projects.