Control of movement for concrete-reinforced dams using DGPS and comparison with auscultation methods. Application at the La Aceña (Spain) dam.

Abstract

This paper presents the evolution of the DGPS (Differential GPS) technique in the control of movement and its application to various fields with satisfactory results in terms of precision, accuracy and sensitivity. The tolerance is greater in the fields of geology and geotechnics (subsidence, volcanoes, landslides) and more demanding in infrastructure control (bridges, towers, dams, among others), which requires the millimeter level of accuracy. The results obtained in the case study at the "La Aceña" dam (Avila, Spain) show that the technique is viable for the control of movement for this kind of infrastructures. The algorithm used in this study, based on the "Kalman filter," allow for achieving results with a sensitivity of around +- 1 mm. Among the advantages of the DGPS technique to be highlighted are easy configuration and installation, simple operation, low cost compared to other traditional auscultation systems, and especially the possibility of remote control and monitoring. We can say that the system is useful to the management of auscultation and the safety of dams, as an alternative method in both fields.