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Integration of seepage modelling and electrical resistivity monitoring data for the Älvkarleby test embankment dam, Sweden

Norooz, Reyhaneh LU orcid ; Dahlin, Torleif LU orcid and Toromanovic, Jasmina (2025) In Engineering Geology 357.
Abstract

The Älvkarleby test dam, constructed in Sweden, was designed with several intentionally created defects to serve as a controlled environment for evaluating various monitoring techniques. Among these, a unique three-dimensional (3D) Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) setup was implemented. The ERT survey design, combined with full 3D calculation of the geometric factor and inversion constrained by the dam's internal zonation, enabled high-resolution mapping of spatial resistivity variations within the core and filter zones. Up to 14,000 ERT data points were collected daily, providing a detailed representation of the dam's internal conditions. Additional monitoring included pore pressure piezometers, Thomson weirs and turbidity... (More)

The Älvkarleby test dam, constructed in Sweden, was designed with several intentionally created defects to serve as a controlled environment for evaluating various monitoring techniques. Among these, a unique three-dimensional (3D) Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) setup was implemented. The ERT survey design, combined with full 3D calculation of the geometric factor and inversion constrained by the dam's internal zonation, enabled high-resolution mapping of spatial resistivity variations within the core and filter zones. Up to 14,000 ERT data points were collected daily, providing a detailed representation of the dam's internal conditions. Additional monitoring included pore pressure piezometers, Thomson weirs and turbidity sensors. In this study, a seepage model of the Älvkarleby test dam was developed to obtain comprehensive insights into its performance. A novel modelling approach was applied in which material properties for the core and fine filter were derived from a combination of laboratory test results and interpretations of the 3D ERT data. Anomalous zones identified through ERT, together with the known intentional defects, were explicitly incorporated into the model geometry. For other dam zones than the core material properties were based solely on laboratory measurements. A trial-and-error calibration process was performed by comparing calculated pore pressures and leakage rates with the corresponding measurements until optimal agreement was achieved. Two additional seepage models were developed for comparison: one without any defects and another incorporating the intentional defects only. Results demonstrated that only the seepage model guided by ERT data achieved better agreement with measured values.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Embankment dam, Leakage, Monitoring, Seepage modelling
in
Engineering Geology
volume
357
article number
108311
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105014942742
ISSN
0013-7952
DOI
10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108311
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2024
id
944f1333-62c7-487e-9d1e-a0aa8c4aa619
date added to LUP
2025-09-29 13:26:23
date last changed
2025-10-02 10:39:06
@article{944f1333-62c7-487e-9d1e-a0aa8c4aa619,
  abstract     = {{<p>The Älvkarleby test dam, constructed in Sweden, was designed with several intentionally created defects to serve as a controlled environment for evaluating various monitoring techniques. Among these, a unique three-dimensional (3D) Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) setup was implemented. The ERT survey design, combined with full 3D calculation of the geometric factor and inversion constrained by the dam's internal zonation, enabled high-resolution mapping of spatial resistivity variations within the core and filter zones. Up to 14,000 ERT data points were collected daily, providing a detailed representation of the dam's internal conditions. Additional monitoring included pore pressure piezometers, Thomson weirs and turbidity sensors. In this study, a seepage model of the Älvkarleby test dam was developed to obtain comprehensive insights into its performance. A novel modelling approach was applied in which material properties for the core and fine filter were derived from a combination of laboratory test results and interpretations of the 3D ERT data. Anomalous zones identified through ERT, together with the known intentional defects, were explicitly incorporated into the model geometry. For other dam zones than the core material properties were based solely on laboratory measurements. A trial-and-error calibration process was performed by comparing calculated pore pressures and leakage rates with the corresponding measurements until optimal agreement was achieved. Two additional seepage models were developed for comparison: one without any defects and another incorporating the intentional defects only. Results demonstrated that only the seepage model guided by ERT data achieved better agreement with measured values.</p>}},
  author       = {{Norooz, Reyhaneh and Dahlin, Torleif and Toromanovic, Jasmina}},
  issn         = {{0013-7952}},
  keywords     = {{Electrical Resistivity Tomography; Embankment dam; Leakage; Monitoring; Seepage modelling}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Engineering Geology}},
  title        = {{Integration of seepage modelling and electrical resistivity monitoring data for the Älvkarleby test embankment dam, Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108311}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.enggeo.2025.108311}},
  volume       = {{357}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}