Summary
A 187 m high concrete arch dam in a seismically active region of Turkey required continuous structural monitoring to comply with post-earthquake inspection protocols and to demonstrate structural integrity to its regulators. Hypotenuse implemented an integrated seismic and structural monitoring system that provides automated post-event safety assessments within 15 minutes of any significant earthquake.
Background & Context
The dam is located 38 km from an active fault capable of generating M6.5+ events. Following a M5.2 event that caused visible cracking in the dam gallery in 2019, regulators mandated permanent instrumentation with automated post-earthquake assessment capability.
Sensor Deployment
Digital Twin Architecture
A validated finite element model of the dam (calibrated against 3 years of response data) is updated automatically following each seismic event. The Hypotenuse platform compares measured structural response (crest displacements, joint openings) against the FEM-predicted response for the actual recorded ground motion.
Deviation from expected behaviour triggers an Anomaly Report automatically delivered to the Responsible Engineer within 15 minutes. The report includes: (a) a damage probability estimate, (b) comparison plots for all critical monitoring points, and (c) recommendations for gate operations and downstream emergency management.
Key Outcomes & Results
Post-Earthquake Assessments
7 significant events (M > 3.5) processed — automated reports in < 15 minutes in all cases
Baseline FEM Calibration
R² > 0.97 for predicted vs. measured response across 3 years of ambient monitoring
Regulatory Compliance
Continuous, auditable monitoring record satisfying national dam safety regulations
Operational Continuity
Avoided 3 precautionary shutdowns through evidence-based post-event assessments
Data Availability
99.7% uptime across all instruments over 36 months
187m
Dam height
15min
Post-quake assessment
99.7%
Data uptime
0.97
FEM R² calibration
Deployment Snapshot
Location
Turkey
Dam Type
Double-curvature arch
Dam Height
187 m
Sensor Count
213 instruments
Monitoring Mode
Permanent, continuous