Evaluating the risk of water leakage and stress distribution at the cavern of the Kurdestan Azad Dam pumped storage power plant construction site through a using experimental, analytical and numerical methods

Afdide, Mohsen; Jowkar, Mohammad Hossein; Uromeihy, Ali; Aali Anvari, Ali

doi:10.22034/jiraeg.2025.235339

Evaluating the risk of water leakage and stress distribution at the cavern of the Kurdestan Azad Dam pumped storage power plant construction site through a using experimental, analytical and numerical methods

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

mohsen Afdide ¹

Mohammad Hossein Jowkar ¹

ali Uromeihy ¹

ali Aali Anvari ²

¹ Faculty of Basic Sciences, Department of Engineering Geology, Tarbiat Modares University

² , Mining Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Kashan,

10.22034/jiraeg.2025.235339

Abstract

Pumped-storage power plants play a crucial role in energy storage, power system stability, and overall system control. However, the presence of water poses significant challenges and financial risks in underground construction projects. Beyond the process of water seepage, the distribution of stresses and hydrostatic pressures on the cavern lining must be accurately assessed so that appropriate waterproofing or drainage systems can be implemented. Therefore, accounting for water infiltration into underground spaces is a fundamental consideration in the design process.Given the importance of this issue, the present study quantifies the seepage rate and evaluates the effects of water on the cavern lining of the Azad Kurdestan Dam power plant under dry, drained, and undrained conditions. This assessment was carried out using analytical, experimental, and numerical approaches, including UDEC software.The results indicate that seepage rates obtained from analytical methods (SGR and SGRM), the TIC experimental method, and numerical modeling ranged from 3.4– 22.1, 3.4– 13.6, 18.7– 102, and 16– 36 liters per second, respectively. Moreover, integrating the numerical findings with capacity diagrams reveals that the shotcrete lining remains stable under dry and drained conditions but becomes unstable in undrained conditions due to placement the axial force in the tensile state. Consequently, the cavern support system requires an effective drainage plan.

Keywords

Seepage

Stress Distribution

Capacity Diagram

Azad Kurdestan Dam Cavern

UDEC

Subjects