A GPS-GIS Integrated Approach For Monitoring ARC Dams Deformation

Abstract

A GPS-GIS Integrated Approach For Monitoring ARC Dams Deformation

Arash Fouladi
Iranian University of Tehran, Iran
fooladi@alborz.kntu.ac.ir

Dr. Behzad Vosoughi
Kageh Nasir Tousi University, Iran
arasolaris@yahoo.com

Abstract :
Global Positioning System technology can provide position with accuracy to a few millimeters in near real time. Thanks to this level of precision, the movements of dams can be monitored.This precise positioning data can be made meaningful and can be put to various uses through integration with Geographic Information Systems (GIS),which have various forms of data organized as layers of information.
The GIS can integrate the various data layers and present the same from different perspectives, which are pertinent to the dam deformation problems exist at hand in a manner that best appeals to the structural engineers perception. The falling tendency of GPS receiver pricing and their miniaturization, along with their modest power requirements spurred a research and developments project at Karkheh dam.

During the months the author refined the theory for determination of long-term deformation of Arc dams by applying the GPS-GIS integrated approach which resulted in a prototype systems deemed interesting for a number of applications.

It is shown that using carrier phase differential GPS, a network of receiver modules can be installed in order to perform monitoring and surveillance operation for small movements. The Bernese software has been used for post processing of GPS short baselines. For the graphical presentation, the baselines result has been exported to the ArcGIS environment. GPS-GIS integrated systems provide vital data in a graphic form that is easily comprehendible by structural or civil engineers.