Vibration Monitoring of the Mactaquac Dam

Mactaquac Generating Station, the largest hydroelectric power plant in the Maritime provinces, is located near the capital city of Fredericton, on the Saint John River. In the mid-1970s, concrete structures at Mactaquac began to show signs of distress due to Alkali-silica reaction (ASR), resulting in cracks and leakage. The goal of this research project is to develop a continuous ambient vibration monitoring and damage detection system for the intake structure of the Mactaquac dam. The proposed structural health monitoring system can identify the dynamic properties of the structure and monitor their evolution over time. The vibration data will also be used for calibration of the dam structure models and to evaluate the effect of ASR on the mechanical properties of the intake structure. The findings in this project and recommendations for future research will be shared with NB Power and the engineering and research communities using final reports and peer-reviewed articles.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kaveh Arjomandi

Student:

Partner:

NB Power

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services; Utilities

University:

University of New Brunswick

Program: