ANSYS > Case Studies > URS Corporation's Innovative Approach to Dam Structural Analysis Using IoT

URS Corporation's Innovative Approach to Dam Structural Analysis Using IoT

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Technology Category
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy - Intrusion Detection
  • Sensors - Utility Meters
Applicable Industries
  • Cement
  • Construction & Infrastructure
Applicable Functions
  • Product Research & Development
Use Cases
  • Behavior & Emotion Tracking
  • Structural Health Monitoring
About The Customer
URS Corporation is a premier full-service engineering, planning, design, and construction company with nearly a century of business experience. With a staff of more than 26,000 in 300 offices across 20 countries, URS is considered a leader in dam engineering, design analysis, and safety. The firm frequently performs safety inspections for municipalities, utility companies, and government agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
The Challenge
URS Corporation, a leading full-service engineering, planning, design, and construction company, was tasked with performing a comprehensive structural stability evaluation of the McKelvey Lake Dam in Mahoning County, Ohio. The dam, a 77-ft.-high concrete arch structure with a crest length of approximately 350 ft., forms a water reservoir with a maximum storage capacity of 4,345 acre-ft. The challenge was to ensure that repeated freeze-thaw cycles had not compromised the dam's integrity for increased flood loads. Traditionally, such an analysis would involve extensive field investigations to collect concrete and foundation rock samples for laboratory testing. However, this process was time-consuming and costly, especially for dams located in remote areas. Furthermore, the creation of numerous computer models and running a wide range of individual simulations to thoroughly analyze all interrelated variables added to the complexity and cost of the project.
The Solution
To overcome these challenges, URS engineers used ANSYS DesignXplorer VT to perform sensitivity and parametric studies. This software uses a variational technology (VT) approach to assess the influence of a range of variables on structural strength, including concrete wall and foundation rock material properties as well as maximum load assumptions. The software determines the impact of multiple parameters on overall structural performance using a single finite-element solution. Results are provided in various formats, including response surface plots that provide insight into design behavior that would otherwise be difficult to generate using individual single analysis runs. The studies quickly verified that the dam has adequate capability of redistributing loads for a large range of assumed foundation and material properties.
Operational Impact
  • The use of ANSYS DesignXplorer VT allowed URS engineers to quickly verify the dam's load redistribution capabilities for a wide range of assumed foundation and material properties. The software's ability to provide results in various formats, including response surface plots, offered valuable insights into design behavior that would have been difficult to generate using individual single analysis runs. This innovative approach not only saved considerable time and cost on the project but also enabled engineers to provide regulators with a higher level of supporting detail in a graphical format. This increased transparency and confidence in the study's conclusions, thus avoiding unnecessary delays in the approval process.
Quantitative Benefit
  • Significant time and cost savings on the project due to the ability to narrow the scope of field investigations.
  • Efficient generation of results showing the impact of a range of 'what-if' questions typically asked by regulators.

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