Dynamic Stability Evaluation of Underground Powerhouse Cavern Using Microseismic Monitoring

  • PDF / 3,884,976 Bytes
  • 21 Pages / 547.087 x 737.008 pts Page_size
  • 36 Downloads / 187 Views

DOWNLOAD

REPORT


(0123456789().,-volV) ( 01234567 89().,-volV)

ORIGINAL PAPER

Dynamic Stability Evaluation of Underground Powerhouse Cavern Using Microseismic Monitoring Vikalp Kumar . Prakash Chandra Jha . Nagendra Pratap Singh . Sivakumar Cherukuri

Received: 2 January 2020 / Accepted: 30 September 2020 Ó Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020

Abstract Construction of any excavation adds to the re-distribution of stresses around abutment and crown. This is stabilised by providing extra reinforcement. When a large underground cavern is excavated, stress re-distribution around abutment is obvious. Underground powerhouse cavern of Tala Hydropower Plant with adverse geological setting is one such cavern which encountered failure of a number of rock-bolts and series of other types of rockmass failure during its construction. It puts a question mark on the long-term stability of this powerhouse. To evaluate the dynamic stability of the rockmass (against induced stresses) around this powerhouse, microseismic monitoring network was installed. Microseismic data has been analysed in terms of static and dynamic parameters to assess the overall cavern stability. Spatio-temporal analysis of microseismic events could identify the potential risk zones which has significant cluster of events. To assess the overall stability due to these induced events, the ratio of transverse wave and longitudinal wave energy of these events was used as an index. It is found that cluster of events had shear failure. These events are basically of small nonV. Kumar (&)  P. C. Jha  S. Cherukuri National Institute of Rock Mechanics, Banashankari Stage 2, Bengaluru 560070, India e-mail: [email protected] V. Kumar  N. P. Singh Department of Geophysics, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, UP 221005, India

damaging type and aid in releasing the built-up induced stresses. The slope of log–log plot of energy versus moment has a very high value. This indicates a stiffer rockmass which adds to its capability to absorb the induced stresses and aid to the overall stability of the region. Analysis reveals that no major seismic events are expected around this rockmass cavern and there is no dynamically unstable region against induced stresses. Keywords Dynamic stability  Underground cavern  Microseismic  THP  Powerhouse

1 Introduction During the last three decades, a large number of hydroelectric projects have been constructed in the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent. Construction of underground powerhouse cavern in each project has its own local constraints due to site specific geological settings. The powerhouse of Tala Hydroelectric Plant (THP) of Druk Green Power Corporation Ltd. (1020 MW) of Bhutan was excavated by drill and blast method (Venkatesh et al. 2003) and is generating power since 2006. A number of incidences of rockmass failure had taken place during the construction (Chowdhury 2007; Tripathi and Yadava 2007). Postconstruction, several incidences of rockbolt failures were reported. Even the cavern’s wall was found to be

123

Geotech Geol Eng