Accuracy of Stress Data Measured by Earth Pressure Cells Installed in Embankment Dams

Installation of Earth Pressure Cells is one of major challenges in instrumentation of geotechnical structures specially embankment dams. Preparation and installation of such instruments in dams would dramatically increase costs. However no consistent data were achieved to ascertain compatibility conditions of stress according to past experiences. Many factors such as physical properties of Earth Pressure Cells, properties of surrounding soils and installation techniques seriously affect the accuracy of data sets obtained by Earth Pressure Cells. A special method is being implemented to install earth pressure cells in Gotvand Dam, one of the largest embankment dams in Iran. In this paper the consistency of stress distribution measured by earth pressure cells installed in this dam being controlled in terms of the compatibility conditions of stress by using different assumptions.

Keywords:

Instrumentation , Earth Pressure Cell , Procedure of Installation , Arching