Sustainable Marine Structures

Monitoring the Stability of a Hydraulic Structure in Central Kazakhstan during a Period of Intense Precipitation in the Warm Season

Aisulu Kusainova

Faculty of Mining, Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University, Karaganda 100008, Kazakhstan

Rustem Hannanov

Faculty of Mining, Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University, Karaganda 100008, Kazakhstan

Yevgenia Kaigorodova

Faculty of Mining, Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University, Karaganda 100008, Kazakhstan

Ekaterina Sitnikova

Faculty of Mining, Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University, Karaganda 100008, Kazakhstan

Andrei Mikhnev

Faculty of Mining, Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University, Karaganda 100008, Kazakhstan

Elena Oleinikova

Faculty of Mining, Abylkas Saginov Karaganda Technical University, Karaganda 100008, Kazakhstan

Olga Mezentseva

Faculty of Natural Science Education, Omsk State Pedagogical University, Omsk 644099, Russia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/sms.v8i2.3161

Received: 24 February 2026 | Revised: 19 March 2026 | Accepted: 17 April 2026 | Published Online: 9 May 2026

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Abstract

The warm season, characterized by heavy rainfall, is critical for the stability of ash dump embankments, including the embankment at the Topar Main Distribution Power Station (MDPS). During this period, the groundwater level rises and the dam foundation becomes more water-saturated, which increases pore pressure and filtration flows in the dam body. Geotechnical monitoring during such periods allows for the timely detection of changes in stress-strain conditions, local deformations, and potential water seepage zones. The calculation of the stability reserve coefficient showed a value of 1.708, which is significantly higher than the standard value of 1.20 for Class II structures. The decrease in stability is mainly due to pore pressure rather than the formation of critical slip surfaces. Modeling of the stress-strain state, taking into account the weight of the dam, pore pressure, and boundary conditions, showed a uniform distribution of shear stresses without the formation of cylindrical or elliptical slip surfaces. This indicates that even under the worst conditions, with maximum rock moisture and minimum strength characteristics, the dam slopes remain close to the limit state. Both traditional methods and modern remote technologies are used to monitor the condition of hydraulic structures. Comparing monitoring data with climatic information on precipitation during the warm season allows us to assess the dam's response to hydrological loads and identify areas with an increased risk of filtration flows.

Keywords: Hydraulic Engineering; Dam; Heavy Precipitation; Warm Season; Finite Element Modeling

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