Hinged Concrete Slab Dam Slope Anti-Ice Device
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Solution Overview
Problem
Earth-rock dam slopes are vulnerable to damage from frost heaving, thaw settlement, and ice pressure, leading to structural failures and increased maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
An anti-ice pushing/pulling device with a rotating upper concrete slab and a lower concrete slab, connected by a rotating shaft, is installed on the dam slope, featuring a groove structure with spliced concrete blocks and a water-stop material to prevent ice damage, along with a method to calculate ice thrust using specific equations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional slope protection structures are used on earth-rock dam slopes, then the structure is simple and easy to construct, but the slope is vulnerable to damage from frost heaving, thaw settlement, and ice pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The protective structure is divided into multiple concrete blocks with different functions: upper concrete slab for ice thrust resistance, lower concrete slab for foundation stability, rotating shaft for mechanical movement, and jack for angle adjustment. Each segment performs a specific function to collectively resist freezing damage while maintaining manageable complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The protective structure incorporates a rotating shaft that allows the upper concrete slab to dynamically adjust its angle relative to the slope surface. The jack enables controlled rotation to optimal angles for different ice conditions, transforming a static structure into a dynamic system that adapts to varying ice thrust conditions
2Adaptability or versatility
If the upper concrete slab is designed with fixed angle, then the structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different ice thickness and temperature conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating shaft and jack mechanism enable the upper concrete slab to dynamically adjust its inclination angle, transforming a static structure into an adaptive system that can respond to varying ice conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the geometric parameter (inclination angle) of the upper concrete slab to optimize ice thrust resistance under different conditions. The jack adjusts the angle parameter based on ice thickness and temperature variations
3Object-affected harmful factors
If solid concrete blocks are used without holes, then the structure is strong and continuous, but ice pushing damage concentrates on the surface causing severe local wear
Solution Approach 1:
Holes are introduced into the concrete blocks to create a porous structure that distributes ice pushing forces throughout the block volume. This prevents stress concentration on the surface while maintaining overall structural strength through the distributed load path
Solution Approach 2:
The holes that might seem to weaken the structure actually convert the harmful concentrated ice pushing force into a distributed load that strengthens the block through internal stress distribution. The ice force that would otherwise cause surface damage is redirected through the holes to reinforce the block structure
4Reliability
If adjacent anti-ice devices operate independently, then each device is simple to control, but they cannot achieve synchronous flip to effectively resist distributed ice pressure
Solution Approach 1:
Adjacent anti-ice devices are merged through hinge connections that link their upper concrete slabs, enabling synchronous rotation. This combining of previously independent units creates a coordinated system that effectively resists distributed ice pressure across multiple devices
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device effectively reduces ice thrust on the dam slope, prolongs the service life of the dam, and allows for easy maintenance by replacing worn parts, while also serving as a wave-dissipation structure during floods.
Implementation Method 1
an upper concrete slab and a lower concrete slab hinged by means of a rotating shaft structure
Implementation Method 2
a jack is arranged between the two concrete slabs to adjust the flip angle of the upper concrete slab
Implementation Method 3
a water-stop material is arranged on an edge of the lower concrete slab away from the rotating shaft structure to prevent water from flowing into the interlayer between the two concrete slabs
Implementation Method 4
occlusal parts are formed on both sides of the isosceles trapezoidal hole; and the occlusal parts are used for occlusal splicing between the concrete blocks
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention includes an anti-ice pushing/pulling device installed on the slope of an earth-rock dam and an ice thrust calculation method. The device is arranged in a groove formed on the surface of an upstream slope of the earth-rock dam in the winter water level change area, and includes an upper concrete slab and a lower concrete slab hinged by means of a rotating shaft structure, where the rotating shaft structure is located at the end of the groove in the dam slope far away from the dam crest; a jack is arranged between the two concrete slabs to adjust the flip angle of the upper concrete slab; a plurality of rectangular grooves are formed on the surface of the upper concrete slab, and a combined structure formed by splicing concrete blocks is arranged in the rectangular grooves; and holes are formed on the concrete blocks.