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A systematic engineering geological evaluation of diabase dikes exposed at the underground caverns of Dagangshan hydropower station, Southwest China

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Abstract

Dagangshan hydropower station is located in the middle of Dadu River, Southwest China. Many diabase dikes were exposed in the adamellite granite body during excavation of the underground caverns. The dikes are highly directional, have crushed interiors, exhibit strong alteration, and have poor contact relationships with surrounding rocks, all of which is inconsistent with the characteristics of typical diabase. This paper describes systematic research that focused on the dikes’ spatial distribution, macroscopic characteristics, physical and mechanical properties, and common instability modes. Factors influencing their stability and their corresponding control measurements are discussed in the context of the site and its conditions. Results show that most of the dikes located in the underground caverns are the branches of the main dike β9, which produced from a strong basic magma extrusion–overflow event happened in between the Permian and Triassic. Due to multiple strong tectonic activities, the chlorite alignment of these dikes generally tended to be significant and leaded the physical and mechanical properties to be poor. Then, excavation and repetitive blasts resulted in strong disturbances to the original dikes and even caused rock unloading (collapse, rock block fall) and groundwater runoff system (water inflow) change. According to the common instability modes and reasons of diabase dikes, some specific control measures including solidified rubbles, reinforcement methods, pre-grouting, and small ducts are implemented in order to keep the surrounding of diabase safety, and the results show that the control methods perform a proper effect on these engineering problems.

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Acknowledgements

Our researches are sponsored by Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (41302228, 41472263). We take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to the committee of the foundations and sponsor of the projects. Moreover, we are thankful to the native English speaker Alanna Grandy, who work in Northern Arizona University (NAU) writing community for helping the researchers to improve the expression of academic paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, 710054, Shaanxi, China

    Yanjun Shen

  2. Faculty of Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China

    Guangli Xu

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Construction Management, and Environmental Engineering, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001, USA

    Jiangnan Yi

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  1. Yanjun Shen
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  2. Guangli Xu
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Correspondence to Yanjun Shen.

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Shen, Y., Xu, G. & Yi, J. A systematic engineering geological evaluation of diabase dikes exposed at the underground caverns of Dagangshan hydropower station, Southwest China. Environ Earth Sci 76, 481 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-017-6806-3

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