Intelligent cooling control for mass concrete relating to spiral case structure

The spiral case concrete (SCC) used in the underground powerhouse of large hydropower stations is complex, difficult to pour, and has high requirements for temperature control and crack prevention. In this study, based on the closed-loop control theory of "multi-source sensing, real analysis, and intelligent control", a new intelligent cooling control system (ICCS) suitable for the SCC is developed and is further applied to the Wudongde large-scale underground powerhouse. By employing the site monitoring data, numerical simulation, and field investigation, the temperature control quality of the SCC is evaluated. The results show that the target temperature control curve can be accurately tracked, and the temperature control indicators such as the maximum temperature can meet the design requirements by adopting the ICCS. Moreover, the numerical results and site investigation indicate that a safety factor of the spiral case structure was sure, and no cracking was found in the concrete blocks, by which the effectiveness of the system for improving the quality of temperature control of the SCC is verified. Finally, an intelligent cooling control procedure suitable for the SCC is proposed, which can provide a reference for improving the design and construction level for similar projects.