Dams retain drinking water, protect against flooding and can contribute to energy supply. But how safe are their walls — especially underwater, where access is difficult? Researchers at the Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg have developed a diving robot to find out.
The Malter dam near Dippoldiswalde is a good example. Its structure dates back to the imperial era. It was built after the Weißeritz river flooded in 1897, killing 19 people and destroying houses, bridges and railway lines. Many dams in Germany are more than 100 years old. At the same time, climate change is increasing the pressure on such infrastructure — for example through heavier rainfall, longer periods of drought and greater fluctuations in water levels. This makes regular and precise inspections more important than ever.
However, the underwater side of a dam is difficult to access. Until now, such inspections have been time-consuming, costly and often risky for diving teams. This is where the Freiberg project “SUBmarIne” comes in.
More safety with less effort
During the first test runs, human divers still accompany the robot. Research associate Richard Gruhn operates a second camera in parallel. In the future, the robot is intended to operate independently, first scanning the entire dam wall. The team can then decide which areas require closer inspection.
“This allows the diving team to focus specifically on critical areas in follow-up missions. This saves time, reduces costs and increases safety,” Grab summarizes. Technologies like this could fundamentally change how critical infrastructure is inspected. Instead of isolated spot checks, regular and comprehensive monitoring would become possible — allowing damage to be detected earlier, before it turns into a safety risk.
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