A review of studies on underground dam site selection

The rapid growth of the global population, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, underscores the increasing need for water resource development and supply for urban, industrial, and agricultural purposes, as well as for addressing water scarcity challenges. Among the various water resources, groundwater holds a critical role in meeting water demands across different parts of the world due to its accessibility, quantity, and quality. Given the substantial contribution of groundwater to fulfilling the water needs of arid and semi-arid areas, the use of technologies such as underground dams for effective groundwater management and utilization is of great significance. An underground dam, composed of a watertight wall, serves purposes such as groundwater storage, preventing seawater intrusion in coastal areas, and more. This study introduces the advantages, applications, and classifications of underground dams while reviewing the evaluation criteria, methods, and findings from previous studies on identifying suitable locations for constructing these dams.

In order to identify trends in research on underground dams, related articles published over a fifty-year period were statistically analyzed and categorized into four main topics across five ten-year periods. The results indicated that in recent decades, there has been a significant increase in studies related to underground dams, particularly in the area of site selection.