In the background of digital technology applied to water conservancy and hydropower projects,a structural simulation visualization platform is developed to realize intelligent simulation in a digital upgrade project of a shiplift tower,as well as to improve visualization and data interaction. WebGL technology is adopted to redraw the fi nite element mesh model on the webpage. The platform provides cloud map and deformation animation rendering functions for displaying pre and post processing data. Research of finite element data processing,model faceting and cloud map rendering optimization techniques is carried out for effi cient rendering. The platform has been well applied in a ship-lift digitization project,with visualization function supporting common structural analysis,as well as monitoring and comparison functions being developed based on the platform interface. Thus,the analysis of structural safety can be enhanced by operation and management units. The technology introduced in this paper can be applied in simulation and visualization platforms for other water conservancy and hydropower engineering structures.