Evaluation of Correlation between Earthquake Induced Settlement of Fill Dams and Ground Motion Parameters

Seismically induced settlement exceeding dam free-board may lead to a dam failure. The prediction of settlement is important also because it is also reported to be strongly related to longitudinal crack width and depth, which are critical indices used for safe evaluation of dams. The empirical correlation derived from numerical simulations is most often used. In this study, two-dimensional dynamic non-linear analyses are performed using representative CFRD and ECRD fill dams. A total of 20 recorded motions are used to account for the influence on ground motion intensity and magnitude. The calculated crest settlements are correlated to four ground motion parameters, which are peak ground acceleration (PGA), peak ground velocity (PGV), Aria Intensity (I-A), and magnitude. It is demonstrated that using ground motion parameters in addition to PGA can significantly increase the prediction accuracy.