Assessment of the Engineering Conditions of Small Dams Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process

Small dams managed by local governments in the Republic of Korea are facing operational difficulties owing to problems such as a decrease in the long-term storage capacity because of sedimentation and leakage, acceleration of aging, rapid lowering of water levels with seasonal rainfall and water usage, and the resulting deterioration of the overall integrity. However, the public demand for small dams has increased sharply for various purposes, especially flood and drought control. This paper presents a developed model for evaluating the condition of small dams using an analytic hierarchy process. Seventy-five earth dams in a province located in the eastern part of the Korean Peninsula were chosen. Three major components of dams, i.e., embankments, spillways, and water intake facilities, as well as the overall condition of the dam system, were evaluated. The usefulness of the improved model and its differences from the existing method were verified using the t-test. The improved model was found to be relatively simple and easy to apply in practice, and it enables on-time action for further treatment or reinforcement.