Earthquake Safety Evaluation of Large Dams in Lower Seyhan Basin, Turkey

Hasan Tosun

Full Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26480, Ankara, Turkey.

Abstract: The seismic hazard of a dam site based on the peak ground acceleration and risk rating of the dam based on the capacity of the reservoir, the height of the dam, the evacuation requirements, and the potential downstream damages are the dominant factors acting on the general stability of dams. This paper summarizes the methods considered for earthquake safety evaluation and introduces the results of a study, which was performed for the large dams, namely Berdan, Catalan, Seyhan, Sanibey and Nergizlik dams in Lower Seyhan basin. The investigation area is structurally cut by numerous faults, which are resulted by East Anatolia Fault System. The seismic hazard analyses have indicated that peak ground acceleration changes within a wide range for the five dam sites of this area. The total risk analyses depending on the seismic hazard rating of dam site and risk rating of the structure have concluded that most of these large dams have high-risk class for the metropolitan area.

Keywords: dam, earthquake, seismic stability, total risk.

Pages: 217 – 229 | Full PDF Paper