Generation, selection and modification of input ground motions for the seismic assessment of earth dams : a comparative study

Seismic assessment of dams often involves transient dynamic analysis. This type of analysis requires the definition of a target response spectrum, followed by the generation of synthetic acceleration time histories or selection and modification of natural acceleration time histories. Engineering practices in this field are adapted to the regulations of each country and therefore vary from one country to another. Using the example of a fictitious new dam on the border between Switzerland, Italy and France, we propose to compare the approaches adopted in each of these countries, in order to identify potential differences in the evaluation of seismic performance in terms of settlement and damage level.