• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.245-258
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• 2016

In this study the geotechnical system response probabilities (SRP) of the failure modes caused by the interal erosion in three dams with different histories of defects in Korea were analyzed via the internal erosion toolbox developed by USACE. The calculated values of SRP were compared with the values reported for other dams in worldwide and also the statistics on the past failures of dams and embankments in Korea. The calculated values of SRP related to the internal erosion adjacent to the conduits or spillway structures are as high as in the order of $10^{-5}$ that is significantly greater than the SRP values related to other mechanisms of internal erosion. The statistical data showing that the interal erosion adjacent to the structure is the most frequent cause of the failure of the dam in Korea could be a collateral evidence of this finding. In contrast, the values of SRP related to the internal erosion through foundation, one of the major causes of dam failure in worldwide, are relatively as low as in the order of $10^{-7}$. This result could be comparable with the rareness of the failure cases of dam caused by the internal erosion through foundation in Korea.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1815-1829
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• 2014

Recently frequent collapse of old fill dams has taken place, which increases social awareness in the safety of the infrastructure. Fill dams in Korea has been incautiously regarded as safe once the fill dam is considered to have a full capacity to retain a conservative design flood determined by government authorities. However, developed foreign countries has been managing their fill dams by introducing systematic risk assessment techniques over a long period of time. In this study, the system response probabilities of the deteriorated old fill dams in Korea were systematically evaluated and analyzed by using the internal erosion toolbox based on the event tree analysis technique. The probability of the existence of flaw and the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient through a potential crack can significantly influence the geotechnical system response probability. The results of this study show that the probability of the existence of flaw and the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient through a potential crack can significantly influence the geotechnical system response probability and the risk of the deteriorated fill dam can be quantitatively assessed.