Reassessment of Scottish and Southern Energy dams for PMF conditions

Abstract

Since 2003, Halcrow Group has carried out seismic and, where appropriate, probable maximum flood (PMF) stability analyses on all Scottish and Southern Energy's dams in Scotland. Initial screening studies identified a number of concrete gravity dams where conventional stability and preliminary finite-element analyses indicated potential instability under PMF conditions. This paper describes a range of different approaches taken to address these issues, including hydrological reassessment, more sophisticated structural analysis and foundation anchoring. Development of evacuation plans is also under consideration for one intractable case.