With the growing impacts of climate change, the aging infrastructure of dams, and advancements in seismic research, the need for comprehensive analysis of dam stability has never been more critical. In this session, we will explore modelling techniques for the seismic assessment of dam abutments. 
  We will provide an overview of the most widely used seismic analysis methods in the industry, including the generation of infinite boundaries for simulating wave propagation, the application of Westergaard’s Hydrodynamic Mass to account for fluid-structure interaction, and the use of Rayleigh Damping in dynamic analysis.
These topics will be integrated into a Finite Element Model (FEM) of the dam abutment, where we will assess seismic effects and interpret results to evaluate the Factor of Safety (FoS) against sliding.
This session aims to equip participants with practical insights and technical approaches for enhancing the stability of dam structures under seismic loading.