Seismic Fragility Assessment of Earth Dam Using Newmark Deformation Analysis

This paper presents a simple and efficient way to assess how earth dams might respond to earthquakes by using a method called Newmark deformation analysis. Unlike traditional methods that require complex calculations and expert knowledge, this approach is straightforward and uses tools that are easy to find and use. This method is applied to study Bekok Dam in Yong Peng, Johor Bahru, Malaysia, to see how it might be affected by earthquakes. It is found that different levels of shaking, measured as peak ground acceleration (PGA), have varying chances of causing damage. For example, a PGA of about 1.468 g has a 30% chance of causing minor damage to the dam. This risk goes up with stronger shaking: a PGA of 1.530 g raises the chance to 50%, and a PGA of 1.636 g means an 80% chance of minor damage. The numbers are higher for more serious damage, with PGAs of 1.604 g, 1.671 g, and 1.786 g associated with increasing risks of moderate damage, and even higher values for severe damage. These findings help us understand how strong an earth dam such as Bekok Dam is and what might need to be done to make it safer. The Newmark method proves to be a useful tool for dam safety evaluations because it’s easy to use, doesn’t need much specialized knowledge, and provides clear results. This makes it a valuable resource for engineers working to protect dams and the communities around them from earthquake damage.