French Guidelines for Structural Safety of Gravity Dams in a Semi-probabilistic Format

In January 2006 the French Committee on Dams and Reservoirs – FrCOLD issued provisional guidelines for structural safety of gravity dams. It was the first attempt to produce a semi-probabilistic limit-state method for the design of hydraulic works, in a format similar to the Eurocodes. After 5 years of a progressive implementation of those guidelines, FrCOLD decided to produce an upgraded and enriched version of the guidelines. This task was undertaken beginning of 2011 and fulfilled mid-2012 through a FrCOLD project conducted by a working group representing the French engineering industry and related government agencies. This paper accounts for the work done over one and half year, discloses the feedback gained from the recent engineering practice and details the structure and the content of the document to be published end of 2012. It is arranged according to the limit-state format: design situations and associated loading combinations, geological model, characteristic strength values, limit states and corresponding verification analyses. With other guidelines already issued (Structural safety of embankment dams and dikes, Hydraulic works and seismic safety) or under production (Safety of dams during floods), the major aspects of dam safety will be covered, allowing for introducing the main requirements for dam safety in French regulations in a very near future.