DAMS SAFETY INDEX (DSI): A REASSESSMENT OF THE PARAMETERS OF ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT Dams provide a water supply, irrigation and power generation. However, the economic, social and environmental impacts are serious when they rupture. It is important that dams continue to function properly and are constantly evaluated for their safety and functionality. Contrary to general belief, small dams are the ones that present the most problems, because they are often built without adequate design and construction methods. One of the methods to evaluate the safety of a dam is through the Dam Safety Index (DSI), which may not entirely avoid subjectivity in dam safety assessment but does propose balanced individual subjectivities in determining the weights of the index criteria. The DSI can also assist managers with preventive maintenance schedules in a dam safety assessment. This work aims to reassess the importance of the parameters of the DSI based on a new weighting of these criteria. The modification of the DSI shows a new bias in the weighting of the criteria that composes the index, not only considering technical aspects, but also legal and environmental ones.