Ranking procedure on maintenance tasks for monitoring of embankment dams

A multistep strategy for the prioritization of maintenance and repair funds for the monitoring of embankment dams is proposed wherein the most importa nt device in the worst condition is preferred. The strategy involves determ ining the importance of each device (in terms of dam safety) and measuring its condition through field inspections. A condition definition for each de vice is developed in terms of its ability to function optimally in its diag nostic role. Relative importance of the monitoring devices is defined in te rms of diagnostic value and proceeds by considering: (1) the failure modes and their conditional probabilities; (2) adverse conditions and their condi tional probabilities; (3) indicators that provide information on these adve rse conditions and their relative diagnostic value; and (4) monitoring devi ces that are used to assess the presence of the indicators and their relati ve diagnostic value. A panel of dam safety experts is used to answer the qu estions necessary to implement this methodology through a process of expert elicitation. An interactive DOS-based C+ + computer program has been devel oped to assist in the expert elicitation necessary to implement this method ology.