(vi) Earthquake Condition The shaking of dam during an earthquake may cause most adverse conditions of stability of an embankment dam. For example, due to the shaking of the embankment, cracks within the core may widen causing increased leakage and consequent piping failure. This shaking may also result in the settlement of the crest due to the compression of the foundation and embankment. Acceleration forces acting on the embankment dam during an earthquake may cause shear slide of the slopes of the dam. Both the upstream and downstream slopes must be examined for earthquake effects if the dam is situated in an earthquake-prone region. Besides, other suitable measures to prevent earthquake damage are also adopted. Such measures include provision of graded filter downstream of the core, extra freeboard, very pervious downstream zones for disposing of the maximum anticipated leakage rapidly, flatter slopes near the top of the dam, better foundation treatment, and so on.
