Dam Safety

Since the 1960s, NGI has designed and supervised the construction of more than 100 large embankment dams in Norway and abroad and has carried out numerous risk assessments of large dams. Through decades of field research, laboratory testing, and close collaboration with industry, NGI has become internationally recognised for its expertise in rockfill dams.

NGI is Norway’s leading centre of expertise for dam risk assessments and has played a central role in developing the national methodology used today. Internationally, NGI has helped advance modern approaches to dam‑safety evaluation, including risk‑based and probabilistic methods. Through its work in the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), NGI is leading the development of a new international bulletin for dam risk assessments.

Strengthening dams to withstand climate change

Dams are critical structures, where the consequences of failure are enormous. They are typically designed to withstand rare and extreme events – such as thousand‑year floods – which has the benefit of providing time and opportunity to implement the measures required to meet future climate loads.

Modern dam‑safety work continues to evolve as our understanding of material behaviour improves and as advanced numerical modelling tools and risk‑based approaches become standard practice. NGI’s specialist dam safety competencies include:

• Dam safety and risk assessments
• Geotechnical and hydraulic consultancy services
• Monitoring and remote sensing
• Advanced numerical modelling, including probabilistic assessments
• Laboratory testing of soils, rockfill, rocks and other dam materials, carried out in NGI’s laboratories in Oslo, Houston, and Perth

Active in international dam‑safety work and expert panels

Many of NGI’s assignments within dam safety and risk assessment take place abroad. As construction progresses on what is set to become the world’s tallest dam, the 335‑metre Rogun Dam in Tajikistan, NGI provides expert advice on dam safety and instrumentation.

NGI also actively participates in international forums related to dam safety, such as ICOLD, where NGI represents Norway on the technical committees for dam safety, earthquakes, and tailings dams. NGI’s former Managing Director, Kaare Høeg, served as ICOLD President from 1997–2000.

NGI is also actively involved with tailings dam management, including serving on numerous ITRBs (Independent Tailings Review Boards) and other expert panels. See more information here