ABSTRACT
This paper outlines the current structure and evolution of the Swiss dam safety regulations and provides insights into the underlying reasoning and research. The structure of the Swiss regulatory framework is based on three pillars: structural safety requirements, surveillance and emergency planning. Emphasis is given to recent changes of the regulations due to ongoing advancements in the field of dam safety and related fields, reflecting the dynamic nature of the regulations. In particular, four different challenges are discussed. They relate to updating the requirements following the latest change of the Swiss national seismic hazard model, dealing with uncertainties regarding flood safety, preparing for future influence of dam ageing and accounting for particularities of natural hazard protection dams. Conclusions are drawn how to address the discussed challenges in the framework of potential future changes in the dam safety regulation.
