Dam rehabilitation assessment using the Delphi-AHP method for adapting to climate change

Extreme climate events are expected to become more severe or frequent under climate change projections, and these future changes continue to be an urgent concern for the aging water infrastructure in East Asia and Pacific countries. In this study, the authors suggest an approach to dam rehabilitation assessment to prepare for the complex dam safety and environmental issues caused by climate change and aging dam facilities in South Korea. The authors review the validity of each evaluation component and the appropriateness of all criteria through research into both domestic and foreign cases, literature review, and consultation with dam rehabilitation assessment experts. In addition, the authors propose quantitative evaluation indices and a comprehensive importance evaluation of dam rehabilitation using a survey-based Delphi-analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, in accordance with the professional experience of panel participants.