Teton dam, USusA: uncovering the crucial aspect of its failure.

This paper provides a retrospective analysis of the failure of the 93 m high Teton dam in Idaho, USA, on its first filling in June 1976. Water from the near-full reservoir cascaded downstream, killing 11 people and causing massive economic losses. The failure shattered the confidence of the engineering community at large, enraged the public and politicians, and led to a series of dam safety regulations in the USA and other jurisdictions around the world. The conclusion to be drawn is that, in building major structures, engineers should expect the unexpected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]