The purpo.e oi approxl “,ole method oi .el.mlc analyols 10 to make a rees.onable,elUmate of dynamiC forces In a gravity dam without r&lortln’O to elab.ra\e calculettonl. The approximate method ,. can&idered adequate at the atage of preliminary design when the CrO&8 section and geometry of the dam is being sstablilhed Several simplified procedures .re in u.se tar such studle. and the dl,loner o11en finds difficult to choose the best of these methods. This paper presents an overview of four different analysl8 methods In use with the Issumptlons Involved and their limitation.. Using the different methods, the seismic analysis of eight gravity dam. ranging from 8Om·to 226m I.’ Q8fried out. The compar.son of the b..ndln, moment. and shear forces obtained by different methods II pre.ented treating the bending shear method as a reference. It has been obaerwe~ that the lime period. obtained by tho IS code method 10 on the lower side i!8 compared to the values obtained by bendlng”,hear anelysll. Th. period coefficients for~conslderlng [the retervolr effect as an added Mass of water Is also presented.