Course Objectives This course provides instruction on common failure modes for most types of dams and levees with primary emphasis on dams. The principles, concepts and design standards taught are applicable to anyone conducting inspections, performing assessments, conducting risk analyses, or involved in the design of a dam or levee project. Participants will learn about potential failure modes, conditions that can lead to these failure modes...

Course Objectives The objective of this course is to provide a general understanding of conduits, valves and gates in the context of the operation, maintenance and design of dams and dam safety. Emphasis will be placed on issues related to the design, construction, and performance of conduits, values, and gates types commonly used at dams. Case histories and practical exercises will be used to enhance learning of the purposes and features of c...

Course Objectives Important aspects of dam safety are the design and construction of the dam, levee and appurtenant structures. The basis for dam and levee safety is established in the development of the detailed design drawings and project specifications, and implemented in construction of the project. Technical reviewers have the important role of checking to verify if the design meets the requirements and criteria that have been developed b...

The USACE has been conducting economic risk analyses for evaluating benefit cost ratios for levee projects since the 1960s. With a new focus on life safety, these same analytical techniques are now being used to evaluate priorities for infrastructure investments and required design reliability to achieve various goals, including National Economic Development and life safety risk reduction. This webinar will look at how the USACE is integratin...

This webinar will review the current state of the practice for rehabilitation of embankment dams to address seepage issues. Seepage rehabilitation measures can generally be grouped into two categories: seepage reduction / limitation measures and seepage collection measures. Seepage reduction / limitation measures include such features as foundation grout curtains, low permeability blankets, and seepage barrier walls. These measures are intend...

During the last 10 years, there have been unparalleled levels of activity in dam and levee foundation remediation. This has been triggered mainly by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ evaluation of their dam and levee portfolio following the disastrous flooding of New Orleans and surrounding areas in 2005. Remedial diaphragms walls have been in installed in dams in the US since 1975 when Wolf Creek Dam, in Kentucky, was repaired for the...

Slopes on the upstream side of dams are subject to wind-generated waves. Likewise, levees along river banks experience wind waves, boat wakes and current forces. This webinar will describe how winds produce waves in reservoirs and other enclosed bodies of water. Wave heights and periods resulting from winds blowing across the water surface will be calculated as a function of wind speed, duration, water depth and fetch distance. Wakes produced...

Earthquakes represent a hazard to dams in many parts of the United States and therefore are of interest to design engineers and dam safety officials. Evaluation of the seismic stability of these dams to future anticipated earthquakes require an understanding of seismic hazards, site exploration methods, soil behavior under seismic loading, and seismic stability analysis techniques. This webinar will cover the fundamentals of these topics to p...

Plant and animal intrusions represent a common but often overlooked threat to the long-term safety of embankment dams throughout the U.S. In fact, these hazards have been attributed to dam failures and near dam failures in the past. Proper identification, treatment, and long-term management of these dangers are important to the overall health of embankment dams. This webinar will provide engineers, owners and dam safety officials with an unde...

The first geomembranes were installed on dams in 1959 in Italy and British Columbia: both systems were covered. In the 1970’s geomembranes began to be installed on dams exposed. In the next 20 years exposed geomembrane systems would be installed on more than 2 dozen dams primarily in Europe. The first exposed geomembrane system on a dam in the United States was installed in 1997. The United States now has the largest installed base of e...