Instrumentation in Dams � Selection and Installation

This event qualifies for 2 PDHs

The safe operation of dams and appurtenant structures is paramount to the communities they serve. Instrumentation is an important tool of a comprehensive dam safety and performance monitoring program that can detect changes that might otherwise be missed by visual surveillance. The objectives of this course are to provide the participants with a general understanding of dam performance monitoring and its purpose; instrumentation and measurement tools, including emerging sensor and monitoring technologies; recommended sensor installation methods and lessons learned; data acquisition system technologies and solutions; planning a dam instrumentation and monitoring program; and instrumentation selection considerations demonstrated through case studies.

Five Learning Objectives of This Webinar:

To gain an understanding of dam performance monitoring and its purpose.
An overview of current instrumentation and measurement tools.
Recommended installation methods and lessons learned.
An overview of current data acquisition system technologies and solution for performance monitoring.
An introduction and guide to planning a dam instrumentation and monitoring program.
An understanding of instrumentation selection considerations demonstrated through case studies.

Speaker and Presenter Information

Christopher Bailey, P.E.
Gannett Fleming, Inc.
Principal Geotechnical Engineer

Chris is the mid-atlantic area leader of the Geotechnical, Dams & Hydraulics Business Line. He earned his B.S. from Bucknell University, where he continues to serve as a guest lecturer, and his M.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has worked in the geotechnical field for 31 years, primarily focusing on concrete and earth dam projects. Chris is a member of ASDSO and USSD and is a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania and New York.

Robert Saber, P.E.
Gannett Fleming, Inc.
Chief Geotechnical Engineer

Bob is a chief geotechnical engineer in the Geotechnical, Dams & Hydraulics Business Line. He earned his B.S. and M.S. Degrees from Clarkson University. He has 35 years of geotechnical engineering and instrumentation experience, primarily focusing on earth and concrete dam projects. Bob has coauthored several papers on dam instrumentation and was an ASCE task committee member for preparation of "Guidelines for Instrumentation and Measurements for Monitoring Dam Performance” (2000). Bob is a member of ASDSO and is a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Matt Buche, P.G.
Gannett Fleming, Inc.
Senior Project Geologist

Matt is the technical lead of Gannett Fleming’s northern California geotechnical instrumentation team. He earned his B.S. from Western Oregon University, where he currently serves as the Earth Science Alumni Society president. Matt has 12 years of geotechnical instrumentation experience, including design and installation of data acquisition systems for performance monitoring of dams, levees, canals, penstocks, pipelines, tunnels, landslides, and other structures. He is adept at remote monitoring applications and data acquisition systems tailored to meet project monitoring goals. He also specializes in rock slope stability and rockfall hazard assessment. Matt is an ASDSO member and registered professional geologist in California.

Relevant Government Agencies

Army, Dept of Agriculture, Dept of Energy, Dept of Homeland Security, State Government, County Government, City Government, FEMA, State & Local Government