The most common deficiency at dams in North America is inadequate spillway capacity. Inadequate spillway capacity can result in overtopping of a dam during flood events. This is especially a concern for embankment dams where overtopping of the dam embankment can cause breaching of the dam and uncontrolled release of the impounded water. This failure mode accounts for more than 40 percent of recent dam failures. A broad overview of the many app...

The purpose of this course is to provide a brief introduction into the science of concrete arch dams. The review will touch on design methods used in the past, but primarily focus on the methods used in the current state of the practice. A historical review of construction techniques will be discussed, and how that relates to evaluations and the physical behavior of the structures. The basic loads and loading conditions used for analysis will...

This webinar will review the 2004 failure of Big Bay Dam. A potential failure modes framework was used to make the forensic root-cause assessment based on data and information provided by the State of Mississippi. A detailed timeline of the failure obtained through review of court proceedings will be presented including the appearance of a number of distress indicators, the seriousness of which were not recognized and acted upon by the Owner a...

This course is based on 50 years of NRCS experience with investigating and remediating cracked earth embankments. The presentation consists of two main sections, covering: 1) the nature of soil cracking and the associated internal erosion failure modes; and 2) how to remediate cracked earth embankments. In the first section, general information is presented on which soils are most susceptible to cracking and which pose the greatest risk for fa...

This course is available to all Federal, State, local government and private sector SECURITY and ENGINEERING professionals. While the course focuses on securing DOD assets, the concepts learned are prudent and applicable in reducing the criminal and terrorist threat to non-DOD buildings, as well. Contractors and consultants seeking construction contracts with the Department of Defense will attend this course. The course is designed to familiar...

Safe-haven and Shelter Design & Construction – Safe-room, panic rooms, evacuation shelters, tornado cellars and collective shelters all provide protection from man-made or natural threats, for both short and long periods of time. They usually serves as a place to repair to during emergency situations; a fall back position in case of emergencies, if you will. Effective design components; i.e., air requirements and waste management, ca...

Access Control Concepts and Entry Control Facility Design(ECF) – Like the Maintaining Control Workshop conducted by the US Army Surface Deployment and Distribution Traffic Engineering Agency, this class is intended for government, military and contractor SECURITY or ENGINEERING personnel involved in designing entry control facilities. The curriculum focuses on the design features required for the effective and efficient operation of acce...

UFC – Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for DOD Buildings (UFC) – This course is available to all Federal, State, local government and private sector SECURITY and ENGINEERING professionals. While the course focuses on securing DOD assets, the concepts learned are prudent and applicable in reducing the criminal and terrorist threat to non-DOD buildings, as well. Contractors and consultants seeking construction contracts with the Depar...

This course is available to all Federal, State, local government and private sector SECURITY and ENGINEERING professionals. While the course focuses on securing DOD assets, the concepts learned are prudent and applicable in reducing the criminal and terrorist threat to non-DOD buildings, as well. Contractors and consultants seeking construction contracts with the Department of Defense will attend this course. The course is designed to familiar...

After attending this unclassified Workshop, students will be able to oversee design and construction of a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) which meets official government requirements for a secure area where classified information is handled. The stringent physical security requirements; such as, access control systems, thickness of doors, the strength of concrete and the use of alarms, and acoustical controls which prevent...