This webinar will present the results of 2-D and 3-D numerical evaluations of seepage conditions around a developing piping defect. An updated model similar to the first 3-D numerical model performed at the University of Florida beginning in about 1980 (Townsend, 1981) will be presented to illustrate the importance of 3-D influences on estimated seepage gradients, seepage flows and the evaluation of potential internal erosion potential failure modes. The updated numerical models were developed using the computer code SVFlux. One of the benefits of this program is an automatic remeshing routine that provides for more accurate estimation of seepage gradients in areas of seepage concentration such as at a discharge defect (influence on initiation processes), or as a pipe continues (progresses) in an upstream direction toward the reservoir or water source. A simplified method of estimating 3-D influences on gradients and flow quantities will be presented that will allow practitioners to evaluate a number of different shapes and sizes of dam and levees.

PDH's: This webinar is eligible for 2 PDH credits. 

Key takeaways from participating in this webinar include:

    Importance of 3-D effects on assessment of seepage safety.
    Better understanding of internal erosion and related potential failure modes.
    Increased understanding of some of the history of seepage research.
    Software for 2-D and 3D seepage evaluations.
    Use of judgment in assessing seepage issues and risk assessment.

The U.S. Levee Safety Coalition is pleased to announce the next in the 2018-2019 webinar series:  “USACE 2018 Supplemental Funding”. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers received supplemental funding for disaster recovery projects as part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. Approximately $17.39 billion was provided for disaster recovery across the country. The funds will be used for both long- and short-term disaster recovery projects. The webinar, presented by the Ms. Yvonne Prettyman-Beck, USACE HQ National Program Manager, Emergency Disaster Supplemental Programs Integration Division (see Ms. Prettyman-Beck's bio), will provide an overview of the program, including allocation of funds across six appropriation accounts, implementation strategy, and schedule.  Ms. Prettymn-Beck and her team will discuss (1) What projects are within the supplemental work, (2) How non-federal sponsors, AE community and construction contractors can support this work, and (3) Where the AE community and Contractors can get more information on specific projects and opportunities. Mr. Douglas Sims, Program Manager, Hurricane Harvey Support Team, SWD RIT, HQUSACE presented the January 30 webinar for Ms. Prettyman-Beck (see Mr. Sims' bio).

The USACE Levee Portfolio Report was recently released for public review. While the data is specific to USACE portfolio, information presented in the report and covered on the webinar is applicable to anyone designing, constructing, operating or managing levees. The webinar is intended to highlight facts gathered from risk assessments of approximately 2,200 levee systems totaling 14,150 miles in length and provide a starting point for conversations at all levels of governance. We will discuss flood risks associated with levees in the USACE portfolio, relative importance of factors driving the risks, and the roles of USACE, other federal agencies, states, tribes, regional districts, and local communities in assessing, managing, and communicating levee-related flood risk.   As a Nation, we know little about the condition or risks associated with levees outside the USACE portfolio.  As such we do not have a true national look at the risks and benefits levees provide to the Nation. USACE is currently coordinating with states, tribes, local, regional and private levee owner-operators to conduct a one-time inspection and risk assessment for all levees in the United States. The webinar will provide an overview of the ongoing efforts and discuss how this information will be included in the National Levee Database.

Managing risks associated with levees in the United States will require diligence and cooperation among all levels of government, the private sector and the public. As progress toward the establishment of a National Levee Safety Program continues, the US Levee Safety Coalition webinars and the presentation of the USACE Levee Portfolio Report provide an opportunity to start this conversation.

This one-hour webinar will cover all eight sections of the Portfolio Report:

• Section 1: Introduction
• Section 2: USACE Levee Portfolio Characteristics
• Section 3: The USACE Levee Safety Program Risk Framework
• Section 4: Risk Characterization of the USACE Levee Portfolio
• Section 5: Hazards: What and How Likely are they to Occur?
• Section 6: Levee Performance: Understanding Levee Components and Expected Performance
• Section 7: Consequence: Who and What are in Harm's Way?
• Section 8: Estimating the Cost of Addressing Levee-Related Risk in the USACE Portfolio

Speakers: Robert P. Cannon, P.G., Principal/Sr.Vice President; Gary D. Rogers, P.G., Senior Associate; Frederic Snider, P.G., Associate; and Guy-Justin Nuyda, GISP, Senior Staff Scientist, Schnabel Engineering

PDHs: This webinar is eligible for 2 PDH credits. 

This course will address a variety of geologic issues in dam and levee design and safety engineering, with emphasis on the application of 3D geologic modeling and other technologies to enhance communication between the project geoscientists and the project engineers, regulators, and other stakeholders.

Takeaways from this course:

•    The critical nature of the interaction between as-built dam and levee structures and natural geology and how this interaction has led to major dam failures and incidents.
•    The challenges of effective communication between geoscientists, whose worlds consist of incomplete data, uncertainties, and assumptions, and engineers, whose worlds consist of precise calculations, known materials, and design handbooks.
•    The value of a 3D geologic model that integrates available information to enhance and improve knowledge transfer from the geoscientists to project engineers, regulators, and other stakeholders.
•    The exciting new technologies and tools available to geoscientists to increase efficiency and enhance the process of collecting, sharing, analyzing, visualizing, and digitally storing geologic data. 

Why is Geology Important on Dam and Levee Projects?

• Prevention of Failures, Near-Failures, and Incidences
• Ensuring Adequate Design
• Limiting Construction Changes
• Minimizing Uncertainties during Construction and for the Future

Examples of Dam and Levee Failures due to Geologic Conditions

• Teton Dam
• St. Francis Dam
• Vajont Dam, Italy Landslide 
• Willard Bay Levee 

Site Characterization for New Dam and Levee Projects, Upgrades, and Remedial Actions

• Roles and Responsibilities of the Geoscientist
• Roles and Responsibilities of the Engineer
• The Critical Need for Effective Communications and Collaboration

3D Geologic Modeling as an Effective Communication and Collaboration Tool

• What is a 3D Geologic Model? –Real Examples
• Value of a 3D Geologic Model - Why go to the trouble of creating one?
• Components of a Good 3D Geologic Model
• Constructing the 3D Model
• Hints, Tips and Pitfalls

Technologies and Tools for Geologic Data Collection and 3D Geologic Modeling

• LiDAR, Drones, Laser Scanners, GPS
• Mobile Technologies – Smart Phones and Tablets
• Advances in 3D CAD and GIS
• All-in-one Apps and Software Tools for 3D Geologic Modeling

Speaker: Guy S. Lund, P.E., Principal Engineer, Gannett Fleming, Inc.

PDHs: This webinar is eligible for 2 PDH credits. 

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 be explained, as well of techniques that can be used to validate analysis models.

 

• 1)Arch Dams – Geometry & Basic Concepts
• 2)Construction Methods
  • A)Horizontal Construction
  • B)Vertical Block Construction
  • C)Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC)
• 3)Methods of Analysis
  • A)Old and True: Trial Load Methods
  • B)Finite Element Analysis
  • C)Others
• 4)Evaluation Tools
  • A)Standard Evaluation Criteria
    • i)U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
      • (1)Design of Arch Dams,
      • (2)Engineering Monograph No. 19,
      • (3)Engineering Monograph No. 34
    • ii)U.S. Army Corp of Engineers
      • (1)EM 1110-2-2201 Arch Dam Design
    • iii)FERC
      • (1)Chapter 11, Arch Dam Guidelines
  • B)Thermal Analysis
    • i)Spreadsheets
    • ii)Finite element analysis
  • C)Linear vs. Nonlinear Analysis
    • i)Linear typically assumes homogeneous, monolithic behavior
    • ii)Nonlinear usually limited to structural, or geometric, nonlinearities such as joints, cracks.  Most of the time material property is assumed to behavior linearly.
  • D)Engineering Geology
    • i)Stereonets useful to evaluate rock block stability
• 5)Performing the Analysis
  • A)Model Development
  • B)Static Loads
    • i)Gravity
    • ii)Temperatures
    • iii)Reservoir, Sedimentation, Tailwater
    • iv)Dynamic Loads
      • (1)Hydrodynamic Interaction
      • (2)Seismic ground motions
• 6)Potential Failure Modes
  • A)Overstressing
  • B)Stability
    • i)Overturning is not evaluated
    • ii)Sliding along Interface
    • iii)Rock Block Stability
    • iv)Overtopping and Erosion
• 7)Analysis Example
  • A)Preparing the Model
  • B)Thermal Analysis
  • C)Static Analysis
  • D)Dynamic Analysis

Speaker: Douglas D. Boyer, P.E., CEG, Chief, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

PDHs: This webinar is eligible for 2 PDH credits. 

Failure mode evaluation, or what is now more commonly referred to as potential failure mode analysis (PFMA) for dam safety, has become routine practice for many in the profession. The process became more formally organized by the US Bureau of Reclamation in the early to mid 1990’s and gained wider industry exposure in the early 2000’s through the publication of FERC’s Engineering Guidelines, Chapter 14 – Dam Safety Performance Monitoring Program. The PFMA process systematically identifies, describes, and evaluates ways a dam and its appurtenances could fail under all postulated loading conditions. However, a PFMA is much more than an exercise to evaluate and document potential failure modes for a dam. At its fullest extent, a PFMA is a valuable tool which can be used to guide and inform dam safety personnel on where to focus dam safety observations and inspections, where to strategically perform an investigation or install instruments to monitor dam performance, and can be used as a first step in a risk analysis. The process and results of the PFMA can also help to identify and prioritize O&M deficiencies, identify the need for improved operational processes, and pinpoint training needs. PFMAs can benefit dam owners and regulators by providing a better understanding and appreciation of potential structural and operational weaknesses and operating procedures. Finally, they may also be used to better inform downstream emergency management personnel of the hazards posed by the dam, while also providing a better understanding of effective evacuation protocols.

Speakers: Joseph Kudritz, P.E., Water Resource Engineer, Michael Maker International, Inc.; and Brian Afek P.E.,Senior Civil Engineer, Michael Maker International, Inc.

PDHs: This webinar is eligible for 2 PDH credits. 

This course is intended to provide guidance on the proper selection and installation of waterstops for hydraulic structures. This course will discuss the various types and applications of waterstops and discuss the necessary design constraints such as site constraints, joint types, head pressures, and concrete clearances and cover. The course will emphasize the need for thorough structure detailing to ensure proper clearances and placement location are specified. The use of 3-dimensional modeling techniques will be discussed as a visualization technique to better detail complex joints. Most deficiencies regarding waterstops occur with the installation of the waterstops. Therefore, this course will highlight proper and improper installation placements and welding techniques. The course will discuss the benefits of using manufacturer welded unions, having properly-trained waterstop installers, input from the waterstop manufacturer, and having trained inspectors.

 Five Takeaways:

• Importance of proper joint design and waterstop selection, installation, and inspection for concrete water-retaining structures.
• Waterstop types for concrete structures (e.g. PVC, hydrophilic, retrofits,etc.).
• Waterstop selection based on joint type, head pressures, and clearances/cover.
• Waterstop detailing on construction documents and visualization techniques.
• Tips for waterstop installation including proper and improper waterstop placement.

• 1. Brief introduction of waterstops
• 2. Types of waterstops in hydraulic structure
• 3. Waterstop applications
• 4. Waterstop selection criteria
  • a. Design head
  • b. Joint type
  • c. Structure element sizes
  • d. Expected movement
  • e. One waterstop profile
• 5. Design approach for complex structures
  • a. Detailing/layout of waterstops
  • b. Dual waterstop approach
  • c. 3D modeling benefits
• 6. Waterstop handling, storage, and protection
• 7. Waterstop installation and welding best practices
  • a. Waterstop welding training by manufacturer
  • b. Weld inspection
  • c. Manufacturer‐welded unions required (butt‐welds only)
• 8. Waterstop Inspection
• 9. Waterstop repair
• 10. Dam safety perspective

Speaker: Kurt F. von Fay

PDHs: This webinar is eligible for 2 PDH credits. 

This course will provide an overview of the best methods and materials for concrete repair and maintenance. It will include a description of a systematic process to follow to achieve best results and will include information from recent industry wide research efforts to ensure long lasting durable repairs.

Five Learning Objectives of This Course:

• How to conduct a thorough condition assessment.

• Understanding the most common types of concrete damage.

• Selecting the correct material for the repair.

• Understanding proper substrate prepatation.

• How to repair leaks and cracks.

• Introduction to Webinar and Objectives
• Concrete Maintenance and Repair Process
  • Seven Steps to follow to improve long term function of repair
• Typical Causes of Concrete Damage to Hydraulic Structures
  • Poor quality concrete, freeze thaw damage, ASR, abrasion, cavitation, etc. 
• Methods to determine cause(s) of damage
  • Important for selecting best repair method
• Methods to determine extent of damage
  • Important for proper planning and budgeting
• Maintenance in lieu of repairs?
  • Typical maintenance to increase service life/delay repairs
• Typical concrete repair methods
  • 15 Standard methods
• How to prepare concrete for repair
• Applying the repair material properly
• Curing the repair
• Using this process for crack repair and water leaks
  • Causes for cracks, typical methods used for repair
• Examples will be presented throughout the webinar describing different repair cases 
• Questions/Discussion

Speaker: Deborah J. Miller, Ph.D., P.E., Miller Geotechnical Consultants

PDHs: This webinar is eligible for 2 PDH credits. 

Cracks are likely to develop in most embankment dams and levees, and not just in those that are poorly constructed. This course will present some of the common conditions that can lead to adverse geostatic stress conditions, cracking, and hydraulic fracturing in embankments. Case histories are used to illustrate various crack-forming mechanisms and potential failure modes associated with embankment cracking. The need for caution when considering drilling in the core of a dam is discussed. The course will review practical design measures that can be implemented to defend against internal erosion that is associated with the inevitable formation of cracks in dams and levees.

Key takeaways:

    Increased awareness of common conditions that lead to unfavorable stresses in embankments.
    Better understanding of crack-forming mechanisms associated with differential deformations and with hydraulic fracturing.
    Need for caution when drilling in the cores of dams.
    Design measures to minimize risk of hydraulic fracturing and to protect against internal erosion.
    Construction considerations to minimize risk of cracking in dams and levees.

The implementation of a successful dam design is predicated on the construction contractor using acceptable construction means and methods when performing the work and the quality control staff performing timely and through inspections. There are many critical work items associated with dam construction which, if not performed correctly, will lead to poor performance, reduced service life, and contribute to potential failure modes.

This webinar will present some proper and improper construction techniques that are often encountered during dam construction that are crucial to a successful project including, engineered fill placement, internal drains systems, reinforced concrete structures, RCC placement, control of water, and foundation preparation. Participants of this webinar will gain greater knowledge of acceptable construction practices, understand the consequences of out of spec work, and better understand how to evaluate the inspect critical work tasks during dam construction.