All workshops are available as standalone registrations or can be added to your conference registration.

Monday morning workshop registration is $100. Thursday full day workshop registration is $250.

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Fragility Curves in Dam Engineering

 

Potential Failure Mode Analysis (PFMA) is a well-established approach in dam safety assessments. However, other industries—such as nuclear, bridge, and building engineering—have embraced Performance-Based Engineering (PBE) to quantify risk more effectively. A key output of PBE is the fragility curve, which shows the probability of exceeding a performance threshold (e.g., sliding, cracking) as a function of hazard intensity (e.g., earthquake, flood). Fragility curves are essential for quantitative risk analysis, especially when combined with hazard and consequence models.
While the dam engineering community is gradually moving toward quantitative risk frameworks, fragility curves are still rarely used in practice. One barrier is the technical complexity: there are many methods for deriving fragility curves, each requiring different levels of modeling effort and expertise. As a result, many engineers are uncertain how to apply these tools in a consistent and reliable way.
This workshop will provide practical, hands-on training on fragility curve development for dam applications. We begin with an overview of modeling requirements (e.g., finite element modeling, uncertainty identification) and then present probabilistic methods commonly used in fragility analysis. Case studies will illustrate the application of fragility curves under seismic and flood scenarios.
Attendees will receive MATLAB codes and a basic finite element tool to simulate dam behavior under varied input parameters. The workshop will walk participants through deriving fragility curves (e.g., for sliding of a gravity dam), including tips on adapting the workflow to commercial software (e.g., Ansys, LS-Dyna). Post-processing tools in MATLAB and Excel will also be provided.
By the end, participants will understand how to develop and apply fragility curves for risk assessment and support decision-making. This training meets an urgent need for harmonizing fragility-based risk analysis in the dam safety field.

 

Speaker: Amin Hariri, HDR

 

Listen, Learn, Lead: The Proactive Professional's Toolbox - Part III

 

The Emerging Professionals (EP) Committee is excited to continue the momentum of their  workshop series by presenting a refreshed and relevant lineup for 2026. Based on participant feedback and evolving workplace needs, the 2026 workshop will explore practical communication and leadership topics designed to support early-career professionals, as well as those in people and project management roles.
Training and managing people, either as a people or project manager, is a critical responsibility for professionals as they grow in their careers. Whether onboarding a new team member, delegating project responsibilities, or mentoring junior staff, participants will learn during this module how to set clear expectations, provide support, and promote development in others and themselves.

 

A key component of this year’s workshop will be a module on the art of giving and receiving feedback. Attendees will learn techniques for delivering constructive feedback clearly and confidently, as well as for receiving feedback with openness and professionalism. These tools are essential for building stronger, more productive working relationships, whether it is between individual staff members, between a manager and their team, or even between a client and a consultant/contractor.

Within each module, and to further enhance the workshop’s impact, we will introduce a segment on communication styles, an often overlooked but vital aspect of effective leadership. Participants will explore different communication preferences, learn how to adapt their approach to diverse team dynamics, and practice strategies for navigating challenging conversations with empathy and clarity.

Finally, although not the central theme of the workshop, opportunities for networking will be included. The EP Committee has found that helping attendees connect early in the conference enhances their overall experience and encourages a sense of community throughout the event.

 

Speakers:

• Devon McLay, GeoEngineers, Inc

• Georgette Hlepas, USACE

• Manoshree Sundaram, Stantec

Long-Term Reservoir Sedimentation Analysis using HEC-HMS

 

Reservoir sedimentation is a critical challenge for water resource managers, impacting storage capacity, flood control, and ecosystem health over decades. This four-hour, hands-on workshop introduces participants to the newly developed dynamic reservoir sedimentation analysis module in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Hydrologic Engineering Center Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS). By integrating surface soil erosion, channel sediment transport, and reservoir trap efficiency calculations, this tool enables accurate projections of long-term reservoir volume loss under changing land-use and post-wildfire conditions.
The primary objective of this workshop is to leverage the advanced reservoir sedimentation analysis methods within HEC-HMS for facilitating the simulation of short- and long-term sediment deposition in reservoirs. The workshop is structured around two key components:

 

• Informative Lectures: Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of dynamic reservoir sediment routing processes including trap efficiency methods. Topics will include dynamic reservoir volume reduction processes and reservoir trap efficiency equations implemented in HEC-HMS.
• Hands-On Training: Participants will engage in developing a comprehensive long-term reservoir sediment model, which involves parameter estimation, calibration, and practical application of HEC-HMS.

By the end of the workshop, attendees will possess the skills necessary to effectively utilize HEC-HMS for long-term reservoir sedimentation analysis, significantly enhancing their capabilities in reservoir sediment management. This workshop provides a unique opportunity for professionals to stay at the forefront of sediment management technology and apply these methods to real-world scenarios.

 

Speaker: Jang (Jay) Pak, USACE

 

Benchmark Workshop on Analysis of Embankment Seismic Response

 

The deformation analysis of embankment dams due to seismic loadings is an integral part of dam safety risk management.  The seismic deformation analysis of embankment dams often focuses on existing dams with weak foundation or embankment materials (e.g., soft clays and liquefiable sands), which can experience large deformations.  In cases where estimated embankment deformations result in a failure probability exceeding some acceptable guidelines, dam modifications might be needed to reduce the risk of failure.  Prediction of the seismic response for these embankment dams is and will remain a challenge to the modelers performing the analysis.  The level of conservatism present in the deformation analyses can influence the design and cost of dam safety modifications.  Therefore, understanding the accuracy of deformation analyses in current practice is important for dam safety risk management activities and decision-making.

For this workshop, potential participants have been presented with a case history of embankment performance during an actual earthquake event and are asked to predict its seismic response without knowing the actual performance in advance (a “blind” prediction).  The case history will serve as the baseline for the prediction comparison.  Information provided to the participants include: (1) embankment and foundation profile; (2) in-situ test results; (3) basic material properties and strengths; and (4) input ground motions.  Responses of interest for the prediction comparison will include: (1) soil liquefaction potential; (2) crest settlement; and (3) response time histories at selected locations.

The actual seismic performance of the embankment during the earthquake event will be revealed at the workshop along with the prediction comparison.  The comparison of prediction with the actual case history will allow the modelers, decision makers, and dam owners to assess their confidence in the analysis results.  Based on the findings, improvements and recommendations can be made to the modeling practice in future analyses.

 

Speakers:

• Andy Kost, Conrforth Consultants, Inc.
• Kevin Zeh-Zon Lee, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

• Masood Kafash, AECOM

Remote Sensing Workshop

 

Remote sensing technologies offer powerful tools for enhancing dam safety, monitoring structural changes, and optimizing monitoring strategies. This 1-day workshop, hosted by the Monitoring of Dams and Their Foundations (MDTF) committee, aims to equip attendees with practical knowledge and hands-on experience in applying remote sensing for dams, levees, and canals. Drawing on real-world applications and limitations, the workshop will bridge theoretical concepts with field examples.

 

Topics Include:

Satellite Capture: InSAR for deformation monitoring and other satellite-based methods for moisture sensing, spectral monitoring. Multiple examples, including where satellite technology works well, and where it currently performs poorly, will be discussed using processed data results.

Drone and Aircraft Capture: Photogrammetry and LiDAR applications, with discussions on limitations, recent advancements, regulatory requirements, and hands-on data processing. Aircraft based data products from freely available and paid data from will also be reviewed and discussed.

Ground-Based Capture: Robotic total stations, ground-based InSAR, and GNSS for monitoring, with case studies

Bathymetry: Technologies and applications of below water mapping and sensing

 

This workshop targets dam owners, engineers, regulators, and researchers seeking to incorporate remote sensing into their practices. By the end, attendees will gain an understanding of these established and emerging remote sensing technologies. No prior remote sensing experience required. 

 

Speakers:

• Amanda Sutter, USACE
• Georgette Hlepas, USACE
• John Hynes, Stantec

• Raphael Victor, Sixense

 

Risk Informed Decision-Making Basics for SMEs

 

Dam safety specialists across the United States are increasingly serving as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in risk analyses, a role that is gaining momentum beyond federal agencies.  However, training opportunities for SMEs to enhance their skills in Potential Failure Mode Analyses (PFMA) and Risk Analyses (RA) remain limited.

This workshop is specifically designed for SMEs—including dam owners’ safety and operational staff, consultants, regulators, and other key stakeholders—who participate in PFMAs and RAs. This workshop aims to build foundational knowledge for applying a probabilistic framework, articulating support for subjective opinions, navigating differing expert opinions, and comprehending the objectives and application of risk outcomes. As an introductory offering, the workshop establishes a foundation from which attendees can further enhance their proficiency through advanced training and practical experience in risk analysis.

 

Speakers: 

• Jennifer Williams, AECOM
• Jonathan Harris, Schnabel Engineering

 

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