Awards

The intentions of the prize include:

• Recognize an original, unpublished paper that adheres to the tenants of the award as described. Papers submitted for the 2023 or 2024 USSD Annual Conference may be considered.
• To instill greater confidence for owners, engineers, and regulators in the benefits of innovative design and construction techniques of concrete dams, which are also identified by Ken as “First Class Dams.” (Note: “First Class Dams,” as defined by Ken, are dams that do not erode when overtopped nor settle when shaken in a seismic event).
• Focus on practical and innovative solutions that make concrete dams easier to design and construct. The prize is not intended to showcase advanced structural analyses, numerical analyses, or other similar analytical and/or computer- generated applications, means, and methods related to concrete dams.

Potential Topics Include: 

• Conditions where only a concrete dam should be considered.
• Design of concrete dams on non-rock foundations case studies.
• Advantages of concrete dams over earth dams – a listing.
• Did you consider all cost related items in your comparative dam type selection study.
• Effect of duration of infrequent high intensity floods and earthquakes on dam types.
• What are all the risks and costs associated when a concrete dams vs earth dams subjected to earthquakes with special emphasis of duration of strong shaking.
• Why an owner may not want the estimated lowest first cost dam type.
• Conditions where a concrete dam most likely will n=be the lowest total cost alternative.
• Re-analysis of dam failure data concrete vs earth dam failures with greater emphasis on more recent failures.