Dams, Spillways, Levees: Structural Safety, Proper Sizing of Dams, Tidal Energy Generation, Wave Energy Generation, Probable Maximum Precipitation, Probable Maximum Flood, Dam Inspection, Spillway Inspection, Spillway Repair, Levee Reconstruction

The recent devastating earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, and China and the recent explosion of the Gulf of Mexico oil rig and resulting oil spill underscore the need for preventative mitigation and restoration efforts for these earthquake-ravaged countries and for the U.S. and elsewhere, as well as for the many dams, power plants (nuclear and conventional), river levees, aqueducts, water and sewage pipelines, and other infrastructure in the U.S. and around the world that may be in danger of collapse or partial destruction - in the event of an earthquake, tsunami, storm, or other natural or human-generated stress.

Charles B. Pyke, Ph.D., President, CEO, and Principal Scientist of Environmental Science & Energy, Inc., offers Construction Defects Analysis, Structural Integrity and Structural Safety Inspections, Investigation of Historical Structural Damages, and Seismic & Landslide Hazards Determination, plus Repair, Refurbishment, Reinforcement, Renovation, Restoration, Enlargement (as may be needed), and Reconstruction - perhaps even Demolition and Replacement - of Structures and Facilities listed below, along with the Design of New Structures and Facilities. [Many of the structures, facilities, and services offered may apply to the earthquake-damaged Port-au-Prince, Haiti and to locations damaged by the earthquake and/or tsunami in Chile.] These include, but are not limited to:

Structures and Facilities:

Dams, federal, state, and local, in the United States, plus dams in Canada, Mexico, and overseas.

Dam spillways and gates.

Hydroelectric power plants - large, mid-size, and small - in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and overseas.

River levees and embankments.

River channels.

Aqueducts and water transport canals, open and closed.

Water supply pipelines and conduits, above and below ground.

Sewage pipes and conduits, above and below ground.

Roads and railroads built across dams, plus access roads and railroads.

Bridges and tunnels associated with, or built in conjunction with, dam and spillway structures (i.e., bridges carrying access roads and railroads).

Public works infrastructure, including underground water-supply pipes and conduits.

Public works infrastructure, including underground sewer pipes and conduits.

Public works infrastructure, including above-ground water-supply pipes and conduits.

Public works infrastructure, including above-ground sewer pipes and conduits.

Natural gas pipelines, above and below ground.

Other public utility facilities.

The defects and hazards include, but are not limited to:

Faulty, shoddy, or generally poor original construction.

Undersizing of a dam or spillway that could result in overtopping of the dam in the event of a Probable Maximum Flood.

Construction that met building and seismic codes at the time of the original construction, but which fail to meet today's codes, and which could be a hazard to life and property in the future.

Construction that met building and seismic codes at the time of the original construction, but which have deteriorated over the years or were damaged or weakened by fire, weather, floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, ground subsidence, landslides, avalanches, or blasts (including sonic booms or nearby demolitions).

Foundation failures of dams, spillways, gates, and other structures, resulting from corrosion, earthquakes, subsidence, liquefaction, ground shifts, and/or gradual deterioration of materials from water currents and weather.

Water seepage through or under a dam or its foundation.

Corrosion, over the years, of road and bridge components associated with, or built in conjunction with, dams.

Asbestos that may be present in some structures.

Damage caused by terrorist attacks, or hidden damage caused by sabotage or by attempted sabotage that appeared at first to have failed.

Damage resulting from the burrowing of animals

Corrosion, over the years, of underground and above-ground natural gas, water supply, and sewer pipes and conduits.

Landslides: threats; slides that have occurred since construction of a structure and may have weakened the structure.

Earthquake faults and potential for major shaking or permanent ground deformation that could cause significant or catastrophic dam failure.

Earthquake faults and potential for slow creep that could gradually result in distortion or offset of the foundation or a dam, spillway, or levee - resulting in a possible catastrophic failure (such as the Baldwin Hills Dam, Los Angeles, California, December 14, 1963).

Earthquake faults and potential for slow creep that could gradually result in distortion or offset of the foundation or an access road, bridge, or railroad track.

Proximity of a structure to earthquake faults and soil vulnerable to magnified shaking.

Potential for subsidence of the soil beneath a dam or spillway, including differential subsidence within a structure's footprint.

Services Offered:

Structural integrity inspection of the structure or facility.

Construction defects analysis.

Investigation of catastrophic failure or major damage resulting from earthquakes, storms, or human-generated activities (terrorist attacks, sabotage, major accidents, etc.).

Structural analysis for damage, deterioration, or corrosion over the years.

Seismic hazards and seismic safety analysis

Sizing of new or existing dams and spillways with respect to major storms and floods that could fill the reservoir and generate spillway flow, including Probable Maximum Precipitation and Probable Maximum Flood that must be safely passed through the dam and spillway in order to result in overtopping and possible failure of the dam.

Repair of defects.

Mitigation, overhaul, or renovation of dam and/or spillway - partial or total.

Asbestos removal.

Reinforcement of the structure or facility.

Restoration or reconstruction of the structure or facility.

Protection against probable maximum flood in order to avoid overtopping and failure of dam.

Protection against maximum credible earthquake.

Protection against maximum credible wind event.

Removal of silt and debris from reservoirs.

Removal of silt, choking vegetation, natural debris, and man-made refuse from river and stream bottoms.

Demolition or removal of entire dam and spillway structure.

Replacement of entire dam and spillway structure.

Design and construction of new dams and spillways - U.S. and overseas.

Research into improvement in the construction of various dams, spillways, and upstream or downstream river channels and levees..

Research into improvement in the construction of various structures or facilities.

For more information about these services and other programs:

Telephone: Environmental Science & Energy, Inc.: (520) 625-8346 or (877) 373-4629,

cellular (520) 310-9931 or (775) 742-5376. Alternate (520) 625-8316.

FAX: Call (520) 625-8346 to obtain fax number.

e-mail: Call (520) 625-8316 to obtain e-mail address.

Mailing address for Dr. Charles B. Pyke, President & CEO:

P. O. Box 1747, Green Valley, AZ 85622-1747

Contract, billing, and payment address:

P. O. Box 292760, Phelan, CA 92329-2760.