Course Description

This specialized short course—taught by leading experts—is designed for practitioners managing Alkali-Aggregate Reaction (ASR) in critical infrastructure.

The course addresses theoretical foundations, laboratory testing, petrography, and finite element modeling, with a focus on both static and seismic loading conditions. Participants will explore deterministic and probabilistic approaches to modeling ASR, with an emphasis on the state of the art rather than the state of the practice. The course is structured to deliver practical, actionable knowledge for real-world applications.

Course Audience and Purpose

Designed for owners’ engineers, consultants, contractors, and regulators responsible for managing dams, hydroelectric plants, or major reinforced concrete structures affected by Alkali-Aggregate Reaction (ASR) or other chemical expansion phenomena.

The focus is on providing a state-of-the-art foundation for making informed engineering decisions regarding the assessment and long-term management of affected concrete structures. Participants from agencies such as DOT, USACE, NRC, TVA, and private consulting firms will gain valuable insights.

Jan Cervenka is CEO of Cervenka Consulting s.r.o., where he is also one of the key developers of finite element modelling and advanced simulation software ATENA. The software is currently distributed to over 2000 users worldwide for advanced modelling of concrete and reinforced concrete structures. He has worked in nuclear industry projects (AREVA, KHNP, AXPO), wind tower foundations, offshore structures, and various tunnel and building projects globally. He is active in ACI, fib, and CEN standardization committees.

Andreas Leemann graduated in geology at ETH Zurich and earned a PhD in lake research. Since 1995, he has worked at EMPA in the concrete/asphalt lab, heading the concrete technology group. He currently heads the concrete technology group. He works mainly on the durability of concrete including internal and external sulfate attack, leaching, carbonation and, with a particular emphasis, alkali-silica reaction. He employs a variety of advanced microscopy methods to characterize the microstructure.

Jan Lindgård graduated from NTH in Trondheim in 1986 and has worked since 1990 as a senior scientist at SINTEF, one of Europe’s largest independent research organizations. He also holds a part-time position at NTNU. At SINTEF, he leads research and testing on ASR, including field assessments, lab testing of concrete and aggregates, and preventive measures for ASR and freeze/thaw damage. He has contributed to national ASR standards for over 35 years and international efforts via RILEM for nearly 25 years. In 2024, he joined the new CEN committee developing European ASR test methods.

Simon-Nicolas Roth is Head of Geotechnical Expertise and Design, Dam Structures, and Infrastructure at Hydro-Québec. He has nearly 20 years of experience in dam engineering and leads a team specializing in geotechnics, hydrology, structures, and instrumentation. He collaborates closely with universities and serves on the board of the IGEE (Institute of Electrical Energy Engineering).

Victor Saouma (Emeritus Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder) chaired a RILEM committee on the diagnosis and prognosis of ASR-affected structures, authored the book on Aging, Shaking and Cracking of infrastructures and is Past President of IA-FramCoS. He has consulted for agencies including TEPCO, NRC, EPRI, Oak Ridge, and the Swiss Dam Safety Commission. He is also a pro bono consultant to C-10 and was a member of the NRC PMDA Expert Panel for concrete in nuclear reactors.