Course Description

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

Day 1: Materials and Tests

• Basics of ASR
• Diagnosis: manifestations, DRI, SDT
• Prognosis: assessment of expansion
• Link between materials and structural analysis

Day 2: Modeling

• Impact on mechanical properties
• Numerical simulation
• Modeling: formulation, validation, seismic, fragility
• Software: ATENA, Merlin, PaDamComp

Day 3: Applications

• Case studies (SR, JC, VES)
• Practical nuclear structure assessments

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. His research focuses on ASR, sulfate attack, leaching, carbonation, and recycling concrete. He is active in RILEM committees and serves as a visiting professor at Ulster University, Belfast.

Jan Lindgård graduated from NTH in Trondheim and earned his PhD at NTNU focusing on ASR performance testing. He has worked at SINTEF since 1990 as a senior scientist, specializing in field surveys, ASR assessment, moisture measurement, and testing aggregates and concrete. He has contributed to ASR test method development at national and international levels for over 35 years, including with RILEM and the new CEN ASR committee.

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.