• Earthquake analysis, design and safety evaluation of concrete gravity dams to be discussed

Panama City, Panama, January 30, 2012 – University of California, Berkeley Professor Anil K. Chopra has been confirmed as one of the notable presenters to speak at the “Panama Canal 2012 International Engineering and Infrastructure Congress.” The first-ever Congress, organized by the Panama Canal Authority, will be held April 18 – 20 in Panama City.

This Congress will convene more than 40 experts from 10 countries, who will discuss large scale projects and future trends in the maritime industry. Chopra will share, during the first session, an earthquake analysis as well as design and safety evaluations of concrete gravity dams.

“We are excited to have Anil Chopra join the dynamic panel of speakers at our Engineering and Infrastructure Congress this April,” said Alberto Alemán Z., Panama Canal Authority CEO. “His insight will be very beneficial to attendees with backgrounds in geotechnical, structural and civil engineering.”

Chopra’s research activities have included studies of structural dynamics, various problems in earthquake analysis and design of buildings, dynamic soil-structure interaction, dynamic fluid-structure interaction, and earthquake analysis and design of concrete dams. As a professor of civil engineering and former American Society of Civil Engineers chairman, he has published several papers on this work as well. International Water, Power & Dam Construction magazine listed him among the 60 most influential individuals over the past 60 years (2009), and again among the 20 such individuals over the past ten years (2011).

During the International Engineering Congress, other design and project management experiences will be shared such as the hydroelectric project of Tocoma in Venezuela, the failure of New Orleans levees during Hurricane Katrina, the main dredging projects in the world; and foundations for the tallest buildings in the world.

For more information on the Panama Canal 2012 International Engineering and Infrastructure Congress visit: www.pancanal.com/canalcongress.

About the Panama Canal Authority (ACP)
The ACP is the autonomous agency of the Government of Panama in charge of managing, operating and maintaining the Panama Canal. The operation of the ACP is based on its organic law and the regulations approved by its Board of Directors. For more information, please refer to the ACP’s Web site: http://www.pancanal.com/. You can also follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thepanamacanal.