S04 : Ep. 13 : Dam Engineering & Safety across Four Continents and Eight Countries with Dr Gamini Adikari


S04 : Ep. 13 : Dam Engineering & Safety across Four Continents and Eight Countries with Dr Gamini Adikari
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Dams – A magnificent harmony of design and engineering. A crucial component within the built environment. A thoroughly underrated sector! In this episode we feature one of the leading minds in Dam Engineering and Safety on a global scale: Dr Gamini Adikari. As the Chief Technical Principal of Dam Safety at SMEC, coupled with over 43 years of experience in the industry, Gamini humbly shares his knowledge and learnings, uncovering the vast field of Civil Engineering and how it branches off into a variety of disciplines and industries, including Dams Engineering. He details how this colourful industry has evolved and where it is headed, how technology is integrated as well as the crucial skills and attributes aligned with STEM required to be successful in this sector. Gamini, not only an industry expert but also an academic, goes on to share his valuable advice for teachers, schools & universities as well as students interested in exploring this fascinating industry. A key component for civilisation within Industry 4.0. Tune in to celebrate an exceptional career of a leading expert and dive into the amazing world of Dam Engineering.

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About Dr Gamini Adikari

Dr Gamini Adikari is the Chief Technical Principal Dam Safety of SMEC. He has 43 years of experience in dam engineering in the water resources industry in the public and private sectors in Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe. His areas of expertise include safety management, technical assessment, design, investigation and numerical modelling of dams associated with water supply, irrigation, and hydropower projects.

Gamini holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree (B Sc Eng) in civil engineering, a Master of Engineering degree (M Eng) in geotechnical engineering and a Doctor of Engineering (Ph D) degree in Dams Engineering. His specialist experience in geotechnical engineering of embankment dams has enabled him to be involved directly in over 100 dam projects worldwide. These include all types of dams spread across 8 countries on 4 continents. He has been the project manager and the lead design engineer for over 350 projects in dam engineering, dam safety and related fields during his professional career to date, including the inaugural Alpine Resorts Geotechnical Stability Review, a multi-disciplinary project that involved slope stability risk assessment, safety review and preparation of development guidelines for all Victorian Alpine Resorts on behalf of the Victorian Government. He has undertaken World Bank-funded projects to develop dam safety regulatory frameworks for Uganda and dam safety implementation programs for Indonesia and Sri Lanka. He has published widely in the field of dam engineering and has conducted seminars, courses and workshops in the fields of numerical modelling, dam safety, dam rehabilitation and behaviour of dams, both nationally and internationally.

Gamini is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers Australia, the Institution of Civil Engineers United Kingdom and a member of several other national and international professional societies. He has served as Honorary Secretary of the Australian National Committee on Large Dams (ANCOLD) and in addition, has served as a member of the ANCOLD Working Groups that developed the inaugural Guidelines on Design of Dams for Earthquake and the revised Guidelines on Dam Safety Management.

As the Chief Technical Principal Dam Safety of SMEC, Gamini provides high-level technical expertise to generate innovative, economical and practical engineering solutions that benefit dam owners and the wider community.

To read more about Gamini and his career visit:

https://www.smec.com/infocus/people/celebrating-exceptional-careers-dr-gamini-adikari/

About SMEC

SMEC is a global engineering, management and development consultancy delivering innovative solutions for its clients and partners.

Leveraging its 70-year history of delivering nation-building infrastructure, SMEC provides technical expertise and advanced engineering services to resolve complex challenges across the project lifecycle, from initial concept, feasibility, planning and design through to construction, commissioning, and operation and maintenance.

Through its network of global specialists collaborating with local partners, SMEC connects its clients with the best teams and capabilities to deliver fit for purpose and sustainable solutions. SMEC’s design leadership and value-driven partnerships have been recognised by numerous global and industry awards.

Collaborating closely with its parent and sister companies, SMEC has the flexibility to operate in global markets either individually or in partnership to drive greater value for its clients.

With its roots in the iconic Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme, considered by many of its day to be an impossible undertaking, innovation and resilience are embedded in SMEC’s organisation. As it responds to a new world of uncertainty, SMEC is rethinking how it continues to support its clients and partners.

In addition to its current design, engineering and advisory solutions, SMEC is also focusing on providing advanced global solutions specifically for complex transport and energy infrastructure challenges.

Globally, SMEC is connecting its infrastructure specialists, design leaders and project managers even closer than before to leverage their diverse experience and deliver exceptional outcomes.

Through its specialist expertise, SMEC is challenging boundaries to deliver advanced solutions to complex problems in all disciplines it operates in, across the globe.

For more information about SMEC, visit https://www.smec.com