Research on an important aspect of the dynamic behavior of arch dams, the interaction effects between the dam and its reservoir and foundation has been carried out during the past few years as a cooperative project under the U.S. China Protocol for Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Earthquake Studies. During the course of this study, many valuable results have been produced and disseminated. This workshop is organized to provide an opportunity for many leading research workers in all phases of this field to present their recent work, and for the participants to identify the major problems that remain to be solved in evaluation of the seismic safety of arch dams. The concept of the workshop was to invite selected specialists from the United States and China as well as the leading experts from other countries; this relatively small group could then prepare a summary of the state of knowledge of arch dam seismic behavior. The results of this activity will have significant impacts to the seismic safety evaluation of existing dams as well as the determination of the earthquake behavior of new dams which are under design or construction. This activity in dam research will also culminate in one of the most successful cooperative research projects implemented under the U.S.- China protocol in Earthquake studies. An award is highly recommended.
