Experts Report of the Expert Panel on the Technical Causes of the Failure of Feijão Dam I
Dr. Peter K. Robertson, Ph.D
Chairperson of the Panel
Technical Adviser, Gregg Drilling Testing Inc.; Professor (Retired), University of Alberta
- Ph. D., Geotechnical Engineering, University of British Columbia 1983
- M.A. Sc., Geotechnical Engineering, University of British Columbia 1975
- B. Sc., Civil Engineering, Nottingham University 1972
Dr. Robertson has over 35 years’ experience in the areas of in-situ testing of soils, earthquake design of geotechnical structures, soil liquefaction, pile design, and soil structure interaction.
He is recognized as an expert internationally in the areas of in-situ testing and soil liquefaction.
Dr. Lucas de Melo, Ph.D.
Senior Principal Engineer at Geosyntec Consultants; Lecturer at Johns Hopkins University
- Ph. D., Civil Engineering, Johns Hopkins University 1999
- M. Sc., Civil Engineering, Johns Hopkins University 1998
- M. Sc., Geotechnical Engineering, Pontificia Universidade Catolica 1995
- B. Sc., Civil Engineering, Universidade Federal do Ceara 1993
Dr. de Melo has over 20 years of experience in geotechnical field studies, planning, design, and construction of dams and mining engineering projects in both Brazil and the United States.
He has participated in numerous safety studies and forensic analyses of dam incidents.
Dr. David J. Williams, Ph.D.
Professor of Geotechnical Engineering and Director of Geotechnical Engineering Centre, School of Civil Engineering at The University of Queensland
- Ph. D., Soil Mechanics, University of Cambridge 1979
- B.E. (Hons I), Civil Engineering, Monash University 1975
Professor David Williams initiated and directs the industry-funded Geotechnical Engineering Centre at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. He has over 40 years of teaching, research and consulting experience.
He is internationally recognised for his expertise and experience in mine closure and mine waste management, including tailings dams, the closure and rehabilitation of tailings dams, and waste rock dumps, including the design of covers.
DR. G. Ward Wilson, Ph.D.
Professor of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering at the University of Alberta
- Ph. D., College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan 1990
- M. Sc., College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan 1982
- B.E., Civil Engineering, University of Manitoba 1978
Dr. Wilson has more than 35 years of industrial experience in advanced mine waste management.
He has extensive work experience as a consulting engineer and is involved in mine waste management systems at numerous mine sites worldwide.
He has also served as a specialist review consultant for many large international mining projects.