About

Prof. Dr. Anton J. Schleiss graduated in Civil Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1978. After joining the Laboratory of Hydraulic, Hydrology and Glaciology at ETH as a research associate and senior assistant, he obtained a Doctorate of Technical Sciences on the topic of pressure tunnel design in 1986. After that he worked for 11 years for Electrowatt Engineering Ltd. (now Pöyry-AFRY) in Zurich and was involved in the design of many hydropower projects around the world as an expert on hydraulic engineering and underground waterways. Until 1996 he was Head of the Hydraulic Structures Section in the Hydropower Department at Electrowatt. In 1997, he was nominated full professor and became Director of the Laboratory of Hydraulic Constructions (LCH) in the Civil Engineering Department of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). The LCH activities comprise education, research and services in the field of both fundamental and applied hydraulics and design of hydraulic structures and schemes. The research focuses on the interaction between water, sediment-rock, air and hydraulic structures as well as associated environmental issues and involves both numerical and physical modeling of water infrastructures. From 1999 to 2009 he was Director of the Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) in Water Resources Management and Hydraulic Engineering held in Lausanne in collaboration with ETH Zurich and the universities of Innsbruck (Austria), Munich (Germany), Grenoble (France) and Liège (Belgium). In May 2018, he became Honorary Professor at EPFL. Until today more than 50 PhD and Postdoc research projects have been carried out under his guidance. From 2006 to 2012 he was the Head of the Civil Engineering program of EPFL and chairman of the Swiss Committee on Dams (SwissCOLD). In 2006, he obtained the ASCE Karl Emil Hilgard Hydraulic Price as well as the J. C. Stevens Award. From 1998 to 2009 he was chairman of the Swiss Committee on Flood Protection (KOHS). He was listed in 2011 among the 20 international personalities that “have made the biggest difference to the sector Water Power & Dam Construction over the last 10 years”. Between 2014 and 2017 he was Council member of International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR) and he was chair of the Europe Regional Division of IAHR until 2016. For his outstanding contributions to advance the art and science of hydraulic structures engineering he obtained in 2015 the ASCE-EWRI Hydraulic Structures Medal. The French Hydro Society (SHF) awarded him with the Grand Prix SHF 2018. After having served as vice-president between 2012 and 2015 he was president of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) from 2015 to 2018. With more than 40 years of experience he is regularly involved as a consultant and expert in large water infrastructures projects including hydropower and dams all over the world. More details including publications see: http://people.epfl.ch/anton.schleiss?lang=en

Career Type:

Scientist/Researcher/Academic

Organization Type:

Universities and Academia

Expertise Fields/Interests:

Hydraulic and hydro-mechanical analysis of hydraulic structures (steady or unsteady flows and transient phenomena, vibration and stability problems) Planning and design of hydroelectric and irrigation schemes including dams and reservoirs; design under uncertainty High speed flows on spillways and in bottom outlets; effects of aeration and cavitation; formation of shock waves; pressure fluctuations Planning and design of high head pressure conduits (penstocks, steel liners, shafts and tunnels, caverns) Supervision and interpretation of geotechnical site investigations for pressure tunnels and shaftsSupervision and interpretation of hydraulic model tests Numerical analysis and simulation of coupled mechanical-hydraulic problems, especially in the field of high head pressure conduits under consideration of seepage phenomena through concrete lining and rock and transient operation. Design of linings. Planning and design of river flood protection measures; river hydraulics and restoration Reservoir sedimentation, physical processes including turbidity currents, innovative technical measures for sediment removal and management of turbidity currents Rock scour due to high velocity falling plunging jets downstream of spillways and bottom outlets Mitigation measures against hydropeaking downstream of dams; interaction of river morphology with aquatic biotopes

Major Achievements:

AWARDS ASCE Karl Emil Hilgard Hydraulic Price 2006 ASCE J. C. Stevens Award 2006 ASCE-EWRI 2014 Best Technical Note Award ASCE Outstanding Reviewer Recognition for 2013 ASCE - EWRI 2015 Hydraulic Structures Medal for outstanding contributions to advance the art and science of hydraulic structures engineering Listed in 2011 by WP&DC among the 20 international personalities that “have made the biggest difference to the sector Water Power & Dam Construction over the last 10 years”. Elected in 2012 vice-president and in 2015 president of the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD). Grand Prix 2018 SHF (Société hydrotechnique de France)