Overtopping Protection of Embankment Dams

Dr. Rafael Morán holds a PhD from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and is an Associate Professor of Hydraulic Engineering at UPM’s School of Civil Engineering. With nine years of experience in dam design and construction, his research since 2007 has focused on dam safety, including spillway hydraulics, overtopping failures of embankment dams, and protective technologies. He has participated in numerous national and industry projects. Dr. Morán is the co-director of the subcommittee on overtopping protections within the European Working Group on Overtopping Erosion of Dams (ICOLD) and contributes actively to SPANCOLD technical committees. His work has led to two industrial patents and strong international collaborations. He supervises young researchers and frequently contributes to conferences and technical journals in dam safety.

Prof. Miguel Ángel Toledo is a Full Professor of Hydraulic Engineering at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, where he has carried out his teaching and research work since 1989, mainly focused on dam engineering. After an initial period of more than a decade working in consultancy, during which he combined professional and academic activity, since 2003 he has developed an intensive teaching career, delivering courses on dams and hydraulic infrastructures, alongside a strong research activity. He is the coordinator of the Dam Safety research group (SERPA), whose main lines of work are the study of embankment dam failure by overtopping and the means to protect them, and the analysis of dam safety through monitoring data using machine learning techniques.

PhD in Civil Engineering (2023), Civil Engineer (1999), Bachelor in Environmental Sciences (2002) and Master in Civil Engineering Systems (2018), all from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM). His career combines professional engineering practice and applied research, focused on dam engineering and fluvial hydraulics. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Hydraulic Engineering and Dams at UPM and Technical Director at the technology startup ACIS2in. Since 2013, he has been a member of the SERPA Research Group, contributing to research on dam protection against overtopping and unconventional spillways. His PhD received the 2023 “Carlos González Cruz” Award for best thesis in hydraulic engineering and dams. He has participated in numerous national research projects, holds two industrial patents, and actively contributes to SPANCOLD committees and international dam safety conferences.