ASCE has honored Lelio H. Mejia, Ph.D., P.E., GE, M.ASCE, NAE, with the 2021 Ralph B. Peck Award for international leadership in and contributions to the practice of geotechnical earthquake engineering, the seismic evaluation and design of embankment dams and foundation systems, and the refinement and calibration of analytical procedures through the examination of key case histories.
Mejia is a well-known practicing geotechnical engineer who has worked on high-visibility/impact projects throughout the world, and has shared his experience by publishing numerous case histories. His other projects include large earth dams (e.g., Almaden, Anderson, Matahina, Seven Oaks, and Vaqueros dams), bridge foundations, and geotechnical work related to the Panama Canal Expansion project (e.g., Borinquen Dam, a large embankment dam that is part of the $5.25 billion expansion of the Panama Canal). Mejia has also been extremely active in disseminating the lessons he has learned from his seismic evaluation of numerous large earth and concrete dams and other projects by authoring/coauthoring approximately 100+ technical journal and conference papers and making numerous technical presentations. He serves in leadership committee positions, such as the Governance Board of the National Science Foundation Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES).
This nomination cites two papers published within the last five years that describe Mejia’s work projects: “Evaluation of Earthquake-Induced Cracking of Embankment Dams” (with E. Dawson) and “Seismic Evaluation of Landmark Hydraulic Fill Dam on Soft Soil Foundation” (with M. De Puy, A. Abrego, E. Newman, and R. Arulnathan).
The Ralph B. Peck Award is presented for outstanding contributions to the geotechnical engineering profession through the publication of a thoughtful, carefully researched case history or histories, or the publication of recommended practices or design methodologies based on the evaluation of case histories.
