We are pleased to announce that we are growing again!  Recent Auburn University graduate (War Eagle!) David Graham, E.I. has joined DBA.  David recently finished the requirements for his M.S. in Civil Engineering at Auburn University, where he also completed his B.C.E.  David’s research, directed by Dr. David Elton, P.E. focused on a new method for mitigating liquefaction hazards. Although Dan “retired” while David was just starting graduate school, David was fortunate to have Dan as an instructor for several courses. David has experience in geotechnical construction and consulting working as a co-op with Saiia Construction, LLC in Birmingham, Alabama and as an engineering associate for Bunnell-Lammons Engineering, Inc. (BLE) in Greenville, South Carolina. David will now be joining DBA as a staff engineer, where he will be performing foundation analysis and design, as well as working in the field observing field explorations and construction. Although David has not yet conformed to the standard DBA hair style, we welcome him to our team.  Welcome, David!

As I posted on July 7th, the new FHWA Drilled Shafts: Construction Procedures and LRFD Design Methods has been released and is available for download (PDF) at the FHWA web site (link at previous post).  ADSC has just announced that the printed version is now available to both ADSC members and non-members:

By special arrangement with the FHWA, the ADSC’s Technical Library Service offers the manual to ADSC Members and to the design and construction community at large. ADSC Member Price is $105.00 USD, Non-Members, $140.00. A small shipping charge will be added depending on manner of delivery requested.

You can read more on obtaining the printed manual on the ADSC web site.

A link to the Academy of Geo-Professionals (AGP) has been added to our links in the sidebar.  The AGP is the organization that awards the Diplomate, Geotechnical Engineering (D.GE.) which our own Tim Siegel was recently awarded . From the AGP website:

The Academy of Geo-Professionals (AGP) was founded in October 2008 by practicing geo-professionals who were members of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Geo-Institute. The Academy was created primarily to offer a voluntary, post-license credential that provide professional engineers an opportunity to gain further recognition in the broad field of geotechnical engineering.

AGP’s goal is dedicated to improving the practice, elevating the standards, and advancing the profession of geo-professional engineering. The Academy has begun its challenge to try and meet these goals with the oversight of our voluntary, post-licensure, specialty certification program for geo-professional engineers.

A new literature search tool is available from Geoengineer.org for geotechnical engineers – the Geoengineering Literature Finder, or GEOLIFI.  This fee-based service has been created to provide access to published works in conference proceedings, etc. through agreements with publishers, etc.  This service is meant to complement there free Online Geoengineering Library.

The Online Geoengineering Library is a popular tool within Geoengineer.org and intends to provide access to publications available online at no cost. However such a database, will always be incomplete, because many publications are not (and will not be) available online.

Thus, Geoengineer.org undertook a 2-year development project to establish GEOLIFI. GEOLIFI intends to become the most comprehensive, searchable online database of geoengineering papers published worldwide not only in journals, but also in conferences, symposia, workshops, and even magazines and reports. GEOLIFI is established in cooperation with publishers, conference organizers as well as professional geoengineering organizations….

 
…..The ultimate goal is to collect and disseminate unprecedented numbers of papers in a effective manner. The database as of today includes over 2,000 papers, most of them not otherwise available online, and will continue to expand on a daily basis. … Many of these publications would not be otherwise available, except by subscribing to a journal or purchasing the proceedings.

While I am discussing search links, don’t forget Geosearch.com developed by GeoPrac.net.  A link to Geosearch.com is in our side bar.

I have added most of Tim’s published technical papers to our on line library.  Most of Tim’s published works cover topics such as karst terrain, ground improvement, and augered cast-in-place piles.  Links to each paper are below and on the Publications page.

Siegel, T.C. and McGillivary, A. (2009). “Interpreted Residual Load in an Augered Cast-in-Place Pile”, Proceedings, Annual DFI Conference, Kansas City, MO.

Siegel, T.C. and NeSmith, W.M. (2009). “Shortcomings of the Davisson Offset Limit Applied to Axial Compressive Load Tests on Cast-in-Place Piles”, 2009 International Foundation Congress and Equipment Expo, Contemporary Topics in Deep Foundations, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 185, ASCE, pp. 568-574.

Fellenius, B. H. and Siegel, T.C. (2008). “Pile Drag Load and Downdrag in a Liquefaction Event”, Journal of Geotechnical and Environmental Engineering, ASCE, Vol 134, No. 9.

Siegel, T.C., NeSmith, W.M., and NeSmith, W.M. (2008). “Increase in Cyclic Liquefaction Resistance of Sandy Soil Due to Drilled Displacement Piles”, Proceedings, Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics IV Conference, Sacramento, CA.

Bivens, M.J. and Siegel, T.C. (2007). “Case Histories of Micropiles in Karst: The Influence of Installation on Design and Performance”, Contemporary Issues in Deep Foundations, GeoDenver Conference, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 158, ASCE.

Siegel, T.C., Cargill, P.E., and NeSmith, W.N. (2007). “CPT Measurements Near Drilled Displacement Piles”, Proceedings, FMGM, Boston, MA.

Siegel, T.C., NeSmith, W.M., NeSmith, W.M., and Cargill, P.E. (2007), “Ground Improvement Resulting From Installation of Drilled Displacement Piles”, 32nd DFI Annual Conference, Colorado Springs, CO.

Camp, W.M. and Siegel, T.C. (2006). “Failure of a Column-Supported Embankment Over Soft Ground”, Proceedings, Fourth International Conference on Soft Soils, Vancouver, B.C.

Siegel, T.C. and Cargill, P.E. (2005). “Use of the Cone Penetration Test for Geotechnical Site Characterization in Clay-Mantled Karst”, Proceedings, 10th Multi-Disciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, San Antonio, TX.

Siegel, T.C., Caskey, J.M., and Huckaba, D.A. (2005). “Combination of Ground Improvement Techniques for Support of Shallow Foundation in Karst”, Innovations in Grouting and Soil Improvement, GeoFrontiers Conference, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 136, ASCE.

Siegel, T.C., Chnag, C.C., and Loizias, L. (2003). “Seismic Stability of Rock Islands for Bridge Protection in Coastal South Carolina”, Proceedings, European Conference of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Prague, Czech Republic.

Siegel, T.C. and Mackiewicz, S.M. (2003). “Failure of Axially Loaded Augered Cast-in-Place Piles in Coastal South Carolina”, Proceedings, Soil and Rock America: 12th Panamerican Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Boston, MA.

Siegel, T.C., Camp, W.M., Chnag, C.C., and Loizias, L. (2002). “Site Response of Improved ground in the Coastal Eastern United States”, Proceedings, 4th International Conference on Ground Improvement Techniques, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Siegel, T.C. and McCrackin, D.W. (2001). “Geotechnical Characterization and Modeling of a Shallow Karst Bedrock Site. Proceedings, 8th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, Louisville KY.

Siegel, T.C., Cargill, P.E., and McCrackin, M.W. (2001). “Geosynthetic Reinforcement Above Sinkholes to Protect Landfill Liners”, Proceedings, 8th Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst, Louisville KY.

Siegel, T.C., Belgeri, J.J., and McCrackin, M.W. (2001). “Case History of East Tennessee Karst: Static Stability of Some Shallow Caves”, Proceedings, 2001: A Geo-Odyssey – Foundations and Ground Improvement, Geotechnical Special Publication No. 113, Blacksburg, VA.

Tim Siegel’s presentation on plate load testing of grout columns from GeoFlorida 2010 in February has been added to our Presentations Page.  I have also added some older presentations from IFCEE09, the 41st STGEC,  and other conferences.

Construction Considerations in the Selection and Design of Drilled Shaft Foundations for Bridges – Paul Axtell, P.E. – 11th University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Structural Engineering Conference, April 8, 2010.

Drilled Shaft Performance in Cemented Calcareous Formations in the Southeast US – W. Robert Thompson, III, P.E. – IFCEE09, Orlando, Florida – March 18, 2009.

Case History: Value Engineering of Driven H-Piles for Slope Stability on the Missouri River – W. Robert Thompson, III, P.E. – IFCEE09, Orlando, Florida – March 16, 2009.

LRFD in Practice – A Case Study for Foundation Designers – W. Robert Thompson, III, P.E. and Liz Smith, P.E. (Terracon, Inc.). – 41st STGEC Conference, Wilmington, North Carolina – November 4, 2009.