News Pile

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GRL Engineers, Inc. announces Scott Webster, P.E., as new president

Photos courtesy of GRL Engineers, Inc.

Scott Webster, P.E., has been appointed GRL Engineers, Inc., president since July 8, 2022. A 30-year GRL veteran executive and principal engineer, Webster will succeed Patrick Hannigan, P.E.

Hannigan is stepping down after having been GRL president for the past 11 years. During his tenure, he guided GRL into new areas of deep foundations testing and analysis while maintaining GRL’s position as a world leader in dynamic testing and analysis of driven piles. His expertise and leadership have significantly grown GRL’s technical capabilities, practice areas, industry influence and branch locations. He was instrumental in GRL’s Bi-Directional Static Load Testing (BDSLT) and Top-Load Bi-Directional Testing (TLBT) initiatives and development. During his 45-year career, he has authored numerous technical papers covering all aspects of deep foundations testing and analyses. He is the lead author of the 1997, 2006, and 2016 editions of the Federal Highway Administration (FWHA)’s manual for “Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations.” Hannigan will continue with GRL as a senior consultant providing his expertise on BDSLT/TLBT projects, workshop/training seminars and numerous other activities.

Webster was previously the GRL vice president managing the firm’s global offshore and North Carolina-based regional operations. He will oversee GRL’s 14 offices, leading the GRL’s management team, engineers and staff in providing its wide array of deep foundation testing services in the U.S. and globally. He has vast experience in providing testing and engineering analyses of deep foundations for structures worldwide. In addition, Webster has written and presented dozens of technical papers on deep foundations at various industry events throughout his tenure.

In 2019, Webster was elected treasurer of the Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA); the same year he received the Professional Engineer’s Service Award. He is also a member of the International Association of Foundation Drilling (ADSC), American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) and National Society of Engineers, and will continue to provide GRL leadership within the industry.

DFI’s 47th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations Award recipients

Photo courtesy of the Deep Foundations Institute

DFI is holding its 47th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations from Oct. 4 to 7, in National Harbor, Md., and recently announced several award recipients.

2022 DFI Distinguished Service Award recipient

Jerry A. DiMaggio, P.E., D.GE, M.ASCE, senior principal engineer − associate at Applied Research Associates, is the recipient of DFI’s highest award bestowed to an individual, the Distinguished Service Award. This award recognizes individuals who have made exceptionally valuable contributions to the advancement of the deep foundations industry.

“[DiMaggio] was selected for this honour because of his strong advocacy for the industry,” said Theresa Engler, DFI executive director. “He has had a distinguished career providing leadership in the development and implementation of numerous innovations over several decades; most notable among these has been his lead in the implementation of load and resistance factor design methods for geotechnical applications.”

DiMaggio has more than 45 years of experience in civil engineering and heavy construction. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to design, construction, forensic assessment, dispute resolution and innovation deployment. He has received numerous recognitions and awards, including the 2016 ASCE OPAL Award, the U.S. Department of Transportation Administrator Award, the International Geosynthetics Society Achievement Medal and the FWHA’s “Engineer for the Year.” He has also received special recognition for his career contributions from ASCE, Transportation Research Board, PDCA and ADSC. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in civil engineering, is a professional engineer in several states and is a board-certified geotechnical engineer.

2022 Outstanding Project Award recipient

The winner of DFI’s 2022 Outstanding Project Award is the Mosul Dam Rehabilitation Project in Iraq, submitted by Trevi, S.p.A., service foundation division of Trevi Group.

The Mosul Dam on the Tigris River dates to the 1980s and is the largest in Iraq at 113 metres (371 feet) tall and 3.65 kilometres (2.3 miles) long. During the construction phase, engineers were aware of the foundation’s weak rock and contractors encountered cavities during excavation. Nevertheless, due to political and schedule pressures, the work continued. As a result, despite extensive grouting efforts, water seepages started immediately after commissioning the dam.

In March 2016, Trevi took over the contract to perform maintenance grouting, train the owner’s personnel, and rehabilitate the bottom outlet tunnels through electromechanical work and diving operations. From 2016 to 2019, Trevi completed about 403,000 linear metres (1,322,178 linear feet) of grouted boreholes injecting about 41,000 cubic metres (53,626 cubic yards) of grout – equivalent to 26,700 tons of solids – into the ground. Trevi also created courses on modern equipment and techniques as part of its committment to engage and train the owner’s personnel.

Trevi worked at the dam, a mere 13 kilometres (eight miles) away from the armed conflict against ISIS. Fortunately, the presence of the Coalition Forces, together with the Italian Army, guaranteed the required security of the project area. Notwithstanding the strict security procedures, the works proceeded expeditiously with no delays. The workforce numbered more than 700, and the project logged 8 million man-hours worked without accidents.

Six women receive the DFI Educational Trust’s Professional Development Grant

The DFI Educational Trust has awarded six Women in Deep Foundations (WiDF) Professional Development Grants of $1,750 each to women working in the deep foundations industry. The grant includes complimentary conference registration and covers related expenses for attending the conference.

The recipients are:

• Genesis Figueroa Palacios, graduate student researcher, University of California Irvine
• Chelsea Hoplin, P.E., project manager, GEI Consultants
• Leili Javidannia, P.E., geostructural engineer, GeoEngineers
• Pascale Léonard, project manager, DoubleStar Drilling
• Joanna Mason, P.E., project manager, Schnabel Foundation Company
• Emily Trousil, design engineer, Nicholson Construction Company

The grants are being presented during DFI’s Annual Conference at the WiDF 6th Annual Networking Event on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. To register for the reception or to sponsor the event, visit www.dfi.org/Annual2022.

Project summaries to compete in the International Society for Micropiles 4th Micropile World Cup due March 1

Project summaries are being accepted for the International Society for Micropiles’ (ISM) 4th Micropile World Cup Competition at ISM’s 15th International Workshop on Micropiles from May 31 to June 2, 2023, at The Sebastian in Vail, Colo.

This international competition seeks out a micropile project that stands above all others. Five regions of the globe will compete to bring home the Micropile World Cup: North America, South and Central America, Europe, Africa and Central Asia (Russia, Middle East and India), and Australasia.

To be considered, a project must involve micropiles and have been completed in the past three years. To participate, submit a one-page summary of the proposed project to www.tinyurl.com/ISMWorldCup2023. In addition, participants must submit project summaries before March 1, 2023. Any project size is eligible. The panel of experts seeks projects that present innovation, difficult conditions, unique applications and the impact on the acceptance of micropiles in the region.

A panel from each region will select one project to represent their region. Authors of each selected project will pick a delegate to present the project during a session at the workshop. The presentation will be a maximum of 20 minutes, followed by a short question period. A paper will not be required to accompany the presentation.

The ISM delegates will vote for the winner during the workshop. The authors of the winning project will receive the Micropile World Cup to keep until the next ISM Workshop.

ISM’s 15th International Workshop on Micropiles includes lectures, discussions and panel sessions on all aspects of micropile technology, supplemented with social events. The workshop also features the 11th Lizzi Lecture and the 9th Lizzi Scholarship. For more information, contact Technical Program Chair Ty Jahn, P.E., Condon-Johnson Associates at tjahn@condon-johnson.com.

JD Fields & Company, Inc., inks exclusive deal with ArcelorMittal

JD Fields & Company, Inc. (JDF), a subsidiary of the Fields Companies, announced a long-term exclusive marketing agreement with one of the world’s leading steel and mining companies ArcelorMittal (NYSE: MT) and its Long Products division for the sole distribution rights to its steel sheet piling systems in North America. This material partnership includes the international standard AZ sheet pile series and the HZÒ-M high modulus combi-wall system.

This agreement constitutes a significant step for JDF in the domestic foundation steel distribution sector and represents a new era for ArcelorMittal’s sheet piling business in North America.

JDF is also positioned to stock the most competitive light, medium, intermediate strategically and heavy AZ sections to service engineering design and contracting professionals in its exclusive territory, which encompasses the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

Registration open for 6th International Conference on Grouting and Deep Mixing

Registration is open for the 6th International Conference on Grouting and Deep Mixing, held from Jan. 15 to 18, 2023, in New Orleans, La. This conference is being presented by DFI and the International Conference Organization for Grouting, with support from Geo-Institute’s Grouting Committee.

This legacy event celebrates 40 years of grouting technology and practices, focusing on the latest grouting practices, including:

• Advances in digital methods
• Innovations and developments in drilling, grouting and deep mixing
• Advances in grout materials
• Properties of grouted material
• Grouting and sustainability
• Codes, standards and specifications
• Advances in verification and monitoring
• Case studies in applications
• Grouting for resiliency

The conference features 11 short pre-conference courses, five keynote presentations, parallel tracks of technical sessions, panel discussions, an exhibit hall, social and networking opportunities, and a luncheon to honour Grouting G.R.E.A.T.S. – Grouters dedicated to Research, Education, Advancement of Technology and Service.

Online proceedings containing over 100 papers have been published and are made available to all registrants once they sign up to attend.

For more information, visit www.dfi.org/Grout2022.

Malcolm Drilling celebrates 60 years

In 1962, John Malcolm founded Malcolm Drilling with a single truck-mounted drill rig for rentals and small hard dollar projects. In the following years, Malcolm developed a reputation as a trailblazer and industry leader in deep foundations. This year the company celebrates its 60th anniversary and the people, projects and values that helped it grow into one of North America’s largest family-owned deep foundation contractors.

Over the past six decades, Malcolm Drilling has grown into a family of over 1,000 employees and 10 offices nationwide. Their team members’ hard work, dedication and passion have been essential to company operations. Although their geographic areas and services have expanded, their fundamental principles remain the same.

Malcolm Drilling’s team of dedicated employees has helped the company grow beyond drilling. Their capabilities have expanded to design-build, deep foundations, ground improvement, retention systems and dewatering, while maintaining their values of safety, innovation and commitment to working together. The company has become an industry leader with a bright future. The team is grateful for their past 60 years and proud to celebrate this milestone with fellow employees, clients and partners. For more information, visit www.malcolmdrilling.com.  

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