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INSTRUCTORS:
Gerry McShane
Hai (Thomas) Lin, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Van E. Komurka, P.E., BC.GE, F.ASCE
Purpose and Background
These presentations were recorded at the Geo-Institute Web Conference 2025.
Nothing Has Harmed the Driven Steel Pile More Than Resistivity (36 minutes)
This presentation critically examines the widespread use, and frequent misuse, of soil resistivity as a determinant of steel pile corrosion. It explains the electrochemical fundamentals of corrosion and clarifies what resistivity actually measures versus what it does not. The speaker discusses how modern steel metallurgy, alloying, and manufacturing practices have significantly improved durability compared to historical steel. Common assumptions linking low resistivity directly to high corrosion risk are challenged, particularly for driven piles in undisturbed soils where oxygen availability is limited. The presentation reviews corrosion mechanisms, contributing environmental factors, and why resistivity should be treated as an indicator rather than a definitive design criterion. Practical guidance is provided on rational corrosion protection strategies that balance durability, performance, and cost.
High-Performance Wood for Deep Foundation Applications: Enhancing Soil-Pile Interaction through Material Innovation (26 minutes)
This presentation introduces high-performance wood (HPW) as an engineered alternative to conventional timber piles for deep foundation applications. It describes the material modification process, including partial delignification and densification, that significantly improves strength, stiffness, and durability. Laboratory testing results are presented to compare the mechanical behavior of HPW piles with untreated timber piles under lateral loading conditions. The speaker highlights improvements in load capacity, reduced deflections, and more consistent material properties. Sustainability benefits, including renewable sourcing and reduced environmental impact, are also discussed. The presentation concludes with potential applications and future research needs for scaling and field implementation of HPW piles.
Static Load Testing Instrumentation, Data Reduction, and Interpretation (35 minutes)
This presentation provides an in-depth discussion of static pile load testing with a focus on instrumentation practices, test execution, and data interpretation. It reviews common testing configurations, including compression, tension, lateral, and bidirectional tests, and highlights best practices for load application and monitoring. The speaker explains how instrumentation such as strain gauges, telltales, pressure gauges, and load cells influence data quality and interpretation. Emphasis is placed on proper data reduction methods, including load–displacement curves, elastic shortening, and assessment of shaft and toe resistance. Advanced interpretation concepts, such as qualitative response evaluation and the incremental rigidity method, are also introduced. The presentation equips attendees with practical insights to improve the reliability and usefulness of static load test results.
Benefits and Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of these sessions, you will be able to:
- Explain the electrochemical principles governing corrosion of driven steel piles and the role of soil resistivity.
- Discuss why resistivity alone is an unreliable predictor of corrosion risk for driven piles in undisturbed soils.
- Describe the material treatment process used to produce high-performance wood piles and its effect on mechanical properties.
- Identify the performance improvements of high-performance wood piles relative to untreated timber piles under lateral loading.
- Explain how testing procedures and instrumentation choices affect the quality and interpretation of static load test results.
- Discuss methods for interpreting load–displacement and strain data to evaluate pile shaft and toe resistance.
Assessment of Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes are assessed and achieved through passing a 10 multiple-choice question post-test with at least a 70%.
Who Should Attend?
- Geotechnical Engineers
- Engineering Geologists
- Road Designers
- Practitioners
- Geosynthetic Manufacturers
- Contractors
- Graduate Students
How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion
To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short post-test online and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 365 days of course purchase.
How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?
1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]