Choosing the Right Ground Improvement for Your Project

WHICH WAY DO WE GO?

Choosing the Right Ground Improvement for Your Project

Selecting the right foundation type for sites with marginal soil profiles can be difficult.  There are many types of ground improvement that could be used – the challenge is knowing when ground improvement is a more economical or efficient choice than deep foundations.  This presentation will review the factors that go into making the decision to use ground improvement and the types of ground improvement available.  It will then focus on various densification techniques, wick drains, stone columns, rigid inclusions, and broadly, piles, and explain when each is appropriate.  The presentation will outline the limits of each technique, review the design methodology for each, and discuss the information we need to be able to design these various systems.

Chris Woods, P.E., G.E., P.Eng, CEng MIEI, BC.GE., F.ASCE

Chris Woods is Vice-President of Business Development for the Pittsburgh-based design-build specialty contractor Menard USA.  Prior to joining Menard, Chris spent thirteen years as the Vice President of a national dynamic compaction specialty contractor and another thirteen years as a geotechnical consultant practicing primarily in the Northeastern United States.  Chris earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Degree from Purdue University and his Master’s Degree in Geotechnical Engineering from Virginia Tech.  He has over 25 years of experience in geotechnical engineering, with a particular specialization in ground improvement; he has additionally been involved with the design of shallow and deep foundation systems, evaluation of earth slope stability, design of retaining walls, geotechnical instrumentation monitoring, and extensive construction oversight.  Chris is presently serving a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for the Academy of Geoprofessionals (AGP) and has been an active member of the ASCE and the Geo-Institute, serving as a member of the Geo-Strata Editorial Board since 2015, and presently as Vice Chair of the Soil Improvement Committee.  Chris has also been involved in several initiatives with the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI), including serving as the Chair of the Student Engagement Committee, serving on the Editorial Board for DFI Journal, and as Co-Technical Chair of the 2022 DFI International Conference.  Chris is also an active member of the ASCE Foundation Standards Committee.