• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Engineering Management Institute

  • About
    • Meet Anthony Fasano, P.E.
    • EMI’s Mission, Vision & Values
    • Meet Team EMI
  • Content
    • Blog
    • Podcasts
      • The Engineering Career Coach Podcast
      • The Civil Engineering Podcast
        • Women in Civil Engineering
        • Civil Engineering Entrepreneurs
        • The Civil Engineering CEO Podcast
      • The Structural Engineering Channel
      • The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast
      • The Engineering Quality Control Podcast
      • The Engineering Project Management Podcast
      • AEC Engineering and Technology Podcast
      • Women in Engineering: Success Stories from STEM Professionals
      • This Week in Civil Engineering
    • TV
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Recommended Reading
    • Sponsors
  • Services
    • Training
    • Hiring Solutions
    • Webinars
  • FE-PE Exams
  • Clients
  • Contact
  • Training

  • About
    • Meet Anthony Fasano, P.E.
    • EMI’s Mission, Vision & Values
    • Meet Team EMI
  • Content
    • Blog
    • Podcasts
      • The Engineering Career Coach Podcast
      • The Civil Engineering Podcast
        • Women in Civil Engineering
        • Civil Engineering Entrepreneurs
        • The Civil Engineering CEO Podcast
      • The Structural Engineering Channel
      • The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast
      • The Engineering Quality Control Podcast
      • The Engineering Project Management Podcast
      • AEC Engineering and Technology Podcast
      • Women in Engineering: Success Stories from STEM Professionals
      • This Week in Civil Engineering
    • TV
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Recommended Reading
    • Sponsors
  • Services
    • Training
    • Hiring Solutions
    • Webinars
  • FE-PE Exams
  • Clients
  • Contact
  • Training

TGEP 27: Large Diameter Foundations in Geotechnical Engineering

July 1, 2021 By EMI

https://media.blubrry.com/engineeringcareercoach/traffic.libsyn.com/secure/geotechnicalengineeringpodcast/TGEP027.mp3

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

In this episode, I talk to Kathryn Petek, Ph.D., P.E., a senior associate and geotechnical engineer at Shannon & Wilson, Inc. in Seattle with nearly 20 years of experience in design, construction, and research about large diameter foundations.

Engineering Quotes:

large diameter foundations

large diameter foundations

Here Are Some of the Questions We Ask Kathryn:

  • What would you say to a student who is feeling very uninspired?
  • What is a large diameter shaft?
  • Tell us more about the FHWA research project you conducted and the outcome reached.
  • Are large diameter foundations used worldwide or only in select countries?
  • What are some of the challenges and considerations with large diameter foundations?
  • What advice can you give the listeners out there who would like to pursue a career like yours?

Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About Large Diameter Foundations in Geotechnical Engineering:

  • You will not be spending your career behind a desk or calculator. Geotechnical engineering is a lot more creative and interactive than most students realize. Many opportunities can build on your strengths and make your career fit for yourself.
  • Large is relative to the project you are working on. In some projects, shafts of approximately 10 to 12 feet in diameter are large. Roadway projects with open-end driven piles greater than 30 inches are large. Projects with closed-end piles wider than 24 inches are large. The size of the shafts and piles is determined by how much capacity is needed.
  • Large open-end piles are increasingly used in transportation infrastructure projects because they have a high load-bearing capacity, can sustain high lateral loads, have significant flexural resistance, and a substantial unsupportive length. There is a lot of uncertainty in large diameter open-end piles. There was a lot of load testing done in the past on small diameter foundations, but there was a period when it seemed that load testing stopped. These old design methods had questionable applicability to large diameter foundations. Many of the static design methods do not address pile plugging. The fundamental nature of large open-end piles is not well understood or captured in the design guidance.
  • Large diameter open-end piles encompass not only the steels piles but also the concrete cylinder piles. In the FHWA research project, a large mass of existing load test data was collected and used to build a load test database. This database is available as a free download for other engineers to use. This data was used to evaluate existing static design methods. The goal of the research was to bracket the problem of large diameter open-end pile plugging and develop useable guidance for the design of large diameter open-end piles. The recommendations derived from the research are currently being worked on to get them implemented in the AASHTO code.
  • Large diameter foundations are used in the offshore industry for several decades until the last 15 to 20 years. They are now widely used in transport infrastructure projects and anywhere where the need for them arises.
  • If you are looking for a career in large diameter foundations, look for a company that has vast technical expertise working for them. Engineering is a very experience-based field. With each project that you work on, you learn something new. Having the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects will help you get more tools in your toolbox. Having expert colleges to get input, advice, and help from is the perfect way to learn and broaden your experience. Seek out projects, people, and opportunities that will help you grow in your career.

More Details in This Episode…

About Kathryn Petek, Ph.D., P.E.

Shannon & Wilson, Inc.Dr. Kathryn Petek, Ph.D., P.E., is a professional engineer and project manager for geotechnical engineering projects with over 17 years of experience in design, construction, and research. Kathryn utilizes her technical expertise, practical engineering, and management skills to deliver projects that balance cost, constructability, and schedule. Kathryn has led numerous transportation infrastructure projects related to bridge widening and replacement as well as with roadway widening and improvement.

Click here to read her full bio.

Sources/References:

Shannon & Wilson, Inc.
FHWA Deep Foundation Load Test Database
AASHTO Codes

This Episode Is Brought to You by Menard USA

MenardMenard USA is a specialty ground improvement contractor that works nationally providing design-build ground improvement solutions at sites with problematic soils.

Menard works closely with civil, structural, and geotechnical engineers to minimize foundation costs for a wide range of soil conditions, structure types, and loading conditions. To learn more about Menard Group USA, or for help on your next project, please visit https://www.menardgroupusa.com/.

Please leave your comments or questions in the section below on large diameter foundations in geotechnical engineering.

  • If you enjoyed this post, please consider downloading our free list of 33 Productivity Routines of Top Engineering Executives. Click the button below to download.

    Download the Productivity Routines

To your success,

Jared M. Green, P.E., D.GE, NOMA
Host of The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast

Related Posts

  • TGEP 24: The Benefits of Using Energy Foundations in Geotechnical Engineering
  • TGEP 01: The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast Is Here to Serve You
  • TGEP 04: A Young Successful Geotechnical Engineer Making a Difference in the Engineering World
  • TGEP 10: Ground Improvement Techniques for Geotechnical Engineering Professionals
  • Large versus Small Engineering Firms - Engineering Career TV Ep. 8

Filed Under: TGEP - The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast Tagged With: AASHTO code, closed-end piles, creative and interactive, FHWA research, flexural resistance, Geotechnical Engineering, high lateral loads, high load-bearing capacity, Kathryn Petek, Large Diameter Foundations, Large open-end piles, load test database, open-end driven piles, open-end pile plugging, Roadway projects, shafts, Shannon & Wilson, static design methods, transportation infrastructure, unsupportive length

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

And Get Custom Content Delivered To You Weekly

PM Training

engineering management lessons

career readiness

Categories

  • AECT – AEC Engineering and Technology Podcast
  • Blog
    • Business Development
    • Business/Entrepreneurship
    • Career Goals and Challenges
    • Communication/Public Speaking
    • COVID19
    • Credentials
    • Enlightenment
    • Ethics & Integrity
    • Job Search/Salary/Relocation
    • Leadership/Management
    • Mentoring
    • Networking/Client Relations
    • News and Events
    • Organization/Productivity/Time Management
    • Personal Development and Professionalism
    • Program Management
    • Project Management
    • Travel
    • Work Life Balance
  • Civil Engineering
  • Engineering Career TV
  • Engineering Technology
  • TCEP-The Civil Engineering Podcast
    • Business Development
    • Business/Entrepreneurship
    • Career Goals and Challenges
    • Civil Engineering Entrepreneurs
    • Communication & Public Speaking
    • Credentials
    • Ethics/Integrity
    • Infrastructure
    • Job Search/Salary/Relocation
    • Leadership/Management
    • Mentoring
    • Project Management
    • Women in Engineering
  • TECC Podcast-The Engineering Career Coach Podcast
    • Business/Entrepreneurship
    • Career Game Changers
    • Career Goals and Challenges
    • Communication/Public Speaking
    • Credentials
    • Enlightenment
    • Job Search/Salary/Relocation
    • Leadership/Management
    • Mentoring
    • Networking/Client Relations
    • News and Events
    • Organization/Productivity/Time Management
    • Personal Development and Professionalism
    • Project Management
    • Work Life Balance
  • TEPM – The Engineering Project Management Podcast
  • TEQC – The Engineering Quality Control Podcast
  • TGEP – The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast
    • Tunneling Series
  • TSEC-The Structural Engineering Channel
  • TWiCE
  • Uncategorized
  • WIE Success Stories
  • Women in Engineering
  • Youtube

TECC Sidebar Featured Final

ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE

We Can Help You:

  • Build solutions to attract talented professionals.
  • Develop your staff’s people skills.
  • Create career roadmaps for your staff.
  • Provide PM training for your professionals.
  • Build custom development programs.
  • Scale sustainably.

Location:

50 E. Ridgewood Avenue #129

Ridgewood NJ, 07450

800-920-4007

Copyright © 2023 • All Rights Reserved • Property of Engineering Management Institute • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy

SPECIAL DOWNLOAD

33 Productivity Routines of
Top Engineering Executives

x