Register now for the Pile Drivers Contractors Association DICEP 2024 – Chicago

This Event Reminder is sponsored by:

The Pile Driving Contractor Association (PDCA) is pleased to announce the 25th Design and Installation of Cost-Efficient Piles (DICEP) Conference scheduled for September 10-11, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois. The DICEP conference has a focus on Deep Foundations, Earth Retention, and the Benefits of the Driven Pile and this year’s theme is “Driven Pile Mega Projects”.

There are multiple ways to participate in the PDCA DICEP 2024 Conference – attendee, exhibitor, and/or sponsor. During the registration process, you will be able to indicate the opportunities that fit your and your company’s needs.

ATTENDEES
The DICEP Conference will consist of a series of presentations with a focus on innovative design, construction case studies, and equipment related to deep foundations, earth retention and/ or the driven pile. Attendees will learn the advantages of using driven piles as a foundation ele­ment for various types of projects as well as current & projected industry engineering discussions.

Conference attendee registration fee includes the listed breakfast, breaks, lunch, and reception on the schedule, as well as conference materials, session presentations, access to exhibit hall, and up to 8.5 professional development hours (PDH). An optional pre-conference short course is also available with an additional 4.5 PDH hours.

MEMBER REGISTRATION OPTIONS & FEES
OPTIONAL Tuesday Morning Short Course: $175
Attendee: $600
Government: $450
Student: $100

NON-MEMBER REGISTRATION OPTIONS & FEES
OPTIONAL Tuesday Morning Short Course: $275
Attendee: $750

AGENDA:

Tuesday, September 10, 2024
7:15 AM 8:00 AM Short Course Breakfast

8:00 AM 12:30 PM Optional Short Course: *Advanced registration required.
Quality Control and Quality Assurance of Driven Piles Foundations and Steel Sheet Walls
Mohamad Hussein, PE, GRL Engineers, Inc.; Gerry McShane, Service Steel Warehouse
Summary: This course provides an overview of common methods of QA/QC for driven piles deep foundations and steel sheet walls. It includes discussions on factors to consider during the design phase of a project and during installations, and provides some perspectives on the value of testing, inspections, and QA/QC from design and construction points of view. The effect of good practices and well-planned and well-executed QA/QC programs on the design and construction for more cost effective, efficient, and reliable deep foundations and steel sheet walls will be discussed by recognized experts.

8:00 8:10 AM Course Introduction
8:10 9:00 AM Pile and Hammer Types
9:00 9:20 AM Pile Driving Inspection
9:20 10:00 AM Steel Sheet Piles: Best Construction Practices
10:00 10:15 AM Break
10:15 11:00 AM Steel Sheet Piles: Durability by Design
11:00 12:00 AM Static and Dynamic Pile Testing
12:00 12:30 PM Development of Pile Driving Criteria

Lunch on Your Own

2:00 PM 2:30 PM Registration / Coffee & Snack Break

2:30 PM 3:00 PM DICEP Opening Ceremony & Welcome Announcements

3:00 PM 4:00 PM Pile Driving Design & Operation Challenges in Mega Projects Panel Discussion

4:00 PM 4:45 PM Cantilevered Sheet Pile Walls Comparison of Design Methods
John J. Peirce, Jr., P.E., BC.GE, Peirce Engineering, Inc.
Summary: This presentation will discuss and compare the design of sheet pile walls retaining granular soils, using three, different, allowable stress, design methods as presented in Foundation Design by Wayne C. Teng, Prentice-Hall, 1962 and in the USS Steel Sheet Piling Design Manual, 1970. The design methods discussed, with example designs, will include Teng’s Conventional Method, Teng’s Simplified Method, and Teng’s Graphical Design Charts.

4:45 PM 5:15 PM Vibrations Topic
Chuck Dowding, PhD, Northwestern University

5:15 PM 7:00 PM Meet & Greet Reception

Wednesday, September 11, 2024
7:00 AM 8:00 AM Registration / Breakfast

8:00 AM 8:15 AM Welcome & Announcements

8:15 AM 9:15 AM Tentative: US Army Corps Technical Presentation

9:15 AM 10:15 AM Designing Durability into Steel Sheet Piling Structures
Gerry McShane, Service Steel Warehouse
Summary: The Durability of steel has changed significantly over the last 50 years largely due to new methods of steel making and subsequent changes in metallurgical structure and content. Modern manufacturing processes no longer produce specific chemical compositions but combine grain refinement and addition of alloys to achieve required mechanical properties. Today’s steel will be compared to steel made 100 years ago not only for structural behavior but also on the part that modern steel making has made on the generation and rate of corrosion. The factors that contribute to corrosion occurring and the rate that it develops will be examined and various steps to control or inhibit corrosion will be outlined. A comparison will be made between the breakdown of steel and concrete over time. An example will be provided showing the various options open to the designer to inhibit or improve steel durability along with their associated costs.

10:15 AM 10:45 AM Break

10:45 AM 11:15 AM Automated Pile Driving Data Collection on INDOT Bridges
Mir A. Zaheer, P.E., Manager Geotechnical Consultant, IN DOT
Summary: Using electronic or digital processes simplifies handling and integration of pile driving data into construction management or document management systems for acceptance, payment, and source documentation.
It helps States reap the benefits of the efficiency and transparency of e-Construction. The presentation will include examples of pile driving data from Indiana projects, while showcasing the benefits of automated data collection:
• Minimize human error and improve the level of safety and efficiency for field staff.
• Acquired data can be analyzed to help reduce damage and repair costs over time.
• Data acquired will help designers when designing future rehabilitation projects.

11:15 AM 12:00 PM Driving Excellence: Cajun Industries’ PLNG Driven Pile Mega Project
Jimmy Nettles, Senior Project Manager, Cajun Industries, LLC
Jordan Romero, Project Manager, Cajun Industries, LLC
Summary: The PLNG Driven Pile Mega Project allowed Cajun Industries to showcase its ability to exceed client expectations, strive for operational excellence, while prioritizing employee health and safety above all else. Over the course of the Project, Cajun executed over 575,000 safe man-hours while installing 18,300 driven piles of various types and sizes, amounting to 1,965,900 linear feet of pile, equivalent to 372 miles or 3 round trips to outer space. In total, over 312 million pounds of piling material safely was handled and installed. Cajun Industries demonstrated exceptional expertise and versatility in its pivotal role in the construction of the Venture Global Plaquemines LNG Export Facility. The collaboration between Cajun, KZJV, Venture Global, and other stakeholders exemplified the power of teamwork in achieving ambitious construction goals while ensuring safety and quality every step of the way.

12:00 PM 1:00 PM Luncheon

1:00 PM 2:00 PM Bridge Design Criteria with Driven Pile Foundations / Bridge Safety
Silas Nichols, PE, FHWA

2:00 PM 3:00 PM Deep Foundations Comparison: Driven vs Drilled
Michael Wysockey, PhD, PE, Thatcher Foundations
Summary: Driven and drilled piles will be defined and described as to what types are included in each category. Examples are given for several deep foundation installation techniques. Different construction procedures will be demonstrated as to their effects on capacity and reliability. Vibrations will be considered, including mitigation. The factors affecting costs will be considered.

3:00 PM 3:30 PM Break

3:30 PM 4:30 PM Soil / Pile Set Up in Driven Pile Foundation Design & Installation
Van E. Komurka, P.E., GRL Engineers, Inc.
Summary: This presentation will describe innovative soil/pile set-up characterization and application in driven-pile foundation design and installation. Set-up, an often misunderstood and under-utilized concept in driven-pile design, is a time-dependent increase in driven-pile capacity. Set-up is primarily related to increased shaft capacity and can provide a significant contribution to long-term capacity. Incorporating set-up into design and installation can increase cost-effectiveness and reduce construction schedules. Appropriate characterization of set-up, and its incorporation into design and installation (i.e., depth-variable driving criteria), will be illustrated with a case history.

4:30 PM 5:00 PM Microsoft Data Center Driven Pile Foundations Recipe for Success
Ken Gollon, Walsh Construction
Summary: The Microsoft Data Center campus currently under development in southeastern Wisconsin is a Mega Project which involves construction of multiple large facilities and support infrastructure across approximately 1,500+ acres of property. Walsh Construction was selected in early 2024 as the Construction Manager for the development of the first main site which has several facilities founded on driven h-pile. This presentation will seek to provide insight into the collaborative process to select a deep foundation solution, develop realistic cost estimates and schedules, provide verification programs through dynamic and static load testing, optimize site logistics to enhance access, utilize local subcontractors, and ultimately install approximately 45 miles of driven h-pile while working roughly 30,000+ manhours injury-free. Installation of pile was a combined effort between Walsh Construction and Zenith Tech Inc.