Geotechnical Design Training

This one day training course focuses on the acquisition of data and will help ensure you specify the right laboratory and field tests for your projects.

It will help answer the key questions and ensure you to get the right geotechnical data for your design. At the conclusion you will be able to:

• Ask the right questions
• Specify the right tests
• Determine the design data you need
• Have confidence that the reported data is relevant, reliable and correct

The initial focus is on the project design requirements, what information is relevant and how it can be acquired. Common engineering design situations including shallow and deep foundations, retaining structures and slopes are used to illustrate how the design requirements of the investigation need to be tailored to suit the end use of the data. This emphasises the strategic, questioning view necessary to define and specify the right tests  and methods for your project with confidence.

Routine field and laboratory testing are discussed, highlighting each test method and what the test can and cannot produce. The advantages, disadvantages and practical difficulties of these tests are outlined and an overview of advanced testing completes the session.

The importance of the Ground Investigation Report is highlighted, clarifying what information you should expect in every report and how it is used to calculate the parameters required for design.

The day will conclude with a review of current and forthcoming legislation, codes and specifications.

• How to specify the right tests for the most common engineering design challenges
• How to specify tests appropriate to the ground conditions and sample quality
• How to interpret suitability of a Ground Investigation report for design
• The value and limitations of routine tests and test data
• Available in-situ and laboratory tests
• Awareness of advanced in-situ and laboratory tests

This course has been specifically developed for those with a responsibility for the specification of laboratory and field geotechnical tests and the resulting data, including:

• Civil and structural engineers
• Graduate geotechnical engineers and geologists
• Project managers
• Clients and client advisors

Sessions begin at 9:00 and finish at 17:00. Morning and afternoon coffee breaks and lunch are included in the programme.

Session 1 Making the right decisions
Session 2 What tests to specify and why
Session 3 What to expect in a ground investigation report
Session 4 Specification, codes and legislation