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Instructor: Robert M. Koerner, Ph.D., P.E., BC.GE, Dist. M.ASCE

Course Length:  90 minutes

Sponsored by ASCE Continuing Education and ASCE's Geo-Institute (GI).  

Purpose and Background

Soil slopes continue to fail either naturally or by being induced through construction activities. They are occasionally deep-seated and catastrophic, but are more often small in the form of veneer or shallow failures, the latter category being the topic of this webinar. The approach developed and used herein is an in-situ stabilization method before the potential slide occurs. It is based on using a surface deployed geosynthetic that is either nailed (or anchored) to the retained soil. The original method proposed by the author used a knit fabric on the soil surface retained by hand-driven soil nails. The requisite theories (Bishop simplified and COE wedge) were modified for the inclusions and are illustrated accordingly. A patent was granted in 1986 and abruptly resulted in complete silence for 17+ years by contractors, manufacturers, owners, etc. Interestingly, in the past 5-10 years (after expiration of the patent), at least thirteen companies have used this technique, each of which will be illustrated. All types of geosynthetics (and even wire mesh) are being used on the soil's surface and small anchors (Duckbill or Platypus) seem to be the current tendency as opposed to soil nails. This webinar presents another form of ground stabilization which appears to be finally taking-off. This webinar attempts to capture not only the past but the present as well.

Primary Discussion Topics

• Significance of landslides
• Nature of soil slope instability
• Specific procedures focused upon herein
• Basic soil slope analysis methods
• Soil nailing and surface geosynthetic effects
• Required theoretical modifications
• Field implementation trials
• The futility of patents
• Activity over the past ten years (post-patent) in practice
• Summary and conclusions

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Recognize nature and costs of shallow soil slope failures
• Discuss theoretical background of soil slope instability
• Determine details of this method and resulting modifications to theory
• Know about field implementations of original method
• Hear about 1986 patent and its deadening effect for 22-years
• Gain an understanding of current activity by 13-different organizations
• Commentary going forward

Webinar Benefits

• Appreciate the extent of shallow slope failures
• Understand the theoretical background and required modifications
• Learn about the origins of the technique and initial field trials
• Discuss the current activity using this method and variations thereon

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-assessment (true-false, multiple choice and fill in the blank questions).

Intended Audience

• Transportation engineers and planners
• Geotechnical and geosynthetics engineers
• Ground modification contractors
• Local, state and federal agencies with ownership responsibilities for related infrastructure

Webinar Outline

• Introduction and background of landslides
• Required theoretical modifications
• Soil nailing and surface geosynthetic effects
• Implementation of nailed eeosynthetics
• Current activity by the industry
• Summary and conclusions  

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 on-line post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 1 year of purchasing the course.

How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?

1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]