This webinar was co-sponsored by ASCE's Geo-Institute and ASCE Continuing Education

Purpose and Background

Many engineers are forced to use deep foundations due to prevailing poor soil conditions. One deep foundation alternative is the driven pile. Driven piles are long slender structural members of steel, concrete or timber that can be inspected prior to installation and which are installed generally by impacts of a large pile driving hammer. Unfortunately many engineers are unfamiliar with driven piles, or do not use them to their full advantage. This webinar will provide engineers with a practical overview of the pile types, installation equipment and issues involved in deep foundations using driven piles. It will focus on how the available methods commonly used to estimate capacity impact the costs of a project, compare designs using Allowable Stress Design (ASD) with Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD), and introduce concepts to further reduce foundation costs and optimize the foundation design. The instructor will illustrate this with several actual projects that demonstrate the cost effectiveness of driven piles and discuss difficult conditions where driven piles offer the best alternative for the foundation.

Learning Outcomes and Webinar Benefits

This webinar will demonstrate the available pile types and installation equipment, help you understand how the selection process of capacity verification method impacts the foundation costs, and demonstrate how testing results in lower overall foundation costs while at the same time reducing risks. Participants will also learn applications where driven piles are ideally suited.