Foundation Engineering and Design

Increase your knowledge and learn the principles and practices for the investigation, design, contracting, and construction of shallow, intermediate, and deep foundations, including remediation of soft, wet, expansive, and frost-prone soils. 

After attending this course, you will have a firm grasp of the background and design specifics necessary to compete in this industry, including industry-leading information on the principles and practices of foundation design for buildings, transportation infrastructure, utilities, and industrial facilities. Understand practical emerging technologies including advanced design techniques for pressuremeter-supported foundation design; aggregate piers; auger cast, helical, and micro piles; and design for lateral loads, frost heave, and wet/dry cycles.

• Civil and structural engineers and designers
• Engineers and contractors for military facilities
• Public works professionals
• Consultants
• Geological engineers and geoscientists
• Facility managers and physical plant engineers
• Contractors and estimators
• Developers and public/private land owners
• Utility engineers and managers
• Local, county, and state building commissioners and staff 

Day 1: Shallow Foundations Systems

• Introduction and Foundation Systems
• Foundation Geotechnics
• Foundation Investigation and Reporting
• Class Demonstration
• Bearing Capacity
• Slabs on Grade
• Mat Foundations

Day 2: Intermediate and Deep Foundation Systems

• Soft and Problematic Ground Conditions
• Light, Laterally Loaded Foundations
• Intermediate Foundations
• Design of Driven Pile Systems
• Drilled Shaft and Pier Foundations, Design and Analysis
• Group Design Activity

Day 3: Evolving and Specialized Foundation Systems 

• Augured Cast-in-Place Piles
• Software Applications and LPIle
• Foundation QA/QC and Field Engineering
• Design of Foundations for Transmission and Substation Structures
• Foundations for Wind Energy Systems
• Foundations for Solar Energy Systems

"I really enjoyed the variety of topics. The speakers were very knowledgeable on the presented subjects."
—Brittany Huntsberger, Project Engineer, HDR Engineering

"I would recommend this course highly to any future attendee.  Appreciated the presenters being available to answer questions and provide insight."
—James Gaskell, Principal Engineer/Owner, Gaskell Engineering 

"This class is very effective in expanding/reinforcing my civil expertise. I anticipate referencing the notes extensively in my foundation work. Speakers were available for detailed questions. Further discussion is warmly welcomed."
—Dustin Hase, Senior Structural Engineer, Worley Parsons

"As an electrical engineer, I feel more comfortable reading and deciphering geotechnical reports and having a good base for designing and reviewing foundations."
—Brett Stephens, PE, Substation Design Engineer, Hoosier Energy REC, Inc. 

"The quality, scope and diversity of speakers for this course is impressive. This comprehensive mix of theoretical concepts and practical real-world applications of foundation engineering is a valuable resource for any practicing civil engineer."
—Victor McDuffle, PE, Project Engineer, SEECO Consultants Inc. 

"Great course - extremely useful concepts and real-life examples for foundation repair and new construction."
—Kevin Jankowski, Structural Engineer, Briohn Design Group 

"I took this course 4 years ago and it was great. I noticed in the latest brochure that there were upgrades and I'm very happy I took the current course because it enlightened me on many new items in use today."
—Mike Till, PE, SECB, Michael J. Till Associates 

"I've never been disappointed with any seminar conducted by UW-EPD. I'm very pleased to have these quality programs so close to my home."
—Steve Hrubecky, Poyry LLC, Appleton, Wisconsin

"Year in and year out, the University of Wisconsin's continuing engineering education courses are second to none. I cannot overstress the first-rate quality of subject matter, speakers, and course reference materials."
—Garrett Gray, Project Engineer, SEECO Consultants, Inc., Tinley Park, Illinois 

"This excellent course was definitely worth my time and expense. Any time a person can expand his knowledge he should avail himself of the opportunity to improve."
—Sidney Holmes, Architect, USDA, George Washington Center, Beltsville, Maryland

Tracy Brettmann

Tracy Brettmann is the Vice President of Engineering for A.H. Beck Foundation Company working out of their Houston, Texas office.  Mr. Brettmann is responsible for overseeing all engineering operations for Beck's specialty deep foundation, energy pile, soil improvement and earth retention projects.  He is a member of the Academy of Geo-Professionals, the Geo-Institute of ASCE, the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, the Deep Foundations Institute and ADSC – The International Association of Foundation Drilling.  Mr. Brettmann is a past president of the Deep Foundations Institute and is a former chair of their Augered Cast-in-Place Pile committee.  He  serves on the Board of the DFI Educational Trust.

Mohamad Hussein

Mohamad Hussein, P.E., is Sr. V.P. at GRL Engineers, Inc., the world’s oldest and largest engineering consulting company specialized in deep foundations testing and analysis, and Partner at Pile Dynamics. Inc., the world’s first and largest manufacturer of electronic equipment and computer software for deep foundations testing and analysis. For over 35 years, he has been involved in thousands of projects in most States in the USA and many countries worldwide. He holds the rank of Expert from the Foundation QA and PDCA. Published over 75 technical papers, and co-edited 7 books published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Mr. Hussein was the Chair of the ASCE’s Geo-Institute’s Deep Foundations Committee and Chair of the PDCA’s Education Committee. He is the managing lecturer of the ASCE’s continuing education class on deep foundations.

James Hussin

James D. Hussin, PE, is a Director at Keller, North America Division, in the Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida area.  Jim has extensive experience in the design and implementation of specialty geotechnical construction including grouting, ground improvement, excavation support and structural support.

Sam Jorgensen

Sam Jorgensen, PE, PEng, is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer at Westwood Professional Services with extensive experience in consulting and construction including various supervisory, business development, project management, estimating, and technical design roles within the renewable energy sector.

James Tinjum

James M. Tinjum, PE, PhD, F.ASCE, is an Associate Professor and Director of the Geological Engineering Program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Prior to his engagement as a faculty member at UW–Madison in 2008, Dr. Tinjum worked for 15 years in industry for prominent engineer-procure-construct firms and a Fortune 50 company. He has specialized technical knowledge in geoenvironmental and remediation engineering for landfills with industrial waste (lime kiln dust, cement kiln dust, foundry residuals, paper mill sludge, coal combustion residuals), municipal solid waste (particularly landfill liner and cover systems and the monitoring, recovery, and value-added use of landfill gases), and hazardous waste. He conducts research in waste geotechnics and waste containment systems; the beneficial reuse of industrial byproducts (e.g., for subgrade improvement and cementitious stabilization of pavement layers); life cycle environmental analysis of geo systems; remediation of contaminated sites; and heat transfer in porous media (soil and rock). Dr. Tinjum developed these interests not only through industry practice and applied research, but also through discussions and interactions with practitioners participating in his nationally/internationally attended engineering short course programs. In applied practice, Dr. Tinjum has participated in over 50 solid waste projects.