Can you elaborate on a specific time that you were able
to solve a business-related challenge directly due to
your participation in the chapter?
SK: There are multiple occasions where the connections I’ve made
through the chapter have helped me. To illustrate one example:
the local geology in Charleston dictates using a smaller pile driving
hammer to install piles during the initial drive in order to maintain
the driving stresses below the allowable limits. But conversely,
larger hammers are required for the restrike test, which are used
to prove capacity. Because of this, the contractor faces a problem
of supplying two different hammers just to perform testing on
one pile.
This was a topic for continued discussions at local PDCA
events, and by discussing it as a group, we understood different
perspectives and found common ground. As a result, the contractors
have started buying or renting pile driving hammers that have
a larger range of energy settings. That solution has been a direct
result of discussions at these meetings. That’s a great example
where my association with PDCA helped to resolve an issue affecting
construction issues in the local area.
What do you personally enjoy most about being able to
work in the driven pile industry?
SK: Currently, I’m a senior geotechnical consultant with Insight
Group, and my role involves providing technical direction, conducting
training and performing data analysis associated with
deep foundation testing. I have 20-plus years of civil engineering
experience, the majority of which has been in the area of deep
foundation testing and evaluation, spanning over multiple states
in the U.S.
I’ve also contributed to academia; I’ve served as an assistant
professor at Youngstown State University in Ohio for a couple of
years, teaching undergraduate and graduate-level courses in civil
engineering. Prior to that, I spent a considerable amount of time
conducting research related to pile setup.
This is all to say that the pile driving industry has made me who
I am today. It has been a perfect juncture between the cutting-edge
research and knowledge I gained during my academic years, and
the practical skillset I developed working in the deep foundation
testing world. So, the pile driving industry has really offered me
a lot.
How can the PDCA of South Carolina Chapter be of
even better value to members in the future?
SK: One thing that I would suggest would be for the local chapter
of PDCA to have more active support or collaboration in research
initiatives in order to advance the current state of practice. There
are a couple of areas where we could initiate this research. One
area is understanding and mitigating vibrations caused by pile
driving activities – this is a large concern within the historic setting
of Charleston and other developed areas. Another area with
research opportunities is refining wait times to capture pile setup.
This would provide significant savings to contractors and developers
who can save time on construction schedules. I hope the
chapter can support locally driven research activities in whatever
form we can.
CHAPTER CONNECTIONS
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