Tiebacks and Soil Nailing Committee At the committee meeting in As you read this report, the Tiebacks and Soil Nailing Committee in partnership with the joint DFI/ADSC Micropile Committee and the ADSC Anchored Earth Retention Committee — is hosting an industry super seminar on November 13-14, 2012 in Herndon, Va. The two-day technical seminar will provide the industry with the most current information on the design and construction of small diameter drilled foundation elements (tiebacks, soil nails and micropiles). We are also proud to bring you prominent keynote speakers such as David Weatherby, vice president of Schnabel Foundation Company and noted expert on R&D, design, and construction of tieback-supported excavations and soil nailed walls. If you have not signed up, there may be time. Check the DFI website and event emails for more information. Houston, Texas, during the 37th Annual Conference, the com- mittee discussed new initiatives to continue advancing its segment of the earth retention and ground anchor industry. With the initiation of the DFI Committee Project Fund, more rigorous research can be sponsored and performed by the committee. For 2012 and 2013, we plan to apply for funds to begin a review and comparison study of available soil nail wall design software and analysis methods, with an eye toward benchmarking and categorizing the proper uses and limitations of each. Another area of interest to the committee is the state of practice for removable tieback and soil nail anchors. Send us your questions and other suggestions and you might plant the seed for a new research direction or industry contribution by the committee. Finally, I stepped down as chairperson at the Annual Conference and have turned over Terence P. Holman, Ph.D., P.E. Committee Chair [email protected] the future leadership to Ed Laczynski, P.E., of G.A. & F.C. Wagman, Inc. I thank all the Tiebacks and Soil Nailing Committee members, and our trustee liaison, Doug Keller, for their help and support over the last three years. For those of you who would like to join the committee and stay informed about industry trends and advancement, please contact Ed at [email protected] or visit the DFI website at www.dfi.org. We hope to see you at our next formal committee meeting at the 38th Annual Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., at the end of September in 2013. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • NOV/DEC 2012 • 73
