DFI ACTIVITIES ICOG – Exponential Growth in Numbers, Knowledge The Fourth International Conference on Grouting and Deep Mixing (ICOG) met in February in New Orleans, La., in record- breaking numbers. The group began in 1982 with 419 attendees, and the 2012 attendees numbered over 700. ICOG, which stands for the International Conference Organization for Grouting, has become the informal name for the geotechnical subset specialty professionals. The chairs were Michael Byle, Donald Bruce and Larry Johnsen, who were helped by a committee of 13. DFI managed the entire international event. The core group’s original plan was to reconvene every ten years, and that plan has been realized, except for a year’s slippage in 2003. Superlatives abounded at ICOG. Of the 700-plus attendees, the number of non- North American participants rose to 240, who came from Asia, South America, Europe, Australia and Africa, highlighting the importance of and the interest in the deep foundation industry’s expertise worldwide. There were about 30 concurrent sessions, and roughly 150 separate presentations. These covered the state of the art in several areas, current research findings, the evolution of several technologies, and included innovations in grouting, soil mixing and associated equipment. Six keynote speakers drew large audiences, even those starting at 7:30 am; notwithstanding the previous evening’s Mardi Gras festivities. The three ICOG chairs, Johnsen, Byle and Bruce, opened the meeting with comments about Hurricane Katrina and its devastation of the New Orleans levee system and the deep mixing techniques used to repair and rehabilitate the post- hurricane damage in a dauntingly short time frame of 14 months. Bruce noted that the work was the largest use of DM outside of Japan. In one of the sessions, Peter Cali, of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) said that the project was undertaken wi th an “Al ternat ive Evaluation Process,” where the production rate was key. This concern led to the Organizing Committee – left to right: Theresa Rappaport, Justice Maswoswe, Jim Warner, Paolo Gazzarrini, Larry Johnsen, Mike Byle, Donald Bruce, Allen Cadden and Steve Maranowski selection choice of Deep Soil Mixing. Cali also noted that the high price of steel was a factor in the process. If the work were done the following year, when steel prices were lower, T-walls might have been chosen. The opening Guest lecturer, Eric Halpin guest lecturer, Eric Halpin, the U.S. Corps of Engineers special assistant for Dam and Levee Safety, said the Corps est imates safety needs at $26 billion for the 2,100 levees and 694 dams they oversee and maintain. That assumed expenditure over the coming years bespeaks an impressive need and a market for those in the deep foundations field. Halpin also said 77% of the US levees exhibit seepage and piping. He also mentioned regional challenges posed by Karst formations, the subject of many presentations at ICOG. More strikingly, Halpin said the Corps is “rethinking failure mode analysis.” Some staff think it possible that overly conservative design requirements might have been a factor in a reported $2 billion in “avoidable” costs. Cost-effectiveness and risk management are important issues currently. The organization, according to Halpin, is aiming at “Three Rs,” resilience, robustness and redundancy in its projects. ICOG Honorees The “G.R.E.A.T.S.” luncheon was a highlight of the meeting, at which ICOG honored “Grouters (dedicated to) Research, Education, Advancement of Technology and Service.” This year, all five recipients were from outside the U.S. Organizing committee members, Allen Cadden of Schnabel Engineering, LLC and James Warner, Consultant, presided over the ceremony that honored G. Stuart Littlejohn, U.K.; Freidrich-Karl Ewert, Ge rmany ; Giov anni Lomba rdi , Switzerland; and Mitssuhiro Shibazaki, Japan. The latter two were unable to attend. Sadly, the fifth honoree, A. Clive Houlsby, Australia, died shortly after he was singled out for this honor. A presentation on the life of each of the G.R.E.A.T.S. was made and those present offered acceptance speeches and the two others accepted via video. Freidrich-Karl Ewert receiving his plaque from Allen Cadden DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAY/JUNE 2012 • 15
