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September 2014 Technical Institute Seminars

Geotechnical Institute (GI) Seminar is at 11am

The Dallas Geotechnical Institute (GI) Chapter will have a technical seminar September 8, 2014 at 11:00am. The seminar is titled: “Soil Swell PVR Estimation”. Several engineering methodologies have been developed over the past 75 years regarding the estimation of upward soil swell PVR values. PVR calculations require the determination of volumentric swell potential accompanied with the depth of the active swell zone.

Some methods are highly theoretical. Other methods are available that allow the direct measurement of volumetric swell if the swell testing is performed correctly. Unfortunately, swell testing is often times not performed correctly. Due to the many variable associated with PVR calculations, many analyses are not reliable for a variety of reasons.

Errors in PVR calculations have lead to a number of lawsuits related to structural distress caused by excessive upward soil swell movements that exceeded the geotech engineer's estimate by a large margin. This panel discussion will discuss the various methodologies that have been used over the years along with the reliability of the various methods. 

The seminar will be presented by Mark Farrow, P.E. of Alliance Geotechnical Group. Mr. Farrow has served as a geotechnical engineering consultant in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex since 1975 and has performed thousands of geotechnical investigations across the entire state. His technical experience includes project management, consulting on structural failures, investigation of landslides and testifying as an expert witness in geotechnical related matters. Typical project involvement has included treatment plants, deep pump stations, tollways and highways, roadways, bridges, retaining walls, drainage structures, as well as airport facilities, high, mid and low rise office buildings, hotels, hospitals, commercial buildings, malls and industrial projects.

Mr. Farrow has been selected to present over 25 professional engineering papers over the last 25 years at ASCE State Conventions. Several of the papers have included topics involving retaining wall failures, stabilization of retaining walls, pavement widening, subgrade stabilization alternatives, and pavement rehabilitation. Topics have included applications to pre-swell and stabilize expansive clay soils in preparation for slab-on-grade construction, Hydrostatic Wave Modeling at the Texas Ranger Amphitheater project at the Ballpark At Arlington, new laboratory techniques for estimating field and CBR values for pavement rehabilitation projects, methods of PVR determinations for Expansive Soils with 20 years of case histories, Geotechnical issues related to post-tensioned designs, Pavement Design Standards for the 21st Century, Superior Pavement Subbase Treatments for the 21st Century, Detailed Geotechnical Characterization of the Eagle Ford Shale Formation, Quality Control Measures to reduce Excavation Costs, Estimation of Shrink/Swell factors for residential post-tensioned foundations, Factors Affecting Expansive Soil PVR Variations, Variables Affecting Excavation Shrinkage Factors, Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring the Impact of Deep Excavations and Tunneling Operations on Structures, Shallow Foundation Design and Subgrade Preparation at Grapevine Mills Mall, Variations in Active Zone Depths at Expansive Soil Sites, Flatwork & Structural Details at Expansive Soil Sites, Shallow Footing Construction on Water Injected Expansive Clay, Deep Seated Swell in the Eagle Ford Shale, Optimizing Designs to Accommodate Dwindling Resources, Tree Root Effects Well Beyond Drip Lines, Performance of Poly Lined Pads, Design Disconnect for MSE Walls, Factors causing MSE Wall Creep.

Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Seminar is at 1pm

The Dallas Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Chapter will hold a seminar following the September 8, 2014 meeting/luncheon at 1:00pm. The seminar is titled: “The LBJ Express Project - Building a New Highway Along a Busy Corridor.” Interstate Highway 635 in Dallas has not had any significant upgrades since being built in 1969 and has become the second most congested highway in the State of Texas.  The LBJ Express Project’s goal is to relieve traffic congestion by constructing approximately 13 miles of roadway that include six managed toll lanes, eight general purpose non-tolled lanes and frontage roads, through a complex  $2.7 billion design-build contract with Texas Department of Transportation.  The improved highway will incorporate a cantilever design with newly built overpass bridges, and utilization of precast beams and caps from the project’s on-site precast plant.  Expansion of the lanes in the middle of a highly-populated corridor while maintaining traffic capacity presents many structural engineering challenges, while ensuring minimized impacts to the public during construction. The presentation will discuss some strategic decisions made in the project’s design process and the steps taken to overcome some its challenges. 

The seminar will be presented by Maurice Pittman, P.E. & Carlos Fernandez Lillo, P.E.

Maurice Pittman, P.E.
Project Manager with the Strategic Projects Office currently managing the IH 635 LBJ Express project. In this role Maurice’s primary goal is the contract administration of the $2.7 billion roadway.

Maurice has 28 years’ experience with Texas Department of Transportation in all phases of construction, design, and maintenance and project management.  He has managed large construction projects such as: US 75 in Richardson and Dallas, High Five and Loop 12/SH 114 Interchange.

Maurice worked as an Assistant Area Engineer for the West Dallas County office; he has extensive experience working with various cities both in Dallas & Denton Counties as well as Dallas County in developing, funding and delivering of many local projects.

He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Louisiana Tech University. 

Carlos Fernandez Lillo, P.E.
Construction Design Manager of Trinity Infrastructure, LLC, the main contractor of the LBJ Express Project. Carlos has about 25 years of experience managing the technical offices of various transportation infrastructure projects around the world including markets in Morocco, Spain, Chile and Canada. These projects ranged between $180 million to more than $1 billion in construction budget, including the 190 km highway expansion of Talca-Chillan in Chile, the 40 km expansion of Highway 407 in Toronto, and a 15 km (12 m in diameter) tunnel in Barcelona, all in which Carlos served as technical director. He received his B.S and M.S. degrees in Civil Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Spain), and is licensed by the Texas Board of Professional Engineers.