Jerry DiMaggio, PE, BC.GE, M.ASCE
Five Decades of Advancements in Geotechnical Practice Across the U.S.
Jerry is a practice consultant at HNTB Corporation, specializing in civil engineering and construction services focused on design, construction, long-term performance, infrastructure resilience, and innovation deployment. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to infrastructure design, performance assessment, monitoring, and risk management.
Although geotechnical engineering is a mature field, its evolution remains a dynamic process driven by the integration of historical experience and modern technological advancements. This presentation examines the progression of geotechnical practices, particularly in the development of infrastructure within North Carolina.
Dr. Jorge Zornberg, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE
Ingenuity in Civil Engineering using Geosynthetics
Prof. Zornberg has over 35 years of experience in practice and research in geotechnical and geosynthetics engineering. His research focuses on transportation geotechnics, geosynthetics, unsaturated soils, expansive clays, and environmental geotechnics. He served as president of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) and has authored over 550 technical publications.
Even though geosynthetics are now a well-established discipline within geotechnical engineering, ingenuity remains significant in many projects involving their use. This presentation focuses on specific advances across a wide range of applications.
Dr. George R. Koerner, Ph.D., P.E., CQA
Geosynthetics: Sustainability, Resilience, and Future Industry Projections
George R. Koerner is Director Emeritus of the Geosynthetic Institute, where he oversees laboratory accreditation, field certification, and continuing education. He has managed numerous research projects and published over 350 technical papers during his 40-year association with polymers used in below-ground construction. Dr. Koerner holds a Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from Drexel University and is a registered professional engineer and certified quality auditor. His notable honors include IFAI's Environmental Technologies Award of Excellence (1995), ASCE's DVGI Geotechnical Engineer of the Year (2004), ASTM Fellow (2013), GMA's inaugural Koerner Lecturer (2017), and ASCE Fellow (2020).
Geosynthetics have proven to be among the most versatile and cost-effective construction materials in civil engineering. Their use has expanded rapidly into nearly all areas of the discipline. By utilizing high-quality geosynthetics coupled with sound design, accredited testing, quality assurance, and careful maintenance, one can achieve excellent long-term performance. This lecture will also address how geosynthetics enhance sustainability by reducing carbon footprints, promoting a circular economy, and bolstering infrastructure resilience against floods, landslides, and seismic events — along with future industry projections.
Dr. Oliver Detert
Basal Reinforcement of Embankments on Soft Soils Using High-Modulus Geosynthetics
Dr. Oliver Detert has served as Chief Engineer at HUESKER since 2014 and is based at headquarters in Gescher, Germany. He holds a Ph.D. from Ruhr-University Bochum, with doctoral research focused on self-regulating membrane foundation systems for embankments on very soft soils. Since 2020, he has also been a part-time lecturer in Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Embankments constructed on soft soils are controlled by global stability rather than by classical bearing capacity. This presentation introduces the governing failure mechanism and uses it as a framework to bring clarity to the design of basal reinforcement.
Dr. V. Vinay Kumar
Geosynthetic Solutions for Texas Roadways: Case Study of Texas Highway 21
Dr. Kumar specializes in geosynthetics for roadway applications. He previously served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Transportation Research at The University of Texas at Austin and earned his Ph.D. from IIT Hyderabad, focusing on geosynthetic-reinforced asphalt overlays. His research interests include pavement engineering, geosynthetics, and sustainable materials.
Expansive soil subgrades have been detrimental to the performance of roadways, especially in Central Texas. This presentation covers roadway failures from volumetric changes in subgrade soils and the geosynthetic solutions applied on Texas Highway 21.
Juliana Beauchamp, PE
The Chesapeake Tunnel: Geotechnical Challenges and Innovative Reinforcement Solutions
Juliana Beauchamp, PE, is a civil engineer with experience supporting complex heavy civil and infrastructure projects across the transportation and marine sectors. She currently works at FlatironDragados on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Thimble Shoal Project, focusing on practical application of engineering, constructability, and project delivery.
The Chesapeake Tunnel project represents one of the most significant engineering challenges in modern coastal infrastructure. This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of the project's scope, examining complex geotechnical and construction hurdles inherent in maritime environments.
Dr. Vincent (Tobi) Ogunro, Ph.D.
Current Challenges in Environmental Engineering: Managing Coal Fly Ash and PFAS in North Carolina
Dr. Vincent Ogunro is a founding partner of SNESystems with more than 27 years of experience in sustainable civil infrastructure development. His expertise includes project development, quality control, and management across projects in Africa and the United States.
Environmental engineering projects in North Carolina face critical challenges related to industrial byproducts and emerging contaminants in soil and groundwater systems. This presentation focuses on the characterization and containment of coal fly ash and PFAS transport mechanisms.
Dr. Erol Guler
Geotextile Encased Columns: A Versatile Solution for Soft Soil Embankments
Dr. F. Erol Guler is a retired Full Professor of Geotechnical Engineering from Bogazici University in Türkiye, where he served from 1989 to 2019. Since 2019, he has been an Affiliate Professor with the Sustainable Geo Infrastructures research group at George Mason University. He is internationally recognized for his research in geosynthetics with over 200 publications.
This presentation explores geotextile encased columns as an innovative and versatile ground improvement technique for embankments on soft soils, covering both recent research findings and practical field applications.
John Myers, P.E., BC.GE
Load Transfer Platforms (LTP) over Cemented Columns
John Myers, P.E. is a Senior Design Engineer for Menard, based in Richmond, VA. He is a registered Professional Engineer in 10 states, working closely with Menard's local offices to design ground improvement systems for roadways, commercial developments, oil and gas facilities, and multi-family residences across the Southeast and Gulf Coast Regions.
This presentation examines the design and performance of load transfer platforms constructed over cemented columns, demonstrating innovative approaches to ground improvement in challenging soft soil conditions.