ADSC Happenings 

The Ohio Valley Chapter of ADSC: The International Association of Foundation Drilling is having its Spring Meeting Friday, March 13, at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. For all the pertinent details, throw an e-mail at chapter president Jim Larkey (larkey@parkdrilling.com). 

At last month's meeting in San Antonio, ADSC's South Central Chapter elected three new members to its board of directors: David Bollman (S&W Foundation Contractors, Richardson, Texas); Pete Vamvakas (Wylie Drilling, Farmersville, Texas); and Donald Grant (Kelly Tractor Co. West Palm Beach, Fla.).

Crane Operator Certification

The National Center for Construction Education and Research announces that its Crane Operator Certification Program: Industrial/All Purpose, Rough Terrain/All Terrain, and Rubber Tire Truck Mount has received accreditation by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

"I would like to extend our congratulations on this significant achievement," says Vijay Krishna, program manager for ANSI Personnel Certification Accreditation. "ANSI looks forward to a continued partnership and is thrilled to have NCCER as an ANSI Accredited Personnel Certification Program."

"Having our crane operator program receive ANSI accreditation is a remarkable achievement for our organization," says Don Whyte, NCCER president. "It further validates that our program meets the highest professional certification standards for crane operators across the industry."

The Crane Operator Certification Program identifies individuals with the professional knowledge and skills worthy of being designated as certified crane operators.  It includes both written assessments and practical examinations that meet or exceed current ASME B30.5 consensus safety standards, as well as OSHA 1910 standards, for mobile crane operators. Assessments are available in four categories - telescopic boom, lattice boom, boom truck, and industrial/all-purpose cranes.

Written assessments are administered throughout the country by NCCER Accredited Assessment Centers meeting the crane endorsement requirements, and the practical examinations are given by certified practical examiners. Practical examiner certification workshops are administered by the North American Crane Bureau.

One of the unique features of this program is on-demand testing. The program is structured so a crane operator can take the written assessment and practical examination and receive results back the same day. An operator's certification is good for five years.

On the Job

Duty Calls, and Jordan Answers

When the U.S.S. Alabama needed an important job done quickly and safely, it called upon the expertise of the folks at Jordan Pile Driving Inc. Late last year, the U.S.S. Alabama planned to honor the Mobile, Ala., native Admiral Jeremiah Denton with a replica of the A-6 Intruder he flew in Viet Nam. Jordan Pile Driving successfully loaded, transported and off-loaded the A-6 from the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., to the U.S.S. Alabama without so much as a scratch.

Headquartered in Mobile, Jordan Pile Driving was founded in 1946 by H.C. "Hack" Jordan. Hack's son, D.R. Jordan became company president in 1977; and D.R.'s son, Don, now runs the show.

The Big Show: IFCEE '09

The 2009 International Foundation Congress and Equipment Exposition (IFCEE '09) is a joint conference sponsored by ADSC: The International Association of Foundation Drilling, ASCE's Geo-Institute, and the Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA). To be held in Orlando, Fla., March 15-19, this conference will be the largest geotechnical engineering and geo-construction event ever. The 52 technical and business management presentations will enable you to take advantage of the infrastructure-related economic turnaround that is sure to come.  In these difficult economic times, it is all the more important to have the intellectual and physical tools that will guarantee that you will be well positioned to succeed in the future. Equipment from all over the world will be on display to show you how to maximize your efficiency and productivity. With the newest, state-of-the-art foundation construction machines, confirmation testing equipment and innovative materials, you will be able to work smarter and faster, thus gaining a competitive edge in the design and construction marketplace.

Keynote speaker, Major General Don Riley, will share the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's plans for addressing the needs of the nation's infrastructure, which is certain to get priority attention as part of any economic stimulus program. Internationally renowned experts will speak directly to the issues of forecasting how, where and when the world's economies will regain momentum - specifically as it relates to the geo-industry. Fifteen of the world's leading professional geo-industry organizations will be represented at the Congress.

The Congress will feature ASCE's prestigious Terzaghi and Peck Lectures, as well as the annual meetings of the ADSC, Geo-Institute, and PDCA.

National Driller magazine is a proud sponsor of the Sunday evening reception - please stop by and join the festivities.

IFCEE '09 will offer the best professional advancement value available anywhere as you will be able to see, learn and share the latest technical information in one place, at one time. For a detailed Congress program preview and for registration information, visit www.IFCEE09.org.

Note: the headquarter hotel - Buena Vista Palace Hotel & Spa - is sold out. If you have not made your hotel reservations, the following hotels are within walking distance: Hilton Orlando Resort (407-827-4000); Regal Sun Resort Phone (407-828-4444); and Hyatt Grand Cypress (407-239-1234).

Seismic and Lateral Loading to Be Addressed

The Deep Foundations Institute is hosting a seminar, "Practical Deep Foundation Design and Construction for Seismic and Lateral Loads," Friday, April 3, in St. Louis. Industry professionals will be presenting state-of-the-art-practices relative to analysis, design, construction and testing of deep foundation systems that are subject to seismic and lateral loads. Complete details are at www.dfi.org. (Photo courtesy of Reece Geophysical Ltd.)

Foundations Seminar And Short Course

The Seattle Section Geotechnical Group of the American Society of Civil Engineers is putting on its annual spring seminar Saturday, May 16, at the University of Washington campus in Seattle. The focus of the seminar this year will be "Recent Developments and Case Histories in Deep Foundations." A variety of types of deep foundations will be presented. Current design methodologies and uncertainties will be discussed, along with a series of case histories. This topic will be relevant now and in the coming years as more projects are constructed in areas with poor soil conditions.

A one-day short course, "Basic Design of Deep Foundations," takes place Friday, May 15. Participants will be provided with an overview of the behavior of drilled and driven deep foundations in soil and rock. The course will cover axial behavior of drilled foundations in soil, design of single piles and group piles, evaluation of rock sockets, and the performance and interpretation of static loading and dynamic tests on instrumented piles. Included will be case histories and practical applications. Course attendees will be eligible for 0.7 CEUs or 7 PDHs.

For all the info on these two events, visit www.seattlegeotech.org. (Photo courtesy of Fraste S.p.A.)

Check out Site Prep, a sister publication of The Foundations Report. Site Prep focuses on the challenges and opportunities of site preparation, including site clearing, earth moving, utilities and environmental activities. Go to www.siteprepmag.com, where you can subscribe to the magazine as well as its monthly newsletter, Industry Dirt.

Featured Product of the Month

Hydraulic Crawler Drill Offered

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