GeoCarolinas 2022 Grows Under Leadership from PDCA Members


(L-R) Duane Bents, Billy Camp, two key members of the 2022 GeoCarolinas Conference organizing committee

It is the culmination of months of planning by a small committee of volunteers who aspire to optimize continuing educational opportunities, regional networking and industry advancement for the geotechnical engineering communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. In the case of the third GeoCarolinas Conference that took place September 12-13, 2022 in Charlotte, NC, organizers were afforded significantly more planning time because event was twice postponed due to lingering COVID-19 protocols. However, when GeoCarolinas Conference 2022 arrived on Monday, it brought its best attendance in the short history of the program showing a growing interest in this important function of the Carolinas Chapter of the Geo-Institute.

The ever-capable group of ten volunteers who organized GeoCarolinas 2022 includes great representation from professionals who are also PDCA members. Duane Bents, PE is a business development representative at Morris-Shea Bridge Company and Billy Camp, III, PE, D.GE is a VP and technical principal at S&ME, Inc.; the two receive a lot of credit from their peers on the organizing panel for the work they do to bring the program to life. Matt Silveston, PE, LEED AP is a senior engineer at Insight Group and the third geo-professional who is also a PDCA member and is on the organizing panel.

The two-day event featured 12 different presentations from experts on various geotechnical engineering matters. Van E. Komurka, PE, D.GE a senior engineer at GRL Engineers was among the several presenters who traveled to Charlotte from various locations around the country. Additionally, numerous representatives from PDCA member companies attended as participants, sponsors or as exhibitors. 

A highlight of the GeoCarolinas 2022 was a Monday evening reception sponsored by the PDCA South Carolina Chapter. See the photos below: 
 

Will Your Work Truck Still be Running at 635K Miles?

Van and his truck, a photo worthy of endorsement from the Ford Motor Co.

This odometer doesn't lie
 

His name is Van, but he may consider changing it to Truck because he has spent a measurable portion of his life driving in one - the same one. Since 1997 when he purchased it new, he has driven his tan F-250 with a standard cab and 8-foot bed. Van E. Komurka, P.E., D.GE, F.ASCE who is a senior engineer at GRL Engineers, is also a longtime PDCA member and technical contributor. Over his many years of involvement in the organization, an oral tradition about his legendary F-250 has emerged. They were talking about it back when it had a mere 400K miles! It has been referenced in PileDriver magazine, become a topic of small talk during South Carolina Chapter and other events, and was even a subject that the late Dale Biggers would regularly bring up what he designated "The Truck" during casual conversations.

 
We caught up with Van, a Milwaukee, WI resident, at a geotechnical industry event in Charlotte, NC. As expected, he arrived in his trusty F-250, complete with a half-eaten, economy-sized container of animal crackers, "no wrappers, no crumbs," on the floorboard, and some emptied drink containers scattered in the cab. During his drive, his odometer had just ticked up to the 635,000 mile threshold; even so, he reported a safe and problem-free trip through Appalacia. He came to North Carolina to participate as a presenter in the GeoCarolinas 2022 conference. Professional obligations and opportunities are responsible for the majority of the miles Van has driven over the past two-and-a-half decades. Many PDCA members recall the early 2000's when Van's now-adult sons were young and accompanied him to Professor's Driven Pile Institute (PDPI) classes at Utah State University (USU) in Logan, UT. He also noted that he spent several years commuting weekly from his Wisconsin home to his job in Cleveland, OH.

 
With all his driving, he says the truck runs great. Van is a responsible truck owner and is diligent about general maintenance, the vast majority of which he performs himself. Ask him about the time he was changing his oil in a USU public parking structure during one trip to PDPI! He concedes that the decades of Midwestern weather, lake-effect snowstorms, and salt-based road hazard mitigation have landed a few 'punches' on the body of the trusty pick-up. Some minor areas of rust are visible. But with surviving original parts including all the hoses, the complete exhaust system, and many others and regular TLC from Van, the F-250 is showing no signs of retiring.

 
You can easily identify Van's truck on the road through a quick glance at the license plate. While he's not the kind of guy you would ever accuse of being vain, he did opt for the vanity plates through the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles - they read 97 F250. And while the vehicle would qualify for a discounted registration, Van won't hear of any suggestion to enter the state's Collector license plate program.
 
After enthusiastically giving us a visit to the downtown Charlotte parking garage to see his legendary truck, Van E. Komurka proceeded back inside to GeoCarolinas 2022 and delivered his highly-anticipated talk on Incremental Rigidity to a welcoming audience of geotechnical professionals.

We don't need collector plates here
Try to find wrappers or crumbs in this cab
"The Truck" in all her glory
No need to focus on that little bit of 'Wisconsin' 
 

PDCA to Participate in October DFI Conference on Deep Foundations


DFI Director of Technical Activities Matt Glisson, P.E. (left) is joined by representatives of PDCA member companies who are also in DFI.

As the leading organization advocating for the increased use of driven piles for deep foundations and earth retention systems, the Pile Driving Contractors Association proudly allies with the foundation construction community to ensure that pile driving contractors have professional representation throughout the industry. Through this mission, PDCA forms key partnerships such as recurring cooperating agreements with the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI).

Many PDCA members are also involved in DFI and attend various events they offer. The DFI 47th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations is coming to the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center October 4-7 in National Harbor, Maryland. PDCA will be attending this event as a Cooperating Organization and looks forward to connecting with its members who are also at this conference. This has historically been a productive event for professionals in deep foundations construction. You can learn more about the DFI conference by clicking the image below:


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