A Citadel cadet in his third year at the iconic, Charleston, SC military college is the latest recipient of the coveted Mac Nigels Scholarship, named for the noteworthy engineering alum who honed his skills in the Lowcountry driven pile industry. Cadet Russell Putnam won the honor and was recognized during the November 20 dinner meeting of the PDCA South Carolina Chapter. Putnam holds a 4.0 grade point average has achieved several scholastic, such as a four-time Gold Star Recipient, an ANG Minuteman Scholarship winner and a member of Tau Beta Pi. He expects to graduate from the school in Spring 2027. Supporting Putnam during the presentation were his parents and several faculty members from The Citadel. Mac Nigels' son and longtime South Carolina Chapter member Scott Nigels (now retired), made the presentation of the 19th annual award, named for his late father who is known for his legacy of faith, character, and integrity.

 

 

Following the Nigels Scholarship presentation, the Chapter invited Greg Canivan, a Board Member and Technical Principal at engineering firm S&ME, Inc., to the podium to present on a topic that is gaining significant attention in the driven pile industry. His presentation was titled, Driven Prefabricated Elements as Ground Improvement and Rigid Inclusions, Mr. Canivan explained  that when traditional timber, pre-stressed concrete, and steel piles are installed through a driven process, they meet the same stiffness and performance criteria necessary to support shallow foundations as ground improvement and rigid inclusions. His session clarified terminology, compared design methodologies, and gave case examples highlighting performance, constructability, and the importance of load transfer platforms (LTPs).

Attendees learned how driven elements can provide viable, non-proprietary alternatives to RI systems and why these systems deserve broader recognition and consideration in geotechnical design practice.

 

 

 

In a city rich in history, particularly historical structures, new construction often requires special consideration of local preservation efforts. In his presentation before the PDCA South Carolina Chapter at its August 14th dinner meeting, ICE-International Construction Equipment sales manager Rick Sadler explained an innovative method he has been testing that can lessen the impact of surface ground vibrations from a vibratory hammer, on nearby structures.

Entitled Case Studies on Trench Screening During Vibratory Pile Driving, Sadler's program detailed tests he has conducted on jobsites in four different cities where vibratory pile hammers were used. When he digs a shallow trench in the ground between an existing structure and ground where a pile will be installed with a vibratory hammer, his measurements show that surface ground vibrations created from a working hammer reach the structure with reduced severity after traveling through the trench filled with pliable matter like a foam element. Sadler explained to those assembled in Charleston, SC, that this method could be easily adapted and implemented to different urban construction jobsite conditions and reduce potential annoyance claims. 

It was the third, quarterly meeting for the PDCA South Carolina Chapter, held at the Town and Country Inn & Suites. The evening began with a social hour when attendees reconnected with industry colleagues and friends for networking and cocktails. Later, Chapter Vice President Jordan Houston, standing in for Chapter President Kent Parker, called the meeting to order. Following an invocation, members and guests visited the dinner buffet table, which included the traditional (and widely revered) fried chicken, among other selections.

Once the audience was seated, Houston began the business meeting, which included an update to members about Chapter affairs. He then introduced PDCA Executive Director Frank Peters, who brought the group several updates from PDCA. Peters shared with the members present, that PDCA is compiling member information to produce the 2026 Membership Directory. He stressed the importance that all members update their PDCA accounts. This, he explained means they should update not only their individual profiles, but also their organization profiles, to make sure that their company's listing publishes accurately in the annual resource book that circulates in January. He specifically asked that members check the appropriate boxes on their company profile to indicate what services they provide and what regions they serve. The deadline for all members to submit changes to their profiles is October 17, 2025. Before Peters left the podium, he asked all attendees to recognize Chapter Board Member Jason Moore for recently completing a four-year tenure as Chair of the PDCA Communications Committee, which was met with a hearty applause. The aforementioned presentation on Trench Screening concluded the evening's program.

The PDCA South Carolina Chapter meets for its fourth and final time in November when members gather to announce the winner(s) of the annual Mac Nigels Scholarship. The date for the event is November 20th at the Town and Country Inn & Suites. Details and registration will be available later this fall.