Chapter News South Carolina | Pile Driving Contractors Association

Low Country Foundation Builders Attend PDCA Seminar at Citadel

March 9, 2026

The 2026 PDCA South Carolina Chapter Driven Pile Technical Seminar kicked off on the evening of March 4th when
presenters, Chapter leadership and friends, and PDCA gathered for a dinner at a Charleston restaraunt.

On March 5, the Holliday Alumni Center at The Citadel in Charleston welcomed members of the driven pile community for the PDCA South Carolina Chapter Driven Pile Technical Seminar--a biennial event that continues to be a cornerstone of education and industry collaboration in the region.

Nearly 90 professionals registered, representing 45 different organizations across the industry. Attendees included geotechnical engineers, structural engineers, general contractors, foundation contractors, academics, owners, and industry associates. In addition to reconnecting with colleagues and peers, participants qualified to earn more than five PDH credits while engaging with a lineup of technical presentations from leading experts.

The seminar program featured insightful sessions including:

"Piles in Moving Ground" presented by Billy Camp, P.E., BC.GE of Kiewit
"QA/QC of Driven Pile Elements" from Ryan Allin, P.E., Vice President at Pile Dynamics, Inc.
"Structure Response to Construction Vibrations" by Brent Meins, Chief Engineer at Detecht, LLC
"Case Studies in Lateral Load Resistance" from Dr. Kyle Rollins of Brigham Young University
"Changes to Section 10 of the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications" presented by Nicholas E. Harman, MS, PE, BC.GE with the South Carolina Department of Transportation

Beyond the technical learning, the seminar serves a meaningful purpose. The event is the primary funding source for the annual Mac Nigels Scholarship, which supports an engineering student at The Citadel each year--helping invest in the next generation of foundation and geotechnical professionals.

Thanks to everyone who attended, presented, and supported this year's seminar. With another successful program in the books, the 12th Driven Pile Technical Seminar is already anticipated for March 2028.

PDCA Executive Director Frank Peters helped open the program when he presented a 2026 update from the organization.

Program chair Greg Canivan of PDCA SC welcomes attendees.

Dr. Kyle Rollins from BYU presents on lateral load resistance

Nicholas E. Harmon, MS, PE, BC.GE presents on AASHTO changes to bridge design

Billy Camp, PE, BC.GE presents "Piles in Moving Ground"

Ryan Allin, PE presented QA/QC, Brent Meins discussed vibration and structures

S.C. Chapter Hosts 20th Annual Oyster Roast; Bonus Photos Now Live

January 26, 2026

Despite a forecast that had everyone watching the sky, the weather cooperated just in time for the January 23rd PDCA South Carolina Chapter Oyster Roast-- the 20th annual event resulted in a fantastic evening of food, fellowship, and industry connection. A threatening winter storm stayed at bay, oysters kept steaming, and members of the pile driving community showed up to the Charleston pile production and equipment yard, ready to enjoy a great night together.

Hosted at Palmetto Pile Driving, the event brought contractors, engineers, suppliers, families, and friends together for a relaxed, come-as-you-are gathering. With free oysters, barbecue, chili, hot dogs, and cold beverages (thanks to generous sponsors), the Oyster Roast delivered exactly what it promised: good food, good company, and plenty of laughs. It was the perfect reminder that PDCA events are as much about relationships as they are about the work we do.

The annual Oyster Roast is made possible by many people from the yard crew, to the event organizers, to the hundreds of attendees, and to the generous sponsors who ensure that they receive an authentic, Low Country experience.

See the list of sponsors on the image:

See who was SPOTTED at the 20th Annual PDCA South Carolina Chapter Oyster Roast (thanks to PDCA contributing event photographer, Janet King):

And some photos from Ms. King's drone showing the event getting started....

If you missed the oyster roast, don't worry--there's more ahead. Be sure to mark your calendar for the PDCA of SC Driven Pile Technical Seminar on March 5, 2026, at The Citadel Holliday Alumni Center in Charleston, SC. Attendees can typically expect 5+ PDH, with more details coming in the weeks ahead.

Great events, strong connections, and more to come--the PDCA South Carolina Chapter continues providing meaningful education, engagement, and industry promotion to the Low Country and beyond.

the paparazzi Showed up for the marquis, PDCA event; we've obtained bonus photos as of 2/5 (see below)

Cadet Putnam Wins Scholarship and Canivan Talks Rigid Inclusions at SC Dinner

November 23, 2025

(L-R) Scott Nigels, Cadet Putnam, Kent Parker

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.

Technical Presenter, Greg Canivan, PE

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.