Gulf Coast Chapter to Host Quarterly Meeting on June 1 at Baton Rouge Casino



The Chapter is giving away fishing poles and a brand new ice chest - if you don't win this prize, you can try your
luck on the fishing slots following the Chapter's 2nd quarterly meeting at L'Auberge Casino in Baton Rouge!
 

2023 PDCA Gulf Coast Chapter 2nd Quarter Meeting

When
Thursday, June 1, 2023 from 5:45 PM to 8:00 PM CDT
Add to Calendar
 
Where
Hotel L'Auberge Casino - Baton Rouge, LA
777 L'Auberge Ave
Baton Rouge, LA 70820
Driving Directions
Join your fellow pile driving professionals for the PDCA Gulf Chapter 2nd Quarter Meeting that will be held June 1, 2023 and the L'auberge Casino in Baton Rouge, LA.

There is no charge to attend but we are asking you to register and let us know that you are coming.  Please select the "Register Now" link below to register.

This meeting we will be giving away an ice chest and some fishing poles. You won't want to miss out on your chance for the perfect Saturday setup!!

You can also share this information with a colleague who may be interested in attending.

Additional program information will be sent to all registrants as we get closer to the meeting date.
 
We would like to thank our event sponsors for their generous support.



 
Click Here to Register!
 
Thank you for your continued support and participation in the PDCA Gulf Coast Chapter programs and events. We look forward to seeing you at L'Auberge Casino Baton Rouge, LA for the next PDCA Gulf Coast Chapter meeting.

Posted in Chapter News.

Pile Drivers Hammer Golf Balls at Annual Northeast Chapter Outreach Event


For the third year in a row, members of the PDCA Northeast Chapter congregated at TopGolf in Edison, NJ to hold a Meet and Greet social which was also an opportunity to introduce potential new members to the organization. Dozens of contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, and other affiliates of the driven pile industry enjoyed showcasing their golf swings, networking with colleagues and friends, filling up on BBQ, and hearing a briefing on the latest in PDCA news, both at the Chapter and national levels.
 

Once all participants had arrived and settled in for the evening, President David Price publicly thanked event sponsors R. Kremer & Son Marine Contractors, Junttan USA, and Clydesdale Steel, before welcoming attendees and encouraging those who are not already members, to consider joining PDCA. He also gave the group a sneak preview of the next Chapter event coming August 11th, the very popular Annual Sporting Clays Fundraiser, which will again take place in Coplay, PA. Watch PDCA Publications and your inbox for forthcoming announcements. In support of the Northeast Chapter, staff from the PDCA office attended the TopGolf function and provided an update on news from the national organization. 


The PDCA Northeast Chapter thanks all members for ongoing support of the driven pile industry and hopes to see you again in August.
See who was SPOTTED at Annual TopGolf Meet and Greet and New Member Outreach event:

Posted in Chapter News.

Chapter Hears Tech Presentation about Below-Grade Parking Garages


Ric Anderson, PE, SE presents technical project story to SC Chapter

Marty Swain, Candi Stegall, Kent Parker, Pete Adams of Parker Marine Contracting

Initially, it was an industry breakthrough for the Charleston, SC market. Now, it has become a prototype for similar driven pile projects in the fast-growing historical city on the eastern seaboard. Attendees at the Quarterly Dinner Meeting of the PDCA South Carolina Chapter heard a presentation entitled "Below-Grade Parking in Charleston" by Ric Anderson, PE, SE - Nucor Skyline. As the supplier of the structural steel for two underground parking garages, including The Bennett Hotel in 2017 and 595 King Street in 2019, Mr. Anderson discussed many of the technical considerations that builders encountered when constructing those facilities Local deep foundations contractor Parker Marine Contracting installed the driven pilings for both projects and several representatives from the company were in attendance to hear the presentation on May 11th.

In addition to the technical program, the meeting included a separate segment to honor Richard Gilbert for his years of dedicated industry contributions. Now retired, Mr. Gilbert spent decades with Nucor Skyline and was instrumental in growing and strengthening the PDCA Chapter in South Carolina up until his 2015 retirement. He was introduced by Chapter founder Harry Robbins and presented a miniature pile driving rig trophy for his years of work advocating the driven pile.

(L-R) Richard Gilbert, Harry Robbins
SC Chapter members honor Gilbert

The PDCA South Carolina Chapter thanks all attendees of the May Quarterly Dinner Meeting, the group will next convene on August 10 at the Town and Country Inn & Suites in Charleston. Watch for future announcements in your inbox and on the PDCA Events Calendar online for forthcoming registration information. All 2023 Quarterly Dinner Meetings of the Chapter are brought to you by PDCA members Koppers, Nucor Skyline, Junttan USA, Palmetto Pile Driving, Inc., ECS Limited, and ICE-International Construction Equipment. 

See who was SPOTTED at the PDCA South Carlina Chapter dinner:

Posted in Chapter News.

This Month in PDCA History...20 Years Ago, A Chapter Was Born


L-R: Harry Robbins, John King, Richard Gilbert, Marty Swain

Did you know...The PDCA South Carolina Chapter incorporated as a registered nonprofit organization 20 years ago this month and held its first Membership Meeting on May 6, 2003. The Chapter affiliated with the international organization and was designed to provide a local presence that, to this day, serves and educates the driven pile industry primarily in The Palmetto State while also reaching interested parties in North Carolina and Georgia. 

The first meeting of the PDCA South Carolina Chapter was held at T-Bonz, a former steakhouse in Mount Pleasant, SC. The charter leadership team consisted of founding member and president Harry Robbins of Palmetto Pile Driving, vice president John King of Pile Drivers, Inc., and secretary/treasurer Andrea Edwards of what was Cox Industrial and today is Koppers. The initial at-large board members included John Parker of Parker Marine Contracting Corp., Richard Gilbert of Nucor Skyline Steel, Bob Musselwhite of Cape Romain Contractors, and Keith Plemmons of The Citadel.

While some of the founding members have entered retirement or moved on in different capacities, some of them are still active with PDCA today. Several of them participated in a Charleston golf outing this month and gathered to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of the PDCA Chapter they established. And if you know anything about the PDCA South Carolina Chapter, you know that they are strong proponents of industry swag...and as you would expect, they produced a stadium cup to mark their two decades in existence.

PDCA thanks all current and former members of the PDCA South Carolina Chapter for its work in establishing a strong, singular voice for the driven pile in a critical, American marketplace. In addition to its work successfully building a robust coalition of contractors, equipment manufacturers, industry suppliers and civil engineers, it has also started and continues great industry traditions such as the Annual Oyster Roast which draws attendees from throughout the eastern U.S. to Charleston every January. Make sure to watch the PDCA Events calendar for upcoming dates for all PDCA Chapters.


Posted in Chapter News.

Annual Scholarship Shoot Raises Funds for West Coast Students


One of the most highly anticipated events each year at the PDCA Pacific Coast Chapter is the annual Scholarship Shoot, a competitive target shooting outing which attracts members and supporters throughout California and beyond. This year's event took place on April 28, 2023 on what turned out to be a perfect weather day at Bird's Landing, the event venue located midway between Sacramento and San Francisco. 

The festivities began at 8:00 AM with registration and breakfast as more than 125 participants made their way to the Solano County gun range. Shooters were provided with 100 targets, 100 rounds of ammo, ear and eye protection, BBQ lunch, and beverages. As usual, a large variety of amazing raffle and auction prizes were also distributed to those who chose to test their luck. All money raised is distributed to rising or current college students who are pursuing higher education in a construction and/or engineering field.

The 2023 Pacific Coast Chapter Scholarship Shoot was made possible by several sponsors, including PDCA Members Foundation Constructors, CS Marine Constructors, Inc., Stroer and Graff, Balfour Beatty, Pileco, Nucor Skyline, and JD Fields & Company. Special thanks to Pacific Coast Chapter President Dermot Fallon for his continued commitment to promoting construction careers to younger generations through a coveted scholarship program.  
 

Posted in Chapter News.

See You at the Northeast Chapter TopGolf Meet and Greet

 
When
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EDT
Add to Calendar

 

Where
TopGolf
1013 U.S. Route 1
Edison, NJ 08817
Driving Directions
Bring your long game! The popular PDCA Northeast Chapter TopGolf Meet and Greet and New Member Outreach is coming up May 17, 2023, at TopGolf, Edison, New Jersey.  This event is open to PDCA Northeast Chapter members and non-members.  Plan now to join us for some good BBQ, a time to reconnect with your friends in the area, and of course a golf challenge.

Cost is $150 per person and you are encouraged to bring any customers, guests, or friends. Doing so, you are supporting driven pile foundation construction.

If you would like to be an Event Sponsor, you are welcome to do so with your $500 contribtuion.

Don't miss this opportunity to get together with your PDCA friends and help the Chapter share information to non-members about the advantages of membership in the organization.  Select the link below and register today.


Thank
you, Event Sponsor:

 

There are still sponsorships available that can be purchased during the registration. The PDCA Northeast Chapter sincerely appreciates the support from our sponsors.

Let us know if you need additional information, contact:
Matt Scerbak
973-460-4617

We hope to see you at TopGolf on May 17th. Thank you for your continued support and participation in PDCA Northeast Chapter activities.

Posted in Chapter News.

Northeast Chapter Delivers 2023 Professional Develoement Course


The 2023 PDCA Northeast Chapter Professional Development Course took place Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at George Harms Construction Company, Inc.; dozens of industry professionals heard enriching presentations from leaders in deep foundation construction.

Among the presenters was Dr. Cathy Aimone-Martin who has more than 40 years experience as an applied researcher in vibration monitoring and structure response and she shared her thoughts on Vibrations In Pile Driving.  This topic is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented considerations about the pile driving process. Other topics she addressed:
  • Ground vibrations for pile driving
  • Site attenuation model - vibration vs distance
  • Structure response to pile driving
  • Vibration standards
  • Responding to complaints
  • Pile driving vs Mother Nature
  • Need for more data
Later, Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE) presented on practical design of driven piles for foundations.  The following are the professionals from the New York engineering firm who participated in the program, along with the subjects they addressed:

Andrew Tognon
Proven Design Concepts to Improve Pile Performance
  • Field testing of the performance of driven taper tip piles vs drilled displacement piles in subsurface conditions ideally suited for both types of displacement piles
  • Comparative performance during axial and lateral load testing
  • Please click this link to read the full Andrew Tognon Bio 

James Tantalla - Use of Driven Piles for Ground Improvement

  • An overview of various ground improvement techniques and discuss different applications of driven piles to ground improvement including settlement mitigation, densification, column supported embankments, and slope stabilization.
  • Please click this link to read the full James Tantalla Bio 

Walter Kaeck - Geotechnical Considerations in Selection & Design of Driven Pile Foundations

  • A review of suitability of alternative driven pile types in different site and ground conditions. This presentation included case histories to illustrate successes and failures o alternative piles in various ground conditions.
  • Please click this link to read the full Walter Kaeck Bio 

Sitotaw Fantaye - Use of Driven Piles for SOE and Retaining Walls

  • An overview of the use of driven pilles as they relate to excavation support, retaining walls, and flood walls from conventional H piles to large diameter pipe piles with case histories to illustrate design concepts and methods to evaluate and mitigate impacts when driving in close proximity to existing structures.
  • Please click this link to read the full Sitotaw Fantaye Bio 

Professional Development Hours (PDH) were provided for participants that will apply to New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.


Thanks to Program and Lunch sponsor for significant support for the 2023 PDCA NE Chapter Professional Development Course.




Posted in Chapter News.

Texas Chapter Announces 4/11 Meeting, Networking Happy Hour

 
You're invited to join the Texas chapter for our Q2 meeting & Networking Happy Hour on April 11 from 4:30 - 6:30pm at St. Arnold's Brewing Company, graciously hosted by Service Steel Warehouse.

Please RSVP by clicking this link!

Saint Arnold Brewing Company 
2000 Lyons Ave. | Houston, TX 77020
 

Posted in Chapter News.

Pacific Coast Chapter: 12th Annual Scholarship Shoot Coming April 28th

Scenes from the 2022 PDCA Pacific Coast Chapter Scholarship Shoot at Birds Landing, CA

The Pile Driving Contractors Association Pacific Coast Chapter 12th Annual Scholarship Shoot is coming Friday, April 28, 2023, to Birds Landing Hunting Preserve, at 2099 Collinsville Road, Birds Landing, CA.  Registration starts at 8:00 AM and the action begins at 9:00 AM. Stick around for lunch (included), immediately after you complete the shoot.
 
Click the image below to REGISTER
 
Thanks to last year's Shooting Station Sponsors!
 
 

How to Participate
 

Please click the button below to register for this event.  In the registration process you will have the ability to:

  • Register yourself

  • Register your team

  • Provide the names of your team members

  • Provide a list of raffle items you would like to provide

  • Purchase raffle tickets

  • Purchase Shooting Station Sponsorships

  • Upload your Shooting Station Sponsor sign logo

  • Make a donation to the PDCA Pacific Coast Scholarship fund

Raffle prizes will include:

  • There will be some amazing raffle prizes

  • Please consider donating an item
    (Help boost the success of the event; list your donations on the registration page.)

Shooters should bring:

  • A shotgun

  • A bag or vest to carry ammo

We will provide:

  • 100 targets

  • 100 rounds of ammo

  • Ear and Eye protection

  • BBQ Lunch

 

 

Lend Support, Even If You Can't Attend
 

Please consider the following options, and click the button if you can help:

  • Providing raffle items 

  • Purchasing Shooting Station Sponsorships

  • Uploading your Shooting Station Sponsor sign logo

  • Donating to the PDCA Pacific Coast Scholarship fund


Please contact us if you have any questions or need assistance to register.

Thank you for your continued support for PDCA Pacific Coast Chapter events.  We look forward to seeing you at Birds Landing.

 

Posted in Chapter News.

Northeast Chapter Professional Development Course Coming March 29

 
When
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM EDT
Add to Calendar
 
Where
George Harms Construction Company
62 Yellowbrook Rd
Howell, NJ 07727
Driving Directions

 
Register today to attend the 2023 PDCA Northeast Chapter Professional Development Course. The course is FREE for all paid PDCA National and PDCA Northeast Chapter members.

This full day program will feature important presentations on pile driving.  The following speakers have been confirmed for this program.

Dr. Cathy Aimone-Martin has over 40 years experience as an applied researcher in vibration monitoring and structure response and will present her thoughts on Vibrations In Pile Driving.  This topic is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented considerations about the pile driving process.  Dr. Martin will share her insights about how to properly discuss whether pile driving is actually causing damage to structures around a pile driving job.


Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers (MRCE) will also present on practical design of driven piles for foundations. The following individuals will deliver various topics:
  • Andrew Tognon: Proven Design Concepts to Improve Pile Performance
  •  
  • James Tantalla: Use of Driven Piles for Ground Improvement 
  •  
  • Walter Kaeck: Geotechnical Considerations in Selection & Design of Driven Pile Foundations  
  •  
  • Sitotaw Fantaye: Use of Driven Piles for SOE and Retaining Walls
Professional Development Hours (PDH) will be provided for participants that will apply to New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Secure your spot in this important program by selecting the Register Now button below.


Professional Development Hours (PDH) will be provided for participants that will apply to New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Secure your spot in the program today by selecting the Register Now button below.
We want to thank our sponsor for their significant support for the 2023 PDCA NE Chapter Professional Development Course.
 
Register Now!


Thank you for supporting the PDCE NE Chapter. We look forward to seeing you at the 2023 PDCA Northeast Chapter Professional Development Course.

Sincerely,
  
PDCA Northeast Chapter

Posted in Chapter News.

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