driven pile academy
november 10-13, 2025
PORT BIENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI
In 2025, the Driven Pile Academy (DPA) covers more than just Set-up, Stand-up and Safety of your driven pile project. Using impact hammers, vibratory hammers (conventional and excavator-mounted), presses, swinging leads & offshore setups, designated piling rigs and more, the DPA is a unique tour and training event designed to keep you at the forefront of equipment safety and innovation in unique soil types. Showcasing all forms of Pile types, including Composites, Steel, Timber, and Concrete, in the same soils driven with 14 different methods is just the beginning.
Training and education will not only touch on PPE, Safety, Operations, Site Planning & Lift Plan review, but will feature the proper start up, use and maintenance of equipment with live Pile Installation, Team-based Site Planning & Execution, and more. Traditional classroom education will be minimal as a hands-on approach regarding the rigs, cranes, hammers, presses, materials, and more is the focus.
Schedule & Academy Layout
Monday, November 10, 2025 | 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Safety Extravaganza live onsite, hands-on excitement
PPE, MSDS and Personal Fitness/Hydration
Pre-task Plan hands-on - how to build your own.
Food, music and beverages.
Tuesday & Wednesday, November 11 & 12, 2025 | 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Full Engineering Focused Track Available
Pile Driving Fundamentals
Soil Mechanics
Bearing to Refusal
Pile Installation Techniques & Best Practices
New Material Installs, Bracing, Pile Treading, Hydraulics and Hoses
Execution of Ground Improvement via Wood Inclusion, Testing & Analysis
Live Testing and Ground Improvement Studies
Thursday, November 13, 2025 | 9:00 am - noon
Pile Cutting, Pulling
Academy Wrap-Up
Safety Extravaganza live onsite, hands-on excitement
PPE, MSDS and Personal Fitness/Hydration
Pre-task Plan hands-on - how to build your own.
• Exclusion zones and setups
• Falling objects
• Proximity planning
• Working platforms (intro)
• Lift plans
• Right crane choice
• Hammer sizing
Wash down for safe equipment movement from different bodies of water.• Falling objects
• Proximity planning
• Working platforms (intro)
• Lift plans
• Right crane choice
• Hammer sizing
Food, music and beverages.
Tuesday & Wednesday, November 11 & 12, 2025 | 7:30 am - 5:30 pm
Full Engineering Focused Track Available
Pile Driving Fundamentals
Soil Mechanics
Bearing to Refusal
Pile Installation Techniques & Best Practices
New Material Installs, Bracing, Pile Treading, Hydraulics and Hoses
Execution of Ground Improvement via Wood Inclusion, Testing & Analysis
Live Testing and Ground Improvement Studies
Thursday, November 13, 2025 | 9:00 am - noon
Pile Cutting, Pulling
Academy Wrap-Up
All attendees are required to attend the Safety Extravaganza & Training on Monday, November 10th.
PDCA's Driven Pile Academy is unique as it provides onsite training and prospective with a low instructor-to-student ratio. The intent of the DPA is to educate, inspire and innovate hands-on training for contractors, engineers, designers, estimators, government employees, and others in the driven pile industry who manage, design, specify, and implement deep foundation systems.
PDCA has worked to develop a variety of multiple unique DPA stations for students to gain insight into the driven pile and its installation methods. The 2025 DPA planning committee has taken this one step further and developed a special rotation for contractors and engineers to get a better perspective on the equipment and testing within the driven pile industry. And of course there is testing, testing, and more testing to be analyzed, discussed, and reviewed throughout the stations - see below.
Ground Improvement & Vibration Trench Studies: Eustis Engineering, Gilbert, and Koppers will install timber piles, as rigid inclusions, within a grid and use multiple testing methods to study the soil characteristics and improvements. Detecht, LLC and ICE International Construction Equipment, Inc. are partnering to study the vibration effects on structures, as well as how to protect your organization from vibration-related damage claims proactively
Testing & Evaluation Track: Eustis Engineering, is teaming up with Gulf Coast Pre-stress Concrete, GRL Engineers, and Baker Pile Driving to conduct a series of Testing and Evaluation sequences from the design phase (soil borings, field classifications, CPT testing, WEAP analysis) to pile instrumentation (strain gages, inclinometers, extensometers) and site installation (inclinometers, piezometers, geophones), to Vibration Monitoring (equipment, thresholds, mitigation), Dynamic Pile Testing (equipment, installation, restrike, CAPWAP analysis), and Static Load Testing.
You don't want to miss this highly acclaimed and anticipated event, which sold out quickly in 2022! Register today to reserve your spot at this highly anticipated event!
PDCA has worked to develop a variety of multiple unique DPA stations for students to gain insight into the driven pile and its installation methods. The 2025 DPA planning committee has taken this one step further and developed a special rotation for contractors and engineers to get a better perspective on the equipment and testing within the driven pile industry. And of course there is testing, testing, and more testing to be analyzed, discussed, and reviewed throughout the stations - see below.
Ground Improvement & Vibration Trench Studies: Eustis Engineering, Gilbert, and Koppers will install timber piles, as rigid inclusions, within a grid and use multiple testing methods to study the soil characteristics and improvements. Detecht, LLC and ICE International Construction Equipment, Inc. are partnering to study the vibration effects on structures, as well as how to protect your organization from vibration-related damage claims proactively
Testing & Evaluation Track: Eustis Engineering, is teaming up with Gulf Coast Pre-stress Concrete, GRL Engineers, and Baker Pile Driving to conduct a series of Testing and Evaluation sequences from the design phase (soil borings, field classifications, CPT testing, WEAP analysis) to pile instrumentation (strain gages, inclinometers, extensometers) and site installation (inclinometers, piezometers, geophones), to Vibration Monitoring (equipment, thresholds, mitigation), Dynamic Pile Testing (equipment, installation, restrike, CAPWAP analysis), and Static Load Testing.
You don't want to miss this highly acclaimed and anticipated event, which sold out quickly in 2022! Register today to reserve your spot at this highly anticipated event!
Attendee Registration:
- PDCA Student Member - Complimentary
- PDCA Government Employee Member - $400
- PDCA Member - $800
- Non- PDCA Member - $1,200
Space is limited, and interest is high.
Online Registration is Closed.
All attendees are required to attend the Safety Extravaganza & Training on Monday, November 10th.
Cancellation Policy
A full refund will be issued for attendee cancellations received by September 30, 2025. No refunds will be issued after this date; however, attendees may transfer their registration to another individual.
A full refund will be issued for attendee cancellations received by September 30, 2025. No refunds will be issued after this date; however, attendees may transfer their registration to another individual.
travel / Lodging Suggestions
Below is information on where you can fly into and nearby lodging. PDCA does not have a designated room block anywhere. We encourage you to look into the hotel and other lodging options in the area and make arrangements that fit your travel schedule.
Airports: (Both approx. an hour drive)
Airports: (Both approx. an hour drive)
- Gulfport-Biloxi
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans
Thank you to our
Diamond Sponsors!
PDCA's Driven Pile Academy is composed of equipment, materials, and instruction from industry leaders in the pile driving market.
Supporting Sponsorship Opportunities Available
There are a few sponsorship opportunities remaining for the PDCA Driven Pile Academy. Please contact PDCA staff at 904-215-4771 to discuss options.
Thank You to Our Supporting Sponsors
Driven reception Sponsor
impact ids Sponsors
concrete cafe Sponsors
refill rig Sponsor
Driven Drip Sponsors
ppe Sponsor
