September Dinner Meeting & New Board Member Election

Join us on Thursday September 26th for a fun networking hour, our new board elections and a dinner presentation by James Gingery, PhD, PE, GE.

Schedule:

5-6pm Registration & Keller sponsored Happy Hour

6pm: Dinner & Welcome remarks. New board member election (voting in person)

6:45pm: Dinner presentation on Seismic Analysis and Design of Rigid Inclusions by Dr. Gingery

Abstract:

Rigid Inclusions (RIs, which also go by other trade names such as DDC^TM, DGC, CMC, etc.) are relatively slender grouted columnar elements typically installed using displacement auger or flighted auger drilling. They are commonly employed as a ground improvement technique to transfer loads through soft compressible layers to competent bearing layers. With little to no longitudinal steel and no confining steel, they are inherently brittle and non-ductile when subjected to bending. This has raised concerns about the seismic performance of RIs, particularly when they are subjected to strong ground shaking in soft or liquefiable soils. This presentation will describe the nonlinear flexural stiffness and strength of RIs and how they differ from piles with conventional ACI 318-based reinforcement. Several Bay Area cases will be used to illustrate methods for analyzing seismic demand and RI response, with outcomes ranging from acceptable to unacceptable performance. The results underscore the importance of seismic analysis and design of RIs at soft or liquefiable sites with high seismicity.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Gingery is a Chief Engineer at Keller leading a team providing ground improvement and geostructural engineering for design-build projects across the Western U.S. and beyond.  Dr. Gingery holds an M.S. in geotechnical engineering from U.C. Berkeley and a Ph.D. in geotechnical earthquake engineering from U.C. San Diego. He has more than 26 years of experience in research, consulting, design and construction, and is a license professional engineer in multiple states. In 2015 he was awarded the Shamsher Prakash Prize for Excellence in the Practice of Geotechnical Engineering. 

New Board Member Election:

ASCE Members and participants present at the September 26th meeting will be eligible to vote for our newest board member joining the Geo-Institute Los Angeles chapter. Help us select a board member to serve for 7-years and lead the the LA Chapter into the future!

Currently, we have two individuals interested in running for the position and are accepting any other submissions from interested persons to: asce.lagi@gmail.com

Nadra Matar, Project Manager, AESCO

Nadra Matar is a seasoned Project Manager with over a decade of experience in managing complex geotechnical and environmental engineering projects across California. With a robust background in both technical and managerial aspects of engineering, Nadra has successfully led a diverse array of projects that span transportation infrastructure, environmental remediation, and municipal engineering. She has been instrumental in overseeing major projects including the Perris Valley Line, City of Corona Auto Center Drive, Orangethorpe Grade Separation, Sand Canyon Grade Separation, State College Grade Separation, and multiple on-call projects for the City of Huntington Beach such as the Warner Avenue Gravity Sewer Lift Station C, the Sewer Lift Station Replacement Project for Algonquin Lift Station No. 10, and Ranger Sewer Lift Station No. 16. Additionally, Nadra has managed several freeway and road projects involving new embankment fills, new bridges, grade separations, pavement design, and surveys of existing road conditions, as well as new telecommunications facilities throughout California. Her expertise extends into environmental engineering, with experience in hazardous waste investigations, Phase I/II environmental site assessments, supervision of soils laboratories, and preparing comprehensive reports on soil compaction, preliminary soil investigations, distress investigations, and slope repair projects. Nadra’s leadership and technical skills have been pivotal in delivering successful outcomes for a wide range of geotechnical and environmental engineering projects, demonstrating a commitment to excellence and innovation in the field.

Simon Gudina, Sr. Engineer, Geo-Instruments

I am Simon Gudina, and I am excited to offer my candidacy for the ASCE Geo-Institute LA Chapter board membership. With a background in geotechnical engineering design, geosynthetics, geoenvironmental design, and geo-structural instrumentation, I bring a wealth of experience in Civil Engineering and related fields. I am always passionate about dissemination of engineering knowledge and practice. I always volunteered my free time to a goal whenever I believed it would make a positive difference. Currently, I am actively participating in DFI’s Testing & Evaluation and CalGeo’s Technical committee initiatives where I continue honing my skills in contributing to our profession’s goal of improving the community we live in. I hope that such experiences will add value to our Chapter’s ongoing and future efforts.

As an engineer, I believe that each of us should strive to: inspire and attract younger generations to the profession, advocate for the profession anywhere anytime, promote interdisciplinary (technical as well nontechnical) collaboration in an effort to improve the well-being of our society. I look forward to the opportunity to work collaboratively and contribute to the success of our ASCE Geo-Institute LA Chapter.