Soil Mechanics, Bearing Capacity and Slope Stabilization Seminar
DISCLAIMER
Before purchasing, review the rules of your licensing or certifying entity. It is your responsibility to confirm this course meets your CE requirements. See the credit tab on the course page for details.
What’s Included: Full webinar recording, written course materials, expert instruction, a mandatory quiz, and a certificate upon completion.
Deliverability Timeline: All courses are generally available within 1-2 weeks after the live presentation.
CE Credits: AIA and/or LA/CES accreditation is available by request for courses recorded prior to March 11, 2026. All courses after that date include those accreditations by default, if applicable. With these accreditations, our courses qualify for credit in nearly all states for engineers, surveyors, architects, and landscape architects.
Learn more about the on-demand format in our FAQ or contact us at (715) 835-5900 or customerservice@halfmoonseminars.org
Agenda
Due to health and safety concerns regarding the COVID-19 virus, this seminar is now being offered as an online webinar.
Follow this link for registration: https://www.halfmoonseminars.org/seminars/133352/soil-mechanics-bearing-capacity-and-slope-stabilization-seminar/online
Soil Investigation and Classification
Properties of soil
• Importance of recognizing soil properties
• Formation of soils
• Types of soils
Soil investigation
• Site reconnaissance
• Geology and visual observations
• Drilling and boring
• Test pits
• Establishing appropriate investigational methods
• Obtaining and reviewing geotechnical reports
Reviewing Hydraulic and Mechanical Properties of Soils
Soil permeability
Compressibility of soil
Soil hydraulics
• Saturation, hydraulic gradient, and conductivity
Drained and undrained shear strength
• Vertical and lateral earth pressure
Stress and failure in soils
Determining and Increasing Bearing Capacity
Calculating bearing capacity
Bearing capacity of shallow foundations
Bearing capacity of piers and piles
Increasing bearing capacity
• Draining and compaction
• Soil improvement
Determining and Increasing Slope Stability
Natural and engineered slopes
Reviewing basic concepts of slope stability
Understanding slope failures
Impact of surface water and groundwater
Examining slope stabilization methods
• Unloading
• Draining and compaction
• Reinforcement
• Soil improvement
Credits
Professional Engineers
6.5 CPC Credits/PDHs
Architects
6.5 HSW Continuing Ed. Hours
6.5 AIA LU|HSW
Contractors
Non-Credit Continuing Ed.
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers up to 6.5 CPC credits/PDHs to professional engineers and 6.5 HSW continuing education hours to architects in all states. HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education provider for New Jersey engineers (Approval No. 24GP00000700).
HalfMoon Education is deemed a New York-approved continuing education provider for engineers and architects via its registration with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (Regulations of the Commissioner §68.14(i)(2) and §69.6(i)(2)).
HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida, Indiana (License No. CE21700059), Maryland, North Carolina, and North Dakota.
This event has been approved by the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System for 6.5 LU|HSW (Sponsor No. J885). Courses approved by the AIA/CES qualify for New Jersey architects. Only full attendance can be reported to the AIA/CES. Visit www.halfmoonseminars.org for complete AIA/CES information under this course listing.
This seminar offers a non-credit continuing education opportunity to contractors; it has not been approved in any state that has a contractor continuing education requirement.
Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the seminar for most individuals who complete the entire event. Attendance certificates not available at the seminar will be mailed to participants within fifteen business days.
Speakers
David Harmanos, P.E.
Branch Manager at Hillis-Carnes Engineering Associates, Inc., in PennsylvaniaMr. Harmanos is a professional engineer with extensive experience in subsurface exploration, soil testing, infiltration testing, geosynthetics, and seismic and advanced analysis. His expertise includes commercial, industrial and institutional foundation design; retaining wall and steep slope design; sinkhole remediation; landfill design; site work; forensic engineering; LEED consulting; and construction quality control/assurance (CQA/QC). Mr. Harmanos is a graduate of Drexel University where he received both his BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering (Geosynthetics and Geotechnical). Hillis-Carnes performs geotechnical engineering consulting and laboratory testing services. Its construction services include evaluation of bearing materials, inspection of pile driving, slope inclinometer installation and monitoring, and retaining wall construction observation.
AIA Info
AIA Provider Statement:
HalfMoon Education Inc. is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number J885. All registered AIA/CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider of learning program may be sent to AIA/CES (cesupport@aia.org or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).
This learning program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.
AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA/CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.
Course Title: Soil Mechanics, Bearing Capacity and Slope Stabilization
Delivery Method: Live
Course Description: This 6.5 hour live lecture presentation examines soil investigation and classification, hydraulic and mechanical properties of soils, determining and increasing bearing capacity, and determining and increasing slope stability.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1:
Learners will be able to describe the need to need to understand the properties of soil on particular development soils and value of conducting soil investigations to determine the appropriate type and design of that foundation, which will ensure its longevity and safety.
Learning Objective 2:
Learners will be able to articulate the need to understand the hydraulic and mechanical properties of site soils so that soil compressibility and drainage can be considered for foundation design.
Learning Objective 3:
Learners will be able to calculate soil bearing capacities for shallow foundations, piers and piles, and they will be able to explain how to increase bearing capacity through draining, compaction, and soil improvement.
Learning Objective 4:
Learners will be able to differentiate the stability of natural and engineered slopes, explain why slopes fail, and describe slope stabilization methods to avoid slope failure and landslides.
LUs: 6.5 LU Type: LU|HSWs.
Prerequisites: Familiarity with site development and earthwork.
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 09/05/2022
Complaint Resolution Policy:
Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to doug@halfmoonseminars.org or by calling (715) 835-5900. A HalfMoon Education representative will respond within 72 hours to resolve the complaint, which will include, but not limited to, access to another CE activity at no or reduced cost or a full or partial refund. Each instance will be resolved on a case-by-case situation.