Soils in Construction
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 which will take place over two days, Tuesday, May 12, and Wednesday, May 13. 2020.
Follow this link for registration: https://www.halfmoonseminars.org/seminars/133448/soils-in-construction/online
Soil Investigation and Classification
Soil classification
• 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
Complying with Building Code Provisions on Soils
International Building Code (IBC)
International Residential Code (IRC)
Infrastructure standards and guidelines
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
• Grouting
Determining and Improving 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
• Covering
• Unloading
• Draining and compaction
• Reinforcement
• Soil improvement
Credits
Architects
7.0 HSW Contact Hours*
7.0 AIA LU|HSW
Landscape Architects
7.0 HSW Contact Hours
7.0 LA/CES HSW PDHs
Professional Engineers
7.0 PDHs
International Code Council
.7 CEUs (Building)
Contractors
Non-Credit Education
*SD and HSW details inside
Continuing Education Credit Information
This seminar is open to the public and offers 7.0 HSW contact hours to architects and landscape architects and 7.0 PDHs to professional engineers in most states, including New Hampshire architects.
Attention New Hampshire architects: Your licensing board relies on each licensee to determine and claim appropriate credit hours regarding SD and HSW classifications. See Architect Rule 403.02 (b) and (c).
HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida, Maryland, New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00000700), North Carolina, and North Dakota. HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for architects in Florida and is deemed an approved sponsor for engineers, architects and landscape architects in New York.
This seminar has been approved by the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System for 7.0 LU|HSW (Sponsor No. J885) and the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System for 7.0 HSW PDHs. Visit www.halfmoonseminars.org for complete AIA/CES information under this course listing. Only full attendance is reportable to the AIA/CES and LA/CES.
The International Code Council has approved this course for .7 CEUs in the specialty area of Building (Preferred Provider No. 1232).
This course offers a non-credit continuing education opportunity to contractors. It has not been approved for continuing education credit by any state contractor licensing entity.
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: Soils in Construction
Delivery Method: Live
Course Description: This seven-hour lecture presentation examines soil investigations and classification, hydraulic and mechanical properties of soils, building codes of soils, determining and increasing bearing capacity, and improving slope stability.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1:
Learners will be able to describe the purpose and process of determining soil classification of a project site and for conducting soil investigations before breaking ground on a construction project.
Learning Objective 2:
Learners will be able to discuss the relevance of soil permeability and compressibility of project site soils and explain the science of stress and failure in soils.
Learning Objective 3:
Learners will be able to reference nd comply with soil provisions found in the International Building Code and the International Residential Code.
Learning Objective 4:
Learners will be able calculate bearing capacities of soils for shallow foundations and explain the process of increasing bearing capacities.
Learning Objective 5:
Learners will be able differentiate slope stability issues for natural and engineered slopes, be able to identify causes of slope failures, and be able to determine appropriate slope stabilization methods.
LUs: 7.0 LU Type: LU|HSWs.
Prerequisites: Experience with site development
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 02/24/2023
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.