Agenda

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Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before the start time.

Retaining Wall Design and Construction
Monday, January 13, 2025 | 9:00 am – 4:00 pm CST

 

Presented by: Bill Simpson, PE

Types of Retaining Walls

  • Common types of retaining walls used in today’s construction
  • Best applications of a cast-in-place concrete retaining wall
  • Alternatives to a cast-in-place retaining wall construction
  • Advantages to using gravity retaining walls
  • Different types of gravity retaining walls
  • Basic concepts of MSE systems
  • When to specify an MSE wall or MSE slope
  • Site layout concerns to consider when locating a retaining wall
  • Construction concerns for wall construction

Retaining Walls and Lateral Earth Pressure

  • Defining “the wall”
  • Identifying forces on a retaining wall
  • How to account for and resist soil pressure
  • How water pressure impacts a retaining wall
  • The properties of the soil that contribute to the wall design
  • Equations and examples
  • Wall failures related to the design conditions discussed

MSE Walls and Geosynthetics

  • What constitutes “the wall” when discussing an MSE wall
  • Properties of common geosynthetics
  • How an MSE wall differs from other wall types
  • Discussion of different blocks, reinforcement, and their interaction
  • Design code requirements for an MSE wall
  • How an MSE wall interacts with other site features such as building and utilities
  • Equations, calculations, and examples of internal stability of an MSE wall
  • Case histories of MSE wall failures highlighting what NOT to do

 

Webinar Instructions
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited.

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher.

Webinars are presented via GoToWebinar, an easy-to-use application that can be run on most systems and tablets. Instructions and login information will be provided in an email sent close to the date of the webinar. It is highly recommended that you download, install and test the application before the webinar begins by clicking on the link in the email.

GoToWebinar App requirements:
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The two most recent version of the following browsers:
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge
Internet Explorer v11 (or later) with Flash enabled.

Internet connection: Minimum of 1Mbps       Hardware: 2GB RAM or more

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Credits

Engineers
6.0 PDHs

Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours

AIA - American Institute of Architects
6.0 HSW LUs

Landscape Architects
6.0 HSW CE Hours

LACES - Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System
6.0 HSW PDHs

ICC - International Code Council
0.6 CEUs (Sitework)

 

Continuing Education Credit Information

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 PDHs for professional engineers, 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects, and 6.0 HSW continuing education hours for landscape architects in all states that allow this learning method. Please refer to specific state rules to determine eligibility. 

HalfMoon Education is an approved continuing education sponsor for engineers in Florida (Provider License No: CEA362), Indiana (License No. CE21700059), Maryland, New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00049300) and North Carolina (S-0130). HalfMoon Education is deemed an approved continuing education sponsor for New York engineers, architects and landscape architects via its registration with the American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System (AIA/CES) and the Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA/CES). Other states do not preapprove continuing education providers or courses. 

The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 HSW LUs (Sponsor No. J885). Only full participation is reportable to the AIA/CES. 

The Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System has approved this course for 6.0 HSW PDHs. Only full participation is reportable to the LA CES. 

The International Code Council has approved this event for .6 CEUs in the specialty area of Sitework (Preferred Provider No. 1232). 

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed). 

*On-Demand Credits* 

The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate. The following pre-approvals may be available for the on-demand format upon request: 

6.0 HSW LUs (AIA) 

6.0 HSW PDHs (LA CES) 

Speakers

Bill Simpson, P.E.

Geotechnical Structure Design Specialist at Gradelta Engineering

Mr. Simpson founded Gradelta Engineering in 2020 with the intent to help clients better understand the combination of geotechnical and structural engineering that he has worked with for the past 20 years. He earned his B.S.C.E. and M.S.C.E. degrees from Georgia Institute of Technology. He currently provides engineering services to contractors and fellow engineers for earth structure pricing, along with the plans and calculations needed for construction. He frequently consults with clients regarding the optimal structure type and location on the construction site to minimize risk and maximize useable space. He also works in the education sector providing not just seminars such as this one, but also acting as a subject matter expert creating study guide and test prep content for the NCEES Professional Civil Engineer exam. Mr. Simpson has also worked with lawyers and insurance companies during forensic investigation and lawsuits surrounding retaining walls and slope failures. His hope is that through the instructional services that he currently provides, slopes will remain stable and retaining wall failure will be eliminated.

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: Retaining Wall Design and Construction

Delivery Method: Live Online

Course Description: This six-hour course covers the design and construction of various types of retaining walls, including cast-in-place concrete, gravity, and mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. The course will explore the impact of lateral earth and water pressure on wall stability, as well as the role of geosynthetics in MSE walls. The course also emphasizes best practices for ensuring structural integrity and preventing failure through case studies and practical examples, offering critical insights for professionals involved in retaining wall projects.

Learning Objectives:

Learning Objective 1:
Learners will be able to describe common types of retaining walls, evaluate the best applications for cast-in-place concrete retaining walls, and compare alternatives like gravity retaining walls and MSE systems.

Learning Objective 2:
Learners will be able to identify the forces acting on retaining walls, including soil and water pressure, and apply equations to account for these pressures in wall design.

Learning Objective 3:
Learners will be able to differentiate between MSE walls and other retaining wall types, analyze the properties of geosynthetics, and assess the interaction between MSE walls and surrounding site features.

Learning Objective 4:
Learners will be able to examine case histories of MSE wall failures, recognize design pitfalls, and apply internal stability equations to prevent future issues.

LUs: 6.0                                                                                              LU Type: LU|HSWs

Prerequisites: None

Advance Preparation: None

Program Level: Intermediate

Course Expiration Date: 10/17/2027

Complaint Resolution Policy:

Complaints regarding this course can be emailed to fchapman@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.

Streamable MP4/PDF Price: $349.00

Add to Cart ($349.00)

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