Site Analysis and Grading Fundamentals for Design Professionals
Agenda
Webinar instructions will be emailed 24-48 business hours before the date of the webinar.
Please log into the webinar 10-15 minutes before start time.
Monday, December 14, 2026
10:00 am – 12:00 pm CDT
Agenda:
Understanding Site Soils, Geology, and Topography
Presented by Antonios Vytiniotis, Ph.D.
- Understanding the role of soils
- Soil characteristics, classification and engineering properties
- Identifying the underlying geological conditions
- Understanding the watershed
- Considering site topography
Site Grading
Presented by James Farren, PE, CME
- Grading for roads, sidewalks and paths
- Grading for stairs and ramps
- Grading for retaining walls
- Grading slopes
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:
Windows 10 or higher, macOS 11 or higher, Linux, Google Chrome OS
Web Browser:
Google Chrome (most recent 3 versions)
Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions)
Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better
Hardware: 2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended)
For more information, visit the Support section at www.gotowebinar.com
Credits
Engineers
2.0 PDHs
Architects
2.0 HSW CE Hours
AIA - American Institute of Architects
2.0 HSW|LUs
Landscape Architects
2.0 HSW CE Hours
LACES - Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System
2.0 HSW PDHs
ICC - International Code Council
0.2 CEUs (Sitework)
This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 2.0 PDHs for professional engineers, 2.0 HSW continuing education hours for licensed architects, and 2.0 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, and New Jersey (Approval No. 24GP00049300). 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 2.0 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 2.0 HSW PDHs. Only full participation is reportable to the LA CES.
The International Code Council has approved this event for .2 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).
While this course is designed to qualify for credit in all states, licensing boards have final authority with respect to acceptance of credits. We recommend reviewing the rules of your licensing board(s) before undertaking any continuing education activities.
On-Demand Credits
The credits listed above apply only to the live webinar. This course in an on-demand format may not qualify for the same credit. Please refer to specific board rules to determine if an asynchronous, on-demand course is appropriate. The following credits will be included subject to approval:
- 2.0 HSW|LUs (AIA)
- 2.0 HSW PDHs (LA CES)
Speakers
James Farren, PE, CME
SE7EN EngineeringMr. Farren is a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Municipal Engineer with experience in project management and municipal infrastructure design in New York City and New Jersey. Mr. Farren currently focuses his engineering in Hudson County, where he has led the design and delivery of a diverse range of site civil projects for municipal clients.
His project portfolio spans playgrounds, waterfront facilities, outdoor sports courts, spray parks, pools, and municipal roadway and streetscape improvements — each presenting unique grading challenges driven by varying code requirements, accessibility standards, slope constraints, and integration with existing surrounding grades. This breadth of project types has given Mr. Farren a well-rounded command of site grading design across varied site conditions and regulatory frameworks.
Antonios Vytiniotis, Ph.D. P.E.
Director, Group Lead, Massachusetts Consulting, GeocompDr. Vytiniotis is a member of the Geo-Institute’s Deep Foundation and Computation Geotechnics committees and a regional Director for the Society of Construction Law – North America. He has background in structural and geotechnical engineering, geotechnical earthquake engineering, and numerical analysis. Dr. Vytiniotis has worked on numerous projects in more than 20 states and multiple countries, assisting project owners, law firms, insurance companies and developers. His analyses consist of assessing soil improvement, soil-structure interaction, dam safety, causation of MSE wall failures, effects of adjacent construction (such as vibrations or pile driving), soil heave or settlements, pipeline installation, water intrusion, and backfill quality. Dr. Vytiniotis is experienced in evaluating slope stability, performing mechanical and flow-through-porous media finite element analyses and soil-structure interaction using various software such as Plaxis, Flac, Geostudio, ABAQUS, LPILE, FEFLOW and GROUP. Additionally, he has experience in data analysis, signal processing and GIS. Dr. Vytiniotis has performed research on the seismic response of pile-supported wharves, seismic slope stability, the effectiveness of prefabricated vertical drains (earthquake drains) and soil densification in reducing liquefaction risk, the effect of gravel drains in amplifying seismic accelerations, and numerical simulations of centrifuge experiments. In the past, He gained international experience in Greece and Switzerland, and was appointed lecturer at MIT.
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: Site Analysis and Grading Fundamentals for Design Professionals
Delivery Method: Live Online
Course Description: This two-hour course explores the fundamentals of site analysis and grading for design professionals, including soil characteristics, geological conditions, watershed considerations, and site topography. Instruction also examines practical grading applications for roads, sidewalks, stairs, ramps, retaining walls, and slopes.
Learning Objectives:
Learning Objective 1: Learners will be able to identify soil characteristics, classification systems, and engineering properties relevant to site design, and explain how underlying geological conditions and watershed dynamics influence site development decisions.
Learning Objective 2: Learners will be able to analyze site topography and evaluate how existing conditions affect grading design, drainage, and the construction potential of a site.
Learning Objective 3: Learners will be able to apply grading principles for roads, sidewalks, paths, stairs, and ramps in accordance with accessibility and site design standards.
Learning Objective 4: Learners will be able to design grading solutions for retaining walls and slopes that manage stormwater, prevent erosion, and ensure site stability.
LUs: 2.0
LU Type: LU|HSWs
Prerequisites: None
Advance Preparation: None
Program Level: Intermediate
Course Expiration Date: 08/19/2029
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.
2 Knowledge Points
Purchase this course using Knowledge Points by clicking the button below.
(Account login required. Knowledge Points can only be redeemed by the owner of the points. Cannot be combined with any other forms of payment)