Civil engineering students from the University of Nevada, Reno joined students from California universities at the 21st annual Geotechnical Exploration Seminar in February, hosted by Taber Consultants.

Taber Consultants is an organization of geotechnical engineers and geologists specializing in foundation engineering, engineering geology and environmental geology. They have been conducting their yearly Geotechnical Exploration Seminar in collaboration with Taber Drilling since 1993. The seminar is geared towards undergraduate and graduate students as well as industry professionals. The day-long seminar is intended to provide hands-on practical instruction in the current standard practices in geotechnical and environmental field investigation.

This year, the University of Nevada, Reno participated for the first time, sending 20 undergraduate and graduate students from two classes along with two faculty from the University to the seminar in Capay, California. Other universities attending the seminar included UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and University of the Pacific.

The seminar began with an introduction from Taber Drilling recognizing all the students from different universities, professional organization members and industry professionals who were present. After introductions, attendees were divided into groups rotating between different demonstration stations. Demonstrations and supplementary topics of discussion included but were not limited to the following:

• Presentations from vendors
  • Slope stabilization and soil nailing
  • Specialty pile foundation
• Hollow and Solid Flight Auger Drilling
  • SPT Analyzer for assessing hammer efficiency
  • Piezometer installation for groundwater monitoring and sampling
• Rotary Wash Drilling
  • Standard penetration test (SPT)
  • Various drill bits and their suitability in specific soils/bedrock conditions
• Cone Penetrometer Testing
  • Shear wave velocity characterization
  • Flat Dilatometer Test (DMT)
• Environmental Sampling and Monitoring
• Slope stability monitoring through use of inclinometers and tiltmeters

This seminar is a rare opportunity for students to see all the different types of geotechnical exploration and sampling techniques first hand before starting their careers. The Taber Seminar is a way to bridge the gap from the classroom to the field, where information critical to good geotechnical design is collected.

Students and faculty members said the seminar was a valuable experience. Instructors of the CEE442/642 (Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering) and CEE748 (Advanced Geotechnical Laboratory) classes are planning on making the seminar part of their courses in coming years. Additional information about this event can be found by visiting Taber Consultants website.