Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) has formed a new 16th technical committee to focus on site investigation for deep foundation design and construction.

Initially, committee members will meet to discuss and define subsurface characterization needs, gaining the input and perspective of representatives from the entire geotechnical/foundation industry. Their first meeting will be at the group’s Annual Conference in Atlanta, Oct. 21 to 24, 2014.

Bernard Hertlein of GEI Consultants Inc., a DFI trustee, will preside over the meeting and be the committee’s liaison to the board.

Although committee members will define the committee’s specific goals and initial activities during their first meeting, one purpose of the committee is to promote complete and competent site investigation in deep foundation practices.

The committee intends its initial discussion and definition of subsurface characterization needs to streamline the process of getting correct and comprehensive information to the end users (designers and contractors), thereby minimizing change condition issues and debates.

The committee will reach out to committees from other organizations, working together to increase communication within the engineering community for the benefit of all as they seek to align expectations and minimize construction-related disagreement across the industry.

The DFI’s technical committees focus on issues specific to major methods and technologies within the deep foundations and excavation sectors. Committees work to keep DFI members and the industry current on best practices through publications, guidance documents, peer review of papers, educational events and committee reports in the group’s magazine, Deep Foundations.

The DFI is an international association of contractors, engineers, academics and suppliers in the deep foundations industry with more than 3,300 members worldwide. For more information about the Deep Foundations Institute, visit www.dfi.org.