Dr. Stephens to Speak at International Geotechnical Conference
January 2012

Dr. Daniel B. Stephens, P.G., C.P.G., founder and Chairman of the Board of DBS&A, will present at GeoCongress 2012 on March 25-29, 2012 in Oakland, California. GeoCongress is one of the premier international conferences for geotechnical professionals, with more than 400 educational opportunities.
In Dr. Stephens’ presentation titled “The Importance of Hydrogeologic Characterization and Analysis to Avoid Off-site Impacts in Highway Construction,” (co-authors Farag Botros, Bill Casadevall, and Dan Davis [DBS&A]; Stanley Helenschmidt [Helenschmidt Geotechnical, Inc.]; and Peter Quinlan [Dudek]), Dr. Stephens will present a case study from the Sorrento Valley in California where the construction of a major freeway expansion caused a significant rise in downgradient groundwater. The construction included a mechanically stabilized earth wall to support the freeway expansion. The rising groundwater downgradient of the earth wall and associated structures resulted in damage to adjacent property. Dr. Stephens will discuss the hydrogeologic characterization and quantitative methods used to identify the cause of the water table rise and how these same tools could have been used during the design phase to avoid the unanticipated consequences. For more information on how you can see Dr. Stephens’ presentation, please visit the conference website at http://content.asce.org/conferences/geo-congress2012/index.html.