Short Courses

General Information

GeoManitoba is planning 5 short courses to be held on the Sunday before the conference starts.
Lunch is included in all full day (8-hour) courses only.
Short courses are open to those not attending the conference.
The price for full day courses is $450 per participant and $250 for students.
The price for half day courses is $250 per participant and $125 for students.
Student participants must provide a valid student ID.
Registration will open in March 2025.

Full Day Courses

SC1: Permafrost Engineering: Challenges and Solutions

Instructor:

Guy Doré, Université Laval

Description

This course will provide a basic understanding of the context and the challenges related to designing and building different types of structures on permafrost. It will include a description of permafrost and explain why it can be so sensitive to disturbance and why permafrost engineering can be so challenging in a context of climate change. The course will discuss the mechanical properties of frozen, thawing, and thawed soils. Finally, the course will give a few basic considerations and present strategies and principles for the design and management of roads, airstrips and other types of structures built in permafrost environments.

SC2: Geosynthetics Design Methodologies

Instructors:

Richard Bathurst, Royal Military College / Queen’s University

Sam Bhat, Titan Environmental Containment Ltd. (CGS Geosynthetics Division Chair)

Eric Blond, Eric Blond Consultant (Chair of Technical Committee of Hydraulics of International Geosynthetics Society)

Catherine Mulligan, Concordia University

Description

This course presented by the CGS Geosynthetics Division, provides a review of several geosynthetics applications, including the corresponding background information and design methodologies for successful implementation. Section 1 (led by Richard Bathurst) will review the design of geosynthetic mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls and recent developments in the upcoming edition (2025) of the Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC). Section 2 (Sam Bhat) provides the fundamental concepts and design methods for using geosynthetics for base reinforcement and sub-grade stabilization applications with a focus on sustainability aspects. Section 3 (Eric Blond) will review the current practice for testing and designing drainage geocomposites and geotextile filters, considering the recommendations of the current ASTM or ISO design guidance, as well as the new edition of the Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual. The final section (Catherine Mulligan) provides an overview of well-established applications of geosynthetics for environmental applications as well as new developments for surface water and sediment restoration.

SC3: Bridging Theories and Practice of Screw Piles in Canada

Instructors:

Hesham El Naggar, University of Western Ontario

Lijun Deng, University of Alberta

Description

Pile foundations are used to support a variety of important infrastructure where they are subjected to static and/or dynamic lateral loads. Helical piles and screw micropiles are two pile types for supporting lightly-loaded structures in Canada. This short course will cover a variety of subjects on the research, practice, and design manuals for the pile types. The first half of the course will present past experience from the field investigation, lab research, and design approaches for helical piles. The key take-away points will be the design recommendation for geotechnical and structural capacities of helical piles. It will cover the modeling and experimental research on the seismic performance of helical piles and recommend the best practice of helical piles in seismic zones. The second half of the course will present the research and design practice of screw micropiles, an emerging pile type for a variety of applications such as building foundation remediation. The course begins with field research on screw micropiles and then proposes an optimum design approach of micropiles based on soil mechanics, torque, or in-situ soil test results. The course will also describe the inclusion of this pile type in technical manuals such as those published by the Canadian Construction Materials Centre, a division of NRC.

SC4: GeoStudio at Work: Modelling Case Studies

Instructors:

Kathryn Dompierre (Ph.D.), User Success Manager for Geotechnical Analysis, Seequent

Jenna Roadley (M.Sc.), Geotechnical Application Engineer, Seequent

This session covers 2D and 3D stability, seepage, and consolidation modelling in GeoStudio, with the following industry case studies presented by the corresponding project engineers.

Hongwei Liu, KGS Group (Ph.D.) – The first case study reviews a dam rehabilitation project. A 2D steady-state seepage analysis determined the pore water pressure distribution through the dam, which was used to conduct a back analysis of the critical section. Given these findings, slope stabilization measures were designed using 2D stability analysis to reach the desired factor of safety.

Adam Leik, SRK (M.Sc.) – The second case study includes a detailed 2D groundwater seepage assessment of a waste storage facility. Climate data along with in-situ field data informed the analysis, generating a comprehensive understanding of the surficial water balance and deeper percolation for designing an appropriate cover system.

Michael Van Helden, Trek Geotechnical (Ph.D.) – The third case study highlights a riverbank stabilization project associated with the construction of a unique and movement-sensitive structure. The associated numerical modelling included 2D limit equilibrium and groundwater seepage analysis with comparison to monitoring data, as well as finite element stress-strain analysis to design a retaining wall with lightweight fill to reduce earth pressures.

Vincent Castonguay, AtkinsRéalis (Ph.D.) – The last case study features a tailings storage facility where stability conditions continuously evolve as the main ring dike is raised on an annual basis. Data from multiple piezometers installed within the dike are used to adjust 2D and 3D finite element seepage analyses to represent the current and future pore water pressure conditions. Results from the seepage analyses feed the stability analyses performed at multiple ley locations along the ring dike.

Each case study will highlight how GeoStudio contributed to the understanding of the project as well as the specific features used to complete the analyses. Following each case study presentation, the instructors will review the associated background theory and methodology for setting up these types of projects in GeoStudio. Specialized functionality that will be presented to participants include transient coupled analyses, model calibration, land-climate interactions, back analysis of failed slopes, and soil-structure interactions.

Half Day Courses

SC5: NBC 2020 Seismic Site Response Analysis

Instructors:

Trevor Carey, University of Toronto

Description

This short course provides an in-depth review of the recent updates to the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) 2020, released in March 2022, with a focus on seismic site response analysis (SSRA). Participants will learn how to obtain seismic hazard information for a given location using Natural Resources Canada online tools and OpenQuake, which incorporates the 6th Generation Seismic Hazard Model of Canada. The course will cover the selection of seismic intensity measures and source characteristics aiding in time history selection for SSRA. Best practices in SSRA, including its implementation in accordance with NBCC 2020 requirements, will be discussed. Case studies and example analyses will highlight seismic sources in both Western and Eastern Canada, providing a comprehensive understanding of regional variations in seismic hazard. By the end of the course, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to properly assess seismic hazard and site response in Canada, ensuring attendees are well-equipped to apply these concepts in engineering practice.