Fall 2025 CCLT - Dr. Paul Dittrich, PhD, PEng, FEIC

The Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique and the Canadian Geotechnical Society are pleased to host Dr. Paul Dittrich, PhD, PEng, FEIC as the Fall 2025 Cross Canada Lecture Tour speaker:

Geotechnical Challenges in Barbados

Dr. Paul Dittrich, PhD, PEng, FEIC

Senior Technical Director, WSP Canada Inc.

The Caribbean island of Barbados has a unique geologic history and composition that results in challenging geotechnical conditions for both investigation and foundation design. From weak coralline rock with relatively high tensile strength that often contains voids and cavities, to very loose, unconsolidated coralline sands, to swelling clays, and weak clays with low friction angles, geotechnical design work can be a challenge and unexpected, poor foundation performance can occur. This lecture will present a high-level overview of the geologic conditions on the island and the various methods of investigation and testing carried out to examine the subsurface conditions. In addition, two case studies will be presented: the first involving ground improvement by vibroflot/stone columns to support the foundations for a new power station; and the second involving a micropile and grouting remediation for the foundations of an existing building experiencing settlement and cracking.

Paul Dittrich, PhD, PEng, FEIC is a Geotechnical Engineer and Senior Technical Director of WSP with 30 years of experience on a wide variety of projects in the transportation, infrastructure, and mining sectors within Canada and internationally. His main areas of expertise include site characterization, foundation design, settlement analysis, stability of slopes, embankments and excavations, specialized geotechnical analysis/modelling, geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring, and ground improvement. Paul is approved as a Designated Principal Contact for MTO’s High Complexity foundation engineering services. Paul has been an active member of the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS) during his career holding leadership positions at both the local and national levels and has served on the organizing committee of several CGS conferences. He has contributed to the geotechnical profession by being a sessional instructor or adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, Queen’s University, McMaster University, Humber College and University of Waterloo, as well as teaching a continuing education course on geotechnical engineering at EPIC. Paul is currently a member of the CSA Group S6 Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC) – Technical Sub-Committee (TSC) working on the updates to the 2025 version of the Code. He is the author or co-author of more than 30 technical publications.

Disclaimers: Ticketholder voluntarily assumes all risks and dangers incidential to any event for which this ticket issued and waives all claims against the Geotechnical Society of Edmonton (GSE), the GSE board of directors and the event sponsor, whether or not such claims arise form negligence of any of the said parties.

Refund policy: Refunds will be accepted until the event registration cutoff date and time minus applicable registration fees charged by Eventbrite. Please contact the GSE through Eventbrite to request a refund, or Z3NlIHwgZ2VvdGVjaG5pY2FsICEgY2E=.

Also check out other Arts events in Edmonton, Literary Art events in Edmonton, Contests in Edmonton.