DFI50 Call For Abstracts

Abstract Submission Deadline: Monday, January 13, 2025

cover of call for abstracts

Abstracts are being accepted for original technical papers and panel sessions for DFI’s 50th Annual Conference on Deep Foundations (#DFI50) to be held October 20-23, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. The theme of this international conference is “Celebrating 50 Years,” focusing on the evolution of the industry. We will explore advancements in industry practices, techniques and project delivery through perspectives, case histories and research-based papers and presentations.

Presentation Themes

  • Industry Evolution and Knowledge Transfer: Development of testing methods, equipment, design techniques and construction practices over the last 50 years, and their dissemination by projects and publications, codes, and standards across local, regional, national, and international boundaries.
  • Adventures in Karst Geology: Challenges and solutions for deep foundations, ground improvement and controlling water for projects within karst geology.
  • Transportation Applications: Foundations, embankments, and retaining structures for railway, highway, waterway and aviation.
  • Modeling the Past, Present and Future: Advancements in modeling techniques and capabilities for slopes/landslides, retaining structures and soil-structure interaction.
  • Working Platforms: Challenges of soft soils and increasingly heavy rigs, varied design methodologies, evolving guidelines, case studies, and future directions for safety and stability.
  • Managing Risk with Testing and Data: Using field testing and data (e.g., MWD, instrumentation, etc.) to help manage risk; how to manage and use data, AI and machine learning.
  • Geo-Hazards (Seismic and Other Natural): Moving from deterministic to risk-based methods; regional challenges with liquefaction, flooding, wildfires, rockfalls, etc.
  • Developments in Marine Projects: Foundations, ground improvement, seepage control, resiliency, etc. for levees, dams, canals, reservoirs, locks and coastal areas.
  • Growth of Ground Improvement: The evolution and future of ground improvement techniques (stabilization, deep/mass mixing, drains, deep compaction, vibro-columns, geosynthetics, grouting, etc.).
  • Underground and Tunneling: Advancements through the years, case histories or CSO projects using deep foundation techniques.
  • Sustaining the Future: Case histories and current research on materials and techniques for sustainability and resiliency.

Author Guidelines

Important Dates

  • Abstracts Due: Monday, January 13, 2025
  • Draft Papers Due: Monday, April 4, 2025
  • Final Papers Due: Monday, July 14, 2025