EFFC/DFI Task Groups
The European Federation of Foundation Contractors works to promote the common interests of its members by improving the standard of workmanship, technical competence, safety and innovation for specialist foundation contractors across Europe.
DFI and EFFC collaborate on areas of mutual interest through task and working groups related to concrete mixes, support fluids, working platforms and sustainability.
Contents
EFFC/DFI Carbon Calculator Task Group
Developed a standardized tool called the Foundation CO2 Calculator which calculates the carbon footprint of deep foundation and ground improvement works.
Group Co-Chairs
Luca Bruni
Injectosond Italia
Luca Bruni is a civil engineer born in Albisola Superiore (Savona-Italy) who possesses a master degree in civil structural engineering. His career began in 1999 in at the University of Arizona where he served as an intern with the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department to prepare for his thesis on carbon and composite structural materials applied to civil engineering. From 2000-2002: he worked for Injectosond Italia Srl as a technical employee and quality manager developing the first ISO9002 quality system certifications.
From 2003-2018 Bruni worked for Servizi E Costruzioni Srl specializing in deep foundations as their technical director and QHS Manager for ISO9001-OHSAS18001. During that time he served as a member of the European Federation of Foundation Contractors (EFFC) Carbon Calculator Technical task group which developed with Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) the first software at the European level for the calculation of CO2 emissions for the foundation industry and served as it’s chairman from 2015-2018.
Following these roles, Bruni went to work for Malabaila & Arduino France sarl, then ICOSE SpA and then back to Injectosond Italia Srl. In 2022, EFFC and DFI reingnited the task group and he is co-chair representing EFFC.
Chris Nelsen
Delve Underground
Chris Nelsen is a Geotechnical Engineer at Delve Underground, formerly McMillen Jacobs Associates, with 5 years of geotechnical engineering experience. Chris joined McMillen Jacobs Associates after three years as a field/project engineer for Keller. His areas of expertise include design, installation, and QA/QC of geostructural elements. He is developing expertise in site investigation, soil and rock characterization, support of excavation design, and tunnel construction impact analyses.
Chris is also engaged in industry-wide efforts to improve the sustainability of infrastructure projects through the ISI framework as an Envision Sustainable Professional (ENV SP). Incorporating sustainability into his day-to-day personal and work activities has been a growing theme and passion throughout Chris’ life.
EFFC/DFI Carbon Calculator
The EFFC/DFI Carbon Calculator has been developed using verifiable, standardised data to enable accurate benchmarking of competing project proposals. The tool also allows contractors to compare and contrast different technical approaches within the same project and see what the CO2 emissions will be. Furthermore it can be used throughout a project’s development to compare how it performed against expectations.
EFFC/DFI Carbon Calculator Webinars
Playlist
EFFC/DFI Carbon Calculator Training Video
This webinar explains why carbon reduction is important and how to reduce emissions by measuring your carbon footprint. The workshop will also guide you through the industry’s leading tool; the EFFC/DFI Carbon Calculator, a free aid which allows the user to assess the carbon footprint of their project.
Research
The EFFC/DFI Carbon Calculator Task Group went back to school and helped prepare this presentation on the current state of the practice for embodied carbon calculation tools. The presentation provides the results of recent research completed by the presenters as part of ongoing work to update the EFFC/DFI Carbon Calculator.
EFFC/DFI Concrete Task Group
Formed in 2014 to address the issues that contractors experience on site with modern concrete mixes.
Group Chair
Rabea Barhum Ph.D.
BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH
Rabeah is a civil and construction material engineer. He obtained his master’s degree in rehabilitation engineering and later his doctoral degree from the institute of construction materials at the Technical University in Dresden, Germany.
Barhum has more than 20 years of experience in construction materials and is now an expert in the Services Division of Bauer Spezialtiefbau GmbH. Besides providing technical support for complex special foundation projects worldwide and evaluation in technical matters, he specializes in the designing and testing of concrete, soil-cement mixes, cement and support fluid. He is also a member of the EFFC/DFI support fluid task group.
EFFC/DFI Guide to Tremie Concrete for Deep Foundations
The 3rd Edition of the Tremie Guide includes a general review of the Second Edition, comprises more specific advice on testing fresh concrete (in a completely revised Section 5.3), emphasises the Task Group’s understanding of designing sustainable concrete (in a new Section 5.6), and gives an update on interpretation of concrete flow mechanisms made on the basis of numerical modelling (in a revised Section 9, now supplemented by a new Appendix G). This Third Edition replaces the Second Edition.
Research Report: Rheology and Workability Testing of Deep Foundation Concrete in Europe and the US
A companion research report to the DFI/EFFC Guide to Tremie Concrete for Deep Foundations (2nd Edition) which provides information on the research incorporated in the guide that numerically models the behaviour of concrete when it is poured into an excavation. This is a new area of research which provides new insight into what is occurring during the tremie operation.
Research Report: Testing Concrete for Deep Foundations
A companion research report to the EFFC/DFI Guide to Tremie Concrete for Deep Foundations (2nd Edition) which provides results of research incorporated in the guide on fresh and key hardened properties of concrete mixtures used in the field.
Fourth Edition
Work has also commenced on the Fourth Edition which will require another two years of hard work by the CTG. The major additions to the Fourth Edition will include:
- Harmonising the Tremie Guide with the new EN 206 Part 3 which will specifically include additional requirements for concrete in geotechnical works. This will replace the current Annex D in EN 206-1. This inclusion is very significant and most of the new requirements are based on the recommendations in the EFFC/DFI Tremie Guide.
- Harmonising the Guide with ACI 336. This is a huge step forward in applying the most suitable test methods and acceptance criteria to modern tremie concrete.
- Further detailed numerical modelling studies to understand concrete flow mechanisms, especially in the design of concrete for challenging geotechnical works. The CTG has been working closely with a number of academic groups who are doing this work. Further time is required for the results to be evaluated and checked and collated.
EFFC/DFI NDT Guide Task Group
The Non-destructive Testing (NDT) Guide Task Group was formed in 2024. Their goal is to develop a guide that will summarize existing publications, theory behind techniques and when and when not to use the techniques. The guide will also provide guidance on evaluation and acceptance of test results.
Group Co-Chairs
Karsten Beckhaus, Dr.-Ing.
BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH
Karsten Beckhaus, Dr.-Ing., is a technical director at BAUER Spezialtiefbau GmbH. He has been involved in the deep foundations industry for 21 years and in the structural engineering business for 30 years. Beckhaus obtained a degree in civil engineering and a doctoral degree from the Technical University in Munich, Germany. He heads Bauer’s technical services division, which assists projects worldwide in specialist engineering tasks. Backhaus’ area of responsibility extends to quality management, innovation and sustainability. He is also active in standardization and a member of various working groups, presently chairing the revision of the European execution standards EN 1536 for Bored Piles and EN 1538 for Diaphragm Walls.
Rozbeh B. Moghaddam, P.E., Ph.D.
RBM Industries, Inc.
Rozbeh B. Moghaddam, P.E., Ph.D., is president and CEO of RBM Industries, Inc., and a faculty member at The University of Texas at Austin. His prior research focused on the load and resistance factor design of deep foundations emphasizing the Texas Department of Transportation foundation design practice. Moghaddam’s professional career comprises a variety of geostructural design and construction including remediation of deep foundations. As a practitioner Moghaddam has participated in major projects in the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and Europe with strong emphasis on deep foundations. He has developed and patented an innovative approach to deep foundations load testing. He is actively engaged in technical activities for several professional industry organizations. He is part of the board of directors at the International Association of Foundation Drilling (ADSC), the chair of the deep foundations committee for the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and member of Deep Foundation Institute (DFI). Moghaddam was recently awarded with the ADSC’s Presidents Award, the Texas Tech University Engineering Excellence Award, and inducted into the Texas Tech Civil Engineering Academy.
Non-Destructive Testing Guide
Previous versions of the EFFC/DFI Guide to Tremie Concrete for Deep Foundations addressed non-destructive testing (NDT) in the appendix. With each edition, the appendix expanded to cover more topics. EFFC and DFI recognized that the information contained in the appendix was applicable to more than just tremie concrete for deep foundations and that the existing literature was outdated to current practice and technologies. In addition, no single publication covers the theory, application and evaluation of all methods.
Proposed NDT Guide
The first edition of the proposed NDT Guide will focus on methods used with drilled and excavated deep foundation elements. The guide will summarize the theory, applications and limitations for each method, along with recommendations on evaluating the results. The guide will define “anomaly” and “defect” to provide a basis of understanding in the industry and provide guidance on the process to determine whether to accept or reject a deep foundation element.”
EFFC/DFI Support Fluids Task Group
Established in 2017 to investigate the preparation, characteristics and testing of support fluids.
Group Chair
Christophe Justino, M.Sc.
Soletanche Bachy International
Christophe Justino M.Sc. (Eng.) is the manager of the materials department at Soletanche Bachy. He has nearly 20 years of experience focused on materials for geotechnical works on an international scale. The scope of Christophe’s works ranges from concrete technology, designing grout materials and drilling fluids, deep foundation works, and providing technical assistance and expertise. He is an active member of French federation for civil works at the material committee and chairman of the support fluid task group at the EFFC (European Federation of Foundation Contractors).
EFFC/DFI Guide to Support Fluids for Deep Foundations
This guide represents the state of the art for support fluid practice and aims to improve existing design, testing and practices for deep foundation elements – bored piles (drilled shafts), barrettes (LBEs) and diaphragm wall panels. The purpose of this guide is to present current understanding on bentonite, other clays, polymers and blended systems, including the advantages and limitations, in order to allow informed selection of the optimum technical solution(s) for the conditions on each individual worksite. It is intended as a practical addition to existing standards, not a substitute.
This first edition details accepted good practice in the industry. A series of field research studies are underway to collect site data, and to develop and conduct non-standard tests. The results of this research will inform the second edition that is currently in development.
Updates on the EFFC/DFI Guide to Support Fluids for Deep Foundations
EFFC/DFI Sustainability Guides Task Group
To write practical, actionable guidance that helps geotechnical companies improve their sustainability. The Task Group aligns these guides to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, further focusing on the most material goals for geotechnical companies.
Group Co-Chairs
Luke Deamer, Eng.D, ME.Sci, FGS
Keller
Luke Deamer is group sustainability manager for Keller. He has a doctorate in sustainability from the University of Surrey, focused on improving sustainability across all functions of a geotechnical company. Deamer is based in the U.K. and is currently co-chair of the EFFC-DFI Sustainability Guides Task Group. He is also a member of both the Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS) and EFFC sustainability working groups. His previous roles have included working as a structural geologist on the Panama Canal and the Oman Drilling Project.
Deamer has authored several papers and guides on geotechnical sustainability. He wrote the EFFC’s Sustainability Overview, and co-authored both the EFFC’s Carbon Reduction Guide and Circular Economy Guide. He also has been published in academic publications, including articles on applying the carbon hierarchy to geotechnical contractors (ICE), pre-qualification questionnaires (ICE) and building sustainability from the bottom up (Sustainability). Luke has an integrated Earth Science master’s degree in geology (with Honours) from Cardiff University.
Kimberly Martin, Ph.D., P.E., ENV SP
Keller, North America
Kimberly Martin is a senior engineer at Keller-NA. In her current role, she is responsible for developing and implementing Keller’s sustainability strategy in North America, which includes leading innovation initiatives to support Keller’s carbon targets. She previously worked in the oil and gas industry as a lead geotechnical engineer on development projects across the globe.
She is the past chair of the Arizona Geo-Institute and is the current secretary of the Geo-Institute’s Sustainability in Geotechnical Engineering Committee. Martin also sits on DFI’s Sustainability Committee and serves as co-chair of the EFFC-DFI Sustainability Guides Task Group. In addition, she is a member of the editorial panel for Engineering Sustainability, a journal published by the Institute of Civil Engineers.
Martin has published more than 10 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. Martin holds a bachelor’s degree in civil Engineering from the University of Arizona, a master’s degree in geotechnical and geo-environmental engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, and a Ph.D. from Arizona State University, where she was a member of the Center for Bio-mediated and Bio-inspired Geotechnics.
Guides Overview
These guides follow a basic what, why, how, measure approach:
What
What is this specific area of sustainability? What impacts do foundation contractors have on this goal?
Why
Why does this area of sustainability matter to foundation contractors? Why should they bother to improve this area of sustainability?
How
How can foundation contractors improve their impact and positively impact this area of sustainability?
Measure
What metrics could foundation contractors use to measure their progress and set targets in this area of sustainability?
Published Sustainability Guides
Sustainability Guides Webinars
Additional Resources
EFFC/DFI Working Platforms Task Group
The EFFC/DFI Working Platforms Task Group pools the experiences across the membership of EFFC and DFI to collaborate on the critical issue of improving the safety of working platforms. Working platforms are used by everyone that accesses a site, particularly cranes and drilling machines.
Group Chair
Peter Faust, Dipl.-Ing.
Malcolm Drilling Company, Inc.
Peter Faust has 30 years of professional experience in the design and construction of foundations. He graduated from Technical University Graz in Austria with a Masters in Geotechnical Engineering. After being involved in project management and the engineering of large and complex infrastructure projects in Asia and Europe, he joined Malcolm in 2006. He is responsible for business development, strategic planning, and managing corporate communications, and marketing.
Faust serves as DFI’s Trustee and has also contributed to the efforts of EFFC and DFI, publishing a series of 3 guidelines about Tremie Concrete, Support Fluid and Working Platforms for Deep Foundations.
Guide to Working Platforms
On a typical construction site, the provision of a safe surface to work on involves and affects a number of the contracting parties (the client; principal designer; general contractor; specialty contractor; platform designer; platform installer or earthworks contractor; platform tester and platform maintainer), and as a consequence, the organization of its design, installation and maintenance can be complex. As this concerns money and liability, working platforms are often a contentious issue but nonetheless one that needs to be addressed. This second edition takes each step in turn and describes what good practice is, incorporating the results of recent research undertaken by EFFC, DFI and the industry.
Field Research Study (FRS) #1
Verifying the quality of the platform is difficult and can be expensive to carry out. To understand the best methods for testing and seek a practical solution to this problem EFFC and DFI undertook of comparative assessment of different testing techniques at several sites in the US and Europe. The aim was to find a cost-effective and simple way to assess whether a working platform is fit for purpose before and during the works.Â
Field Research Study (FRS) #2 and #3
Most manufacturers provide track pressure values following the requirements of EN 16228. However, the actual pressures exerted during the operation of the rig may be different due to multiple factors. The purpose of FRS #2 was to provide a more user-friendly summary of applicable track pressures that owners, consultants, designers, general contractors, as well as specialty contractors, can use to estimate track pressure, for at least a preliminary evaluation.
Prior to undertaking FRS #3, the variance in platform designs from different methods was significant, even with the same data set. The intent of FRS #3 was to improve the process of platform design, construction and use by identifying and better understanding the most influential parameters used in platform design.