3:00 PM (1.0 PDH)
Professional Practice Update/Ethics
Presented by Mr. Michael Sims, P.E. with Texas Board of Professional
Engineers and Land Surveyors
BIO: Mr. Michael Sims, P.E., currently serves as the Director of Compliance and Enforcement with the Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. He has been with the Board since June 2018. Mr. Sims was previously the Special Projects Manager and Manager of Environmental Permits within the Oil & Gas Division of the Railroad Commission of Texas and worked in Air Permits at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. He holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and has been a licensed professional engineer since 2010.
ABSTRACT: Michael Simms, P.E., will discuss updates on engineering and surveying ethics and code of conduct. Also discussed will be TBPELS activities, rule and statutory changes, and general updates on board initiatives.
4:00 PM (1.0 PDH)
Pre- and Post- Construction Evaluation of Swimming Pools in Houston, Texas
Presented by Mr. David A. Eastwood, P.E. with Geotech Engineering and Testing
BIO: Dr. James Namekar, P.E., is the Chief Engineer for geotechnical engineering at Geotech Engineering and Testing (GET) with responsibility for geoforensic and geotechnical operations and environmental engineering, data analyses, and the preparation of report recommendations. He has 24 years of experience in the fields of geoforensic, geotechnical, environmental, and materials engineering. He has been involved in geoforensic studies relating to commercial structures, residential, slope failures, pavements, retaining walls, pipelines, sewer leaks, plumbing leaks, etc. His other experience includes planning and supervising geotechnical explorations, subsurface investigations, coordinating laboratory testing and analysis of results, date review, report preparation and post-design services. His other experience includes research and development in the field of deep foundations, slope stability, retaining walls, and unsaturated soil mechanics. Dr. Namekar’s geotechnical experience has been in landslide investigations, static and seismic slope stability analysis for embankments, cut slopes, ground improvements, jet grouting, shallow and deep foundation design and special inspection, horizontal directional drilling, settlement, lateral earth pressure, rigid pavement design. He has a lot of experience with the design of foundations on expansive soils. He has also been involved in conducting many environmental site assessment studies, including Phase I and II environmental site assessment studies.
ABSTRACT: This webinar discusses two swimming pools with gunite distress in Houston. One is located near Willis, Texas and one is located near Texas City, Texas. Both pools have gunite distress. The presentation will outline Geotech Engineering and Testing's protocol for pool design and construction. This includes the initial geotechnical study, review of structural design, chemical injection, excavation, bottom compaction, steel observations, gunite sampling, gunite compression testing. GET conducted detailed gunite testing including compression and petrographic study. The study showed some of the gunite had voids in it due to insufficient curing, poor application, low strength, and presence of oily materials in the gunite.
5:00 PM (1.0 PDH)
Trenchless Construction Challenges for
Water Lines
Presented by Mr. Panduranga Kuruva, P.E.,
CCM, MBA, Managing Engineer with The City of Houston
BIO: Panduranga Kuruva, PE, is the Managing Engineer for Capital Projects at Houston Public Works, where he leads major water infrastructure programs.
ABSTRACT: Houston’s dense urban corridors, aging utilities, and highly variable Gulf Coast soils make trenchless construction both an essential tool and a persistent engineering challenge for water line installation and rehabilitation. This presentation examines the geotechnical, hydraulic, and constructability issues that arise when applying HDD, pipe bursting, microtunneling, and other trenchless methods in the region’s clay‑rich, moisture‑sensitive subsurface. Attendees will learn how factors such as shrink–swell behavior, groundwater fluctuations, utility congestion, and right‑of‑way constraints influence design decisions, bore path selection, drilling fluid management, and risk mitigation. Case examples highlight common failure modes—including inadvertent returns, borehole instability, and line deformation—and outline practical strategies for pre‑construction investigation, QA/QC, and contractor coordination. The session provides engineers and owners with a realistic understanding of trenchless performance in Houston and actionable guidance for improving reliability, reducing disruptions, and delivering successful water line projects in challenging urban environments.
