ONLINE TESTING

The WACEL Online Testing Platform is now operational for Concrete I, Soil I Special Inspector, Foundation Special Inspector, Reinforced Concrete Special Inspector, and Concrete Masonry Strength Lab exams.

To register your technicians for online exams, you must have supervisor status in the WACEL database. If you need supervisor status, email tcohn@wacel.org with the names and email address of those in your organization who should be designated as supervisors.  

Steps to register technicians for online exams:

• Log on to the WACEL web site at www.wacel.org.
• Click on the drop down menu on the TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION PROGRAM tab underneath the WACEL logo on the landing page and click on online testing.
• Click on the blue bar at the bottom of the page that says "Click here to register technicians".
• If the technician you want to register has previously taken a WACEL certification exam while in your employ, his or her name should be listed under the select a person. If the tech has not previously taken an exam while in your employ fill in the first and last name in the appropriate fields. You must provide a valid email address for the technician and you also must provide a password that is at least six characters in length and one of the characters must be a number.  
• You will note that there are options for Concrete I and Soil I.  Soil I will not be active until early next week.  If you select Soil I no exam will be assigned.
• After you hit submit, an email is sent to WACEL to assign the exam as well as to the supervisor and the technician taking the exam. After WACEL assigns the exam, the exam will be available the following business day beginning at 7:00 am. If you register your technicians today, May 15 for Concrete I, the exam will be available from May 18-May 20 between the hours of 7am and 7pm. 
• Technicians must take the exam at your office in an environment that follows CDC and local and state health official guidelines. 
• After the technician completes the exam, a PE or designated supervisor must submit an application (attached) signed by the technician and supervisor and submitted to WACEL (tcohn@wacel.org) along with a photo of the technician and a photo of the technician’s government-issued identification (e.g. driver’s license). By signing the application both the PE/Supervisor and the technician certify that they followed online testing guidelines and that they did not compromise the integrity of the WACEL certification program. If you do not submit an application or the required photos, no certification will be issued.

Call us at 301-652-7925 or email tcohn@wacel.org with questions or if you need more information.

Certification and Accreditation Program Updates

AASHTO 2020 LRFD Bridge Specifications and their Impact of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Design

The AASHTO 2020 specifications include four different design methodologies for MSE walls. Dr. Jim Collin will discuss the key differences in these methodologies and their implications on results. He also will review design methods that are appropriate for any MSE system (i.e., RECo, Keystone, etc.). The presentation concludes with a review of the ASCE Geo-Institute IDEA program. This program evaluates MSE systems with respect to meeting the AASHTO 2020 specifications and provides an evaluation report that State DOTs are using to add MSE Systems to their approved products list.

Dr. James G. Collin, P.E., founded The Collin Group, Ltd., in 1995. The Collin Group has been involved with the design and construction of 15 column supported embankment projects across the US. As part of this work Dr. Collin conducted column (pile) load tests to verify the design capacity of the columns. Dr. Collin was the principal investigator for a FHWA research program to develop design guidelines for column supported embankments and co-authored the FHWA Design Manual on Deep Mixing for Embankment and Foundation Support.

Dr. Collin is the author of the National Highway Institutes “Soil Slope and Embankment Design Manual”, “Slope Maintenance and Slide Restoration Manual”, “Ground Improvement Methods Manual,” and “Shallow Foundations Manual”.  Dr. Collin is also a certified instructor for the Federal Highway Administration courses on Ground Improvement, MSEW and RSS Design and Construction Guidelines, Soil Nail Wall Design, Earth Retaining Structures, Geosynthetic Design and Construction Guidelines, Shallow Foundations, Soil Slopes and Embankments, Slope Maintenance and Slide Restoration, and Geosynthetics. He was recognized by NHI as an “Instructor of Excellent” in 2008, 2009, 2011, and 2012.

Dr. Collin has been a member of ASCE since 1985. He is a fellow and a Diplomat of Geotechnical Engineering with ASCE. He is currently on the board of governors of the Geo-Institute