Membership Meetings

From Borehole to Building: Bridging Geotechnical Reports and Special Inspections

Wednesday, September 23, 2026, Maggiano’s Tyson's Corner I, 11am-1pm

WACEL kicks off the fall season with a superb presentation on Wednesday, September 23 by Fernando Pons, P.E., BC.GE at our new venue Maggiano’s at Tysons I Center, 1961 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA, 11am-1pm.  Maggiano’s is located next to Coastal Flats.

The presentation breaks down key components of a geotechnical report through the lens of Special Inspections and construction materials engineering and testing  (CoMET) and focuses on the critical elements and processes geotechnical engineers prioritize when developing design recommendations.  It will further examine how these factors directly affect pre-construction design support, geotechnical construction monitoring, and regulatory compliance.   The presentation’s constant is that geotechnical recommendations remain provisional until verified in the field by direct observation.  

Learning Objectives

• Deconstruct Geotechnical Reports – participants will learn how initial site and project information, geology, customized exploration field scopes, findings, and laboratory testing data are synthesized by geotechnical engineers into specific foundation design recommendations.
• Bridge Design-Phase Geotechnical Engineering with Construction-Phase Special Inspections – attendees will map geotechnical design recommendations directly with IBC Chapter 17 Special Inspections’ requirements, with a focus on soil and foundations systems.
• Mitigate Changed Geotechnical Field Conditions – participants will explore suggested best-practices including early engagement with stakeholders and code officials, geotechnical review of proposed designs by other disciplines, and  establishing  lines of  communication during construction when varying soil conditions materialize.  

Fernando Pons, P.E., BC.GE is the Managing Principal at Pons & Associates, LLC, where he serves as Geotechnical Engineer-of-Record (GER) and Special Inspections Engineer-of-Record (SIER) on a variety of commercial, estate residential, institutional, and infrastructure projects across Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.  With 35 years of experience as a consulting geotechnical engineer, his experience spans low- to high-rise building, infrastructure, and energy projects, focusing on both design-phase investigations and construction-phase services.    A Board-Certified Geotechnical Engineer, through ASCE’s Academy of Geo-Professionals, he holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in civil engineering and an MBA. Click here to register.. One CEU will be presented for attending this session.