Master the Real Mechanics of Pile Design — From First Principles to Final Report

Welcome to the third course in our “Geotechnical Engineering – From Theory to Practice Series”. This is the only course that combines a deep theoretical foundation with hands-on, software-based design of axially loaded piles—giving you practical skills you can apply immediately in real-world projects. This is the most comprehensive course available on axial pile analysis—featuring around 100 instructional videos and 350 detailed slides, combining rigorous theory with practical software-based design using RS Pile.

“Axial Pile Analysis with RS Pile – From Theory to Practice” is the third course in our growing series titled “From Theory to Practice,” following Module (1): Bearing Resistance and Module (2): Settlement Analysis. Together, these courses form a comprehensive learning path for geotechnical engineers aiming to master core foundation design topics with real-world application and modern tools.

This course is designed to equip engineers with the theoretical foundations and practical tools needed to confidently analyze and design deep foundations under axial loading conditions. Pile foundations are a cornerstone of modern geotechnical design, especially when structures must be supported over weak, compressible, or variable subsurface conditions. Yet, despite their importance, axial pile analysis is often oversimplified in practice—leading to conservative, inefficient, or even unsafe foundation designs.

In this course, we address this gap head-on. Over six weeks, you will gain a solid understanding of axial pile behavior in both cohesive and cohesionless soils, covering essential concepts such as ultimate resistance, load transfer mechanisms, skin friction vs. end bearing, and pile group effects. The course integrates theory with detailed design workflows using RS Pile, Rocscience’s powerful pile analysis software. You’ll not only learn how to interpret and apply analytical methods, but also how to model and solve real-world design problems with RS Pile—from single piles to pile groups, and from serviceability checks to factored resistance design.

A key feature of this course is its practical focus: through numerous guided examples, you’ll explore how to align your geotechnical input with structural design demands, understand the importance of soil-structure interaction, and avoid common pitfalls such as relying on overly simplistic assumptions or misinterpreting pile load test results. We’ll also walk through the interpretation of software outputs, and how to calibrate models to reflect field conditions accurately.

Whether you’re a geotechnical engineer aiming to deepen your foundation design skills, a structural engineer seeking better collaboration with the geotechnical side, or a site or consulting professional dealing with pile-supported systems—this course will give you confidence and competence to handle axial pile analysis with clarity and precision.

Course Format

• Four Weeks of Weekly Learning

  Each week, new content will be unlocked — including short video lectures, practical guides, and applied assignments. This structured pace helps you stay focused and build your understanding step by step.

• Continued Access After Week 4

  After the initial 4-week learning period, you will still have access to all course videos for one year. However, please note that new Rounds may begin for other students, which could temporarily limit your access to specific videos scheduled for later weeks.

• Video Access Duration

  You can continue to access the course videos for one year

• Certificate of Completion

  You can request your certificate at any time by submitting your course assignment via email to:
  info@thegeotechnicals.com
  Once reviewed, your certificate will be issued via email within a few business days.

What Makes This Course Different

This isn’t just a “watch me model this in software” course.

You’ll start with the theory, build calculations by hand, then learn how to implement and interpret those results in RS Pile — just like you would in a real design office.

Every lesson is anchored in realistic geotechnical conditions, and every assignment challenges you to apply what you’ve learned with professional accuracy.

Tools You'll Use

• RS Pile (Rocscience). However, this course will make you able to deal with any other deep foundation software as you will learn all the basics.

• Excel (optional for hand calculations)

Included With Your Enrollment

• Online access to the course videos for on year.

• Realistic assignments with guided solutions

• Certificate of Completion

• Chat and book appointments with the course instructor

Access Policy

Your enrollment includes:

• 4 weeks of full learning access (content released weekly)

• 4 weeks access for the full content of the course.

• One year access to the course videos.

Who This is For

• Civil engineers looking to specialize in geotechnical aspects of construction projects.

• Engineering students aspiring to build a career in geotechnical engineering.

• Geotechnical engineers seeking to deepen their knowledge and practical skills in deep foundation design.

• Geology graduates who are involved in geotechnical engineering work and would like to learn about geotechnical engineering.

• Site geotechnical engineers who are willing to move and expand their horizons in geotechnical engineering design.

• Practicing professionals aiming to stay updated with the latest industry standards and methodologies.

• Consultants and contractors involved in foundation design and construction.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Understand axial load transfer mechanisms in bored and driven piles, including shaft friction, toe resistance, and how they develop in different soil conditions.

2. Design individual piles manually using established methods such as the α-method, β-method, and Nordlund method — with confidence in your assumptions, units, and geotechnical reasoning.

3. Model piles in RS Pile and interpret load-settlement curves, failure mechanisms, and interaction effects between piles and soil.

4. Evaluate pile behavior under compression and tension, considering real-world conditions like setup, downdrag, scour, and relaxation.

5. Analyze group pile behavior, compute group efficiency, and apply the equivalent block and equivalent footing approaches in cohesive and cohesionless soils.

6. Apply factored design approaches using current North American standards (CSA S6-19, AASHTO 2020, CFEM 2023), including consequence classification and resistance factors.

7. Estimate settlement for both single piles and pile groups using empirical and elastic continuum methods — and determine tolerable limits based on structural input.

8. Bridge the gap between structural and geotechnical design, understanding what information to exchange, how to model piles as springs, and how to communicate your recommendations clearly.

9. Work with real field data from boreholes, SPT/CPT results, and lab tests — and use that data to make decisions that mirror industry practice.

10. Deliver confident, defensible design recommendations that can stand up in meetings, reports, and technical reviews.