• DFI Europe
  • DFI India
  • DFI Trust

Industry Alliances

To be sure DFI members have access to the broadest and most current information, knowledge and events, we have formed alliances with several related organizations.

ADSC: The International Association of Foundation Drilling

The International Association of Foundation Drilling (ADSC), is a trade association whose purpose is to promote, protect, foster, and advance the drilled shaft, anchored earth retention and micropile industries.  ADSC-IAFD encourages the use of the technologies designed, constructed, supplied, and manufactured by its members to foster safe, quality and ethical practices.

CGS: The Canadian Geotechnical Society

The Canadian Geotechnical Society is a professional society whose mission is To initiate and pursue efforts leading to the technical competence and excellence of Canadian geotechnical engineering and related geoscience professionals.

Geo-Industry Technology Users Groups

These joint industry groups were created in cooperation with FHWA, Geo-Institute, DOTs, DFI and TRB Committee AKG20 to address users’ needs.

Deep Mixing Conference Series

A consortium of practitioners who organize and present conferences on deep mixing, which provide significant technical contributions to the advancement of the understanding, use and performance of deep mixing internationally. The organizers are a group of international representatives dedicated to providing a forum for discussion and progress in the deep mixing industry. The conferences contain a wealth of knowledge and archive the evolution of the understanding of material properties, new technologies, research, mix designs, and quality control and assurance for wet and dry deep mixing methods. While this consortium does not have a formal association, DFI managed and produced the 2015 and 2021 Deep Mixing Conferences. The next in the series will be presented in 2024 in Yokohama, Japan, organized by the Port and Airport Research Institute.

EFFC: European Federation of Foundation Contractors

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.

Geo-Coalition

The GeoCoalition is an informal association of professional organizations representing the geotechnical design and construction community formed to encourage communication, cooperation and collaboration among its members. The group comes together once each year to share insights, calendars, and plans for professional activities and to discuss issues of common interest to the constituent organizations. The group identifies opportunities for members to endorse common positions and provide a powerful common voice to influence the geo-future.

Geo-Industry Risk Working Group

The geo-associations, including ADSC, DFI, Geo-Institute, Geotechnical Business Association, and PDCA, all provide risk-related activities and resources for the industry (guidance documents, seminars, white papers, etc.) While each group continues to pursue their own activities independently, the groups also collaborate in this industry-wide group on risk to increase awareness of associations’ activities, reduce duplication of efforts, facilitate collaboration, and address risk practices that can be agreed will improve the industry.

Geo-Institute

The Geo-Institute (G-I) is a specialty membership organization focused on geo-professionals and the geo-industry. It is one of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ nine specialty Institutes. In recognition of our common and complementary purpose and shared interests, DFI and G-I agreed to formalize their relationship in advancing their mutual interests in the continual improvement of the planning, design and construction of deep foundations and excavations through presentation of technical topics within the geotechnical profession through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

See Geo-Institute invitation for DFI Committee Collaboration Plan for GeoTechTools

ICOG: International Conference Organization for Grouting

ICOG is an organization comprised of practitioners who organize and present conferences to advance the understanding and use of geotechnical grouting.  It promotes the development of technology, equipment and methods, as well as the use of existing technology, equipment and methods, through education of the geotechnical engineering and construction industry.  Every 10 years it organizes an international conference on grouting in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, which started in 1982 under the auspices of ASCE and later under its Geo-Institute in partnership with DFI.  At each conference recognition is given to individuals whose lifetime achievements resulted in outstanding advancement of grouting technology.  These individuals are considered G.R.E.A.T.S. (Grouters dedicated to Research, Education, Advancement of Technology and Service) and are presented with an award commemorating their achievements. The fifth conference was presented in Honolulu Hawaii in 2017 as a 5-year update between conferences and ICOG plans to continue this cycle of hosting a conference in areas other than New Orleans between the 10-year legacy event.

ISM: The International Society for Micropiles

The International Society for Micropiles (ISM) is a consortium of international representatives involved in the design, construction, research/development and instruction/promotion of micropile technology.

PDCA: Pile Driving Contractors Association

The Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA) is an organization of pile driving contractors that advocates the increased use of driven piles for deep foundations and earth retention systems.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) established a partnering relationship to address mutual participation in the Nation’s dam and levee safety programs. The common goal is to enhance the safety of dams, levees and coastal area construction and rehabilitation projects to improve quality and safety while lowering project risk and cost.

U.S. Levee Safety Coalition

The original members of the Coalition are the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO), the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI), the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies (NAFSMA), the United States Society on Dams (USSD), and the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC).

USUCGER: United States Universities Council on Geotechnical Education and Research

The United States Universities Council on Geotechnical Education and Research (USUCGER) was founded in 1985 to provide advocacy for the continued development and expansion of high quality geotechnical engineering research and education by US academic institutions. This discipline has evolved to include geotechnical, geomechanical, geoenvironmental, geological, and geophysical engineering.

Working Platforms Industry-Wide Working Group

The Working Platforms Industry-Wide Working Group is an industry-wide forum gathered to improve design and construction practices that ensure safe working platforms for equipment used to install deep foundations.