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PDCA YOUNG GUN
for numerous nationally important projects
– for example, the ConocoPhillips Coker
and Refinery Expansion (CORE) project
completed in 2011 at the Wood River refinery
in Roxana, Ill.
His expertise was further developed
during construction of Interstate Highway
I-69, spanning 68 miles across southwest
Indiana, which, at the peak time of its
construction in 2012, was the longest continuous
new terrain interstate construction
project ever completed in the U.S.
Other prominent projects that Kolwalkar
has been part of include reconstruction
of Interstate Highway I-94 in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin and Duke Energy’s new Coal
Plant in Edwardsport, Ind. These were
exciting times for both him and the pile
driving industry.
Kolwalkar returned to Youngstown
State University in 2013 as an assistant
professor, transferring his pile testing and
analysis knowledge to new civil engineering
students. The next year he rejoined
GRL in a part-time role, training engineers
who had purchased deep foundation testing
equipment from Pile Dynamics – a GRLaffiliated
manufacturing company. In addition,
he authored chapters on equipment
operation, data interpretation and analyses
for three deep foundation testing equipment
manuals.
“It was an interesting time,” said
Kolwalkar. “But owing to the skills and
knowledge I had acquired in the field of
pile testing, I felt I had more to offer to
the industry, so in 2015 I joined Terracon
Consultants, Inc. in Charleston, S.C. as
a senior engineer and deep foundation
testing group leader for the Carolinas and
Georgia divisions.”
Terracon has many offices coast to
coast, with a structure, culture and system
that allow Kolwalkar to perform a unique
role of advancing and sharing his deep foundation
testing, analysis and training capabilities
across the country.
“The best part of my current work
schedule with Terracon is that in the
morning I could be involved in remotely
monitoring and training a new engineer
testing concrete pile with steel stringer
sections in Savannah, Ga. Later in the
day, I might be performing CAPWAP and
GRLWEAP analyses on steel pile data
collected by our Virginia office, and in the
evening, taking part in a discussion on a
deep foundation testing proposal that our
Seattle office is putting together.”
Kolwalkar joined PDCA when he
began with Terracon in 2015 and now
serves as a board member for his local South
Carolina chapter. In 2016 at the South
Carolina Engineering Conference & Trade
Show, he presented a Comparison of Static
Pile Capacity by CPT Analyses Methods
as part of his continuing contribution to
advancing the industry.
“The pile driving industry has made
me what I am today; it has been a perfect
juncture between cutting edge research and
knowledge I gained during my academic
years and the practical skillset through
working in deep foundation testing.”
These accomplishments were not
achieved in a vacuum.
“My parents, family and friends have
helped me along the journey, especially my
wife of 10 years, Sunita. She supports me
in all possible ways, tolerates my occasional
work from home and probably understands
piles and hammers better than most people
outside our industry. At home I talk a lot
about what I do; even our two boys, Shivam
and Ishaan, hear about it.
“Part of my success is also owed to the
people I train. It is a very humbling experience
when they place a level of trust in me
and allow me to mentor them. When they
are successful, I am also successful. I come
from a teaching background and am passionate
about teaching and training. That is
why I fit very well into my current position
at Terracon.”
Kolwalkar is grateful for the role his
own mentors have played in his career.
During the academic years, advisors Dr.
Scott Martin and Dr. Lutful Khan were
essential to his achievements. At GRL, his
supervisor and guide, Pat Hannigan, was
instrumental in teaching him all the skills
he now passes on. And today, Kolwalkar is
learning business development and leadership
skills from Terracon division manager/
principal Reg Christopher and senior principal,
Matt Silveston.
“When trying to decide what to do
after my graduate years in India, I took some
counselling seminars, and what one speaker
said really stuck with me: Education is not
learning something new; it is exploring what
is there within yourself. As I went from
construction management to geotechnical
research, that’s what I was doing – exploring
within myself.
“I want to continue working in this
specialized field, sharing my experience
and knowledge with professionals, including
the next generation of engineers. Owing
to my unique role at Terracon, I aspire to be
a national level asset for the company.”
Unstoppable technological advancements
are evolving the pile driving industry.
From the deep foundation testing perspective,
smaller, lighter, more efficient and
accurate testing equipment is on the horizon.
Information – a lot of data – will
be available to engineers and designers to
assist them in their future design work,
while inspired and innovative leaders like
Susheel Kolwalkar extend the boundaries
of excellence and achievement in the pile
driving industry. t
116 | ISSUE 3 2018