Schedule – Thursday, March 4th

The first day of the Pipe School encore will take place on Thursday, March 4th, and will run from 8am – 4pm CT.  At the end of each day, attendees will have the opportunity to apply for earned PDHs which will be issued within a few weeks after the event.

Below is a description of the different classes available during the Tuesday session.  Click here to see the Pipe School 2021 Encore schedule.

Return to Pipe School Schedule Page.
Train the Trainer Class Outline (click to jump to track)

Basic Design Using Indirect Design

Fires in Culverts

Sustainability, Resilience, & Concrete Pipe

Precast Design, Manufacturing, and Installation

Underground Detention

Pipe Installations – Concrete or Thermoplastics – What Difference Does it Make?

Schedule – Thursday, March 4th

Basic Design of Concrete Pipe Using the Indirect Design Method

Speaker:  Josh Beakley, PE, Vice President – American Concrete Pipe Association

AASHTO allows the use of either of two design methods for precast reinforced concrete pipe; the indirect design method or the direct design method.  If the RCP design results in a Class of pipe, or a specified D-load, then by default it is an indirect design.  The majority of reinforced concrete pipe is designed this way.  Learn how the indirect design method for RCP is one of the most complete design methods used for buried drainage pipe, while also being one of the easiest to perform.

Fires in Culverts

Speaker:  Aaron Pettit, Business Development Manager – Thompson Pipe Group

Course will discuss the importance of fire resilient infrastructure. Emergency  routes are critical so all underground infrastructure needs to be sustainable. The effect on the environment, including air and water quality can have long-term aftereffects.  

Sustainability, Resilience, and Concrete Pipe

Speakers: Riley Dvorak, PE,  &  Joseph Updike – Forterra

What is sustainability? What is resilience? How do they relate to each other? Why are there so many questions in this course description? Come and find out! Sustainability and resilience have been at the forefront of politics and policy for decades and decision makers today are expected to responsibly employ sustainable and resilient measures to secure the future of our environmental, economic, and societal infrastructure. When it comes to drainage products and the vast range of differences between industries of different pipe materials, it is increasingly important to take resilience and sustainability into consideration at a foundational level. This course will dissect how sustainability and resilience can be measured, and how pipe material selection can affect our society and the future of our infrastructure.

Precast Design, Manufacturing, and Installation

Speaker: Ashley Isaacson EIT – Forterra

There are several different processes used to produce high quality pipe and precast products. New and improved machines and methods are continually being developed. We will touch on the more commonly used production methods. We will also briefly discuss the component materials, techniques and equipment used to produce a consistently high-quality product. The class also includes the process implemented in the development process of mix designs that consistently provide optimum strength and density that produces a durable product.

Properly installing precast structures ensures they function properly while maintaining the integrity of the roadways by efficiently removing stormwater. The greater one understands the precast structure process, the greater the savings in time and money. We will walk through design, production and installation of precast.

Underground Detention

Speaker:  Ryan Bonell, PE, Technical Resource Engineer – County Materials

With the rising cost of property for development, retention ponds are quickly disappearing underground. This presentation provides the full complement of precast pipe and box culverts usage for a long lasting infrastructure.

Pipe Installations – Concrete or Thermoplastic – What Difference Does it Make?

Speaker:  Don McNutt, PE – American Concrete Pipe Association

There are several similarities and then quite a few significant differences in the requirements for proper installation of reinforced concrete pipe and thermoplastic pipe products. Concrete pipe installations are based on ASTM C1479 and thermoplastic pipe installations are based on ASTM D2321. This class will provide a side by side comparison of these two unique specifications.

About Our Virtual School

Pipe School is the American Concrete Pipe Association (ACPA)’s annual event where members, DOTs, consulting engineers, subject matter experts, and other industry personnel get together to discuss, learn, and engage with one another.  The school advances the industry by teaching classes on production, advanced production, and quality, while engaging with industry stakeholders to ensure that they are provided with information vital to their decision making process.  Keeping the safety of the participants at the forefront, the 2021 Pipe School will move to a virtual platform, but promises to provide as engaging of presentations and allowing for more participants than ever before.

Speaker Name

Credentials/Presentation Subject

Speaker Bio

Jennifer Harrell, PE

Central Region Engineer
American Concrete Pipe Association

Jennifer is a Regional Engineer with ACPA with more than 20 years of experience in all aspects of civil engineering and project management. Her expertise lies in managing engineering work from initial planning to the final product, including operation and maintenance.

Jennifer’s background encompasses work in both the public and private sectors, including pipe and box manufacturing with Rinker Materials. Her experience includes writing specifications, planning and design, construction, water quantity and quality analysis, and green infrastructure. Most recently, Jennifer worked for the City of Topeka, Kansas, where she served as Project Engineer for more than 12 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Kansas.

Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family playing or attending sporting events, exercising, hiking, gardening and entertaining friends.

Corey Fraser, PE

Director
Concrete Pipe Northwest

Corey graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and in 2013 with a Masters in Infrastructure Engineering and Management.
Corey has been with the American Concrete Pipe Association for 10 years, most recently, as the State Director for Concrete Pipe Northwest. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Texas.

Alena Mikhaylova, PhD

Product Resource Engineer
Rinker Materials

Alena Mikhaylova, Ph D. joined Rinker Materials in 2016 as a Product Resource Engineer. Her background is in finite element modeling and concrete storm drain structures. Graduating in 2015 from Gubkin’s Russian State University of Oil and Gas in Moscow with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. She moved to the U.S and earned a Master’s in Civil Engineering and later a Ph. D in Civil Engineering in 2013 from UT Arlington. Ms. Mikhaylova is currently pursuing an MBA from Texas McCombs School of Business.

Jennifer Schaff, PE

Technical Resource Engineer
County Materials

Jennifer Schaff is a Technical Resource Engineer at County Materials Corporation. Jennifer’s primary role is focused on developing and providing technical support for our pipe and precast products. Jennifer has more than 17 years of professional consultative engineering experience combined with leadership and business development for municipalities and private clients. She has recently worked as a Project Manager for McMahon in Neenah, WI, where she was responsible for managing and designing site and civil projects, including writing proposals, developing fee structures, and maintaining client relationships. She is skilled in hydraulic modeling and has developed flood studies, FEMA submittals, and storm water modeling using WinSLAMM and XPSWMM programs. Jennifer earned both her Master and Bachelor of Science degrees in Civil Engineering at Michigan Technological University. She is also a professional engineer registered with the State of Wisconsin.

Heather Christensen, EIT

Technical Marketing Manager
Geneva Pipe & Precast

Heather Christensen is currently working as the Technical Marketing Manager for Geneva Pipe & Precast. Her main job duties include managing technical product presentations, plant tours, online media, advertising, and promotional events. She also works as part of the engineering department participating in structure design and design consultation. In this position, she has become an enthusiast of the precast concrete industry and concrete drainage systems. Prior to her work with Geneva, she worked with several consulting engineering firms in the Salt Lake area. Heather graduated with a Civil & Environmental Engineering degree from the University of Utah. She lives in Utah with her Husband (Scott), her niece (Madeleine), and her two pooches (Hugo and Sherman). She likes to spend her free time outdoors gardening, hiking, snowboarding, or just enjoying some hammock time.

Brent Schofield

Technical Marketer
Langley Concrete Group

Brent Schofield lives in beautiful British Columbia, Canada. He received a B.A. degree in Geography with a focus on Urban Development as well as an Advanced Diploma in Geographical Information Systems from Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, B.C. among other professional certifications. Brent is passionate about giving back and contributes when and where he can. He has served on various professional boards. He currently serves on various committees with the Canadian Concrete Pipe and Precast Association and the American Concrete Pipe Association. After some years working with a local private engineering firm he worked with local government. Brent has worked at Langley Concrete Group since 2014 as a Technical Marketer for B.C. He seeks further education when and wherever he can. Brent is happily married and has 4 children.

David Matocha

Sr. Technical Services Manager
Forterra Pipe & Precast

David Matocha is a Senior Technical Services Manager for Forterra Pipe & Precast. He manages the greater Central and South Texas area and has over 23 years with Forterra. He is a former Chairman of the Texas Concrete Pipe Association and holds Forterra’s vote on the TCPA Board. He serves on the American Concrete Pipe Association’s Infrastructure Committee and is a voting member of ASTM C-13.05 for Forterra. David represents the concrete pipe industry within AREMA Committee 1 and Committee 8. David is an active member of the American Society of Civil Engineers having served as Austin Branch President, Austin Branch Texas Section Representative and Texas Section Treasurer. He was a longtime board member of the Austin Contractor’s and Engineer’s Association having served as Board President.

David graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BS in Civil Engineering. He is a native Austinite and married to his wife Vanessa and has a son Dustin, both whom graduated from UT-Austin as well. During his free time not rooting for his beloved Longhorns or helping with church activities, David enjoys taking Vanessa on weekend drives in their Thunderbird convertible.

Riley Dvorak, PE

Technical Resource Engineer
Forterra Pipe & Precast

Riley Dvorak is the four-time #1 ranked technical resource engineer for Forterra in Minnesota. He is a returning presenter to ACPA Pipe School and a great guy to buy a beer for. He was originally hired with Cretex, and has remained with the same company (now Forterra) since he began full-time employment in 2014. He is a graduate of Minnesota State University Mankato and a licensed professional engineer in the state of Minnesota. Riley and his wife, Jamee, reside in Prior Lake Minnesota with their two kids aged 21 months and 2 months!

Joseph Updike

Technical Resource Engineer
Forterra Pipe & Precast

Joseph Updike has been with Forterra since February of 2020. He started there shortly after graduating from South Dakota Mines, where he studied Civil Engineering. In his free time he enjoys hiking and home brewing.

Tryg Hoff, PE

Northeast Region Engineer
American Concrete Pipe Association

Trygve Hoff, PE, is the Northeast Region Engineer for the American Concrete Pipe Association (ACPA). Tryg graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering from The Ohio State University and his professional experience ranges from environmental consulting in Ohio, to architectural engineering in beautiful Lake Tahoe, California. Tryg has been promoting resilient infrastructure with the ACPA since 2012.

Don McNutt, PE

Great Lakes Region Engineer
American Concrete Pipe Association

Don has over 35 years of experience in the precast industry as a quality control manager, production engineer, design engineer, engineering manager and chief operating officer. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The University of Cincinnati and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Ohio. Don is the Great Lakes Region Engineer for the American Concrete Pipe Association.

Josh Beakley, PE

Vice President Engineering
American Concrete Pipe Association

Josh Beakley is Vice President of Engineering for the American Concrete Pipe Association. He is a registered professional engineer in the state of Virginia. Josh received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ and received his Masters in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Josh has been with the American Concrete Pipe Association since 1994. Prior to joining ACPA, he worked as a Civil Engineer for the Bechtel Power Corporation.

In his job functions for the American Concrete Pipe Association Josh represents the industry on national standards making committees. He also coordinates research and design programs for the precast concrete culvert industry. Occasionally, he assists engineers with the design and specification of precast concrete pipe and box culverts as well as performing educational seminars.

Josh is a member of ASCE, ACI, ASTM, and participates in AASHTO meetings. He is a Spangler Award Winner, and an Award of Merit Honoree of ASTM, as well as a Heger Award Honoree of ACPA.

Ashley Isaacson, EIT

Technical Resource Engineer
Forterra

Ashley Isaacson began her career with Forterra Pipe and Precast, formerly Hanson Pipe and Precast, in 2006, shortly after receiving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Valparaiso University. She has held positions within Forterra that include project manager and lead project manager, and is currently serving as a technical resource engineer for the North Texas area. She is also working toward a master’s degree in structural engineering. She resides in Keller, TX with her husband and two children.

Aaron Pettit

Business Development
The Thompson Pipe Group

Aaron started his professional career in logistics spending five years as a logistics director, dealing primarily with chemical manufacturing and warehousing. During that time, Aaron pursued a degree in Business Management with a minor in Finance at the University of Redlands. Upon graduation he took a job with a consulting Construction Management firm, where he worked on, managed, and assisted numerous projects in the home development and capital improvements industry. Many of the projects were valued in excess of $100 million, dealing with underground utilities (Both wet & dry), roadway improvements, water treatment and sanitary sewer treatment facilities along with home development. In 2016, Aaron was hired by The Thompson Pipe Group as Business Development Manager / Sales Manager.

Ryan Bonell, PE

Technical Resource Engineer
County Materials

Ryan Bonell graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville in 2006 with a degree in environmental engineering. He is a licensed professional engineer in the State of Wisconsin and brings 14 years of experience to the table. In his current role as Technical Resource Engineer with County Materials, Ryan’s main function is to educate and promote the use of concrete pipes and structures to the engineering, municipal and DOT communities. Prior to joining County Materials, Ryan started his career in consulting working on a wide range of municipal projects in Wisconsin and Northern Illinois.

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