Geotechnical and Geohazard Management: Example Approaches from State DOTs

Welcome to this AIPG Lunch & Earn Webinar, featuring an informative and clearly organized presentation on Geotechnical Asset Management (GAM) and its application to transportation infrastructure. The session explores how geotechnical risks are identified, categorized, monitored, and incorporated into decision-making processes to help agencies maintain safer, more resilient roadways and slopes. During the webinar, Darren Beckstrand of Landslide Management, explains the fundamentals of GAM, including terminology, assessment methods, and how geotechnical hazards such as unstable slopes, aging infrastructure, and subsurface conditions influence long-term maintenance planning. Attendees shared examples from across the U.S. and internationally, including recent roadway collapses, dam-safety evaluation methods, and similarities to risk-assessment approaches used in Indonesia. Viewers also asked questions about high-risk slopes, instrumentation, monitoring of changing conditions, and whether state DOTs are required to perform geotechnical investigations before roadway construction. The discussion highlighted practical considerations for data collection, safety measures, hydrostatic and seismic conditions, and communication strategies for effectively conveying complex geotechnical information. Participants described the webinar as “very informative,” “super helpful,” and “well organized,” reflecting the clarity of the material and the importance of GAM in modern infrastructure management. Continuing Education Disclaimer A link to the CEU assessment quiz was provided only to live attendees during the webinar. Watching this YouTube recording DOES NOT provide continuing education credits. CEUs are issued exclusively to individuals who attended the live session and, for New York State, who completed the required quiz within the designated time window.