Topic outline

  • Common Design Mistakes in Land Development

    Credits: 3 PDH

    PDH Course Description:

    This course explores historical and modern failures in land development projects that arose from engineering design flaws, misapplied geotechnical assumptions, infrastructure miscalculations, and regulatory oversight lapses. Emphasis is placed on site planning, grading, stormwater control, geotechnical misinterpretations, utility placement, road alignment, and erosion mitigation.

    The course serves as a forensic and preventative guide for civil, geotechnical, and land development engineers seeking to improve reliability and public safety in land transformation projects.

    Topics:

    Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to:

    • Identify common engineering design flaws that have historically led to failures in land development projects
    • Evaluate the role of improper site investigation and grading practices in slope failures, structural instability, and drainage problems
    • Analyze stormwater mismanagement cases and understand how hydrological models have been misused or oversimplified
    • Understand the consequences of overlooking geotechnical reports and soil structure i nteraction data
    • Apply lessons from past failures to improve future site planning, infrastructure layout, and subdivision design practices
    • Recognize the ethical obligations of land development engineers to uphold public safety and environmental responsibility

    To take this course:

    1.) Enroll in Course: Click below to enroll:
    (must be logged into your user account)


    2.) Study: Once enrolled, click below to begin the course:

    Download the Study Guide

    3.) Test: Once you've thoroughly read the course materials, please click below to take the final examination.

    Take the final exam

    4.) Certificate: A passing grade of 70% or higher on the exam, is required to receive the certificate of completion for this PDH course.

    Important – Payment is required prior to printing of your certificate of completion.

    We operate on a trust-based model. You are welcome to complete Steps 1 through 3 to fully review the course material at your leisure. 

    When you are ready to download and print your Certificate of Completion, we ask that payment has been completed for either the Unlimited Plan or individual PDH credit(s). Clicking the download button below serves as your digital confirmation that payment has been made.

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    Print the Certificate of Completion

    Intended Audience: This course is intended for licensed professionals in land surveying, civil engineering, geospatial engineering, construction engineering, and municipal engineering. 
    Publication Source: Cadistics Courseware

    Donald Parnell, PE

    • Topic 1