Under the auspices of the 2nd International Geotechnical Innovation Conference, held on May 5–6, 2025, at the Jeddah Hilton in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Jamal Nusairat, PhD, PE, BCGE, and Geotechnical Group Manager at E.L. Robinson Engineering (U.S.A.), delivered a keynote presentation titled “Improving the Design of Bored Piles Supporting Structures Using Vertical and Lateral Load Testing."

In his keynote, Dr. Jamal Nusairat demonstrated how real-world vertical and lateral load testing can significantly improve the design of bored piles. Drawing on field data from rock-socketed drilled shafts, he highlighted record-level vertical load tests and notable lateral performance with minimal deflection. These results help validate key design assumptions and refine analytical models, addressing the long-standing lack of published lateral load test data. Dr. Nusairat emphasized that load testing is essential not only for verification but also for achieving safer, more efficient, and more reliable geotechnical designs.​