This online training course provides a comprehensive and practical overview of how to manage geotechnical assets—particularly slopes and retaining walls—through a structured approach that combines inspection, risk analysis, and monitoring. Participants will gain insight into how visual inspections are performed, how pathologies are identified and classified, and how empirical systems (such as condition and risk indexes) are used to prioritize interventions. The course also covers how to implement risk matrices, evaluate the criticality of assets, and deploy monitoring technologies (like IoT, InSAR, LiDAR, and photogrammetry) for early warning and long-term management. Whether you’re dealing with a single slope or a network of thousands, the training will introduce scalable methodologies to support decision-making across different asset portfolios.

By integrating the latest research and the real-world expertise of the instructors, this course offers a unique learning opportunity for professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge and capabilities in geotechnical engineering and asset management. Participants will:

• Understand slope stability fundamentals and deterioration mechanisms (briefly)
• Conduct effective visual inspections, identify typical pathologies, and assess the condition and criticality of assets
• Distinguish between principal, routine, and validation inspections in geotechnical practice
• Apply risk assessment tools such as risk matrices, condition indexes, and prioritization frameworks
• Integrate advanced monitoring technologies, including IoT sensors, LiDAR, InSAR, and photogrammetry, into asset evaluation workflows
• Use case studies and hands-on activities to translate theory into actionable strategies

Who Should Attend?

• Infrastructure Owners & Operators: Organizations responsible for managing and maintaining slopes, retaining walls, and other geotechnical assets.
• Geotechnical Engineers & Consultants: Professionals involved in the design, analysis, and evaluation of slopes and retaining walls.
• Inspection and Maintenance Personnel: Teams responsible for conducting field inspections and ensuring the stability and safety of geotechnical structures.
• Monitoring Solutions Providers: Companies specializing in IoT sensors, remote sensing technologies, and monitoring platforms for geotechnical applications.
• Contractors & Project Managers: Professionals overseeing construction, monitoring, and maintenance of geotechnical structures.

How To Attend

There are two easy methods to attend this training:

Watch Live

The Lectures will be taught over a 2-week period with live 2-hour online sessions held Monday through Thursday of each week. As a live attendee, you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions of the instructor in real time.

Watch On Demand

The Lectures will be available on demand following the end of the 2-week training, at which point you can watch them when it’s convenient and at your own pace.

Upon completion of the training program, the IRF will administer an online knowledge test. IRF will work with each individual participant to ensure they pass the examination.

Why Online?

• Earn 16 Professional Development Hours
• Expert training by professionals for Professionals: access IRF’s unique curriculum and lectures developed by world-class specialists
• Accelerated learning processes: get up to speed and gain new insights in less time and with no travel constraints
• Full access to learning materials and session recordings
• Small classrooms & scheduled One-on-One sessions with instructors
• Self-paced options available
• Interactive group projects and case studies
• Receive IRF Certification

Learning Objectives

• Master Slope Stability Fundamentals: Equip yourself with a strong foundation in geotechnical engineering, including slope stability analysis, risk assessment, and cutting-edge techniques for asset evaluation.
• Enhance Inspection and Risk Assessment Skills: Learn best practices for inspecting slopes and retaining walls, identifying pathologies, and assessing asset conditions using innovative tools and methods.
• Leverage Advanced Technologies in Geotechnical Monitoring: Discover how to integrate IoT sensors, LiDAR, InSAR, and photogrammetry into slope monitoring and management systems, gaining a competitive edge in applying modern solutions.
• Apply Hands-On Knowledge to Real-World Projects: Engage in practical case studies and software-based assessments to develop actionable, customized strategies for geotechnical challenges.
• Gain Expertise in Risk Management: Use risk matrices, criticality indices, and empirical systems to prioritize actions and ensure infrastructure safety, making you indispensable in managing geotechnical assets.
• Expand Your Career Opportunities in Geotechnical Asset Management: Stand out in your field by mastering cutting-edge methods and tools, gaining the skills to lead inspection, monitoring, and conservation efforts in critical infrastructure projects.

The Lectures will be taught over a 2 week period with live 2-hour online sessions held Monday through Thursday of each week. Upon completion of the training program, the IRF will administer an online knowledge test. IRF will work with each individual participant to ensure they pass the examination.

Monday – Thursday (8:00 AM– 10:00 AM US EST)

PhD Geotechnical Engineer | CEO | Specialist in Remote Sensing & Infrastructure Risk

Marisa Pinheiro is a PhD geotechnical engineer with over 10 years of experience in geotechnical risk analysis, infrastructure monitoring, and sustainability-driven asset management. She has developed multidisciplinary expertise at the intersection of geotechnics, Earth observation, geostatistics, and satellite data integration.

She is currently the CEO and co-founder at LEVEL, a company dedicated to intelligent infrastructure monitoring and sustainable asset management. Marisa has led and contributed to several international research and innovation projects. Her work focuses on combining advanced instrumentation, satellite remote sensing, and AI to develop early warning systems and decision-support tools for critical infrastructure.

Marisa regularly collaborates with universities and research centres across Europe, and actively promotes the integration of cutting-edge technology into engineering practice.

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Assistant Professor with Habilitation | Geotechnical Engineer | Civil Engineering Department and ISISE, University of Minho, Portugal

Tiago Miranda is a Civil Engineer with a PhD in Geotechnics. He is an Assistant Professor with Habilitation at the University of Minho, Portugal and affiliated with the ISISE – Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering – research centre. With over 25 years of academic and applied experience, his work bridges geotechnical engineering, asset management and sustainable construction materials.

His expertise includes the advanced monitoring of geotechnical structures using remote sensing techniques and real time methodologies, asset management and numerical analysis of geotechnical structures, slope stability modeling, and the development of eco-efficient materials. He has published more then 230 scientific documents in international journals and conferences and actively participates in national and European research projects related to infrastructure monitoring, geotechnical risk, and advanced materials.

Prof. Miranda is also deeply involved in doctoral supervision, international collaborations, and the organization of advanced training programs in geotechnical engineering. He promotes the integration of innovative techniques such as AI, remote sensing, and numerical simulation into the decision-making processes for critical infrastructure.

He was founder of a start-up (LEVEL) in the field of asset management and monitoring of geotechnical structures and is co-author of two softwares in these fields, namely LEVEL-AMS (asset management) and SENSING  (monitoring of geotechnical structures).

Operating System
Windows 7 – Windows 10, Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks), macOS Catalina (10.15), Linux, Google Chrome OS, Android OS 5 (Lollipop) – Android 9 (Pie), iOS 10 – iOS 12, Windows Phone 8+, Windows 8RT+

Web browser
Google Chrome (most recent 2 versions)
Mozilla Firefox (most recent 2 versions)
Internet Explorer v11 (with Adobe Flash if running Windows 7)
Apple Safari (most recent 2 versions)
Microsoft Edge (most recent 2 versions)

Internet connection
1 Mbps or better (broadband recommended)

Hardware
2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended)
Microphone and speakers (USB headset recommended)

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