Technical Review Panel chair spotlight: Heather Shoup

Heather Shoup is the Central Office Geotechnical Engineer in the Central Bureau of Materials at the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Her office is responsible for coordinating and providing technical support to each of the nine District Geotechnical Engineers throughout the state, which include slope stability and settlement analyses. 

Specifically, she develops and maintains the Geotechnical Manual, Subgrade Stability Manual, STTP S-33 Soil Field Testing and Inspection Course Manual, and several forms, specifications, and test procedures pertaining to soils used by the department. She also oversees the Central Soils Laboratory and the Soils Instrumentation Laboratory. She previously served as a Local Roads Field Engineer and as a District Geotechnical Engineer in IDOT’s District 4 office.

Shoup has been with IDOT for more than 15 years and has assisted with IDOT-sponsored research projects administered by the Illinois Center for Transportation (ICT). Recently, she served as Technical Review Panel (TRP) co-chair for project R27-157, “Plasticity Requirements of the Aggregates as Subbase, Base, Surface, and Shoulder Courses.” The goal of this project was to review and update the requirements of crushed aggregates in terms of the percentage passing amount and the properties of aggregate fines in pavement unbound base and subbase applications.

She is currently serving as TRP chair for another IDOT-ICT research project entitled R27-198, “Development of Guidelines for Implementation of Horizontal Directional Drilling.” The goal of the project is to: 1) document performance of recent selected horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installations in Illinois and elsewhere if available; 2) conduct a survey of selected HDD contractors regarding their experience and needs; and 3) develop guidelines with quantitative metrics that can be used as the basis for evaluating proposed HDD installations for IDOT permit review and construction projects.

Shoup served as the Steering Committee Chairperson for this year’s 47th Midwest Geotechnical Conference, whose membership includes 10 state DOTs as well as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Resource Center.

Shoup earned both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Prior to joining IDOT, Shoup worked as a Staff Engineer before becoming Department Manager and overseeing geotechnical and construction materials inspection projects at Professional Service Industries, Inc.