About Geotechnical Engineering & Materials Testing

Our geotechnical engineers and material specialists are focused on solving design, construction, and rehabilitation issues impacting the communities where we work and live. By pairing cutting-edge site investigation technology with tried-and-true experience, we bring unparalleled expertise to the entire geotechnical spectrum—from planning, investigation, and design to execution and quality control. Our services include

Construction QA/QC Monitoring Inspection Services
Quality is part of our foundation. Our construction Quality Assurance (QA)/Quality Control (QC) monitoring and inspection services help put project owners at ease. We provide independent verification of construction materials, methods, and results for conformance to the design using standardized test methods and procedures. We maintain and run in-house advanced materials laboratories to perform acceptance testing of soil, aggregate, concrete, and asphalt materials. By using a systematic and standardized approach to measuring quality, you can be confident your material meets design intent as well as quality specifications.

Construction QA/QC Laboratory Testing Services
More than a collection of laboratories and equipment, we’re a network of soils and materials experts. We provide comprehensive soil, aggregate, concrete, and asphalt testing on both small and large-scale projects for industrial, commercial, and government clients. We have ISO-certified laboratories across North America, including advanced geotechnical, concrete, and asphalt materials testing facilities. Whether you’re looking for standard testing or an innovative approach, we’re up to the challenge.

Dams and Levees
Our experts form an integral part of dam safety initiatives across the globe and have worked on countless high-risk systems. We resolve intricate issues for everything from complex seepage, stability, and risk issues at specific project sites to policy guidelines and technical instructions for national dam safety programs. Whether we’re defining safety standards and guidelines for industrial clients or providing safety reviews for municipal clients, it all comes down to providing resilient, sustainable water management systems for our communities.

Geohazard Engineering
Developing resilient, adaptive solutions for risky ground. Infrastructure is a critical investment in our communities and must be built to last. From immediate hazards to longer-term risks, geological and geotechnical conditions can cause property and infrastructure damage and threaten personal safety. Geohazards include landslides, rockfalls, earthquakes and seismicity, ground subsidence, and erosive forces. While our analysis may be complex, our end goal is simple: to make our communities stronger and safer, now and in the future, for everyone.

Geotechnical and Materials Forensic Engineering
Even with sound engineering design and construction practice, changing ground conditions can negatively impact a project. Foundations settle or heave, basements leak, slopes fail, buried pipes break or collapse, foundation concrete shows signs of distress, pavement structures fail, and sink holes appear. We regularly consult with experts and regulatory authorities, review contract documents and specifications, consult with and advise counsel in advance of legal proceedings, and provide expert witness and testimony in court. By looking for evidence of what went wrong, we can develop a plan to help you make it right.

Geotechnical Engineering Analysis and Design
Like any geotechnical practice, the science and engineering is in our wheel-house. But—just as importantly—the art of interpreting site conditions is complemented by our geographic diversity and local area experience. We have decades of on-the-ground experience and databases of local soil and rock conditions. Equipped with this knowledge, we identify the most prominent geotechnical/geological design constraints to consider in design and construction. Our combination of technical expertise and local area knowledge helps us optimize design and minimize geotechnical investigation costs—ultimately helping you execute a more successful project.

Materials Engineering
Our goal is simple: to help our clients build with high-quality material that meets construction standards, available budget, and environmental considerations. Our material engineers provide a wealth of technical experience, partnered with local context. We’re experienced with available materials and manufacturers throughout the communities we work in. We evaluate the quality of available and received products to determine its physical and chemical properties compared to specified limits published in applicable standards.

Mine, Industrial, and Municipal Solid Waste Management
Properly managing water materials keeps industry thriving and communities healthy. Any operation around for the long run needs to consider not only the products made for our benefit, but also how to contain and manage any residual products generated. Linking our geotechnical capability with our environmental, civil, structural, geochemical, hydrogeological, and water resources expertise, we can meet any client need for waste management plans and containment facilities. It’s a win-win for the industries that drive our economy and the communities they call home.

Rock Engineering and Geoscience
Building on rock and through rock to create safer and smarter design. Despite its tough exterior, most of the world’s rock surface is fractured and weathered, which impacts strength and other key physical properties. This can significantly impact project costs and even the feasibility of a project moving forward. We evaluate slopes that have experienced rock landslides and we predict rock fall potential. We assess rock conditions so foundations can support new infrastructure. We map geology and test rock properties to locate reliable sources of building material.

Subsurface Investigation and Instrumentation
Subsurface investigations provide a baseline to understand the physical soil and rock conditions of a site and help shape design approach and construction recommendations for future phases of a project. Information gathered during subsurface investigations and instrumentation monitoring can be vital for making business decisions. We help you move forward with-cost efficient design for specific conditions encountered onsite—all while ensuring infrastructure is structurally sound. With a better understanding of site conditions and our ability to monitor, predict, and mitigate geotechnical site challenges, we’re supporting communities built on stable ground.

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