Geotechnical Engineering & Drilling Services

Geotechnical Engineering Services to support the most fundamental aspect of every project

The need to determine a site’s subsurface characteristics and composition of materials, soil and rock is one of the most fundamental aspects of any development project. Understanding the interaction between a project’s design, it’s intended use and these subsurface materials ensures a solid foundation, an essential prerequisite for safe, efficient, and cost-effective construction project. These data points and their evaluation are as important as any of the architectural, civil or structural design above ground.

The first step on any new development begins with a geotechnical assessment. Geotech engineers provide site characterization, site evaluation and site selection services, foundation design, ground improvement, rock engineering and geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring. From the collected information, geotechnical consultants can help owners and contractors identify geohazards, determine the proper and most cost-effective foundation design, and reduce the risk of construction delays caused by unforeseen conditions.

Our partnering firms and clients have turned to Intertek-PSI when their project requires the accuracy, competitive pricing, and rapid turnaround times that can only offered by the in-house capabilities of a national, experienced geotechnical provider. Intertek-PSI employs professional geotechnical engineers, geologists, geophysicists, and field and lab technicians, licensed by the appropriate state regulatory agencies and OSHA trained in health protection and hazardous materials. Our professional staff under the guidance of internal quality assurance and safety programs, maintains and operates 70 fully equipped geotechnical drill rigs, mounted on a wide array of land and marine vehicles, and supported by a network of nearly 100 accredited laboratories and offices nationwide.

Intertek-PSI’s national footprint, expertise and experience provides our clients confidence in knowing that they will receive accurate, detailed, and timely information from an engineering team familiar with the local terrain and a company with the ability to meet fast-tracked deadlines and the demand of major projects.

What is Geotechnical Engineering?

Geotechnical engineering is the science that focuses on the behavior of natural geological materials, such as soil and rock, in engineered systems. This includes the design, analysis and construction of retaining structures, foundations, slopes, embankments, levees, wharves, roadways, tunnels, landfills and other structures and systems that are made of or supported by soil or rock. Geotechnical engineers acknowledge that soil and rock are some of the cheapest and most abundant materials on Earth, which consequently play a major role in the design, construction and performance of every type of civil engineering structure.

Why is Geotechnical Engineering Important?

One of the most fundamental aspects of any land development project is the need to determine a site’s characteristics to ensure the interaction between the structure and subsurface materials, soil and rock. Intertek’s accredited geotechnical services and construction materials testing specialists can perform a wide variety of subsurface explorations and tests necessary for your projects. We are a partner you can trust to bridge the gap between raw site materials and finished structures. We can help prepare your project or building design for success, offering a wide range of geotechnical engineering consulting, drilling services and expertise to give you the assurance you need.

A thorough subsurface exploration can result in a more cost-effective foundation design, reduce construction delays caused by unforeseen conditions, and help prepare you for potential geohazards. All projects are supported by internal quality assurance and safety plans that give you the subsurface and site information necessary for a successful project.

With a growing number of fully equipped labs, a modern drilling fleet, and qualified professional senior engineers and laboratory technicians with years of local and national experience, Intertek knows how to get the job done right.

Intertek's Geotechnical Engineering Services

• Subsurface exploration
• Construction recommendations
• Dams, levees, and embankments
• Earth retaining structures
• Foundation engineering, excavation analysis and design
• Geophysical and surveying services
• Geotechnical exploration and instrumentation
• Groundwater evaluation
• In-situ testing
• Laboratory testing
• Landfill exploration
• Pavement design and analysis
• Seismic evaluations
• Slope stability analysis
• Soil-structure interaction evaluations
• Soil, rock sampling and testing
• Test boring and analysis
• Vibration Monitoring

Additional Geotechnical Engineering Information

Intertek-PSI’s advanced geophysical service offerings can provide additional engineering insights in site assessments, soil boring reports, foundation designs, and other environmental and geotechnical recommendations, through the use of seismic refraction, multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW), ground penetrating radar (GPR), ultrasonic pulse-echo devices and more.

These services help protect valuable subsurface assets by provide void mapping, depth to bedrock determination, geological and soil profiling, underground storage tank (UST) identification, and existing foundation and pile analyses. A comprehensive geophysical approach can drastically increase our clients’ success, decrease risk, and increase safety with regards to underground construction and design.

Ask about our Geotechnical Engineering Services