Geotechnical Services
We provide complete geotechnical engineering services for clients, including field investigations, laboratory testing, analysis and design. Our design professionals utilize geosynthetics for earth structures, including designs that incorporate geomembranes and composite liners; geotextile and geogrid applications for reinforcing embankments and roads; and geotextiles for filter protection and seepage control. We also provide more traditional geotechnical services, including analysis of static and dynamic stability of slopes and embankments, foundation and retaining wall analysis and design, pavements, settlement and consolidation studies, solutions for groundwater seepage control, and protection of channels and slopes.
The following areas outline our services:
Project Development
Our geotechnical and geological engineers are well-versed in project development, including conducting literature searches, geologic and site reconnaissance, field investigations, instrumentation, and preliminary and final analyses. Investigation plans will be developed in accordance with MDT, FHWA, and AASHTO guidelines. Engineering judgment will also determine if additional drilling is required while performing initial subsurface investigations.
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Exploration, Drilling, and Sampling
Our project team members have planned and conducted subsurface soils investigations at hundreds of sites involving cable tool, auger, and rotary type drilling rigs for borings, and have logged and sampled numerous test pits utilizing backhoes for excavating. We regularly conduct standard penetration tests (SPT) for relative density and consistency evaluations. We have conducted field permeability tests and are familiar with cone penetrometer testing. Disturbed and undisturbed samples are routinely collected for laboratory testing purposes. Information gathered from testing results and from the field is used to produce detailed boring logs generated by gINT software.
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Analysis
We have prepared geotechnical reports for projects relating to roadway design which have included centerline soil surveys; embankment and cut slope evaluations; foundation studies and designs for roadway structures such as bridges, culverts, and overhead signs; pavement designs for roadways, streets, and parking lots; and borrow pit evaluation. Our geotechnical staff is particularly experienced in the design of retaining walls and the design of deep foundations for structures. The L-Pile program is typically used to assist in designing for lateral loads and the GRL WEAP program for dynamic pile analyses. For pavement design, the AASHTO software program ‘DARWin’ is utilized to assist in designing and evaluating the economical costs of typical sections. We also have personnel experienced in structural geology mapping and evaluating potential rock cuts. We currently use the software program ‘XSTABL’ to assist in providing a safe geometry for slope design. We have also produced geotechnical reports regarding earthen filled dams to help create and maintain wetland areas.
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Pavement Design
We use DARWin, an AASHTO pavement design software program. We have designed typical sections in Montana based on MDT criteria for structural coefficients. Pioneer Technical Services, Inc. has prepared materials reports for borrow sources and centerline soil surveys and has conducted economic analyses for typical sections.
Our project team’s geotechnical and materials experience is growing; our licensed professional engineers working in the geotechnical and materials fields have over 35 years of collective experience. We have planned and completed detailed geotechnical and materials evaluations for a variety of projects, including road, street, and trail; waste management; mining; site development; structures; and disturbed land reclamation.
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