Geotechnical Engineering
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Subsurface Investigations & Geotechnical Evaluations
Our geotechnical engineers develop and implement subsurface exploration programs and prepare geotechnical interpretative reports that support planned development.
These interpretive reports identify the subsurface conditions, recommend a suitable foundation system, provide an allowable bearing capacity and lateral earth pressure loads, provide site-specific seismic design data, and discuss site development topics such as slope stability, settlement, and liquefaction potential.
We also perform pavement and retaining wall assessments and design site-specific restoration and/or replacement solutions.
Power & Renewables
Our geotechnical engineers are involved at the beginning of power and renewables projects to assess the subsurface conditions and determine how they may affect the design and construction of energy infrastructure.
We can help from the preconceptual phase through the design phase for projects that include substations, transmission lines, hydroelectric, wind, and solar.
Bridges, Stream Restoration, & Culverts
LaBella designs and prepares construction documents for vehicle and pedestrian bridges, stream restorations, and culvert replacements that comply with all regulatory requirements.
Design services include the implementation of a geotechnical subsurface program to support foundation/abutment design and coordination with manufacturers as necessary to prepare construction level documents.
Understanding permitting requirements, we develop abutment designs that minimize impacts to stream banks, allowing for a quicker permit approval process.
Additionally, stream restorations and culvert replacements require careful environmental consideration. Working with authorities having jurisdiction and our in-house environmental scientists and engineers, our geotechnical engineers will perform initial assessments of stream banks and culverts.
The geotechnical team makes use of LaBella’s collaborative nature, working with the structural, environmental, and permitting groups to provide a more effective and economical design process.
Dams
Our geotechnical engineers, in collaboration with LaBella’s other divisions, can support you with a new dam design, assess your existing dam, and prepare required dam safety inspection reports and engineering assessment reports to satisfy government agency requirements.
We can help you determine if remediation of an existing dam is required. We can also prepare inspection and maintenance plans and emergency action plans in accordance with your state guidelines.
When a rehabilitation or modification is deemed necessary for a dam to conform with updated regulations, our engineers will assist in the design process.
Retaining Walls
Gravity, cantilever, secant pile, sheet pile, tieback, soil nail, or mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) geogrids – LaBella’s geotechnical engineers can guide you to the appropriate system to provide the optimal solution for any retaining wall.
We assist in the design and construction documents for retaining walls built of natural stone, gabion baskets, and segmental blocks. Cost, aesthetic, and user needs are always considered – we can incorporate tiered walls, stairs, and ramps in a design, or something more organic such as a waterfall or live wall systems.
Collaboration & Partnership
LaBella’s geotechnical engineers are proud of our collaborative spirit. We build partnerships with our clients and other technical experts.
Many of LaBella’s geotechnical projects have land development design, environmental synergies, waste and recycling teaming, transportation support, and architecture synchronization.
We are continually listening to our clients and asking questions to understand their vision in order to solve site condition problems and create the finished product they are looking for.
Beneath the Surface: A Deep Dive Into Geophysical Technologies for Sustainable Engineering
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