Geotechnical

Ensuring a Solid Foundation

From pavement and railroad track to earth structures and foundations, geotechnical investigations play a key role in all projects that involve engineering and construction on the surface or in the ground. Benesch offers a suite of geotechnical design and construction services, including materials testing and laboratory capabilities.

Our team of geotechnical engineers, technicians, geologists and scientists draw upon decades of experience gained through tens of thousands of projects to accurately analyze soil conditions, stability, settlement and more, helping mitigate challenges that may adversely impact a project.

There’s a reason clients continually turn to Benesch for geotechnical services: our proactive, precise approach ensures the optimum service life of structures and transportation systems, while reducing or eliminating unforeseen construction delays and overall construction costs.

Full-Service Geotechnical Capabilities

Our geotechnical experts have the training, skills and experience to provide the critical information needed to design safe, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible infrastructure while managing risks associated with subsurface conditions.

Subsurface investigations provide the information needed to gain an understanding of the soil and rock properties at a certain site. Knowing that you rely on accurate results in order to ensure the design and construction of a project runs smoothly, Benesch staff are prepared to handle any project site.

Benesch’s subsurface experts regularly oversee drilling activities to perform soil sampling, rock coring, in-situ testing, and installation/abandonment of groundwater monitoring wells and piezometers.

With a wide variety of site experience, our geotechnical engineers are able to determine ground conditions and underlying geology. We employ a range of soil sampling, drilling and in-situ programs to provide data for engineering and design. This data can then be used to determine the use and type of preventative measures to mitigate possible soil instability, settlement or groundwater presence that may adversely impact existing or proposed structures.

At Benesch, our engineers, geologists and engineering technicians understand the importance of producing accurate results when testing materials. We diligently adhere to lab protocols to ensure the best procedures are in place.

Benesch technicians are trained and certified through OSHA, ACI and ICC and have experience in testing soils, aggregate, concrete, asphalt and masonry. Our full-service laboratory is certified through the AASHTO and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.

Photo of the inside of Benesch' fully accredited geotechnical lab
Photo of Benesch's employee working in fully accredited lab

Fully Accredited Lab

Benesch’s geotechnical laboratory is fully accredited by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). This accreditation means that the lab has demonstrated proficiency in construction materials testing and conforms with the guidelines established by AASHTO R 18 and the AASTHO Committee on Materials and Pavements. Maintaining the accreditation requires a detailed annual review.

The lab is staffed by highly trained technicians and is equipped to handle materials testing on various types of projects across the country.

Photo of Benesch's employee performing a sampling in the field

Customized Approach to Sampling and Testing

When it comes to sampling and testing, we know that one size does not fit all. For each project, we analyze the site and the structure to understand what approach is best. We have the expertise needed to satisfy every requirement, whether it’s deep boring for a heavily loaded structure or detailed undisturbed sampling soils for a sensitive structure.

Photo of Benesch's employee utilizing state of the art technology to analyze slope stability

Top-Notch Analyses

Benesch uses the most current versions of Slide2 for analyzing slope stability and seepage, and GRLWEAP, LPile, APile, Shoring Suite, Shaft and PY Wall software applications for analyzing deep foundations and shoring. In addition, we’ve developed in-house programs to perform additional geotechnical analyses in accordance with local, state and federal standards and methods.