Geotech Engineers: Luxury or Necessity | G3 SoilWorks

Hindsight is 20/20, but in the earthmoving industry, blurred foresight can end up costing hundreds of millions of dollars. Gratefully, in the realm of construction and earthworks, where unstable earth meets rigid materials, there exists Geotechnical engineers; the great masters of soil, water, geology, engineering and science. Essential to every major construction project demands the desideratum of geotechnical engineers, but unfortunately, not all geotechnical firms are created equal. When finding and selecting a firm that will truly save money, be an asset, and define itself as a necessity, there are certain qualities and qualifications that are needed to ensure foresight is 20/20. The first and most important of these qualities is approach.

APPROACH

A lot can be learned about a geotechnical firm by how they approach projects, data and theories. Be weary of the firm that comes in drills blazing, eager to bore holes in your site. Be warned of firms that offer immediate solutions or are slaves to their initial theories, hypotheses and egos. The most important quality in any geotechnical firm is a broad, egoless approach. An approach without assumptions. An approach that doesn’t ignore data. An approach that starts at the proper perspective, namely, the big picture.

A monumental detail influencing the overall success of every construction project, is the foundation upon which it is built. The Burj Khalifa, in all its 160 floors of glory and grandeur, would be an utter failure if the geo-scientists on the project didn’t understand where that earth foundation has been, what it is currently doing, and what it will do over the next 10,000 years. We all remember from Freshman Psychology that the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Well, with the earth, it is no different. Too many mistakes are made, too many faulty solutions are recommended, and too many dollars are spent because firms do not fully understand the slab of earth they are working with. Does your firm really know what is causing a particular landslide? Or what the surrounding groundwater is doing? Or why there is a fold in the middle of your site? If you’re not confident they do… you already have a problem.

THE G3 METHOD

A lot can be said about the G3SoilWorks team and their G3 Method, but none of which is as fundamental or powerful as their approach. Their teams combined understanding of plate tectonics, groundwater, engineering, soil, slopes, data processing, mapping and the scientific method leave them more than capable to approach any project with absolute expertise. Time after time the G3 team has been requested to offer their services on projects already in progress, but struggling to move forward because of a certain snare or problem. These recently discovered findings not only delay the completion of the project, but also demand unwarranted funds and resources. Their unequivocal solution, every time, is to step back, review all the data, and understand what exactly they are dealing with. It’s not until that process is accomplished that a proper, lasting, and most cost-effective solution can be discovered.

To learn more about how the G3SoilWorks team can alleviate the burdens of your current project, or ensure the solutions for your future project are the best possible, send us a question online, call us at 714.668.5600 or email us at info@G3soilworks.com.