SOILS REPORTS, FOUNDATION RECOMMENDATIONS, SEISMIC REFRACTION SURVEYS, ROCK ANCHORS, AND MORE

 

We offer a comprehensive range of geotechnical services, available to our clients throughout all phases of a project, from site selection and feasibility evaluation through planning and review, design, and construction. Our team of experts will work closely with your staff through the life of the project to establish technically sound and economical solutions to your geotechnical issues.

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GEOTECHNICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

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We seek to understand your needs first and develop cost-effective solutions second. This translates to a proven ability to save you time and money. Vann Engineering, Inc. provides the required expertise for development of foundation systems and any necessary mitigation measures to be implemented during construction operations. We provide quality services, on-time and on-budget, adding value to your project.

Our Soils Investigations and Reports include recommendations for:

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• Spread and Drilled Shaft Foundation Systems

• Pavement Thickness and Design

• Slab Systems

• Earth Retaining Systems

• Forensic Engineering

• Rock and Soil Slope Stability

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We recommend the following test boring frequency, test boring depth, sampling and laboratory protocol. Our Field Services include:

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• Auger Drilling

• Septic Percolation Tests

• Seismic Refraction Surveys

• Ground Penetrating Radar

• Blast and Vibration Monitoring

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AUGER DRILLING

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Vann Engineering, Inc. uses two Central Mine Equipment CME-55 drill-rigs capable of auger drilling to depths of 150 feet in southwestern soils. The drills are truck-mounted for rapid, low cost mobilization to the job site and on the job site. The operation of well maintained equipment by experienced crews allows Vann Engineering, Inc. to complete drilling jobs with minimum downtime and maximum efficiency.

 

SEISMIC REFRACTION SURVEYS

 

Seismic refraction is a useful method for investigating geological structures and rock properties. Seismic waves are directed into the ground by the simple method of striking a steel plate with a sledge hammer. As the waves pass from one layer of soil or rock to the next, their path is bent or “refracted” by the differences in seismic velocity between layers. The travel times of the refracted waves are measured by geophones set out in a line carefully measured outward from the shot point. This data is processed to derive a cross-section view of the soil and rock layer.
 

Seismic refraction can be used to target:

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• Weathered rockhead

• Engineering bedrock structures

• Buried Channel

• Rock strength and rippabiliy

• Water

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GROUND PENETRATING RADAR

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Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a high-resolution geophysical method for imaging shallow soil and ground structures. GPR is particularly useful for locating buried objects, disturbed areas, or subsurface void spaces. Pulses of high-frequency radio waves are directed into the ground in a conical beam. At the zone of contact between two layers of rock or soil, the contrast between the electrical characteristics of the two materials will reflect the pulses back to the GPR antenna. The reflected signal is processed to develop a profile of the soil and rock layers beneath the antenna.

 

The GPR antenna is moved along a traverse line to develop a cross-sectional image of the site’s subsurface. Disturbances in the layering can show us the location of old excavations. Strong local reflections can reveal buried objects. Vann Engineering uses a Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. SIR-2000 unit, capable of imaging to depths of about 30 feet under typical southwestern soil conditions.