Geotechnical engineering concerns the behaviour of soil, rock, and groundwater, and the way structures interact with the ground that supports them. Because nearly every structure ultimately transfers its load into the ground – and because ground conditions vary considerably from one site to the next – a geotechnical assessment establishes what lies beneath a site, how it will respond to construction, and how foundations, excavations, or slopes should be designed accordingly. For many projects, this assessment is also a condition of obtaining a building permit.

In British Columbia, many jurisdictions require a geotechnical engineer to provide assurance of design and field review – commonly through the Letters of Assurance (Schedules B and C-B) under the BC Building Code – particularly for sites involving slopes, engineered fill, high groundwater, or seismic and liquefaction considerations. We routinely prepare these reports and coordinate with the authority having jurisdiction on your behalf. If you are uncertain whether your project requires geotechnical input, we are glad to advise at the outset.

A typical investigation begins with a review of available geological and site information, followed by subsurface exploration – boreholes, test pits, or in-situ methods such as cone penetration testing – to characterize the soil, rock, and groundwater conditions. Representative samples may be tested in a laboratory, and the results are analyzed to produce engineering recommendations for foundations, excavations, slopes, or ground improvement. The scope is scaled to the size and complexity of each project.

We serve homeowners, builders, developers, architects, structural engineers, municipalities, and industrial and resource clients. Our experience spans single-family residences on challenging terrain, commercial and residential developments, high-rise foundations and deep excavations, slopes and landslides, dams and water-retaining structures, and major industrial and oil-sands facilities.

Yes. Slope and terrain stability is among our principal areas of expertise. We conduct terrain stability assessments and slope stability analyses and, where warranted, design remedial and stabilization measures such as retaining structures, drainage systems, and shear keys. Building on or near sloping ground commonly requires geotechnical input both to ensure long-term safety and to satisfy municipal permitting requirements.

We provide support across the full project lifecycle: initial investigation and design through construction-phase field reviews, materials testing, and instrumentation monitoring. Construction review confirms that the ground conditions encountered are consistent with our design assumptions and that the completed work conforms to specifications, which is frequently a requirement of the Letters of Assurance.

Yes. Our principal has been retained as both an expert and an arbitrator on matters involving slope instability, foundation performance, and related geotechnical questions. We provide forensic assessment, expert reports, and testimony grounded in defensible engineering analysis suitable for review by authorities, insurers, and the courts.

Our work is led directly by a senior principal engineer with more than four decades of experience, rather than delegated to junior staff. We favour measured evidence over assumption, and our recommendations are prepared to withstand the scrutiny of authorities, insurers, and the courts. For our clients, this means engineering judgement applied directly to their project, and conclusions they can rely upon.