Geotechnical Services

Geotechnical Services Provided | Capabilities

Alpha Environmental Sciences, Inc. personnel have experience and resources that cover a broad range of geotechnical engineering and geological challenges. Our integrated approach combines geotechnical expertise, field and laboratory testing capabilities and an awareness of current construction procedures. Our objectives are to develop safe and cost-effective design recommendations and analyses consistent with current state-of-the-art practice. Our services include design plans and specifications, engineering recommendations, quality control, instrumentation and performance studies. Applications range from construction and manufacturing to waste disposal and mining.

Our geotechnical and geological services are planned and performed in order to meet project requirements thoroughly and efficiently. Site development costs and potential construction problems can be evaluated by investigating topography, geology, ground cover, surface water, rock outcrops, alluvial deposits, and groundwater.

For detailed site evaluation or foundation design studies, the complete investigation includes performance and analysis of test borings and laboratory testing of on-site or off-site borrow material to determine engineering characteristics of the soils. The number and depths of borings are based on the specific structure size, proposed density of the planned development and controlling site characteristics such as topography, availability of borrow soils and subsurface rock profiles. Our drilling capabilities include a trailer-mounted auger drill rig, a 4-wheel drive, truck-mounted drill rig, and a Geoprobe system which give us the capability of providing subsurface exploration, even on rugged sites.

Other geotechnical and hydrogeologic services provided include industrial and municipal waste disposal site evaluation and design, as well as groundwater studies.

Geotechnical Services

Planning - Site Evaluation

• Preliminary Investigations
• Feasibility Studies
• Comparative Multi-Site Studies
• Geologic Interpretations
• Evaluation of Borrow Availability

Design - Detailed Site Evaluations

• Shallow Foundation Recommendations
• Excavation and Grading Specifications
• Slope Stability Analyses
• Retaining Wall Design
• Rock Excavation Specifications
• Pavement Design
• Earthen Waste Lagoon Design
• Deep Foundation Recommendations
• Seepage and Groundwater Studies

Hydrologic Studies

• Erosion Control
• Sedimentation Control
• Flooding Potential

All Alpha Environmental Sciences, Inc., engineering and geotechnical services are provided by Alpha Engineering Services, P.A. All Alpha Environmental Sciences, Inc., geological services are provided by Alpha Geological Services, P.A.

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Capabilities

Drilling Equipment

• 4-Wheel Drive Truck-Mounted Mobile B-61 XD Drill Rig
• Trailer-Mounted SIMCO 2400 SK Drill Rig Van-Mounted Geoprobe System - Direct-Push Technology
• Manual Hand Auger Equipment - 2, 4, 6-Inch Borings

Subsurface Testing and Sampling Capabilities

• Standard Penetration Tests
• Shelby Tube Sampling
• Dynamic Cone Penetration Tests
• Seismic Refraction Surveys
• Dutch Cone Soundings
• Other Geotechnical and Geophysical Tests Available Upon Request

Exploration Services

• Soil Borings for Geotechnical Evaluations
• Auger Probes for Rock Surface
• Seismic Refraction Surveys for Rock Surface and Rippability
• Monitor Well and Piezometer Installation
• Rock Coring

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To properly assess the presence or absence of contamination at a project site requires the utilization of state-of-the-art equipment. Alpha Environmental Sciences, Inc. maintains three levels of subsurface exploration tools for soil and groundwater sampling. These include manual hand auger equipment, a Geoprobe (direct-push) System, and a Rotary hollow-stem auger drill rig.

Hand Auger/Drive Tube Sampler

For shallow subsurface explorations of 5 to 10 feet or in locations inaccessible to motor vehicles, our manual hand auger/drive tube sampler can sample soil and create a boring for groundwater sampling at shallow depths. Borings up to 6 inches in diameter can be advanced to depths of 8 to 10 feet depending on subsurface conditions. Temporary pie-zometers or permanent monitoring wells can be installed if groundwater is near the surface.

Geoprobe Model 4200 System

The Geoprobe is a hydraulic, direct-push method soil probe capable of sampling to depths of 120 feet. The system is mounted in a Ford Super Van. The soil probe offers the following advantages over conventional conventional techniques:

• Lower Costs – less than half the time is required for sample collection and analysis; no drill cuttings are generated that require handling and disposing of contaminated soil; smaller tools reduce decontamination costs
• More Versatile– can collect soil gas, soil and groundwater samples from the same borehole at preselected depths
• Environmentally Friendly – Two-inch diameter (direct-push) hydraulically
  powered sampling tool minimizes site disturbance.

Simco Trailer-Mounted Rotary Auger Drill Rig

Our Simco drill rig is capable of boring an 8-inch diameter hole to depths of 60 feet for purposes of installing groundwater monitoring and recovery wells. The rig is equipped for taking split-spoon samples, using a 140 pound hammer to determine Standard Penetration Resistance values in accordance with ASTM D-1586. Borings up to 125 feet can be performed using mud rotary techniques.

Mobile B-61XD- 4-Wheel Drive, Truck-Mounted Drill Rig

Our truck mounted Mobile Drill rig is 4 wheel drive and has the capacity to drill to 375 feet with continuous flight augers. In addition, the rig is capable of drilling with 4 1/4" ID (10" outside diameter) augers to 200 feet.

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