Geotechnical Investigations

Soils Reports

Bauer Associates delivers comprehensive geotechnical investigation reports tailored to a wide range of projects, from expansive hillside developments to retaining walls, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and swimming pools. Our team of seasoned engineers and geologists collaborates to identify the optimal solutions for your specific needs. No matter the location—whether in the flat valleys of Santa Rosa, the rolling hills of Napa Valley and Marin County, or along the rugged Mendocino Coast—Bauer Associates provides the essential expertise and recommendations to ensure your project’s success. Below is a number of techniques we can utilize to for subsurface geotechnical analysis.

A geotechnical investigation report is a document that assesses the soil, rock, and groundwater conditions at a construction site. It is used to guide the design and construction of foundations, slopes, retaining structures, and other engineering projects by providing critical information about the site's stability, bearing capacity, and potential risks like landslides, faults or settlement. This helps ensure the safety, durability, and cost-effectiveness of the project.

Types of Projects

  • Foundation Design, including seismic design

  • Highways, roads, bridges, airports

  • Pavement and permeable pavement design

  • Dams and Embankments

  • Ponds and pond liner studies

  • Soil infiltration studies

  • Water storage tanks

  • Solar installations

  • Hospital and Medical facilities

  • Parks and recreation

  • Parking structures

  • Retaining Walls

  • Pavement design

  • Subgrade stabilization

  • Earthwork and hillside grading

  • Liquefaction mitigation

  • Slope Stability and mitigation measures

Exploration Techniques

  • portable drilling

    Portable Drilling

    Hand carried drilling equipment for very difficult to access and steep sites or back yards with only a pathway gate access.

  • track drilling

    Track Mounted Drilling

    Track mounted drill rig for difficult to access sites capable of both hollow stem and flight auger drilling. This rig is also equipped with a portable attachment for difficult to access sites.

  • Truck Mounted Drilling

    The Mobile B53 truck mounted drill rig provide by our subcontractor provides powerful drilling by hollow stem augers when deeper holes are need for deep foundations and liquefaction analysis.

  • Excavator Test Pits

    Many hillside sites feature shallow bedrock or require a more comprehensive understanding of soil and rock conditions across a broader area. In such cases, we excavate test pits to map subsurface layers and collect soil and rock samples for geotechnical and laboratory analysis.

  • Geophysical REMI analysis using VsSurf

    Geophysical Studies

    We utilize a 24-geophone geophysical array to gather detailed data for creating subsurface cross sections and conducting seismic site classification (Vs30) measurements. We also possess a soil resistivity meter to collect data for soil moisture analysis.

  • CPT borings

    CPT borings

    Some sites require the use of CPT boring analysis to collect multiple data streams to understand the deep soils under a site.