SOIL MECHANICS LABORATORY

NHL maintains a soil mechanics laboratory to determine the physical and engineering properties of the soil samples retrieved during field investigations.  The laboratory is equipped to determine resistance value, permeability, shear strength (tri-axial and direct shear), consolidation characteristics, unconfined compressive strength, maximum density/optimum moisture content and index parameters.  We subcontract chemical testing services to determine pH, sulfates and chlorides to evaluate potential corrosion to concrete and metal.

If you need geotechnical consulting, materials testing, construction inspection or environmental engineering services for your upcoming projects, we would appreciate the opportunity to be of service.  We submit proposals on projects that can range from a 100-page document to a single-page cost estimate sheet, depending upon the complexity of the project and your specific needs.

You may be familiar with our capabilities as geotechnical consultants as we have served the residential and commercial construction industry since 1998 providing geotechnical engineering and testing services.  We maintain a quality staff of Certified Design Professionals and Special Inspectors and Engineering Technicians.

NHL has grown to meet the demands of contractors and owners who require all or most of their testing services to be controlled by one company under the direct management of a principal engineer.

We start on the ground floor, or often, below the ground floor by furnishing testing and inspection services for foundation systems from the conventional and commonplace to the very sophisticated and specialized: spread footings; driven and cast-in-place piles; cast-in-place or pre-stressed concrete structural mats; dynamically-loaded foundations for vibrating machinery.  As structures rise from ground level to high-rise, testing needs change from foundation soils and rock to concrete and steel superstructures.

Design of Deep Foundations

We provide designs and testing supervision of deep foundations.  Deep foundations are used for structures or heavy loads when shallow foundations cannot provide adequate capacity, due to size and structural limitations. There are many types of deep foundations including piles, drilled shafts, caissons, piers and earth stabilized columns. Large buildings such as skyscrapers typically require deep foundations.

Recommendation for use of Geosynthetics

Usage of a range of synthetic products used to aid in solving some geotechnical problems: geotextiles, geogrids, geomembranes and geocomposites.