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Studies

GRL Engineers offer a wide range of deep foundation testing and consulting services, nationwide. Most GRL Engineers have achieved Advanced Level or higher on both the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test.

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Dynamic Load Testing on Helical Piles

Challenge: The YWCA of Toledo wanted to add 11,000+ sf of usable space by installing a foundation through the existing basement swimming pool to support two new floors being constructed above it. Due to low clearance restrictions within the building structure, micropiles were used in the initial foundation design. The specialty foundation contractor, Toledo Caisson Corporation, realized potential cost savings by utilizing helical piles for the foundation and provided a…
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Multi-Year Testing on Highway I-69

Challenge: The construction of I-69, a major US interstate highway that starts at the bottom of Texas and travels northeast to Michigan and into Ontario, was a multi-decade endeavor and a massive undertaking for the FHWA. GRL Engineers provided a multitude of testing services throughout the state of Indiana. Some of these projects included notable reconstruction on a 67-mile segment in Indiana, as well as the I-69 Finish Line Project,…
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Offshore Wind Farms in New Jersey

Challenge: GRL Engineers were brought onto a research project related to offshore wind to provide deep-foundation expertise. The New Jersey coastline has been expanding its offshore wind efforts since the signing of Executive Order 28 from New Jersey Governor Murphy in 2020. Addressing the potential in South Jersey for wind farms, studies on glauconite soil deposits have been a focal point for various universities. GRL Engineers conducted a driven-pile test…
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NICTD South Shore Extension
Challenge: The West Lake Corridor Project was introduced to expand the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District’s (NICTD) commuter rail service with an approximately eight-mile-long extension of the South Shore Line (SSL). The project included construction of bridges, elevated structures, retaining walls, a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian tunnels, and train stations with…
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Remote SQUID Testing at Frankfort Road over Raccoon Creek – ECMS 101165
Challenge: GRL Engineers, Inc., provided drilled shaft base cleanliness testing services for the Frankfort Road over Raccoon Creek Bridge Replacement Project in Monaca, PA. GRL was contracted in 2025 to provide SQUID testing, a quick and reliable method to obtain quantitative measurements of the debris thickness at the bottom of…
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Rigid Inclusion Test Piles for Retaining Walls
Challenge: A railroad track extension project in Kansas City necessitated the construction of three retaining walls. Soil improvements required precast retaining walls initially designed as rammed aggregate piers. The contractor proposed rigid inclusions (non-reinforced auger-cast-in place piles (ACIP)) as an alternative foundation type. The initial design included 24-inch diameter ACIP…
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Deep Foundation Remote Testing Services from Any Location
GRL Engineers can efficiently support projects in nearly any location, at any time with minimal notification, via our remote testing services. Leveraging SiteLink® technology, our engineers are able to stream real-time data from various testing devices directly to an offsite computer. GRL’s remote testing services enhance collaboration, reduce project downtime,…
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Cross-Border Testing on the Gordie Howe Bridge
Challenge: GRL Engineers provided deep foundation testing services for the landmark Gordie Howe International Bridge for both the United States and Canadian sides. The bridge has the longest main span of any cable-stayed bridge in North America, spanning 2,800 ft. GRL provided deep foundation recommendations and testing services starting in…
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Raritan River Bridge Replacement
Challenge: The Raritan River Bridge in New Jersey was originally built in 1908 and served as a swing-span bridge along the Jersey Coast Line. Due to the low profile of the bridge, the structure has experienced damage from storms, notably Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which caused a multi-day outage, interfering…
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Deep Foundation Testing Services Available to Address All Project Specifications
Deep foundation testing methods are utilized to provide information regarding a structure’s integrity, load capacity, concrete quality, conformance to the foundation design and potential optimization of the deep foundations. GRL Engineers, Inc. has provided a variety of deep foundation testing services and analyses for 50 years. Many projects require multiple…
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Southwest Florida International Airport Expansion
Challenge: The Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers Florida underwent a $1.1 Billion expansion in the second phase of the airport’s reconstruction project. The airport expansion was an effort to accommodate an expected growth in passenger traffic, and was led by the Lee County Port Authority. The first phase…
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Multi-Year Testing on Highway I-69
Challenge: The construction of I-69, a major US interstate highway that starts at the bottom of Texas and travels northeast to Michigan and into Ontario, was a multi-decade endeavor and a massive undertaking for the FHWA. GRL Engineers provided a multitude of testing services throughout the state of Indiana. Some…
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Plaquemines LNG Megaproject in Port Sulphur
Challenge: Venture Global, Inc. set off the construction of the Plaquemines LNG terminal, making the plant one of the largest LNG facilities globally with an export capacity estimated to be 20 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). The massive project would require the installation and testing of thousands of piles to…
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Dynamic Load Testing on Helical Piles
Challenge: The YWCA of Toledo wanted to add 11,000+ sf of usable space by installing a foundation through the existing basement swimming pool to support two new floors being constructed above it. Due to low clearance restrictions within the building structure, micropiles were used in the initial foundation design. The…
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Corvallis Van Buren Bridge Replacement
Challenge: The Corvallis Van Buren Bridge, originally constructed in 1913, underwent a replacement initiative to create an earthquake-ready bridge over the Willamette River on eastbound OR-34. Although the area near the bridge was used as a community dump site in the early 20th century, today this stretch of the Willamette…
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St. Francis Hospital Parking Garage Replacement
Challenge: The Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut is one of the largest hospital facilities in New England, housing a Level 1 trauma center with 617 beds and is a major teaching hospital. The original facility was constructed in 1885, and a four-level parking garage was constructed in 1983. The…
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Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant
Challenge: The Ashbridges Bay plant is one of Toronto’s four wastewater treatment plants which services the metropolitan area. According to an annual report, it was determined that the plant was ready for several upgrades. The proposed foundation consisted of large diameter pipe piles with conical tips. GRL Engineers provided static…
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Tampa Bay Desalination Facility
Challenge: The Tampa Bay Desalination Plant, originally designed in 2007, has been providing millions of gallons of drinking water for Florida residents. To accommodate a growing need for drinking water, the plant has undergone an expansion with system upgrades. The new facility utilized augered cast-in-place (ACIP) piles for the foundation…
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Extensive Load Test Drilled Shaft Program with Integrity Assessments
Challenge: A project in Ohio for a large plant was initiated in 2023. A substantial test program was established. The goal of the program was to confirm the shaft design in compression, tension, and lateral capacity, as well as establish proper shaft installation techniques for production shafts. Integrity testing was…
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Sand Island Wastewater Treatment Plant
Challenge: The city of Honolulu embarked on an expansion of the Sand Island wastewater treatment plant to account for residential growth. The $180.5 million expansion included construction of a second digester at the facility, as well as raising the facility to account for rising sea levels. Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company…
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Ports of Indiana - Burns Harbor
Challenge: The $77-million expansion projects underway at Ports of Indiana-Burns Harbor in 2024 included the construction of a highway bridge leading into the port, three new ship berths, a new bulk warehouse, two new railyards, industrial site development, and comprehensive dock and rail rehabilitation. GRL Engineers provided pile dynamic load…
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Florida High Speed Rail
Challenge: The All Aboard Florida Passenger Rail was a private high-speed rail project that connected hundreds of miles along one of the most visited states in the US. The rail connects Orlando in Central Florida to Miami in South Florida, covering 235 miles. The trains operate at a speed of…
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