Company
GRL Engineers employs over 50 personnel and is led by nationally recognized and veteran foundation tester, Patrick Hannigan, P.E. Prior to Hannigan, Frank Rausche, one of the founders and a current principal senior consultant, helped GRL grow into the leading provider of deep foundation testing, analysis and consulting services. GRL has 11 offices throughout the United States. GRL’s leadership team is committed to providing superior testing and consulting services.

Camilo Alvarez, P.E.
California and Colorado Branch Manager
Camilo Alvarez, P.E.

Camilo has been a GRL Branch Manager and Project Engineer since 2003, and has worked for GRL since 2000. Some of the major projects he has been involved in include the UC Davis Medical Center ER pavilion project, the I-4 and I-95 highway expansions, the Buenaventura Port in Colombia, the International Port of Manzanillo in Panama, the Port of Corpus Christi and multiple oil platform installations in the Middle East. Camilo has a BS in Civil Engineering from University of the Andes in Bogota, Colombia, with an emphasis in geotechnical engineering, and a MS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. He is a registered professional engineer in the States of California, Colorado, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico and Washington. Camilo’s publications include “Extensive Test Pile and Production Pile Programs at the UC Davis Medical Center” and “Dynamic Pile Analysis Using CAPWAP and Multiple Sensors”. Camilo has achieved Master level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test.

Marty Bixler, P.E.
Washington Branch Manager
Marty Bixler, P.E.

Marty joined the staff of GRL in 1996. He has a BS and a MS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He has performed dynamic testing and analysis in many US and international locations including offshore work at Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Venezuela, Angola, and Mexico. Marty has achieved Master level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test and on the Foundation QA High Strain Dynamic Testing Examination, and has co-authored papers on foundation testing. He is a registered professional engineer in multiple US States and in British Columbia. Marty is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, of the Deep Foundations Institute and of the Pile Driving Contractors Association.

Travis Coleman, P.E.
Illinois Branch Manager
Travis Coleman, P.E.

Travis Coleman has been with GRL since 2005. He has performed dynamic testing and data analysis on foundation projects throughout the United States and offshore. Some of the major projects he has been involved in include the Zoo Interchange in Milwaukee, the MVP-3 and 4 transmission line project across Iowa, expansion of the Stickney Waste Water Treatment Plant, and offshore platform installations in Saudi Arabia and India. Prior to joining GRL Travis spent 3 years managing geotechnical and construction materials testing projects in the Midwest. He has a BS in Civil Engineering from Arizona State University and a MS in Engineering from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. Travis has achieved Expert level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test. He is a registered professional engineer in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Diane Fischer
Marketing Director
Diane Fischer

Diane joined PDI in 2016 and currently leads the marketing team for both PDI and GRL Engineers. She has 25+ years of experience in corporate, industry and entrepreneurial marketing and operations, most notably managing marketing activities and strategies in the communications, product, direct, and digital marketing arenas. Diane holds a BA in Business and Organizational Communication from the University of Akron with a minor in Marketing Strategy, and is a member of the Board Directors for the Pile Driving Contractor Association.

Patrick Hannigan, P.E.
President
Patrick Hannigan, P.E.

Patrick Hannigan, P.E. is the President of GRL Engineers, Inc. He has spent the vast majority of his 39 year engineering career focused on deep foundation design and testing. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla. He has published numerous technical papers and was the principal author for the 1996, 2006, and 2016 editions of the Federal Highway Administration manual “Design and Construction of Driven Pile Foundations”. He is a is a licensed professional engineer in 22 states and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Deep Foundations Institute, Pile Driving Contractors Association, and the Association of Drilled Shaft Contractors.

Mohamad Hussein, P.E.
Florida Branch Manager, EVP, Chairman of the Board
Mohamad Hussein, P.E.

Mohamad Hussein, P.E. is Executive Vice President of GRL and has managed its Florida office since 1987. He is also Chairman of the Board for Pile Dynamics, Inc. In his 30+ years of association with the pioneers of foundation testing and analysis, he has worked on more than 1000 deep foundation projects in 35 States in the USA and 20 countries. He has consulted on more than 300 bridge projects of all sizes in the State of Florida and conducted state-of-the-art research on deep foundations in association with Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and Universities. He frequently organizes educational courses and seminars on deep foundations, including directing the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Continuing Education Course: Deep Foundations Design, Construction, and Quality Control. He also trains engineers, contractors, and the State DOTs on foundation testing and analysis, frequently co-edits conference proceedings and books and has more than 80 papers, articles, book chapters, and presentations on the subject. Mohamad is a member of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, ASCE, National Society of Professional Engineers, Florida Engineering Society, Deep Foundations Institute, American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), Precast Concrete Institute, Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA), International Association of Foundation Drilling (ADSC) and others. He has chaired several technical committees of these organizations, most notably the Deep Foundations Committee of the ASCE’s Geo- Institute. Mohamad is the recipient of the 2010 Florida Geotechnical and Materials Engineering Council Award, and the 2011 PDCA Professional Engineer Award. He has achieved Expert level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test and on the Foundation QA High Strain Dynamic Pile Testing examination and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of Florida, Louisiana, Ohio, Alabama, New Jersey and Mississippi.

Tom Hyatt, P.E. GA Office Manager
Georgia Branch Manager
Tom Hyatt, P.E. GA Office Manager

Tom became part of the GRL staff in June of 2011, and now manages the GRL-GA office. He has performed high strain dynamic testing across the United States and in other countries, both onshore and on multiple offshore projects. He has also performed GRLWEAP driveability analysis for the offshore industry. Tom’s experience in non-destructive testing includes research as well as practice. He has analyzed low strain pile integrity testing and cross hole sonic logging data for clients around the world. Tom has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University (CSU), is an American Concrete Institute Grade 1 Concrete Field Testing Technician, a NRMCA Pervious Concrete Technician and has achieved Master level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis .Proficiency Test. Tom is a registered professional engineer in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.

Garland Likins, P.E.
Senior Consultant
Garland Likins, P.E.

Garland Likins was a principal of GRL from 1973 to 2016, and was President of Pile Dynamics, Inc. (PDI) from 1977 to 2014. In that capacity he directed the research and development of transducers, real time processing equipment and software analysis programs for deep foundations. Garland remains a principal and Senior Consultant for PDI. He has a BS and a MS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and has achieved Expert level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Society for Testing and Materials, the Deep Foundations Institute, the Pile Driving Contractors Association, and ADSC. Garland is a frequent lecturer and has more than 100 papers published in journals and conference proceedings. He is a licensed professional engineer in Ohio.

Brandon Phetteplace, P.E.
Louisiana and Texas Branch Manager
Brandon Phetteplace, P.E.

Brandon joined GRL in 2008, as a co-op, and became a Project Engineer upon his 2009 graduation from Case Western Reserve University with a BS in Civil Engineering. While a student at CWRU Brandon was involved with Engineers Without Borders (EWB-Case) and with the American Society of Civil Engineers. Brandon has a second BS, in Physics, from the State University of New York at Fredonia. He performs high-strain and low-strain dynamic foundation testing, as well as cross-hole sonic logging and thermal integrity profiling. He has achieved Master Level on the PDI-PDCA Proficiency Test and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the States of Ohio, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas.

Michael Morgano, P.E.
Ohio Branch Manager
Michael Morgano, P.E.

Michael has been with GRL since 1985 and has been the Branch Manager of the Ohio office of GRL since 1995. He has worked on projects on and off- shore in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Africa and the Persian Gulf. Michael has a BS in Civil Engineering from Cleveland State University and a MS in Civil Engineering from the University of Akron. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Ohio, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia, Kentucky and Michigan, has achieved Expert level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test and holds an “Expert Level” dynamic testing certification from Foundation QA. Michael is a frequent lecturer on foundation testing seminars, workshops and training events, has several published papers and is a member of ASCE, ADSC, and PDCA.

Frank Rausche, PhD, P.E., D.GE
President Emeritus & Senior Consultant
Frank Rausche, PhD, P.E., D.GE

Frank Rausche, Founder of GRL Engineers, was its president from 1977 to 2011. He started his engineering education at the Technische Hochschule in Stuttgart, Germany, and received his Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Frank is a licensed professional engineer in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Colorado, a Diplomate in Geotechnical Engineering from the Academy of Geo-professionals, has achieved Expert level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test and holds a Foundation QA Expert Certificate in Data Acquisition and Data Interpretation for High-Strain Dynamic Pile Testing. During his years with GRL Frank traveled the world providing foundation testing services and educating engineers on dynamic testing methods. Frank received the 2000 Civil Engineer of the Year Award and the 2009 G. Brooks Earnest Award from the Cleveland Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the 2003 Distinguished Service Award and the 2015 Osterberg Memorial Lecture Award from the Deep Foundations Institute. He is a member of ACI, ADSC, ASCE, DFI, German Geotechnical Society, ISSMFE, PDCA and the TRB committee on Foundation of Bridges and Structures. Frank developed the CAPWAP and GRLWEAP programs, holds five patents and has had more than 50 of his papers published in journals and conference proceedings.

Alex Ryberg, P.E.
Pennsylvania Branch Manager
Alex Ryberg, P.E.

Alex has been with GRL since 2010, and is experienced in all the foundation testing and data analysis services GRL provides. He has a BS and MS in Civil Engineering from Drexel University, with a concentration in Structural Engineering. Alex is a member of the Pile Driving Contractors Association and of the New Jersey Professional Engineers in Construction, and has achieved Master level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test. Alex is a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut, and Washington D.C.

Adrian Rausche
Chief Financial Officer
Adrian Rausche

Adrian joined GRL and PDI in 2003 and currently leads the finance/administration team for both firms. He has 15 years of experience in corporate strategy and business operations, including entrepreneurial undertakings. Prior to working at GRL and PDI, Adrian worked for international agencies in peacekeeping operations. Adrian holds a MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a MA in International Relations from the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of The Johns Hopkins University.

Brent Robinson, PhD, P.E.
VP, Senior Engineer
Brent Robinson, PhD, P.E.

Brent joined GRL in 1999 as a research engineer. In addition to his R&D activities in high and low strain foundation testing, Brent has tested and analyzed the foundations of multiple bridges, stadiums, offshore oil platforms and other structures, and frequently trains new users of equipment manufactured by Pile Dynamics, Inc. Brent holds a BS in Civil Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, and a MS and PhD in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University. Brent is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and of its Geo-Institute, and a past chair of the Geotechnical Committee of the Cleveland Section of ASCE, which recognized him with its President’s Award. He is the author of multiple peer reviewed papers and FHWA publications, having received the Transportation Research Board Best Paper Award in Soil Mechanics in 2010. Brent has achieved Expert level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test and is a licensed professional engineer in Alaska, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, and Wisconsin .

Scott Webster, P.E.
North Carolina Branch Manager, VP
Scott Webster, P.E.

Scott has been with GRL since 1992 and is the Manager of GRL North Carolina and of Offshore Services. He was previously a senior project engineer with STS Consultants. While at GRL Scott has worked on numerous offshore jobs in the Arabian Gulf and other oil fields and has significant on shore expertise in dynamic load testing, pile integrity testing, cross hole sonic logging and on the analysis of driving hammer performance. Scott has a BS in Civil Engineering from The Citadel, The Military College of S.C., and a MS in Civil Engineering from the Michigan Technological University. He has achieved Advanced level on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test.He is a Registered Professional Engineer in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Maryland and Oklahoma. Scott is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and of the National Society of Professional Engineers. He is the author of several published papers, among which is Case History: Foundation Evaluation for the Virginia Highway 288 Project, with Farouz, E. and Landers, P., published in the Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering.