Geotechnical Engineering Services

Westrek’s team of professional Engineers and Geoscientists delivers reliable geotechnical analysis and reporting, tailored to your project’s needs.

Using a common-sense, risk-based approach, we provide value-driven solutions that comply with regulatory, safety, and environmental standards — supporting safe, efficient outcomes from planning through construction.

Our Geotechnical Services

From early feasibility through investigation, design, and construction review, we cover the full range of geotechnical work — ensuring stability, compliance, and value on every project.

What We Do

Geotechnical support at every stage, from early feasibility to final construction review.

Geotechnical Investigation & Reporting

Comprehensive geotechnical investigation and reporting suited to your project, including ground conditions assessments and recommendations for design and construction.

Subsurface investigation types include surface reconnaissance and hand-operated soundings, mechanically excavated test pits, drilled boreholes and test soundings, and geophysical surveys.

Our engineers, scientists, and technicians are experienced in overseeing all standard investigation techniques, including characterization of soils in exposures and test holes, solid and hollow stem auger drilling, hammer-drill, air and mud rotary drilling, sonic drilling, diamond drilling, Dynamic Cone Penetration Tests, Standard Penetration Tests, Cone and Seismic Cone Penetration Tests, Shear Vanes, and more.

Geotechnical Feasibility Studies

We help clients understand the likely geotechnical outcomes of their project during the planning and conceptual design stages.

Slope Stability Assessments & Building Siting

Safe setbacks from slopes for buildings and infrastructure.

Site Preparation & Ground Improvement

Recommendations to prepare and improve site ground conditions ahead of construction.

Engineered Fill Slope Design

  • Rock fill slopes
  • Reinforced soil slopes

Foundation Design

  • Shallow spread foundations: bearing capacity and setbacks
  • Deep foundations (piles): bearing, uplift, and lateral capacities
  • Settlement analysis

Road & Railway Structure Design

  • Subgrade conditions and subbase, base, and asphalt/ballast thicknesses for required performance and traffic or train loads
  • Subgrade stabilization or remediation
  • QA/QC for base and subbase construction

Trench Backfill, Site Grading & Earthworks QA/QC

  • Design and construction review of earthworks, embankments, slope cuts, cut-to-fills, and structural and engineered fills
  • QA/QC plans for the placement of fills, rock, and soils
  • Gas and oil pipeline trench backfill, including compaction testing and method specifications
  • Municipal trench backfill for water, storm, and sanitary mains and manholes

Rock Stabilization & Management Design

  • Rockfall catchment design: berms, ditches, fences, drape meshes, and barricades
  • Rock bolting and anchoring
  • Rock cabling
  • Temporary stabilization

Slope Stabilization & Engineered Cutslopes

  • Landslide remediation
  • Riprap armouring and buttressing
  • Soil anchoring and soil nailing
  • Face meshing, matting, and erosion control
  • Dewatering and drainage of slopes

Temporary Excavation Shoring

  • Soldier pile walls with lagging
  • Anchored shotcrete walls
  • Soil nail reinforced cutslopes
  • Sheet piles, cantilevered or braced
  • Secant piles
  • O-piles

Retaining Wall Design

  • Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE)
  • Gravity walls
  • Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS)
  • Segmental block walls (Allan Block, Lock Block, Verti-Block, Gabions, Magnumstone, Redi-Rock, etc.)
  • Rock stack walls
  • Permanent soldier pile walls
  • Lateral earth pressures and resistance parameters for cast-in-place concrete wall designers

Trench & Excavation Worker Entry Reviews

Complete reviews and recommendations to allow safe worker entry in compliance with the regional authority (WorkSafeBC, etc.).

Why Choose Westrek?

Our team is committed to expert-driven geotechnical services, bringing extensive experience and innovative, risk-based solutions tailored to each project.

geotechnical field work

Experienced Team

Our professionals have developed and reviewed APEGBC guidelines and authored numerous technical papers.

Comprehensive Solutions

We assist through every project phase, from feasibility and site selection to construction supervision.

Innovative Methods

We apply advanced methodologies, including risk assessment for post-wildfire flooding and landslides.

Ready to discuss your geotechnical project?

Contact our team for more information or to request a quote.