Engineering Services
Geotechnical Engineering
The geotechnical engineering team at Grounded specializes in the following:
Foundation design including spread footings, raft foundations, CFA piles, caissons, ground improvement, micropiles, helical piles, and high capacity load test Osterberg Cell caissons
Advanced site investigation techniques including cone penetration testing (CPT), geophysical methods, and in-house pressuremeter testing (PMT)
Site grading and engineered fill requirements for buildings and pavements, including detailed consolidation analysis if required
Detailed basement drainage advice, including non-standard details for special basements
Design parameters for shoring systems, including shoring systems for groundwater control and diaphragm wall considerations
Linear infrastructure engineering including shallow and deep tunnels and shafts, roads, sewers, and water mains
Slope stability engineering including long term crest position, stability and erosion risk assessments, remediation alternatives, and detailed remediation design
Expert testimony for all stages of legal action
Hydrogeological Engineering
The hydrogeological engineering team at Grounded specializes in the following:
Hydrogeological studies for development approvals, water supply, environmental impact assessment, assess contaminant distribution, migration and fate
Assessment of short term (construction), long term (permanent drainage) groundwater systems. Finite Element Modelling to more accurately analyze groundwater volumes and impacts (zone of influence, adjacent land stability)
In situ testing including well response, infiltration, t-time, and aquifer performance testing
Water balance analysis and reporting for both pre- and post-construction conditions
Source Water Impact and Mitigation Plans
Foundation drainage studies for existing structures to be renovated/expanded above-grade but to remain as-is below grade
Regulatory approval PTTW, Discharge Agreements, EASRs and ECAs.
Expert testimony for all stages of legal action
Environmental Engineering
The environmental engineering team at Grounded specializes in the following:
CSA Standard Phase I and II ESAs for due diligence, feasibility, and financing
O.Reg. 153/04 Phase One and Two Environmental Site Assesments for Record of Site Condition & Regulatory Approvals
Services for brownfield redevelopment including O.Reg 153/04 Risk Assessments (RAs) and in situ/ex situ remediation approaches
Excess Soil Management services in accordance O.Reg. 406/19 including characterization, destination reports, excavation tender, onsite soil reuse, and QP oversight
Spills Management including oversight of fuel storage tank decommissioning in accordance with TSSA and O.Reg 153/04 requirements
Oversight of underground storage tank decommissioning in accordance with TSSA, confirmatory sampling and reporting
Implementation of CPU requirements including groundwater, air and barrier monitoring, barrier design, and vapour management
Expert testimony for all stages of legal action and Peer review in support of private developments activities or for municipal bodies
Geostructural Engineering
The geostructural engineering team at Grounded specializes in the following services:
Design of Excavation shoring /support of excavation (SOE) systems including soldier pile and lagging, secant piles, diaphragm/slurry walls, sheet piling, shotcrete and soil nailing, and tunnel shafts
Underpinning design including panel underpinning, slant piles, and piles with corbels, as well as slope stabalization applications
Design of various deep foundation elements, such as micropiles, helical piles, caissons, CFA piles, and barrettes/LBEs
Traffic decking design for temporary access during phased construction
Engineering field review and site inspection of geostructural systems
Peer review of SOE systems to support and guide developers and adjacent property owners through encroachment negotiations
Expert testimony related to foundation & SOE systems, for all stages of legal action
Construction Services
The construction engineering team at Grounded specializes in the following services:
Mobile crane and rotary drill rig platfrom design and inspection, including certification as per Ont. Reg. 345/15
Engineering field review of shallow (spread, strip, raft) and deep (helical/ micropile, cast in place concrete and driven piles) foundations
Shoring & foundation conformance testing, including tieback, threadbar and pile load testing. Installation and engineering analysis of strain gauges on internal bracing elements
Geotechnical instrumentation & monitoring programs, utilizing inclinometers, survey target points, elecrolevels and tiltmeters in accordance with local building authorities and TTC/Metrolinx standards
Vibration zone of influence assessments & pre/post construction surveys of adjacent properties and neighbouring infrastructure according to City of Toronto By-Law 514-2008
