Forensics and Landslides

PCC provides forensic geotechnical services designed to help identify the cause of problems, risk factors, remedial actions and cost estimates. We work with clients and attorneys to provide expert witness services, if litigation is considered.

The most common problems include building damage due to excessive settlement; water seepage into basement levels of residential structures or underground parking garages; and slope stability failure, including landslides, sinkholes and floods due to natural causes or broken utility pipes. Retaining wall problems also commonly result from a lack of attention to the design or construction, or simply because they were not designed for longevity. This gallery features a sampling of forensics cases handled by PCC.

Pile Wall Failure and Landslide

PCC designed a tieback retaining wall concept to stabilize a landslide that destroyed an existing steel pile and wood retaining wall, and threatened the house located above the wall.

Failed MSE Wall

PCC designed a new Mechanically Stabilized Element (MSE) wall to replace a wall that failed and destroyed this parking lot.

Permacrib Wall Repair

The wood facing on this wall was pulling apart. PCC provided geotechnical exploration and consulting to the structural engineer. We have worked on several other types of walls that are not common to the Metro area.

Timber Retaining Wall

Timber retaining walls may be less expensive to construct, but the useful life depends on the design, construction and subsurface conditions. Walls like this need to be replaced.

Garage Wall Stabilization

PCC designed a tieback wall and drainage relief system to stabilize this garage wall.

Basement Walls

Basement walls need to be designed to resist earth and sometimes water pressure. PCC has been involved in the repair or replacement of below grade walls on many projects. In this example, the wall was completely removed and replaced.

Building Stabilization

PCC has designed and monitored numerous building stabilizations using multiple types of micropiles.

Settlement Damage

PCC uses surveying and monitoring to evaluate rate of settlement damage.

Landslide

PCC designed landslide stabilization using counter balancing berms and sub-drains, which were much less expensive than retaining structures for this project in Virginia. PCC also monitored construction.

Sinkhole

These sinkholes were repaired with grouting.

Slope Stabilization

PCC analyzed slope and developed plans to prevent a house from sliding down a near vertical slope of 50 feet into a creek.

Slope Stabilization

This unstable slope has been remediated using rip-rap along the water; a tieback concrete retaining wall near the top of the slope; and underpinning of the house. PCC did the design, construction drawings and construction monitoring. It has been stable for over 10 years.