
HGSI Geotechnical Services
Geotechnical Problems Solved Quickly and Practically
When working with HGSI you can expect a professional and expedient approach to your project. We have over 35 years of experience working on industrial, commercial, residential, and municipal projects. We handle common projects to complex and niche.
We focus on getting in, getting dirty, and getting out. We’ll follow up with intense, detailed, and targeted reporting that makes sense for your project. Our mission is to provide the best expertise for the value, without additional fluff or frills you’ll find elsewhere.
See our process below:

Step 1 | Scoping
A successful geotechnical project starts with understanding the client objectives, and tailoring the scope of work to achieve those objectives most economically. On every new project, our clients consult with senior level engineers with expertise in local agency requirements and the unique geologic constraints of the Pacific Northwest. We “right-size” every scope of work and budget based on the client needs, considering:
- Type of project
- Unique aspects of project siting or design
- Agency requirements
- Anticipated soil and geologic conditions
- Economic considerations
- Structural/Architectual Needs
Step 2 | Geotechnical Investigations

HGSI has deep expertise in performing geotechnical investigations. Based on the project scoping and objectives, we bring the most effective and economical tools in our subsurface exploration tool kit to bear. This might include one or more of:
- Geologic / Geotechnical Reconnaissance
- Hand Auger Borings
- Excavator Test Pits
- Borings – Light trailer-mounted solid-stem auger rigs
- Borings – Truck-mounted drill rigs with mud rotary or diamond-bit coring
- Geoprobe
- Limited access drill rigs or “spider-hoe” equipment
- Electronic Cone Penetrometer Test (CPT) Soundings
- Slope Inclinometer Installations and monitoring
- Vibrating Wire Piezometers
- Infiltration Tests using electronic HOBO meters
- Pavement Coring
- Dynamic Cone Penetrometer Tests for soil subgrade strength determinations
- Geophysical surveys
Step 3 | Design & Analysis

Every project is different in terms of the geotechnical design input and analysis required. There is no “one size fits all” solution. HGSI tailors the analysis provided based on the project objectives and scoping. We have particular expertise in providing:
Step 4 | Building Permit Assistance

For our private developer, industrial and homeowner clients, obtaining a building permit is often the biggest hurdle to project completion. HGSI has expertise with all of the local agencies and understands the level of geotechnical study needed to satisfy the permit requirements in almost every situation. To put the building permit “over the top,” HGSI provides post-report geotechnical services including:
- Responses to Agency review comments
- Explanations of geotechnical work performed, as requested by Agency reviewers
- Additional geotechnical input needed by structural engineers, architects, and planners as needed to address Agency requirements
Step 5 | Construction Monitoring Services

HGSI has skilled soil technicians that provide geotechnical monitoring services during site earthwork and foundation construction. Most jurisdictions require that these services are performed to verify that site and foundation construction conforms to the project specifications and building permit requirements. Our services are particularly valued for providing cost-effective solutions and engineering input in response to challenging and /or unanticipated conditions. We provide monitoring services for:
- Subgrade Preparation / Stripping
- Fill Placement & Compaction Monitoring
- Undocumented fill and soft soil removal
- Cement treatment in wet weather conditions
- Foundation excavation review
- Utility Trench Backfill
- Pavement Subgrade Preparation and Pavement Materials Testing
- Subsurface Drainage
- Pile Foundation Installation
- Retaining Wall Construction
- Ground Improvement
- Shoring Installation
- Drywell Performance Testing
- Structural Underpinning
- Ground Anchor Installation