the key to your success › the_key_to_success.pdfthe key to your success pennsylvania soil &...

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The Key to Your Success

Pennsylvania Soil & Rock, Incorporated

The Key to Your Success

Pennsylvania Soil & Rock, Incorporated (PS&R) has been providing site specific geotechnical engineering; wetland review, delineation and permitting; construction monitoring and testing; and civil site design related services to clients throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia for over 20 years. We provide these services to clients in the education, medical, industrial, assisted living, commercial develop-ment, residential development, construction, local and state government, insurance and legal fields. PS&R is currently the PA Department of Environmental Protection Agency’s mine subsidence consultant and was recently introduced as Borough Engineer for the Borough of West Homestead, Pennsylvania in 2011. PS&R’s current staff is made up of five professional engineers, one engineer in training, six geologists/wetland specialists, five field technicians, a CADD operator, a soils/concrete laboratory manager and office staff. With strong academic backgrounds, applicable certifications and over 75 years of combined professional work experience, our engineers, geologists and field technicians are able to provide our clients with practical engineering, testing and consulting solutions for even the most demanding projects. By working closely with our clients, their designers and contractors, we are better able to understand their specific needs and can provide those services necessary for a successful project. This is a partial list of the services currently offered by Pennsylvania Soil & Rock, Inc.:

Geotechnical Services • Geotechnical and Geological Studies • Site and Subsurface Investigation • Shallow and Deep Foundations • Retaining Structures • MSE Wall Design • Mining Evaluations • Mine Stabilization • Slope Stability • Earth and Rock Fills • Expansive Soil and Rock Evaluation • Geotechnical Instrumentation

• Soil and Subgrade Stabilization • Pavement Evaluation and Design • MSE Wall Design • Foundation Design

Wetland Services • Wetland Survey and Delineation • Stream Sampling (macroinvertebrates) • Wetland Quality and Function Evaluation • Permit Acquisition • Implementation of Restoration and Mitigation

Plans • Post-Implementation Monitoring • Rare, Threatened and Endangered Plant

Species Surveys

Soil and Materials Laboratory and Testing • CCRL and AMRL Certifications • Concrete Compressive Strength • Grout and Mortar Compressive Strength • Proctor (Standard and Modified) • Relative Density • Index Properties of Soil • Soil and Subgrade Stabilization • Full Depth Reclamation Mix Design

Construction Monitoring and Testing Services • NICET, ACI and Troxler Certified

Technicians • ASW Certified Steel Inspector • Foundations

(Spread, Caissons, Auger Cast/Driven Piles) • Earthwork (Soil Compaction) • Concrete • Asphalt Pavement • Masonry • Structural Steel (Bolted and Welded Connections) • Full Depth Reclamation

Pennsylvania Soil and Rock, Incorporated

www.pasoilrock.com • 570 Beatty Road • Monroeville, PA 15146 • PH 412-372-4000 • FX 412-372-4664

Civil Site Design Services • Subdivision / Site Plan Approval • Grading and Utility Plans • Stormwater Management Reports • Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plans • NPDES Permitting for Construction Activity • Sewer and Water Availability/

DEP Planning Module • Local Municipality Permits • Public Hearings / Meetings • Construction Management

Surveying Services • Borehole Layout • Landslide Mapping • Project Layout • Boundary Survey • General Surveying Services

Office Location Pennsylvania Soil & Rock, Incorporated is located approximately 25 minutes east of Pittsburgh at 570 Beatty Road in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. We are a single-office, hands-on consulting firm, which allows us to offer all of our experience and capabilities to a broad client base. Since moving into our current location in February 2007, PS&R has added an in-house concrete curing room, a concrete compression testing machine and a soils laboratory equipped for obtaining test results for geotechnical applications (Proctors, Index Properties, Sieve Analysis, etc.).

Our location near several major highways allows us to efficiently and cost-effectively provide our services to western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, and beyond to meet our client’s varying needs.

Our geotechnical staff consists of five profes-sional engineers licensed in the states of Pennsyl-vania, Ohio and West Virginia and one engineer in training. Two of our engineers hold Masters degrees in Civil Engineering, specializing in foun-dations and site improvement theory. Our engi-neers are assisted by six geologists/wetland specialists who have extensive experience in the geotechnical engineering field. PS&R’s expertise and services include, but are not limited to: • Geotechnical and Geological Studies • Site and Subsurface Investigations • Shallow and Deep Foundations (design and

constructability) • Retaining Structures • MSE Wall Evaluation and Design • Mining Evaluation • Mine Stabilization • Slope Stability (Evaluation and Design) • Earth and Rock Fills • Expansive Soil and Rock Evaluation • Geotechnical Instrumentation • Soil and Subgrade Stabilization • Pavement Evaluation and Design

Geotechnical Studies and Subsurface Investigations From Preliminary Soils, Geology & Mining Re-views to full scale Subsurface Investigations, PS&R takes great pride in developing and

completing comprehensive, site-specific geotech-nical recommendations and reports. We maintain first hand contact with numerous drilling (both geotechnical and air-rotary) and earthwork (test-pit excavation) contractors to coordinate respon-sive, cost-effective explorations on even the most difficult and demanding project sites.

PS&R was an integral part of the design team for this soldier pile and lagging wall constructed along Cavitt Road in Murrysville, PA.

Retaining Structures PS&R has specialized expertise in the evaluation and design of Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining walls. We are familiar with most of the locally available wall manufacturer units in-cluding Versa-Lok, Keystone, Allan Block and Redi Rock. We utilized SR Wall and manufac-turer-specific design software in our evaluation and design services. We strive to provide site spe-cific wall design and construction drawings for even the most simplistic of retaining walls. We also provide geotechnical consultation ser-vices (review and recommendations) for larger soldier beam and lagging walls, retaining walls re-quiring tiebacks (tendons and/or deadmen), ga-bion walls and other gravity structures.

Geotechnical Services


Mining Evaluation and Mine Stabilization PS&R specializes in the evaluation of existing mining conditions and providing recommenda-tions for stabilizing both strip and deep mined project sites. We have coordinated and monitored the successful saturation grouting of numerous deep mined sites in the Pittsburgh area.

Geotechnical Instrumentation PS&R’s experience in geotechnical instrumenta-tion includes the installation, data acquisition and evaluation of slope inclinometers (slope stability analysis), developing and monitoring settlement programs for embankments and structures, instal-lation and measurement of crack monitors (build-ing distress) and installation and monitoring of groundwater wells (piezometers).

BEFORE

Soil and Subgrade Stabilization PS&R has specialized experience in soil and sub-grade stabilization utilizing chemical additives in-cluding Portland cement, lime, and industrial by-products such as lime kiln dust (LKD) and fly ash. From collecting samples; to completing mix de-signs to determine the most cost effective additive and application rate; to monitoring and field test-ing, PS&R has the experience and resources to provide cutting edge solutions for soil and sub-grade stabilization projects. Our experience in soil stabilization can aid in constructing stable subgrade conditions on the most difficult of project sites. AFTER

Pennsylvania Soil and Rock, Inc. has encountered wetlands on a variety of sites and project types for municipal and private clients. These projects include site development for residential and commercial projects, utility lines, and parks. We offer a range of services including: • wetland surveys and delineation (and

macroinvertebrate sampling of streams) • wetland quality and function evaluations • permit acquisition • mitigation planning and design • monitoring of implementation of restoration

and mitigation plans and post-implementation monitoring

Regulatory Drivers At national, state and local levels, there are regulatory requirements that address wetlands. We help our clients work with the agencies and governing groups that administer these programs, and we offer expertise and experience with: • Clean Water Act • River and Harbors Act • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) • state wetland regulations • local wetland regulations

Wetland Delineation Our experience includes identification and documentation of wetland soils, hydrology, and vegetation in accordance with federal methods, including the United States Army Corps of Engineers Wetland Delineation Manual. Most states require use of the 1987 ACOE methodology; however, some states require use of the 1989 Federal Interagency methodology.

Wetland Functions and Values Assessments The functions and values of a wetland are services provided by the wetland to the environment and the public.

Experienced staff identify and document all required criteria to identify potentially jurisdictional wetlands on-site.

Numerous wetland assessment procedures are available at both the federal and state level, including: • Wetland Evaluation Technique (WET), the

Highway methodology, Ohio Rapid Assessment Method (ORAM). PS&R uses the specified procedure analysis to assess the specific functions and values of wetlands.

• The results of the function and value analysis are used for decision-making purposes and to design an effective mitigation plan for impacted wetlands.

Permitting We have proven experience in wetland permitting programs. Wetland permitting is best accomplished by utilizing a phased approach:

Wetland Services


• preliminary assessment of the site to locate potentially jurisdictional wetlands

• pre-application consultation with the ACOE and state agencies to discuss permit requirements and to identify potential problem areas

Based on the information obtained through this approach, a permitting strategy is developed, and the permit application is prepared and submitted to the agency for formal project review and decision. Where a nationwide or general permit is appropriate, the level of regulatory review may be reduced significantly or even eliminated with the use of appropriate support documentation

Wetland Mitigation Wetland mitigation is a method of avoiding or minimizing impacts to wetlands or compensating for the disturbance in some other fashion acceptable to the client and the regulatory agencies. The mitigation process includes: • avoiding the impact • minimizing the impacts by limiting the degree

of the action or modifying the plan • rectifying the impact by repairing,

rehabilitating, or restoring the affected environment

• compensating for the impact by enhancing, replacing or providing substitute resources

Benefits of Experience We offer our clients the benefit of comprehensive experience gained through years of project accomplishments. Let our experience work for you. With a record of successful projects, we can expedite the project planning and the wetlands permitting process, saving you both time and money.

Is It Rare, Threatened or Endangered? As part of the required permitting process for commercial and residential site development, for gas well and pipeline development and for other types of utility projects, we submit inquiries to the state reviewing agencies regarding the potential for the presence of rare, threatened or endangered species in the project area. The species are listed under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 and applicable state regulations. Not infrequently the state agencies will indicate that potential impacts to threatened or endangered plant or animal species could occur due to the proposed construction activities at a site and request that a qualified consultant be hired to review the project area to determine if the species of concern is present in the project area.

Qualified PS&R personnel have performed the studies to determine the presence or absence of threatened and endangered species of plants for many projects in Pennsylvania. We help develop mitigation alternatives, where required.

Carolina elephant-foot (Elephantopus carolinianus) is on the PA DCNR Endangered Plant List. Ask us about the options the state allows when attempting to build near populations of this endangered plant species.

Pennsylvania endangered species Tall Larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum) Benefits of Experience We offer our clients the benefit of experience gained through years of project accomplishments. Let our experience work for you. With a record of successful projects, we can expedite the project planning and the permitting process, saving you both time and money.

Threatened & Endangered Plant Species Surveys


Since moving into our current office location in February 2007, the added space has allowed us to develop an “in-house” soils and construction materials testing laboratory. The ability to store and test soils and construction materials at our facility, in lieu of using a third party laboratory, has greatly increased the turn around time for test results and reporting while reducing the overall cost of these various services. We are currently equipped with a walk-in curing room for storing concrete, mortar and grout test samples and also several lime-water submersion tanks if needed. We utilize a Forney digital readout compression machine to test concrete, mortar and grout samples for their compressive strength. Our soil laboratory is currently equipped to provide the following testing services: • Standard and

Modified Proctors (with rock corrections)

• Relative Density • Atterberg Limits • Mechanical

Sieve Analysis (with hydrometer)

• Water Contents • Specific Gravity • Fire Proofing

Density • Soil Stabilization Analysis • Full Depth Reclamation Mix Designs As we grow, additional laboratory equipment and testing services are being added to further meet our clients’ needs.

Our in-house laboratory facility’s equipment meets the standards of excellence required to generate clear and accurate test results, with faster turnaround time.

Soils and Materials Laboratory Services


At Pennsylvania Soil and Rock, we are very committed to the work that we do. We take great pride in ensuring that our clients receive the very best product that can be achieved. This is why we treat every construction monitoring project that we are involved in as if it were our own project. PS&R provides a wide range of construction monitoring and testing services including: • Shallow and Deep Foundations — installation,

testing and evaluation • Earthwork — soil compaction • Concrete Testing • Asphalt Pavement Testing • Masonry — installation and testing • Structural Steel Inspection • Full Depth Reclamation Most of our field technicians have either a degree in civil engineering, geology or a related field, which gives them an edge over other employees in this field. In addition, our field technicians hold various Troxler, ACI and NICET certifications. We also have an AWS certified weld inspector on staff to complete structural steel inspection (welds, connections and bolts). Our team of trained, experienced field technicians takes a “hands-on”, proactive approach to providing construction monitoring and material testing services. This allows us to resolved construction issues promptly as they arise, in order to maintain construction schedules without unnecessary additional costs.

For each construction monitoring project, an appointed project engineer selects one of our trained, certified, and experienced field technicians for the field monitoring portion of the work. The field technician coordinates with the

project superintendent and/or contractorforeman to schedule site visits to ensure that all work is performed per the applicable project drawings and specifications. When necessary, the field tech-nician will make suggestions to the contractors to correct any deficiencies that are observed. Site visits are documented in daily field reports detailing the work completed and summarizing all test results. The project engineer is in constant communication with the field technician, reviewed all field reports and is always available to provide additional recommendations where more technical solutions are warranted.

PS&R is poised to provide all the monitoring and testing services you need for your construction projects.


Construction Monitoring and Testing Services

At PS&R, we generally recommend that preliminary geotechnical review/exploration and wetland and stream identification be conducted before or concurrently with the development of a conceptual site design for the project. Once the conceptual site design is developed and appears to be feasible, civil/site design work can commence in earnest. Municipality approval is required for both the subdivision and the site plan in addition to the permits required by other government agencies. This requires that plans be prepared, submitted, reviewed and approved by the municipality and the reviewing agencies as they pertain to the municipal ordinances, standard engineering practices and regulations. The plans and approvals include, but are not limited to grading and utility plans; storm water management plans; erosion and sedimentation control plans; stormwater infiltration design; sanitary sewer design and planning; storm drainage/utility profiles and wet-land and stream encroachments. As part of the civil/site design process, PS&R can provide the following services: • Development of Grading and

Utility Plans • Stormwater Management

Report • Erosion and Sedimentation

Control Plans • Stormwater Infiltration Design • Sewer and Water

Availability/DEP Planning Module (sewage)

• NPDES Permitting for Construction Activity

• Local Municipality Applications/Permits

• Public Hearings and Meetings required for project approval

PS&R has experience working with numerous government agencies in which typical approvals/permits are required. These include, but are not limited to:

• Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

• Local County Conservation District • Numerous Local Municipalities • Sewer Authorities • Army Corps of Engineers • County Planning Commission In the following sections, PS&R’s Civil/Site Design Services are discussed in more detail. Grading and Utility Plans — Preparation of plans depicting proposed grades, detailed storm water management programs, detailed sanitary sewer and water design, schematic gas, electric and telephone conduit and transformer layouts. Coordination with local utility companies for design and construction purposes.

Site Construction Details — Preparation of details for construction of site work items such as paving details, keyways for fill embankments and pipe bedding and backfilling.

Civil / Site Design and Surveying Services


Storm Drainage/Utility Profiles — Preparation of profile drawings of proposed on-site storm and sanitary sewers. Stormwater Management Plans — Hydrologic and hydraulic studies required for storm water management systems, including the design of on-site storm water detention systems, designed in accordance with the local storm water management ordinances. Additionally, PS&R has designed on-site storm water pipe conveyance systems in accordance with current local, county and state standards. Surveying Services — In 2011, Wm. A. Roth Engineering was integrated into PS&R. Along with adding a P.L.S. to our staff we now have access to state of the art surveying equipment. We ar now offering the following surveying services as an extension of our engineering and site design scope of work: • Borehole Layout • Landslide Mapping • Construction Layout • Settlement Monument Survey Programs • Boundary & Plat Surveys • General Site Survey Services Stormwater Infiltration Testing and Design — PS&R has the capability to coordinate and complete the field investigation work and computations for storm water infiltration design. Most recently, local and state regulatory agencies require that field testing be performed prior to development to determine the infiltration potential of the existing site soils. PS&R has successfully completed these tests in accordance with the guidelines provided in the Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual. The results of these tests are used to design a cost-effective and aesthetically pleasing stormwater/infiltration facility for a particular site to meet local and state requirements. Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plans — PS&R has extensive experience in preparation of Erosion and Sedimentation Control plans used for control of sedimentation and erosion during construction. These plans are prepared to conform to local stormwater management requirements including NPDES Stormwater Discharge permitting and local Conservation District Approval.

Storm water drainage pond design by PS&R. Sewer & Water Availability/DEP Planning Modules — Coordination with local Municipal Authorities to determine service availability and system capacity and completion of Sewage Facility Planning Module Exemption Requests with the PADEP based on sewer and water usage rates. The modules are completed in accordance with the requirements of Pennsylvania Chapter 71 and Pennsylvania Act 537 regulations. Development Permitting — PS&R can obtain the required municipal permits and approvals for any size development including NPDES permitting and other general permits that may be required by the PADEP or local municipality. Site Plan Permitting — Preparation of the necessary documents with completed applications for Planning and Zoning. The package typically includes a preliminary site plan with applicable zoning data and a design statement. Public Hearings and Meetings — Attending meetings with municipal staff, public hearings or public meetings, preparation for and presentation at public hearings or other documents as needed in order to obtain approvals.

This photo gallery

shows examples of

recently completed

projects that

PS&R’s consulting

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vices facilitated.

Willow Links Residential Development

Hampton Inn

Belle Vernon, PA

Chanticleer Wetland Reconstruction

Gander Mountain Greensburg, PA

Gallery of Completed Projects

Crystal Ridge — Bridgeport, WV Slope / Landslide Reconstruction

Fresenius Medical Center Murrysville, PA

Cornerstone Ministries Export, PA

Wal-Mart Ohio County, WV

Left to right: Town Center, Best Buy and Panera

Cabela’s Ohio County, WV

Marquee Cinema Ohio County, WV

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