Terracon: Smart Exploration Plan to Mitigate Subsurface Risks

Construction and engineering projects frequently encounter extensive delays and substantial cost overruns due to unknowns about the subsurface including variability across a site, buried debris/objects, shallow bedrock, and karst formations. To tackle these challenges, project managers require information on subsurface ground conditions before beginning their work.

This is where Terracon steps in.

Terracon follows a methodology called smart exploration to develop a subsurface model for a site. The company not only specializes in the use of innovative geophysical equipment like its fleet of multi-channel ground penetrating radar units but integrates geophysics with more traditional direct exploration techniques like drilling. This helps Terracon better understand the subsurface conditions between the “dots” or borings.

“We incorporate data from multiple sources, including public information and our private records, and site exploration consisting of both geophysics and direct exploration to develop a coherent model for the chosen project location,” says Jacob Spinsby, national manager, Terracon. “These private records come from Terracon’s previous explorations like geophysics, in-situ testing of boreholes, and borings.”

This investigation provides project managers with a better understanding of what lies beneath before breaking the ground, saving them from unforeseen subsurface risks of the ground and accelerating project schedules.

These capabilities and the value Terracon provides to customers can be better understood by an example. A client with a solar project faced significant cost overruns due to shallow bedrock at their project site.

After Terracon was called in on their next project, they used an innovative combination of multi-channel ground penetrating radar and electromagnetic methods to map the bedrock accurately. This solution helped the client reduce risk and keep the project within budget.
Terracon has brought similar benefits to many of its customers from various industries. What enables it to achieve this success is its team.

“We have many locations across the nation with a huge team of geophysical experts, making us one of the largest near-surface geophysical groups in the industry. This enables us to conduct site characterization faster with reduced mobilization costs and select the right tools to explore the site,” says Spinsby.

A significant differentiating factor of Terracon is its expertise in the national market. This enables the company to strengthen its services with more competent and comprehensive investigations. Another value proposition is that they have made significant investments in numerous high-end geophysical tools to extend its technological capabilities and streamline site characterization.

Terracon is on a continuous mission to assist its clients by being a resourceful, reliable, and flexible partner that offers efficient, cost-effective, and tailored solutions to meet specific client needs. This makes it a preferred choice for many.