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Foundation & Subsurface Engineering

PE-sealed geotechnical reports, foundation design parameters, and subsurface engineering recommendations — from first boring to final report. One firm. Full accountability.

Your Geotechnical Engineer From First Boring to Final Report

When you hire MSET for foundation and subsurface engineering, you get a Licensed Professional Engineer managing every step — not a field crew that hands data to an office you never speak to. We design the boring program, perform the laboratory testing in our AASHTO-accredited facility, analyze the results, and deliver PE-sealed recommendations your structural and civil engineers can build from.

That means one point of contact, full accountability, and a geotechnical report written by the engineer who reviewed your site — not assembled by a technician and rubber-stamped at the end.

Public agencies, general contractors, structural engineers, and developers across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana rely on MSET when they can't afford to be wrong about what's underground.

Caisson drilling at O'Hare Dam subsurface engineering
What sets our reports apart

Our geotechnical reports aren't data summaries — they're engineering documents. Allowable bearing pressures, settlement estimates, lateral earth pressures, and foundation type recommendations are all developed by a PE who reviewed the site, reviewed the borings, and stands behind the numbers.

2005 Year established
IL · WI · IN PE licensure

What We Deliver

Foundation

Foundation Design & Recommendations

Allowable bearing pressures, foundation type selection, settlement estimates, and design parameters for spread footings, deep foundations, and mat slabs.

Analysis

Slope Stability & Settlement Analysis

Slope stability evaluation using limit equilibrium methods, total and differential settlement prediction, and analysis of surcharge or load-change conditions.

IDOT

IDOT Geotechnical Reports

PE-sealed geotechnical reports for IDOT roadway and structure projects, formatted to IDOT requirements. IDOT District One approved and experienced with IDOT review.

Retention

Earth Retention & Sheeting Systems

Lateral earth pressure analysis, soldier pile and lagging design parameters, sheet pile recommendations, and tieback design for excavation support systems.

Compliance

CCDD Certification (IEPA LPC 662/663)

Clean Construction or Demolition Debris certification and soil characterization for material reuse or disposal under Illinois Environmental Protection Agency requirements.

Inspection

Footing Inspection & Documentation

On-site verification of bearing conditions, sub-grade preparation, and as-built foundation documentation by qualified technicians under PE direction.

Investigation Through Recommendation

01

Program Design

PE-designed boring layout based on structure type, load conditions, and site geology. Right locations, right depths — no wasted borings, no missed soil conditions.

02

Field Investigation

SPT borings, Shelby tube sampling, rock coring, and in-situ testing performed by our own field crews using truck- or track-mounted drill rigs.

03

Laboratory Testing

AASHTO-accredited in-house testing: Atterberg limits, grain size, moisture content, consolidation, unconfined compression, and more — with full chain of custody.

04

Engineering Analysis

Bearing capacity, settlement, lateral earth pressure, liquefaction screening, and slope stability — all evaluated and interpreted by our PE, not outsourced.

05

PE-Sealed Report

A comprehensive geotechnical report with foundation type recommendations, design parameters, construction considerations, and boring logs — sealed by a licensed PE.

06

Construction Support

On-call engineering support during construction including footing inspection, bearing condition verification, and changed-condition review to protect the design intent.

Foundation Types We Evaluate & Design For

Shallow

Spread Footings

Shallow foundation design parameters, allowable bearing pressure, and settlement analysis on natural or engineered sub-grade.

Deep

Drilled Caissons

Skin friction and end bearing in soil and rock for straight-shaft and belled caissons. Group interaction and uplift review.

Deep

Driven Piles

Static capacity analysis for H-piles, pipe piles, and prestressed concrete piles. Pile installation recommendations and wave equation analysis support.

Specialty

Mat & Raft Foundations

Modulus of sub-grade reaction, uniform and differential settlement estimates, and bearing pressure evaluation for mat slab systems.

Common Deliverables

Our geotechnical scope is tailored to the project — but here's what a typical engagement includes from program design through final report.

PE-designed subsurface investigation program
Soil boring logs with SPT blow counts and sample descriptions
AASHTO-accredited laboratory test results
Foundation type recommendations and allowable bearing values
Settlement and slope stability analysis (where applicable)
Lateral earth pressure and excavation recommendations
Construction considerations and specification language
PE-sealed report ready for plan set inclusion

Who We Work With

We serve public and private clients at every scale — from single-family projects to major infrastructure.

IDOT roadway and structure projects
Municipalities, counties, and public agencies
Commercial and industrial buildings
Residential subdivisions and multi-family developments
Bridges, retaining walls, and transportation structures
Water and wastewater infrastructure
Dams, levees, and earth embankments
Structural engineers and general contractors needing geotech subcontract

Ready to Start Your Geotechnical Program?

Tell us about your project and we'll put together a scope and fee. Fast turnaround, one point of contact, PE-sealed deliverable.

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