Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical Engineering

Full Geotechnical Engineering Services

Crane provides full Geotechnical Engineering Investigations for a variety of projects including new building construction and transportation projects (added lanes, parking lots, new roadways, etc). Crane’s services include soil drilling, soil sampling, construction recommendations, shallow and deep foundation recommendations, and pavement design. Crane geotechnical reports are prepared by experienced professional geotechnical engineers registered in the States of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

Construction Material Inspection Services

Crane provides Construction Materials Testing (CMT) and Inspection services for projects in the states of Indiana and Kentucky.

Our INDOT approved and American Concrete Institute (ACI) certified experienced technicians, engineers, and professional engineers have the experience to provide QC/QA construction material services for a variety of construction projects including buildings, roads, and dams. Our services include:

Foundation bearing capacity inspections.
Form and rebar inspections.
Soil compaction testing using low nuclear density gauge, dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP), static cone penetration, and light weight deflectometer (LWD).
Concrete testing including concrete slump, air content, Beam and cylinder mold preparation and testing.
Pavement subgrade and base material inspection, density determination, and proof roll oversight.
Asphalt pavement temperature and density testing.
Concrete pavement inspection.

INDOT Prequalified - Compaction Testing, Concrete Testing, and Construction Inspection Oversight

Construction inspection serves to obtain assurance that a construction project has been completed in close conformity with plans and specifications. Crane utilizes highly trained individuals with the necessary certifications through the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), American Concrete Institute (ACI), and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to provide testing and inspection services for a wide range of construction projects. Crane provides soil compaction testing such as soil density, moisture content, and bearing capacity during excavation and embankment construction activities to qualify all load-bearing surfaces in accordance with the project specifications. Crane utilizes a Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP), Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD), and low nuclear density gauges to measure soil density, bearing capacity, and moisture content.

In addition, Crane performs a multitude of concrete tests utilizing the American Concrete Institute (ACI), American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), American Association of State Highway, and Transportation Official (AASHTO) testing and inspection procedures to ensure the concrete utilized on the construction site meets all specified project design requirements. This concrete assurance testing is carried out by utilizing a variety of equipment such as a Type B Concrete Air Meter and Concrete Slump Cone Test Kit.

Upcoming Noteworthy Projects:

Interstate 69 (I-69) Ohio River Crossing (ORX) – The ORX project is a joint project between Indiana and Kentucky to connect the Indiana and Kentucky I-69 with approaches and a new bridge over the Ohio River. Crane will be working on the Parsons Construction Inspection team in Evansville, Indiana as the INDOT (owner’s) representative. Crane will be completing soil compaction testing such as soil density, moisture content, and bearing capacity during excavation and embankment construction activities to qualify all load-bearing surfaces in accordance with the project specifications. In addition, Crane will be completing concrete assurance testing for Parsons. This project’s projected end date is the early part of 2026.

Ongoing Noteworthy Projects:

Interstate 69 Section 6, Contract 5 Embankment Construction

Crane is currently performing soil compaction testing such as soil density, moisture content, and bearing capacity during excavation and embankment construction activities to qualify all load-bearing surfaces in accordance with the project specifications for Walsh on Section 6, Contract 5 of the I-69 Project in Indianapolis, Indiana. This project’s projected end date is July of 2025.

West First Street Huntingburg, Indiana Road Reconstruction

Crane will be performing soil compaction testing such as soil density, moisture content, and bearing capacity during excavation and embankment construction activities to qualify all load-bearing surfaces in accordance with the project specifications for Kerns Excavating, LLC. In addition, Crane will be completing concrete assurance testing as specified.

Kansas Road Phase II, Evansville, Indiana Road Reconstruction

Crane will be performing soil compaction testing such as soil density, moisture content, and bearing capacity during excavation and embankment construction activities to qualify all load-bearing surfaces in accordance with the project specifications for JBI Construction, Inc. In addition, Crane will be completing concrete assurance testing as specified.

Noteworthy Past Projects:

Interstate 69 Section 6, Contract 3 – Martinsville, Indiana Compaction Testing

Crane conducted the soil compaction testing for the construction of 12 bridges and overpasses for Section 6, Contract 3 of Interstate 69 in the Martinsville, Indiana area. Crane was responsible for the soil compaction testing of over 1 million cubic yards of embankment materials throughout the day, nights, and weekends. During this project, Crane utilized a Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) and Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD) to measure soil density, bearing capacity, and moisture content. Crane worked closer with not only the contractor, Crider and Crider, but all other parties involved including subcontractors and INDOT to ensure the compaction met all requirements and was conducted according to INDOT’s Manual for Frequency of Sampling and Testing.

Bellaire Avenue – Evansville, Indiana Compaction Testing

Crane conducted compaction testing on the aggregate subgrade for a watermain replacement project along Bellaire Avenue in Evansville, Indiana. During the project, Crane utilized a low nuclear gauge to measure soil density, bearing capacity, and moisture content. Crane worked closely with the contractor, Koberstein Contracting to ensure readings were within the acceptable ranges as determined in the project specifications. Crane ensured the contractor stayed in compliance with the project manual by also determining where and how often soil compaction tests were required per lift based on the information provided in the project specifications.

16th Street over Pleasant Run - Indianapolis, Indiana Concrete Testing

Crane conducted concrete testing for a bridge replacement project in Indianapolis, Indiana. The concrete testing included temperature, slump, air content, and density. Crane was responsible for meeting the concrete truck on-site and conducting all required tests upon its arrival within the appropriate time restrictions to elicit accurate results. The contractor was informed of the test results immediately following completion of the testing so that the concrete could be rejected if it did not meet the specifications.

Geotechnical Engineering Service