GMU Geotechnical

Over 50 Years of Engineering Excellence.

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      • Over 50 Years of Engineering Excellence
        949.888.6513
        23241 Arroyo Vista
        Rancho Santa Margarita
        CA 92688
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      • Over 50 Years of Engineering Excellence
        949.888.6513
        23241 Arroyo Vista
        Rancho Santa Margarita
        CA 92688
        • GMU Difference
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        • Key Staff
        • Client List
        • Culture
        • Geotechnical Engineering & Engineering Geology
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      • Over 50 Years of Engineering Excellence
        949.888.6513
        23241 Arroyo Vista
        Rancho Santa Margarita
        CA 92688
        • GMU Difference
        • History
        • Key Staff
        • Client List
        • Culture
        • Geotechnical Engineering & Engineering Geology
        • Pavement Engineering
        • Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering
        • Forensic Engineering and Expert Witness
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        • Drilled Displacement Columns at Emerald Bay
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      • Over 50 Years of Engineering Excellence
        949.888.6513
        23241 Arroyo Vista
        Rancho Santa Margarita
        CA 92688
        • GMU Difference
        • History
        • Key Staff
        • Client List
        • Culture
        • Geotechnical Engineering & Engineering Geology
        • Pavement Engineering
        • Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering
        • Forensic Engineering and Expert Witness
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        • Construction Management and Monitoring
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        • Drilled Displacement Columns at Emerald Bay
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Soil Nail Wall Under Construction – Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine

July 25, 2016 by Lisa Bates

GMU is the Geotechnical Engineer of Record for the new development at 400 Spectrum Center Drive, including a new 6-level parking structure, 20-story office tower, and the first privately built soil nail wall in the City of Irvine. This wall, designed by GMU, is shown under construction below.

In addition to this soil nail wall, other innovative geotechnical foundation support solutions were used for support of the parking structure and the Class “A” office tower. Stay tuned for more images from this on-going project in the next few weeks!

Filed Under: Featured Projects, News

Drilled Displacement Columns at Emerald Bay

July 10, 2015 by Lisa Bates

GMU is the Geotechnical Engineer for the Emerald Bay Entrance Widening Project, located in the Laguna Beach area of Orange County.  In order to widen the entrance area, a new slope must be constructed descending from the entrance road to the park area below.  The park area is underlain by alluvium that was found to be soft and susceptible to seismic deformation.  To reduce seismic slope safety factors and deformation to an acceptable level, ground improvement was needed for the project.  Improvements in the form of installation of displacement grout columns into the soft alluvium below the toe of the planned slope was designed.

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These displacement grout columns are currently being installed by D.J. Scheffler, Inc.  As shown in the photo, the column is drilled with a piling drill rig that uses a displacement tool to laterally displace the soil into adjacent ground.  This drilling method creates relatively low noise and minimal spoil soils.

Starting

The image above shows the displacement tool beginning a new column.  The tool used for this project is 18 inches in diameter.  Standard tool sizes range from 14 inches to 24 inches in diameter.  The piling drill rig is equipped with electronic monitoring systems to track values including torque, depth, time duration, concrete pump pressure and pumping speed.

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As the drill stem is extracted, a small door opens at the base of the displacement tool, and concrete is pumped into the column.  Once the displacement column is completed, a strand of #10 rebar is installed in the center of the column using a crane to center the strand.

Completed Hole

The finished product (above) may not look exciting, but the effect the grout column improvements have on the soil, and the planned roadway project is significant.  For more information on how GMU can use solutions like displacement grout columns on various projects, check out our web page here.

Filed Under: Featured Projects

San Vicente Bypass Pipeline Project Blasting Update

May 8, 2015 by Lisa Bates

Happy Friday! To celebrate the end of the work week, we are sharing some photos from a project we are working on in San Diego County.  This project includes installation of a 48-inch bypass pipeline connecting two existing pipelines that service the San Vicente Dam system.  This new pipeline requires construction of a new tunnel through bedrock of the Santiago Peak Volcanics formation.  This tunnel as constructed has an 8.5 foot wide floor with 8.5 feet of vertical height.  A portion of this tunnel is under construction using blasting techniques provided by Drill Tech Drilling and Shoring, who retained GMU to provide blasting consultation.

The photo below shows the contractor preparing the face for blasting:

Photo 5

Approximately 280 feet of tunnel will be blasted using about 50 6-foot rounds.   The following photo shows the tunnel after a blast:

Photo 6

Blasting started in early April and is expected to be complete around the end of May.  For more information on our blasting consultation services, click here.

Filed Under: Featured Projects

Pavement Rehabilitation on MacArthur

October 1, 2014 by Lisa Bates

19091aee-21a5-11e4-ba83-22000a98b2af-mediumGMU is currently performing a pavement evaluation of MacArthur Boulevard in Newport Beach. Overseen by our new Director of Pavement Engineering, Roger Schlierkamp, the project is approximately 2 miles long. This evaluation consists of a visual survey, pavement deflection testing, coring, and laboratory testing. Various strategies for pavement rehabilitation are being analyzed by GMU in order to develop a cost-effective repair strategy.

Filed Under: Featured Projects

288-Foot Long Arch Culvert for Cow Camp

October 1, 2014 by Lisa Bates

43d30912-1392-4f2d-a08d-a331b7e78146-mediumCheck out the construction of a 288-foot long arch culvert which will serve as a pedestrian under-crossing in Rancho Mission Viejo. The floor of the culvert was just poured. GMU is providing the geotechnical design and construction services, in addition to special inspection for the reinforced concrete. Stay tuned for updates as the work progresses

Filed Under: Featured Projects

Related Services

  • Geotechnical Engineering & Engineering Geology
  • Pavement Engineering
  • Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering
  • Forensic Engineering and Expert Witness
  • Soils, Materials Testing and Inspection
  • Construction Management and Monitoring
  • Additional Services
  • Stormwater QSP
  • Geotechnical Instrumentation
  • Construction Vibration/ Blast Consulting
  • Laboratory Testing
  • Special Inspection
  • Grading Support

General Contact

GMU Geotechnical, Inc.
23241 Arroyo Vista
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
P:949.888.6513
F:949.888.1380

People Contacts

Principals
Greg Silver | M.S., PE, GE
President/Principal Engineer
949.633.0617

Gary Urban | PE, GE
CEO/Principal Engineer
949.633.0613

Mike Moscrop | M.S., PE, GE
Vice President/Principal Engineer
949.463.4296

Aron Taylor | M.S., PG, CEG
Vice President/Principal Geologist
949.510.7503

Directors
Bob Mutchnick
Director of Engineering Seismological Services
949.289.6817


Ali Bastani
Director of Geotechnical Engineering
949.232.8984


Roger Schlierkamp
Director of Pavement Engineering
949.300.2158


Dave Atkinson
Director of Commercial Development
949.633.0618

Senior Staff
Lisa Bates
Associate Engineering Geologist
714.329.3746


Dave Hansen
Senior Geotechnical Engineer
949.433.8850


Katie Farrington
Project Geologist
949.235.6723


Ryan Douglas
Staff Engineer
949.394.5641


Matt Farrington
Staff Engineer
951.551.1556


Rob Howell
Staff Engineer
949.289.3158


Jessy Meza
Design Engineer/CAD
626.614.4063


John Villarraga
Laboratory Manager
Norm Biehn
Special Inspection Manager/Senior Special Inspector
951.741.2937


Administration
Jenni Neff
Office Manager

Marianne Brown
Accounting Manager

Cynthia Balo
Human Resource Manager

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23241 Arroyo Vista Rancho Santa Margarita CA 92688 | USA 949.888.6513 | Map

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GMU Project at Crown Valley Community Park Celebrates Completion August 24, 2017 | Read More

Featured ProjectAll

Soil Nail Wall Under Construction – Spectrum Center Drive, Irvine

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