Additional Information
Overview
Methods
Applications
|
Near-surface geophysical surveys are becoming more and more an integral component of engineering site investigations. Recent advancements in PC-based hardware, along with user-friendly processing software, allow for rapid and cost-effective surveys to be incorporated into engineering, geotechnical and environmental programs on a broad range of project applications. AOA is not only a leader in its special fields of geophysical surveying, but also a technical innovator and provider of multi-disciplined, full-service capabilities ranging from survey planning and design to data processing and interpretation.
AOA uses only the most modern geophysical instrumentation and, when necessary, will incorporate customized equipment to enhance data quality and meet special site-specific demands while operating under adverse conditions anywhere in the world. Prior to conducting field surveys, AOA staff tests all equipment to confirm performance and accuracy according to manufacturer specifications. Experienced geophysicists are always on hand to perform periodic QA/QC to field survey data to make sure the survey design parameters produce the desired results. In-field pre-processing analysis is performed to provide initial interpretation and final field QA/QC analysis.
AOA takes pride in its ability to custom design survey equipment and methodologies on a project-by-project, site-specific basis to solve complex problems. For example, AOA specializes in the application of state-of-the-art seismic tomography methodology and imaging software to soil characterization studies. With this information, engineers get a much broader view of subsurface conditions by evaluating soil and rock modulus data constructed from huge volumes of seismic P & S wave data collected along continuous line profiles. AOA uses special processing techniques to calculate soil modulus properties and will typically present the data at 5 ft. depth intervals along survey lines with a 10-to-20 feet data collection spacing. The advantages of incorporating such a tremendous amount of data into engineering site investigations are many. Not only can this be used to direct the placement of geotech borings to areas of concern, it can dramatically reduce the number required. At AOA this and other techniques have proven their worth on numerous projects by discovering critical discontinuities where a stand-alone coring approach would have failed to do so.
Where applicable, all geophysical surveys for geotechnical, engineering, and environmental projects are conducted according to ASTM standards, or in accordance with accepted practice by the geophysical industry. For projects that require additional disciplines or services, AOA affiliate consultant groups and/or strategic business partners are provided to take the project to the level necessary to get the results needed. AOA does this routinely all over the world.
Methods
|
