Geotechnical Report

To

Project team

From

Daniel P. Colwell

Date

October 17, 2026

Re

Phase VII, Geotechnical Report: conclusions and recommendations

What is performed

The Geotechnical Report is where the engineer of record turns the facts into design guidance. Working from the checked Phase VI Data Report and the completed analyses, the engineer states what the subsurface conditions mean for the project and gives conclusions and recommendations for each component of the work. The report closes with its limitations, goes through independent review, and is signed and sealed by the licensed engineer of record. It is drafted on the NANCY Project Data Geotechnical Report page, which carries the project record and data report forward.

How it is performed

1. Summarize the basis. Reference the Data Report by title and date, restate the project, loads and design criteria, and summarize the subsurface and groundwater conditions that control the design.
2. Foundations. Recommended foundation type, bearing resistance or pile and shaft capacities, embedment, estimated settlement and the conditions each value depends on.
3. Embankment and slopes. Fill materials and placement, slope inclinations, factors of safety from the analyses, and any benching, drainage or reinforcement needed to meet the criteria.
4. Settlement mitigation. Magnitude and time rate of settlement, and the measures that control it: surcharge and wait periods, wick drains, ground improvement, lightweight fill and monitoring.
5. Track subgrade and ballast section. Subgrade support, required subballast and ballast thickness, geosynthetics, subgrade drainage and treatment of soft or fouling-prone soils.
6. Pavement. Subgrade design values, pavement sections for roads, crossings and access, and subgrade preparation.
7. Retaining structures. Lateral earth pressures, wall type, bearing, sliding and overturning checks, global stability and wall drainage.
8. Culverts. Bedding, backfill, foundation support, settlement and protection against piping and scour.
9. Seismic. Site class, design ground motions, liquefaction potential and its consequences, and any mitigation required.
10. Construction considerations. Excavation and dewatering, temporary slopes and shoring, reuse of on-site soils, weather sensitivity, obstructions and vibration.
11. Quality control testing. Compaction and moisture requirements, testing frequency, proof rolling, pile and shaft testing, and the observations the engineer needs during construction.
12. Limitations. State what the report is based on, where conditions may vary between borings, and that the engineer must be notified if conditions differ or the project changes.
13. Review, sign and seal. Complete an independent technical review by a qualified engineer not involved in preparing the report, resolve the comments, then sign and seal the final report and issue it with the Data Report.

Why it matters in the workflow

The Geotechnical Report is the document the designers, the owner and the contractor act on. Each recommendation should trace back to the Data Report and to a completed analysis, so anyone can see why a value was chosen and what would change it. Keeping the facts in Phase VI and the judgment in Phase VII makes the recommendations easier to review, easier to defend and easier to revise if the project changes. The seal of the engineer of record is what makes them usable for design and construction.

What comes in and what goes on

Use and disclaimers

This phase guidance describes general practice for training and reference. It is not engineering advice for any project. Any value, calculation or report prepared with NANCY must be checked and accepted by a professional engineer licensed in the project jurisdiction, and governing codes, owner standards and the current editions of referenced standards take precedence. NANCY is provided as is, without warranty, and is independent of any employer or client. Use is subject to the full Use and Disclaimers.