Existing conditions
Review the reported concern, available records and observable site conditions.
NGS / FORENSIC ENGINEERING
Forensic geotechnical engineering
Cracking, movement and slope distress call for an informed investigation. NGS evaluates geotechnical contributors and develops recommendations appropriate to the findings.
Discuss your projectTHE SCOPE
Understand the cause. Evaluate the options.
Each assignment begins with the site and the proposed work. We develop a scope that answers the project’s engineering questions.
Floor-elevation measurements
Use our ZIPLEVEL manometer to document relative floor elevations as part of a targeted investigation of building movement.
Engineering assessment
Evaluate issues involving settlement, expansive soils, foundations and slope performance.
Practical recommendations
Use the investigation findings to inform repair or mitigation options.
OUR FORENSIC EQUIPMENT
Measuring movement.
Understanding distress.
Our ZIPLEVEL manometer helps us measure relative floor elevations and document patterns of unevenness.
We consider these measurements alongside crack patterns, soil conditions, site history and other investigation findings when evaluating possible differential movement. The measurements provide a clearer record of existing conditions and support project-specific engineering recommendations.
FROM THE INSIGHTS ARCHIVE
When structures tell a story.
Explore a field note on settlement and cracking.
Read the articleGETTING STARTED
Useful to know.
Does a crack always mean a foundation problem?
Cracking can have different causes. An evaluation considers the observed distress, site history and other relevant evidence before identifying likely geotechnical contributors.
What should I provide for an initial discussion?
Photographs, the site location, a description of changes over time, and any prior geotechnical reports or plans are helpful starting points.
FROM OUR PROJECT EXPERIENCE
Follow the evidence.
An Anaheim residence evaluation combined site observations, a manometer survey and later information that changed the interpretation of a suspected crack.