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Advanced Geotechnical Exploration Methods

The TxDOT Geotechnical Manual does not currently provide guidelines for advanced geophysical subsurface exploration. The objectives of this project are to (1) conduct an overview analysis of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Every Day Counts (EDC)-suggested advanced geophysical tools that are not used (or commonly not used) in Texas, (2) identify and recommend advanced geophysical tools that can improve the TxDOT’s geotechnical analyses for a variety of applications designed to fit Texas geotechnical and operational environment, (3) develop decision flowcharts to help select recommended methods based on different applications (e.g., investigation of buried utilities, depth of foundations, geological formation, preliminary design parameters such as plasticity index, liquidity index, sulfate content, moisture variations, and forensic evaluations) and operational conditions of different TxDOT districts, (4) develop a manual for implementing electrical resistivity profiling for inclusion in a best practices guide or a stand-alone manual, (5) create educational materials, such as brochures and demonstrative videos to train various TxDOT workforces (e.g., district engineers, area engineers, maintenance supervisors, and investigation crews), and (6) implement and demonstrate electrical resistivity profiling on five ongoing projects (located in 5 different districts in North, South, East, West, and Center of Texas to cover for different geotechnical conditions and operational environments and conduct regional training workshops in these districts.