When looking at some of the area’s major developments such as those at the Georgia Ports and the Kessler’s Plant Riverside on River Street, it is clear that a lot of work goes into these projects. What may not be clear, however, is the work that is done underground, literally “in the dirt,” before any construction begins.

A building is only as stable as its foundation, and in turn, a foundation is no good if the soil beneath it cannot support it. Just look at the original “Leaning Tower of Pisa,” as an example of what happens when the subsurface materials such as rock, silt, sand, clay, and groundwater are not considered. That is why environmental and geotechnical engineering is so important and in today’s world, why the expertise of a company such as Terracon is necessary.
Together, Bill Anderson, P.E., senior principal and office manager, and Guoming Lin, Ph.D., P.E., D.G.E., senior principal and senior geotechnical consultant, have been on the forefront of Savannah construction since the pair teamed up in 1993. Anderson and Lin were both principals with WPC, Inc. before it was acquired by Terracon in 2009, and have since led Terracon’s Savannah office. As the company is now in the midst of celebrating its 50th Anniversary, Anderson gives credit to the employees for its success. “We have a great team here in the Savannah office. They work hard to support one another and our clients.” Anderson goes on to say, “It’s rewarding to be surrounded by a local staff of 50 that truly believes in what we are doing.”

Savannah employees routinely work on projects across the low country of Georgia and South Carolina, the U.S., and sometimes internationally. Terracon has completed environmental, geotechnical, and construction materials testing services on local projects for clients such as Gulfstream Aerospace, Georgia Power, Kinder Morgan, Colonial Oil, City of Savannah, Chatham County, Parker’s, and many developments from Beaufort and Hilton Head to Dublin and
Brunswick. In addition, Terracon provides support services for local civil engineering firms such as Thomas & Hutton and Hussey Gay Bell.

According to Thomas & Hutton’s President/CEO Sam McCachern, Terracon is an essential partner, “As an expert, un-parallel in the region, Bill Anderson of Terracon is very respected and his opinion is superior.”  Frontend work on a project such as Plant Riverside is critical to the development team. According to McCachern, “Terracon is an essential partner to Thomas & Hutton because we have to know the soil conditions in order to get the best design solution.” McCachern goes on to add a deeper evaluation is also needed, “The subsurface conditions are so important to understand. As part of Plant Riverside we looked at a number of areas and factors such as the bulkhead along the river, subsurface structures, working with architects and contractors, and more. That is why Terracon is evaluating at the surface and subsurface.”

Terracon also provides construction inspection and materials testing to verify quality during the construction process. McCachern says, “You assume concrete has a certain strength, and that pavement sections—such as the asphalt and the road base—is compacted to a certain density. If you do not have the proper density and strength, issues such as sagging pipes, concrete cracks, and road issues can occur. To ensure proper performance, Terracon continues to inspect and test for qualities such as density and strength,” McCachern explains.

The Georgia Ports Authority also has special needs. Chris Novack, director of engineering and facilities maintenance, said that when he came to GPA three years ago, “Terracon was doing a lot of work for our contractors, but not directly for the port.” Novack said that he “pulled Guoming aside and said I wanted them working directly with us as part of the same team. Now Terracon works for the GPA as a sub-consultant to our two program managers. Moffatt Nichol and CH2M Hill” Novack added that Terracon is “very competent in dealing with soils and geotechnical problems we may have. They create a great deal of value for our projects.”

Right now Savannah is the fastest growing port in the U.S. and currently the fourth largest port in container volume. According to Novack, the GPA is “expanding the Mason Empty Yard Depot, one of our largest areas for storing empty containers. This $27 million project—includes the depot expansion and the port’s third gate. Terracon represents us with quality control and geotechnical testing to ensure construction goes smoothly. This is a BIG project for us.” Novack adds, “a project like this allows us to continue to grow."

“Back in 2014 the port underwent a $12.5 million berth upgrade that required a substantial amount of pile driving for Berths 2 and 3. With recommendations from Terracon we were able to efficiently install the required piling systems and allow for the project to be completed on time and within budget.” Novack adds that, “in the coming year as we have more than $140 million approved for capital projects. I expect that Terracon will continue to be our geotechnical engineer and expert as we grow and expand.”

Terracon’s Anderson says, “Our company’s focus is Delivering Success for Employees, Clients, and Communities. That focus has enabled us to grow and become more diverse in our services, geographic coverage, and hiring practices. Terracon’s core values and competencies, such as client services from a national network of local offices, have made the company what it is today.”

The company has grown to become Georgia’s 9th largest engineering firm and ranked by Engineering-News Record as the Southeast’s 3rd largest Environmental and Geotechnical firm. Terracon and its employees are consistently recognized for technical ability, nationwide leadership in industry organizations, and regional excellence by being named to Healthiest Employers and Top Engineering Firms lists. Additionally, the Terracon Foundation, the
company’s philanthropic arm, gives back by aiming to be a real part of the lives of its employees and communities, contributing more than $233,000 last year in the form of grants and scholarships to support 47 organizations.