SAVANNAH, Ga. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District hosted 82 engineers, geologists, drillers, and other professionals from locations across USACE for the Joint Conference of the Geology and Geotechnical Communities of Practice, Aug. 14-16, 2012.
"This conference allowed us to demonstrate our capabilities, share information, and strengthen our community of practice as geological and geotechnical experts for the Army," said Matt Delano, who oversees the Savannah District's geology, hydrogeology and HTRW (hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste) design section, which includes the Explorations Unit.
In addition to lectures and presentations, the meeting included a hands-on demonstration of the Savannah District's drilling equipment and capabilities.
"We have a more diverse fleet of investigative equipment than anywhere else in the Corps of Engineers," Delano said.
From Geoprobes to drilling rigs, the fleet includes advanced technology that allows Savannah's specialized team to investigate a wide range of subsurface environments. Subsurface refers to earthen materials, including soils and rock, which are near but not exposed at the surface of the ground.
Using this equipment, the team can evaluate scientific, engineering, and environmental conditions and collect data that can be used for future remediation projects.
The team performs a variety of subsurface investigations, including well installation, determination of soil characteristics, contaminant characterization, aquifer testing, rock coring, and much more.
The Savannah District is part of the USACE Regional Technical Center of Expertise for Subsurface Explorations and Geotechnical Materials Testing. The team has traveled across the country to support a variety of federal customers for subsurface investigation projects.