I.  Introduction

The New Orleans office was formed by a merger of two geotechnical engineering companies in New Orleans that Ardaman acquired in 2007. Soil Testing Engineers, Inc. and Gore Engineering, Inc. were purchased by Ardaman in 2007 and the staffs of both companies joined to create Ardaman’s New Orleans office. The office employs more than 30 professional and support staff.

The office is managed by Mr. Chad M. Poche, PE, a master’s degreed Civil Engineer with over 15 years experience. Ardaman’s Louisiana Technical Center is also housed in the New Orleans office.  Dr.’s Larry Gilbert, PE and Reda Bakeer, PE bring over 60 years of combined geotechnical engineering experience to support Ardaman’s Louisiana and Gulf Coast operations.

The New Orleans staff has extensive experience working in the soft soils of southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Geotechnical engineering projects performed daily by the office range from small residences to large flood control structures and major refinery/plant expansions.

II.         Services ProvidedThe New Orleans location is a full service office possessing multiple drill rigs and crews, and a well equipped soils laboratory. We offer a broad range of geotechnical engineering services, including:

• Shallow and deep foundation analyses (soil bearing values, culvert foundations, pile or shaft capacities, etc.),
• Slope stability analyses (levees, dikes, channels, canals, earthen structures, and excavations),
• Settlement analyses,
• Sheetpile wall design (cantilever, single, and multiple braced systems),
• Retaining and flood wall design,
• Seepage and heave analyses,
• Rigid and flexible pavement design,
• Fill and borrow source evaluations, and
• Dewatering/cofferdam system design.

The New Orleans field services department has extensive experience in performing soil borings, installing piezometers and monitor wells, and setting settlement plates in all types of surface and subsurface conditions.

The drill crews are very familiar with all of the conventional boring and sampling techniques, including bag samples, auger boring samples, sampling by test pits, testing and sampling using the Standard Penetration Test method, sampling by using thin-walled 3-inch diameter tubes, and sampling using 5-inch-diameter tubes and fixed piston samplers (USACE methods). The office also has the capability to perform in-situ field testing through the use of cone penetrometer testing (CPT).

III.  Recent Contracts

• South Lafourche Levee District – Geotechnical investigations for more than 5 miles of flood protection levees
• LA Green Fuels – Geotechnical investigation for a new ethanol refinery
• LA DOTD – Interstate bridge approach inspection and investigation along I-12 in Livingston Parish
• Jefferson Parish – Geotechnical investigations for emergency safe houses at 14 pump stations in the Parish
• Monsanto Corporation – Geotechnical investigation for new dock and dolphin systems
• US Army Corps of Engineers (N.O. District) – Engineering analyses for new surge protection barrier at IHNC and MRGO waterways
• US Army Corps of Engineers (N.O. District) – IDIQ Geotechnical Retainer Contract
• Exxon/Mobil Chalmette Refinery – Geotechnical investigation for refinery expansion
• Valero St. Charles Refinery – Geotechnical investigation for new ULSD plant
• Department of the Army, Jackson Barracks - Geotechnical investigations for new housing and roadways
• Jefferson Parish – Geotechnical investigation for Industry Canal improvements

The New Orleans office shares Ardaman’s overall commitment to you and you can be assured that you will receive quality work and first class service.  Our experience and expertise will allow us to meet your geotechnical and environmental engineering needs.

1305 Distributors Row – Suite I, New Orleans, LA 70123
Contact: Chad M. Poche, P.E.
Phone: 504-835-2593
Fax: 504-835-2982