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Albuquerque, New Mexico
Forensic Engineering in Albuquerque, NM
Albuquerque area fills placed dry in desert heat can hold density and still collapse on first wetting. For Albuquerque claims work, the laboratory record is the argument-ender, so New Mexico repairs address causes instead of symptoms. Cores drilled at Albuquerque properties carry photographs and custody logs, which is what NM adjusters and counsel need. We support Albuquerque on a mobilization basis from Texas, with New Mexico licensing handled up front during scoping.
- Concrete distress investigation: cracking, scaling, spalling, low strength results
- Core sampling and testing of hardened concrete per ASTM C42
- Petrographic examination of hardened concrete per ASTM C856
- Foundation and pavement performance investigations
- Documented chain of custody and photo documentation built for litigation
- Dispatch
- Phoenix, AZ regional hub (330 mi)
- Serving
- Albuquerque and the surrounding NM area — Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe
- Coverage
- New Mexico statewide
- Reporting
- Reviewed and issued under a documented quality system
- Call us
- (832) 464-8334
FAQ · Albuquerque
Who performs the investigation?
Field sampling, coring, and laboratory testing are performed by our certified technicians and laboratory. Engineering evaluation, opinions, and any expert testimony are performed by licensed engineers engaged for the matter, so the deliverable is sealed by the professional whose name is on it.
When should we call — before or after the lawyers?
Before. Physical evidence degrades, gets repaired, or gets demolished. Getting cores, samples, and photo documentation captured under a defensible chain of custody early is what keeps the technical record intact regardless of where the dispute goes.
Can you investigate a project you also tested?
Not without disclosure. If we performed the acceptance testing on the same project, we will say so up front — an independent investigator is usually the right call, and we will help you find one.
What tests support a concrete failure investigation?
Drilled cores tested for compressive strength per ASTM C42, petrographic examination per ASTM C856 to identify air content, water-cement ratio indicators, alkali-silica reaction, or freeze-thaw damage, chloride content for corrosion assessment, rebound hammer surveys per ASTM C805 to map relative strength, and ground-penetrating radar or cover meter surveys to locate reinforcing. Field sampling and testing are performed by our certified technicians; the engineering evaluation is delivered with a licensed engineer.
My cylinder breaks came in low. What happens next?
Under ACI 318 the strength is acceptable when every average of three consecutive tests meets the specified strength and no individual test falls more than 500 psi below it (or 10 percent when f'c exceeds 5,000 psi). If the results fail those criteria, the engineer of record usually orders cores per ASTM C42: the in-place concrete is considered adequate when the average of three cores is at least 85 percent of f'c and no single core is below 75 percent. We cast and break the cylinders, drill and test the cores, and document the chain of custody so the outcome holds up.
What does a slab cracking or settlement investigation involve?
Crack mapping and elevation surveys to establish the pattern, cores to check slab thickness and concrete quality, and subgrade sampling for moisture content (ASTM D2216), Atterberg limits (ASTM D4318), and classification (ASTM D2487) to identify expansive clay, poorly compacted fill, or moisture change beneath the slab. The findings are compared to the original geotechnical report and compaction records when they exist.
Which office covers forensic in Albuquerque, NM?
Field work in Albuquerque is dispatched through the Phoenix, AZ regional hub, about 330 miles away. Laboratory testing is performed in Sugar Land, Texas under chain of custody, or in a mobile laboratory mobilized to large Albuquerque projects.
Are the technicians you send to Albuquerque certified?
Field sampling and testing in Albuquerque are performed by our ACI- and NICET-certified technicians. Forensic engineering and professional services are delivered with professionals licensed in New Mexico, coordinated under one proposal.
Hiring: we staff this work locally. Field technician openings in Albuquerque · all positions.
Scheduling & proposals
Need forensic engineering in Albuquerque?
Call for same-day dispatch questions, or send project documents for a written proposal.