Forensic Engineering in Santa Fe County, NM

At elevations above 7,000 feet, freeze-thaw cycles are more frequent and severe than at lower-altitude sites. The investigation evaluates air-void system adequacy in cores per ASTM C457 and checks for scaling, delamination, or D-cracking patterns consistent with freeze-thaw damage. Placement records and curing documentation are reviewed alongside lab results to distinguish freeze-thaw deterioration from other potential causes.

Field technicians extract pavement cores per ASTM C42, photograph distress patterns, and collect subgrade or base material samples for gradation and Atterberg limits testing per applicable ASTM standards. Every sample is logged, sealed, and transferred under written chain-of-custody documentation from the field to the laboratory. This process protects the integrity of physical evidence if findings are later used in dispute proceedings or litigation.

Yes. Subsurface sampling, when authorized by the property owner or project team, can include undisturbed tube samples and bulk samples for Atterberg limits, swell-consolidation, and grain-size analysis per ASTM D4318 and ASTM D2216. A licensed engineer reviews laboratory results alongside construction documents and site observations to assess whether subsurface soil behavior contributed to the foundation movement or distress.

Field work in Santa Fe County is dispatched through the Denver, CO regional hub, about 285 miles away. Laboratory testing is performed in Sugar Land, TX under chain of custody, or in a mobile laboratory mobilized to large Santa Fe County projects.

Field sampling and testing in Santa Fe County 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.