Deep Foundation Engineering

Pile Foundations & PDA Testing

Deep foundation design and PDA testing for projects where conventional foundations won't do. Engineered for BC conditions.

When You Need to Go Deeper

Pile foundations are deep structures that transfer building loads through weak surface soils to deeper, more competent materials. Coast Geotechnical provides pile foundation design and Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) testing for residential, commercial, and infrastructure projects across Western Canada where shallow foundations are inadequate due to weak soils, variable conditions, or high structural loads.

We work with driven steel piles, helical piles, drilled piers, and timber piles, selecting the appropriate system based on soil conditions, structural loads, and site constraints.

PDA testing provides quality assurance during pile driving, confirming installed pile capacities without the cost of full-scale static load testing.

Scope of Services

  • Driven steel H-pile and pipe pile design
  • Helical pile design and capacity analysis
  • Drilled pier and caisson design
  • Timber pile design
  • Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) testing
  • CAPWAP signal matching analysis
  • Pile installation monitoring
  • Settlement and lateral load analysis

How It Works

01

Subsurface Assessment

We evaluate subsurface conditions through drilling, CPT, or existing investigation data to determine suitable pile type and estimated capacity.

02

Pile Design

Our engineers prepare pile foundation designs with sealed drawings and capacity calculations, coordinated with the structural engineer of record.

03

PDA Testing & Monitoring

Our engineers attend pile driving to conduct PDA testing and verify installed pile capacities, delivering sealed reports with capacity results for each tested pile.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PDA testing? +
Pile Driving Analyzer (PDA) testing uses strain gauges and accelerometers attached to a pile during driving to measure forces and velocities. This data is used to calculate the pile's capacity, driving stresses, and pile integrity. It provides quality assurance without the cost of a full static load test.
When are helical piles a good option? +
Helical piles are ideal for sites with poor near-surface soils, limited access for large equipment, or where vibration must be minimised. They are installed by rotating them into the ground rather than driving, and can achieve capacity quickly.
Do you work with the contractor during pile driving? +
Yes. Our PDA engineers work directly on-site with the pile-driving crew during installation to ensure accurate testing and fast turnaround on results.