JD Cope GEOTech Survey

Dalton Utilities is requesting proposals for geotechnical investigation and reporting services supporting design of the Dalton RICE Generation Facility, a new gas reciprocating engine plant in Whitfield County, Georgia, with proposals due June 30, 2026.

The scope encompasses comprehensive geotechnical engineering investigation including field work, laboratory testing, and interpretive reporting for foundation design across multiple structures: the main engine hall, oil tank containment, stacks, transformers, warehouses, radiators, and miscellaneous equipment buildings. Field investigation requires 24 borings ranging from 30 to 100 feet in depth with core sampling where bedrock is encountered, cone penetrometer soundings, thermal resistivity testing at 10 locations, electrical resistivity surveys across three test lines, infiltration testing at two locations, and a MASW (Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves) survey. All field investigation activities require full-time supervision and logging by an experienced geotechnical engineer or geologist under the direction of a registered professional engineer.

Laboratory testing includes standard soil classification tests, Atterberg limits, unconfined compression, triaxial testing, direct shear, consolidation analysis, compaction characteristics, and chemical analyses for corrosion evaluation including pH, soluble sulfates, chloride ion content, electrical resistivity, redox potential, and sulfides. The final interpretive report must comply with the 2024 International Building Code and ASCE 7-22 standards and include seismic hazard analysis appropriate for Risk Category III structures in Seismic Design Category C. The investigation must address settlement analysis, shallow and deep foundation design recommendations (for loads ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 ksf on shallow foundations and drilled shaft support for heavier loads), lateral earth pressures, pavement design, temporary slope stability, dewatering requirements, and anticipated site grading between 10 feet of cut and 10 feet of fill. Deliverables include raw field data, boring logs, CPT sounding files, laboratory testing results, and geophysical survey data in both graphical and electronic formats.