A GBA member firm was hired to peer review the geotechnical exploration report completed by a non-member firm at the site of a new warehouse with a mezzanine level. 

The GBA member firm’s review revealed the original report – completed by the non-member firm’s inexperienced engineer, who lacked senior staff support – used limited consolidation tests at shallow depths and a reliance on correlations to estimate ground settlement. The GBA member firm noted that the stress overlap of the large footings supporting the mezzanine level was not considered, thereby underestimating the amount of settlement the footings could undergo. 

The non-member firm quickly understood that without the peer review, they could have been in a lawsuit that would have cost them many times their fees. The GBA member firm gained additional work with the developer thanks to a successful project outcome and built on their relationship as a trusted consultant.