Geotechnical studies
Exploration, laboratory testing and interpretation for foundations and earthworks.
Ask ↗
AN Ingenieros y ConsultoresGeotechnical engineering · Mexico
Simple solutions
to complex problems.
ANIC turns subsurface information into clear decisions for design and construction.
13+ years of experienceMX + AU international experienceSenior continuous technical judgment
What we do differently
Useful investigation.
Clear recommendations.
We do not deliver isolated results. We review ground conditions, structure, construction sequence, cost and programme to provide recommendations that can be applied on site.
Services
From ground
to design.
Technical support from investigation through construction.
Foundations
Bearing capacity, settlements and shallow or deep foundation alternatives.
Ask ↗Excavations and retaining systems
Construction sequence, support and protection of nearby structures and utilities.
Ask ↗Soil and rock slopes
Review of possible failure mechanisms and stabilization measures according to risk.
Ask ↗Earthworks and pavements
Subgrades, industrial platforms, ground improvement and quality control.
Ask ↗Groundwater
Seepage, pumping tests and support for dewatering strategies.
Ask ↗2D and 3D modelling
Soil-structure interaction, deformation, flow and staged construction analysis.
Ask ↗Construction support
Inspection and technical response when site conditions require adjusting the plan.
Ask ↗How we work
Field. Laboratory.
Analysis.
Each recommendation is supported by observations, tests or analysis.
Observe and investigate
We plan and supervise explorations to obtain the information that can actually change a decision.
Measure behaviour
Tests are selected and interpreted with a design purpose, not as an automatic checklist.
Turn data into decisions
We integrate geology, calculation, modelling and constructability into clear, defensible recommendations.
Experience
Complex projects.
Practical work.
Urban excavations
Retention, sequence and adjacent-property protection
Earthworks
Slopes and industrial platforms
Infrastructure
Earthworks and construction control
Monterrey MetroNAIM2017 reconstructionTijuana-EnsenadaTren MayaProjects in Australia
Case studies
Real problems.
Transferable lessons.
Anonymized cases based on internal experience and technical publications, showing how geotechnical investigation becomes project decisions.
Vacuum improvement of soft soils
Context
Experimental embankment on highly compressible lacustrine clays in the Valley of Mexico, with active regional settlement and the need to accelerate consolidation.
Challenge
Validate vacuum preloading with vertical drains without relying only on predictions, because real performance depended on pore pressures, settlements and internal deformation.
Technical response
The ground was instrumented with settlement plates, piezometers, inclinometers, a deep benchmark and magnetic extensometers, allowing measured behaviour to be checked against the design prediction.
Outcome
The case shows observational judgment: measure, interpret and adjust. Accelerated consolidation reached settlements consistent with the expected order of magnitude and turned soft-soil uncertainty into a verifiable decision.
- Technical paper
- Soft soils
- Instrumentation
Historic structure on compressible clay
Context
Historic monument affected by differential settlement in soft clays, with movements continuing to evolve because of regional subsidence.
Challenge
Reduce differential deformation without imposing a rigid solution incompatible with a heritage structure and a subsoil that would keep moving.
Technical response
Selective ground stiffening was applied using mortar inclusions and vertical sheets, with injection volumes and sequencing adjusted through instrumentation and the observational method.
Outcome
Differential settlement velocity was significantly reduced. The transferable lesson is practical: in sensitive urban geotechnics, success is not always eliminating movement, but controlling it intelligently.
- Technical paper
- Regional subsidence
- Observational method
Rock cuts for a hillside residence
Context
Hillside residence with excavated terraces, exposed rock faces and cuts several metres high in fractured volcanic materials.
Challenge
Bearing capacity was not the controlling issue; the real risk was jointing, potential wedges, weathering, drainage and small rockfalls during construction.
Technical response
Discontinuity families were mapped, the rock mass was assessed with RQD, GSI, RMR and Q, kinematic mechanisms were reviewed, and foundation design was separated from cut-management decisions.
Outcome
Overdesigning foundations on competent rock was avoided, while the budget was directed to useful measures: scaling, drainage, surface protection, mesh/bolts or shotcrete where cut behaviour justified them.
- Anonymized internal case
- Rock mass
- Cuts
Perimeter wall on a slope crest
Context
Light boundary element with generalized tilting, built near the crest of an urban slope with significant level differences and reworked volcanic materials.
Challenge
The client needed a practical answer, but the diagnosis had to separate wall distress from bearing confinement, ground discontinuities, vegetation, water and global slope stability.
Technical response
Three test pits were excavated, incomplete historical information was reviewed without adopting it as design input, and a client-requested solution was compared against a technically preferable alternative.
Outcome
The recommendation was flexible but firm: controlled demolition, bearing on competent lahar, water control, discontinuity treatment and instrumentation. Open to listening; rigorous enough not to validate a weak solution.
- Anonymized internal case
- Urban slopes
- Independent judgment
Light residence on hillside fill
Context
Small lot in a hillside area, sloping toward a ravine, with uncontrolled fill and an existing retaining wall showing visible lateral deformation.
Challenge
Support a low-rise residential project without turning it into an expensive solution, while still addressing fill behaviour and the distressed retaining element.
Technical response
Site inspection, a test pit, index tests and UU triaxial testing were integrated to define the bearing stratum, allowable capacity, elastic settlement and criteria for a new retaining system.
Outcome
A viable shallow foundation on competent material was proposed, together with fill treatment and replacement of the existing wall. The value came from optimizing scope without sacrificing safety.
- Anonymized internal case
- Fill material
- Optimization
Healthcare facility in transition-zone soils
Context
Sensitive-use building in transition-zone soils, with compressible clays, superficial fills, shallow groundwater and regional settlement on the order of centimetres per year.
Challenge
The structure required a foundation compatible with long-term settlement, soil-structure interaction, potential negative skin friction and the intended operational use.
Technical response
A test pit, deep mixed borehole, SPT, Shelby samples, consolidation tests and conservative parameters were combined to evaluate a semi-compensated foundation with friction piles.
Outcome
The study opened decision paths: a mat/cajon to remove fills and relieve stress, friction piles to move with regional subsidence, and a deeper alternative only if final loads demanded it.
- Anonymized internal case
- Transition-zone soils
- Piles
For confidentiality, project names, clients, addresses, coordinates and private details are omitted. Cases are presented by geotechnical challenge and technical decision.
13+years solving geotechnical problems
Technical experience
One technical criterion
from start to finish.
ANIC brings experience in Mexico and Australia in proposals, investigations, interpretation, design, reports and construction support.
We work with a responsible technical lead and collaborators according to each project's needs. This provides clear responses and continuity between stages.
Knowledge centre
Technical information.
Clear decisions.
Guides to know what to investigate, what to ask and what to review before designing or building.
What should a useful geotechnical study include?
How to turn boreholes and tests into decisions that reduce uncertainty.
Read guide →Shallow or deep foundations
Capacity, settlements and construction before choosing a solution.
Read guide →Urban excavations and adjacent-property protection
Movements, water and construction sequence.
Read guide →Frequently asked questions
Before building,
review the ground.
When is a geotechnical study needed?
Before designing foundations, excavating, assessing slopes or building pavements and platforms. The investigation reduces uncertainty before the construction budget is committed.
Does ANIC work outside Mexico City?
Yes. We support projects in several regions of Mexico and coordinate trusted collaborators according to the location and complexity of the assignment.
What information is needed for a quotation?
Location, type of structure, number of levels, dimensions, project stage and available drawings. This allows us to define a scope that matches the risk.
What does the client receive?
Traceable results, geotechnical interpretation, design parameters and clear construction recommendations, with direct attention from the responsible specialist.
Quote request
Tell us about
your project.
Share the information you have. This helps us define what should be investigated and prepare a clear proposal.
Professional contact
Let's talk about
your project.
Share the location, type of works, number of levels, drawings and project stage. We will indicate the information needed and the recommended scope.