Gordon M. Elliott, Ph.D. , P.E. – President
Dr. Elliott started his career undertaking research of the mechanical, thermal and hydraulic properties of rocks using state-of-the-art laboratory testing equipment and involving equipment design, test design, model development and data interpretation. Since 1985, Dr. Elliott has provided technical and management support on projects as diverse as the geologic disposal of high-level radioactive waste, analysis of the stability of mine waste piles, software development, rock slope stability analysis, tieback wall and soil-nail wall design, rockfall hazard and risk evaluation, foundation analysis, hard rock tunnel design and rehabilitation, hydrogeologic investigations, landfill design and permitting, health risk evaluation, and other risk assessment studies. In addition, extensive deterministic and probabilistic analyses using proprietary software packages and personally developed spreadsheet models have been carried out. Dr. Elliott has also carried out a variety of field assignments involving subsurface investigations, geotechnical field testing and instrumentation, construction inspection and construction management.
With the development of his practice in Western Pennsylvania Dr. Elliott has focused on tunneling and geotechnical construction, and on the application of risk and decision analysis techniques. He has often been called upon by owners of geotechnical assets, such as slopes, embankments and tunnels, to provide advice and guidance on preparing for and managing risk in construction projects. This includes scoping geotechnical subsurface investigations, interpreting geotechnical data, preparing geotechnical baselines on anticipated ground behavior, designing practical and cost effective solutions, preparing construction contract documents, preparing construction price and budget estimates, and providing construction management services.