We’re committed to improving our ecosystems, quality of life, and communities for the better.
Our passion and commitment to the integration of innovative science and engineering drive us to exceed on behalf of every client.
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Their achievements reflect our organization's dedication to advancing expertise and maintaining high standards in our industry. By investing in their professional development, our team enhances our ability to deliver innovative solutions and uphold our mission of improving our ecosystems, quality of life, and communities for the better. Amy McNamara, EIT became a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC). The CPESC certification signifies expertise in erosion and sediment control, equipping professionals to develop effective site-specific plans and designs to mitigate environmental impact. It is the only professional certification recognized by the U.S. EPA that designates its holders as qualified to prepare stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs). To earn this certification, Amy met rigorous educational and practical experience standards, passed a comprehensive exam, and committed to ongoing professional development. This achievement emphasizes her proficiency in key areas such as regulatory compliance, permitting processes, erosion and sediment site planning, soil loss prediction, and runoff management. The CPESC certification demonstrates her ability to apply this extensive knowledge to ensure our projects are environmentally compliant and sustainable. Amy has been with Princeton Hydro since 2008, providing civil engineering services for projects such as lake dredging, streambank and shoreline stabilization, dam removal, ecological restoration, and stormwater management. She specializes in project finalization, including bid specifications, construction cost estimating, construction oversight, and management. Her extensive construction experience ensures practical site designs, effective field adjustments, and accurate bidding to minimize implementation changes. Additionally, Amy supports engineering regulatory compliance for soil erosion, sediment control, dam safety, and flood elevation determinations, offering a holistic view from project concept to implementation. Marissa Ciocco earned a Professional Engineer (PE) license in Connecticut. The PE license is the engineering profession’s highest standard of competence, a significant symbol of achievement and assurance of quality. To become licensed, engineers must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams, and earn a license from their state's licensure board. Then, to retain their licenses, PEs must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers. Marissa, our Geotechnical Soils Testing Lab expert, also has her PE license in Delaware. She was recently featured in our "A Day in the Life" blog series, which showcased her work in our geotechnical laboratory. A graduate of Rowan University holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Bantivoglio Honors Concentration, she worked in the Construction Materials Laboratory as part of the CREATE’s Fellowship program, and participated in clinic projects such as a green roof feasibility study, testing the effects of water quality on masonry mortar, and the sustainability of converting organic waste feedstock into liquid biocrude. Marissa is passionate about working towards creating a more sustainable environment. Congratulations to Amy and Marissa! To learn more about the Princeton Hydro team, click here. [post_title] => Employee Spotlight: Celebrating the Professional Achievements of 2 Team Members [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => employee-spotlight-celebrating-the-professional-achievements-of-2-team-members [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-06-05 00:44:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-06-05 00:44:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=15024 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 13778 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2023-10-23 17:06:24 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-10-23 17:06:24 [post_content] => Princeton Hydro is dedicated to protecting our natural resources and changing our ecosystems, quality of life and communities for the better. Our team members are passionate about continuing to learn new technologies, staying ahead of regulatory changes, and expanding their knowledge. Today, we are proud to put the spotlight on four team members who recently celebrated professional achievements. Marissa Ciocco earned a Professional Engineer (PE) license in Delaware. The PE license is the engineering profession’s highest standard of competence, a significant symbol of achievement and assurance of quality. To become licensed, engineers must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams, and earn a license from their state's licensure board. Then, to retain their licenses, PEs must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers. Marissa, our Geotechnical Soils Testing Lab expert, is a graduate of Rowan University holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Bantivoglio Honors Concentration. She worked in the Construction Materials Laboratory as part of the CREATE’s Fellowship program at Rowan University, and participated in clinic projects such as a green roof feasibility study, testing the effects of water quality on masonry mortar, and the sustainability of converting organic waste feedstock into liquid biocrude. Marissa is passionate about working towards creating a more sustainable environment. Marissa was recently featured in our "A Day in the Life" blog series. Click here to learn more about her work in our geotechnical laboratory. Eric Zawatski achieved The Wildlife Society's "Associate Wildlife Biologist" certification. The Wildlife Society (TWS), a nonprofit professional society, is dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship through science and education and is committed to the premise that these objectives can be achieved best with the guidance of well-educated, experienced, and dedicated wildlife biologists. TWS promotes and strengthens professional standards in all activities devoted to wildlife resources. To this end, TWS provides a professional certification program designed to evaluate the education and professional experience of wildlife biologists. To achieve the Associate Wildlife Biologist certification, Eric was required to meet demanding academic criteria assessed by the TWS Certification Review Board, affirming his full capability to uphold the standards of ethical professionalism in the field. The certification is granted for 10 years. Eric holds an M.S. in Ecology and B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science both from Penn State University. During his undergraduate and graduate years, he studied state endangered breeding bird species, forest and landscape ecology, and the terrestrial ecosystems of the Northeast. His research incorporated avian survey techniques, forestry measurements, and GIS technology to determine the primary factors driving nest survival and breeding productivity of forest songbirds. On Thursday, October 26, Eric, along with Emily Bjorhus, is leading a free Live Facebook Q&A about Backyard Birding. Learn more and RSVP here. Michael Allers became a licensed FAA-Certified Commercial Drone Pilot. A commercial drone pilot license, issued by the FAA, grants permission to conduct commercial drone operations in the United States. To become a licensed commercial drone operator, Michael was required to pass the Aeronautical Knowledge Test and apply for and obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate. To maintain his license, Michael must update his drone registration every 36 months as well as retake and pass the Aeronautical Knowledge Test every 24 months. Drones are a helpful tool for environmental restoration initiatives because they can efficiently monitor project progress by collecting aerial data, including GIS information, that tracks information like vegetation growth, erosion rates, and site topography. Because drones can access remote and challenging terrain with minimal environmental impact they are a valuable tool for planning, managing, monitoring and assessing habitat restoration efforts. Michael joined the Princeton Hydro team in April 2023 as a CAD Designer and Restoration Ecologist. He previously worked with a water resource consulting firm participating in nearly all phases of river, wetland, and coastal restoration projects. Prior to entering the restoration sphere, Michael was the owner/operator of a residential stormwater management company for 10 years. Michael received a B.S. in Marine & Coastal Science from Rutgers University. Jackson Tilves joined the Aquatics Team as a full-time staff member. Jackson, a recent graduate of Stockton University, began with Princeton Hydro in July 2023 as an intern. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science with concentrations in Wildlife Management and Forestry. He studied water quality parameters as well as fisheries and forest management techniques in the unique ecosystems found in the New Jersey Pinelands. Before joining Princeton Hydro, he worked with a river restoration company that focused on dam removals, stream morphology, and in-stream habitat creation for native species. During his internship, he supported the Aquatics Team in a variety of capacities. We are thrilled to welcome him as a full-time staff member and look forward to his successful and bright future with our firm helping to preserve ecosystems for future generations. If you’re interested in learning more the Princeton Hydro team, click here. [post_title] => Employee Spotlight: Celebrating the Professional Achievements of Four Team Members [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => employee-spotlight-celebrating-the-professional-achievements-of-four-team-members [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-12-09 18:27:27 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-12-09 18:27:27 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=13778 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 13610 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2023-10-06 17:18:33 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-10-06 17:18:33 [post_content] => At Princeton Hydro, our Geosciences Team consists of Geotechnical Engineers and Geologists who are proficient in the behavior of earth materials and the application of soil and rock mechanics. Together, they assess the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of soil and rock to design solutions, assess risks, and solve problems for a diverse array of projects, including infrastructure, stormwater management, and coastal restoration. Supporting Princeton Hydro’s Geosciences team is our full service, in-house materials testing laboratory that provides soils, rock, and construction materials testing. Soils intended to support structures, roadways, or other infrastructure must be evaluated by geotechnical engineers to predict their behavior under applied forces and variable moisture conditions. Our Soils Testing Laboratory, located in Sicklerville New Jersey, is accredited by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and validated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Materials Testing Center (MTC) to complete a full complement of tests. The AASHTO Accreditation Program is the largest accrediting body in the construction materials industry and most widely-accepted. The USACE MTC is the only agency authorized to validate commercial laboratories to work for the USACE. All of our laboratory testing is performed in accordance with applicable American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. For this edition of our "A Day in the Life" blog series, we opened the door to our geotechnical laboratory to walk you through “a day in the life” of our Soils Testing Lab expert Marissa Ciocco, P.E. Let’s roll up our sleeves and dig in the dirt! Each day looks a little different for Marissa depending on what types of samples require testing and what tests need to be performed. Our testing capabilities include grain size analysis, soil classification, moisture content, liquid and plastic limits, permeability, organic content, moisture-density relationships (Proctor), soil strength tests (UC, UU, CU, CD), and many others. For Marissa, first on the to-do list is the task of determining the liquid limit and plastic limit of a soil sample. Collectively, alongside the shrinkage limit, these tests are referred to as the Atterberg limits. This classification test determines the water content at which fine-grained soils transition between four states: solid, semi-solid, plastic, and liquid. Soil exhibits significant differences in strength, consistency, and behavior depending on which state the soil is in. The Atterberg limits test determines when the physical changes occur, and provides valuable insights into soil strength, permeability, settlement values, and expansion potential, all of which are incredibly important in all aspects of planning, engineering design, and implementation. First, Marissa prepares the soil sample. The Atterberg limits test is only performed on soil material that can pass through a 0.425mm sieve (an ASTM requirement). Watch Marissa perform elements of the D4318 test is titled "Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils." [embed]https://youtu.be/4zFEzc2FQfE[/embed] In the video, Marissa demonstrates the Liquid Limit test. She adds moisture to the test specimen by adding water and mixing with a spatula. She then spreads the sample into the brass bowl of the liquid limit device, uses a grooving tool and manual-crank, and (off camera) she proceeds to measure when the groove closes, which defines the soil’s liquid limit. She also demonstrates the Plastic Limit test, which she does by rolling a small portion of the wet soil sample onto a glass plate, creating a thread of soil. In doing so, she determines the water content at which the soil thread crumbles before being completely rolled out. The plastic limit is defined at the water content where the soil thread breaks apart and cannot be re-rolled to a diameter of 3.2 mm. A soil is considered non-plastic if a thread cannot be rolled down to 3.2 mm at any level of moisture. Next on Marissa’s to-do list is a soil compaction test referred to as a Modified Proctor test, which determines the relationship between a soil’s dry unit weight and water content. This test yields the optimal water content at which the soil sample will become most dense and achieve its maximum dry density. Marissa first prepares the soil for testing by passing it through the appropriate sieve and mixing it with the appropriate amount of water as required by the testing parameters. The soil will be compacted into a specialized cylindrical mold, but first she weighs the empty mold to create a baseline. The next step is to compact the moist soil into the mold. Soil is added in equal layers, and each layer is compacted by dropping a rammer of specific weight and length. The compacted soil specimen is then leveled, and the mass of the mold with compacted moist soil is measured. The compacted soil specimen is then extruded from the mold and the water content is measured. This process is repeated for multiple water contents and the results are charted to determine the optimum water content and maximum dry density. Essentially, the test determines how much of the soil material can be compacted into the same volume at the various amounts of moisture. If soil is too dry, it cannot compress tightly due to particle friction. If the soil is too wet, it cannot compress tightly due to water absorbing the compactive effort. The compaction and Modified Proctor test help to indicate the stability of the soil and the load-bearing capacity of the soil, which is incredibly important for various types of engineering and construction projects. A big thanks to Marissa for walking us through a portion of her day! Marissa Ciocco, P.E., is a graduate of Rowan University holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Bantivoglio Honors Concentration. She worked in the Construction Materials Laboratory as part of the CREATE's Fellowship program at Rowan University, and participated in clinic projects such as a green roof feasibility study, testing the effects of water quality on masonry mortar, and the sustainability of converting organic waste feedstock into liquid biocrude. Marissa is passionate about working towards creating a more sustainable environment. Our team has provided sampling, testing, and qualification for a diverse array of projects and clients throughout the Northeast, including commercial, residential, and industrial applications. Our laboratory training, calibration, and quality control procedures ensure that testing is performed by competent, experienced personnel, like Marissa, utilizing properly calibrated equipment. And, our process ensures that the results are subjected to an exceptional quality control program. Our Geosciences team, along with our in-house Soils Testing Laboratory, allows us to complete 100% of geotechnical site investigation, laboratory testing, analysis, engineering design, and reporting in-house. We can perform analyses for a multitude of geotechnical sub/specialized disciplines. To read about a geotechnical investigation and soil borings analysis project we completed for the USACE New York District, click here. If you enjoyed this blog, check out another one from our “A Day in the Life” series, and stay tuned for more! [post_title] => A Day in the Life: Step Inside Princeton Hydro’s Geotechnical Laboratory [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => a-day-in-the-life-geotechnical-laboratory [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2025-04-22 12:06:13 [post_modified_gmt] => 2025-04-22 12:06:13 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://princetonhydro.com/?p=13610 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ) [post_count] => 3 [current_post] => -1 [before_loop] => 1 [in_the_loop] => [post] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 15024 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2024-06-04 09:51:53 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-06-04 09:51:53 [post_content] => Today, we are delighted to celebrate the professional accomplishments of two team members, whose recent certifications exemplify their commitment to excellence and continuous learning. Their achievements reflect our organization's dedication to advancing expertise and maintaining high standards in our industry. By investing in their professional development, our team enhances our ability to deliver innovative solutions and uphold our mission of improving our ecosystems, quality of life, and communities for the better. Amy McNamara, EIT became a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC). The CPESC certification signifies expertise in erosion and sediment control, equipping professionals to develop effective site-specific plans and designs to mitigate environmental impact. It is the only professional certification recognized by the U.S. EPA that designates its holders as qualified to prepare stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs). To earn this certification, Amy met rigorous educational and practical experience standards, passed a comprehensive exam, and committed to ongoing professional development. This achievement emphasizes her proficiency in key areas such as regulatory compliance, permitting processes, erosion and sediment site planning, soil loss prediction, and runoff management. The CPESC certification demonstrates her ability to apply this extensive knowledge to ensure our projects are environmentally compliant and sustainable. Amy has been with Princeton Hydro since 2008, providing civil engineering services for projects such as lake dredging, streambank and shoreline stabilization, dam removal, ecological restoration, and stormwater management. She specializes in project finalization, including bid specifications, construction cost estimating, construction oversight, and management. Her extensive construction experience ensures practical site designs, effective field adjustments, and accurate bidding to minimize implementation changes. Additionally, Amy supports engineering regulatory compliance for soil erosion, sediment control, dam safety, and flood elevation determinations, offering a holistic view from project concept to implementation. Marissa Ciocco earned a Professional Engineer (PE) license in Connecticut. The PE license is the engineering profession’s highest standard of competence, a significant symbol of achievement and assurance of quality. To become licensed, engineers must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams, and earn a license from their state's licensure board. Then, to retain their licenses, PEs must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers. Marissa, our Geotechnical Soils Testing Lab expert, also has her PE license in Delaware. She was recently featured in our "A Day in the Life" blog series, which showcased her work in our geotechnical laboratory. A graduate of Rowan University holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Bantivoglio Honors Concentration, she worked in the Construction Materials Laboratory as part of the CREATE’s Fellowship program, and participated in clinic projects such as a green roof feasibility study, testing the effects of water quality on masonry mortar, and the sustainability of converting organic waste feedstock into liquid biocrude. Marissa is passionate about working towards creating a more sustainable environment. Congratulations to Amy and Marissa! To learn more about the Princeton Hydro team, click here. 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Today, we are delighted to celebrate the professional accomplishments of two team members, whose recent certifications exemplify their commitment to excellence and continuous learning. Their achievements reflect our organization's dedication to advancing expertise and maintaining high standards in our industry. By investing in their professional development, our team enhances our ability to deliver innovative solutions and uphold our mission of improving our ecosystems, quality of life, and communities for the better.
The CPESC certification signifies expertise in erosion and sediment control, equipping professionals to develop effective site-specific plans and designs to mitigate environmental impact. It is the only professional certification recognized by the U.S. EPA that designates its holders as qualified to prepare stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs). To earn this certification, Amy met rigorous educational and practical experience standards, passed a comprehensive exam, and committed to ongoing professional development. This achievement emphasizes her proficiency in key areas such as regulatory compliance, permitting processes, erosion and sediment site planning, soil loss prediction, and runoff management. The CPESC certification demonstrates her ability to apply this extensive knowledge to ensure our projects are environmentally compliant and sustainable.
Amy has been with Princeton Hydro since 2008, providing civil engineering services for projects such as lake dredging, streambank and shoreline stabilization, dam removal, ecological restoration, and stormwater management. She specializes in project finalization, including bid specifications, construction cost estimating, construction oversight, and management. Her extensive construction experience ensures practical site designs, effective field adjustments, and accurate bidding to minimize implementation changes. Additionally, Amy supports engineering regulatory compliance for soil erosion, sediment control, dam safety, and flood elevation determinations, offering a holistic view from project concept to implementation.
The PE license is the engineering profession’s highest standard of competence, a significant symbol of achievement and assurance of quality. To become licensed, engineers must complete a four-year college degree, work under a Professional Engineer for at least four years, pass two intensive competency exams, and earn a license from their state's licensure board. Then, to retain their licenses, PEs must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers.
Marissa, our Geotechnical Soils Testing Lab expert, also has her PE license in Delaware. She was recently featured in our "A Day in the Life" blog series, which showcased her work in our geotechnical laboratory.
A graduate of Rowan University holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Bantivoglio Honors Concentration, she worked in the Construction Materials Laboratory as part of the CREATE’s Fellowship program, and participated in clinic projects such as a green roof feasibility study, testing the effects of water quality on masonry mortar, and the sustainability of converting organic waste feedstock into liquid biocrude. Marissa is passionate about working towards creating a more sustainable environment.
Congratulations to Amy and Marissa! To learn more about the Princeton Hydro team, click here.
Princeton Hydro is dedicated to protecting our natural resources and changing our ecosystems, quality of life and communities for the better. Our team members are passionate about continuing to learn new technologies, staying ahead of regulatory changes, and expanding their knowledge.
Today, we are proud to put the spotlight on four team members who recently celebrated professional achievements.
Marissa, our Geotechnical Soils Testing Lab expert, is a graduate of Rowan University holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Bantivoglio Honors Concentration. She worked in the Construction Materials Laboratory as part of the CREATE’s Fellowship program at Rowan University, and participated in clinic projects such as a green roof feasibility study, testing the effects of water quality on masonry mortar, and the sustainability of converting organic waste feedstock into liquid biocrude. Marissa is passionate about working towards creating a more sustainable environment.
The Wildlife Society (TWS), a nonprofit professional society, is dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship through science and education and is committed to the premise that these objectives can be achieved best with the guidance of well-educated, experienced, and dedicated wildlife biologists. TWS promotes and strengthens professional standards in all activities devoted to wildlife resources. To this end, TWS provides a professional certification program designed to evaluate the education and professional experience of wildlife biologists.
To achieve the Associate Wildlife Biologist certification, Eric was required to meet demanding academic criteria assessed by the TWS Certification Review Board, affirming his full capability to uphold the standards of ethical professionalism in the field. The certification is granted for 10 years.
Eric holds an M.S. in Ecology and B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science both from Penn State University. During his undergraduate and graduate years, he studied state endangered breeding bird species, forest and landscape ecology, and the terrestrial ecosystems of the Northeast. His research incorporated avian survey techniques, forestry measurements, and GIS technology to determine the primary factors driving nest survival and breeding productivity of forest songbirds.
A commercial drone pilot license, issued by the FAA, grants permission to conduct commercial drone operations in the United States. To become a licensed commercial drone operator, Michael was required to pass the Aeronautical Knowledge Test and apply for and obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate. To maintain his license, Michael must update his drone registration every 36 months as well as retake and pass the Aeronautical Knowledge Test every 24 months.
Drones are a helpful tool for environmental restoration initiatives because they can efficiently monitor project progress by collecting aerial data, including GIS information, that tracks information like vegetation growth, erosion rates, and site topography. Because drones can access remote and challenging terrain with minimal environmental impact they are a valuable tool for planning, managing, monitoring and assessing habitat restoration efforts.
Michael joined the Princeton Hydro team in April 2023 as a CAD Designer and Restoration Ecologist. He previously worked with a water resource consulting firm participating in nearly all phases of river, wetland, and coastal restoration projects. Prior to entering the restoration sphere, Michael was the owner/operator of a residential stormwater management company for 10 years. Michael received a B.S. in Marine & Coastal Science from Rutgers University.
Jackson, a recent graduate of Stockton University, began with Princeton Hydro in July 2023 as an intern. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science with concentrations in Wildlife Management and Forestry. He studied water quality parameters as well as fisheries and forest management techniques in the unique ecosystems found in the New Jersey Pinelands. Before joining Princeton Hydro, he worked with a river restoration company that focused on dam removals, stream morphology, and in-stream habitat creation for native species.
During his internship, he supported the Aquatics Team in a variety of capacities. We are thrilled to welcome him as a full-time staff member and look forward to his successful and bright future with our firm helping to preserve ecosystems for future generations.
At Princeton Hydro, our Geosciences Team consists of Geotechnical Engineers and Geologists who are proficient in the behavior of earth materials and the application of soil and rock mechanics. Together, they assess the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of soil and rock to design solutions, assess risks, and solve problems for a diverse array of projects, including infrastructure, stormwater management, and coastal restoration.
Supporting Princeton Hydro’s Geosciences team is our full service, in-house materials testing laboratory that provides soils, rock, and construction materials testing. Soils intended to support structures, roadways, or other infrastructure must be evaluated by geotechnical engineers to predict their behavior under applied forces and variable moisture conditions.
Our Soils Testing Laboratory, located in Sicklerville New Jersey, is accredited by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and validated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Materials Testing Center (MTC) to complete a full complement of tests. The AASHTO Accreditation Program is the largest accrediting body in the construction materials industry and most widely-accepted. The USACE MTC is the only agency authorized to validate commercial laboratories to work for the USACE. All of our laboratory testing is performed in accordance with applicable American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards.
For this edition of our "A Day in the Life" blog series, we opened the door to our geotechnical laboratory to walk you through “a day in the life” of our Soils Testing Lab expert Marissa Ciocco, P.E.
Let’s roll up our sleeves and dig in the dirt!
Each day looks a little different for Marissa depending on what types of samples require testing and what tests need to be performed. Our testing capabilities include grain size analysis, soil classification, moisture content, liquid and plastic limits, permeability, organic content, moisture-density relationships (Proctor), soil strength tests (UC, UU, CU, CD), and many others.
For Marissa, first on the to-do list is the task of determining the liquid limit and plastic limit of a soil sample. Collectively, alongside the shrinkage limit, these tests are referred to as the Atterberg limits. This classification test determines the water content at which fine-grained soils transition between four states: solid, semi-solid, plastic, and liquid.
Soil exhibits significant differences in strength, consistency, and behavior depending on which state the soil is in. The Atterberg limits test determines when the physical changes occur, and provides valuable insights into soil strength, permeability, settlement values, and expansion potential, all of which are incredibly important in all aspects of planning, engineering design, and implementation.
First, Marissa prepares the soil sample. The Atterberg limits test is only performed on soil material that can pass through a 0.425mm sieve (an ASTM requirement).
Watch Marissa perform elements of the D4318 test is titled "Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Plasticity Index of Soils."
In the video, Marissa demonstrates the Liquid Limit test. She adds moisture to the test specimen by adding water and mixing with a spatula. She then spreads the sample into the brass bowl of the liquid limit device, uses a grooving tool and manual-crank, and (off camera) she proceeds to measure when the groove closes, which defines the soil’s liquid limit.
She also demonstrates the Plastic Limit test, which she does by rolling a small portion of the wet soil sample onto a glass plate, creating a thread of soil. In doing so, she determines the water content at which the soil thread crumbles before being completely rolled out. The plastic limit is defined at the water content where the soil thread breaks apart and cannot be re-rolled to a diameter of 3.2 mm. A soil is considered non-plastic if a thread cannot be rolled down to 3.2 mm at any level of moisture.
Next on Marissa’s to-do list is a soil compaction test referred to as a Modified Proctor test, which determines the relationship between a soil’s dry unit weight and water content. This test yields the optimal water content at which the soil sample will become most dense and achieve its maximum dry density.
Marissa first prepares the soil for testing by passing it through the appropriate sieve and mixing it with the appropriate amount of water as required by the testing parameters. The soil will be compacted into a specialized cylindrical mold, but first she weighs the empty mold to create a baseline.
The next step is to compact the moist soil into the mold. Soil is added in equal layers, and each layer is compacted by dropping a rammer of specific weight and length. The compacted soil specimen is then leveled, and the mass of the mold with compacted moist soil is measured. The compacted soil specimen is then extruded from the mold and the water content is measured. This process is repeated for multiple water contents and the results are charted to determine the optimum water content and maximum dry density.
Essentially, the test determines how much of the soil material can be compacted into the same volume at the various amounts of moisture. If soil is too dry, it cannot compress tightly due to particle friction. If the soil is too wet, it cannot compress tightly due to water absorbing the compactive effort. The compaction and Modified Proctor test help to indicate the stability of the soil and the load-bearing capacity of the soil, which is incredibly important for various types of engineering and construction projects.
A big thanks to Marissa for walking us through a portion of her day!
Marissa Ciocco, P.E., is a graduate of Rowan University holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering with a Bantivoglio Honors Concentration. She worked in the Construction Materials Laboratory as part of the CREATE's Fellowship program at Rowan University, and participated in clinic projects such as a green roof feasibility study, testing the effects of water quality on masonry mortar, and the sustainability of converting organic waste feedstock into liquid biocrude. Marissa is passionate about working towards creating a more sustainable environment.
Our team has provided sampling, testing, and qualification for a diverse array of projects and clients throughout the Northeast, including commercial, residential, and industrial applications. Our laboratory training, calibration, and quality control procedures ensure that testing is performed by competent, experienced personnel, like Marissa, utilizing properly calibrated equipment. And, our process ensures that the results are subjected to an exceptional quality control program.
Our Geosciences team, along with our in-house Soils Testing Laboratory, allows us to complete 100% of geotechnical site investigation, laboratory testing, analysis, engineering design, and reporting in-house. We can perform analyses for a multitude of geotechnical sub/specialized disciplines.
To read about a geotechnical investigation and soil borings analysis project we completed for the USACE New York District, click here. If you enjoyed this blog, check out another one from our “A Day in the Life” series, and stay tuned for more!
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