About GTA

GEO-TECHNICS AMERICA, INC

About GTA

GEO-TECHNICS AMERICA, INC. (GTA) was established in 1981 as a contractor specializing in the installation of prefabricated vertical (PV) drains. PV drain installation is a very specialized field requiring unique skills and equipment. GTA has developed these skills and equipment during the installation of millions of feet of PV drains.

One of our early challenges due to the need for installation of PV drains through very hard materials to reach soft material below. GTA developed equipment capable of penetrating dense soils with high SPT N-values meeting this challenge “head on”.

More recently, GTA invented a new process to prevent liquefaction through drainage called E-QUAKE DRAIN™. This new PV wick drain process is rapidly being accepted in the United States and worldwide.

GTA has also developed a new vibratory hammer system which can be mounted at the bottom of the drain installation mast eliminating the need for a very heavy mast system to handle the vibratory hammer weight at the top of the mast. Combining this bottom hammer technology with our extremely lightweight patented “Sailboat Mast”, GTA can install PV wick drains to a depth of 45 meters with a 90,000 pound machine and 75 meters with a 160,000 pound machine, both machines have a ground pressure of less than 5 psi.

These innovations prompted GTA to specialize in installing only wick drains and E-QUAKE drains both of which are PV drains. In May, 2000, Russell Joiner, owner of GTA, changed it from a large turnkey geotechnical contractor bidding every job possible with many products into a small, innovative company, equipped with very advanced Machines installing only PV drains. Today GTA specializes in providing Contractors with our very special equipment and innovative technology along with experienced direct job site supervision at a guaranteed unit price per foot. With unit pricing, GTA assumes the risk along with the contractor. Through this arrangement, the customer receives the latest equipment, technology and experience, along with a local contractor who knows the area. The contractor with GTA's support and experience is able to supply the required materials, site preparation, bonds, insurance and local labor to install the drains.

GTA carefully picks projects. GTA pursues projects with a high degree of difficulty that suit GTA's advanced equipment and technology. GTA specializes in challenging projects and those requiring deep drains. Only GTA has installed over 4,000,000 LF of PV drains to a depth of 75 meters. THIS MAKES GTA THE WORLD’S LEADER IN THE INSTALLATION OF EXTREMELY DEEP PV DRAINS.