Education

PPI provides Subsurface Investigation, Geotechnical Engineering, and Construction Materials Testing Services for all levels of educational institutions.  PPI is the long-standing “campus-wide” Geotechnical Engineer of Record for several local and regional colleges and universities.  PPI’s post-secondary education Clients include Missouri State University, Ozark Technical Community College, College of the Ozarks, Missouri Southern State University, Southwest Baptist University, Crowder College, and Tulsa Technical College.

A specialized area of practice for PPI is Geotechnical Engineering and Construction Materials Testing services for FEMA Shelters and FEMA Shelter Additions.  PPI has worked on dozens of FEMA Shelters throughout Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas.  Third Party Special Inspections are of particular importance due to the strict structural engineering requirements, and associated grant funding requirements, for FEMA Shelters.  PPI’s technician staff has specialized training and expertise with observation and documentation of reinforced masonry, compressive strength testing of masonry block, and sampling and testing of masonry grout.

Notable representative Projects include MSU’s JQH Arena and Foster Recreation Center.  PPI provided our complete spectrum of services for these Projects, including:

• Subsurface Investigation and Geotechnical Engineering Reports;
• Evaluation of karst geology within the project extents and planning for karst during construction;
• Recommendations for temporary shoring design for below grade excavations; use of geofoam backfill to reduce lateral pressure on permanent below grade walls; design of permanent subsurface drainage systems; recommendations for bearing and lateral capacity design of drilled pier foundations; and other geotechnical-related items.
• Full range of construction materials testing service, including drilled pier foundation inspection, concrete sampling and testing; observation and documentation of reinforcing steel, structural steel, and fireproofing; observation and field density testing of backfill and fill placement; load testing of structural connections; floor flatness and moisture testing of new concrete floor slabs; and other items.

PPI works with numerous K-12 School Districts, including Branson, Camdenton, Hollister, Joplin, Lebanon, Nixa, Ozark, Republic, Springfield, Strafford, Webb City, and Willard, Missouri.  In Oklahoma, PPI has worked on numerous projects for the Broken Arrow and Union School Districts. 

PPI has provided drilled pier inspection and construction materials testing services for the new Union Public Schools 8th Grade Center Expansion under contract to Flintco.  Wallace Engineering was the Design Engineer for the Project.  For the new Highland Park Elementary, PPI provided construction materials testing services under contract to the Boldt Company.

In 2014 and 2015, PPI completed Geotechnical Engineering Reports and provided Construction Materials Testing services for the Camdenton R-III School District’s new Hurricane Deck Elementary School in Sunrise Beach, Missouri and Osage Beach Elementary School in Osage Beach, Missouri.  The projects included significant earthwork, during which PPI’s technician staff provided near full-time observation and field density testing of new fill placement and compaction.