Public engineering firm profile
Fountain Valley, CA
Engineering resilience for a safer future
Earth Mechanics, Inc. is a California-based geotechnical and earthquake engineering practice founded in 1989, specializing in transportation infrastructure. With over 36 years of practice, it holds the record for providing geotechnical and foundation design services for the seismic retrofitting of more than 1,000 bridges in California, including seven of the nine state-owned toll bridges. Operating four offices across California, it maintains an extensive library of more than 100 technical publications in soil mechanics, seismology, and soil-structure interaction.
Integrated geomechanics and seismology practice, contributing to government reports, technical papers, and industry standards for infrastructure projects.
Conducting site characterization utilizing engineers, geologists, and technicians to deliver data tailored to specific project requirements.
Specializing in Better Management Practice (BMP) studies for stormwater management, working closely with Caltrans on site screenings at more than 200 freeway locations along the California coast.
Operating in-house soil and rock mechanics laboratories, providing comprehensive testing services for geotechnical projects.
Developing design ground motions for major infrastructure projects, following state-of-the-art procedures and contributing to the evolution of seismic analysis methods.
Work in this area is organized into supported delivery tasks.
Specialized analysis for complex structures such as long-span bridges, port facilities, and tunnels to evaluate the coupled behavior of soils and foundations.
Applying finite element analysis and advanced analytical modeling to deliver safe, cost-effective solutions for challenging subsurface conditions.
Conducting field investigations to obtain essential soil properties and providing tailored recommendations for both rigid and flexible pavement sections.
Providing expert independent review services for major public works projects locally and internationally.
Providing expert monitoring and support during the construction phases of infrastructure projects.
Developing detailed earthwork and foundation specifications in accordance with Caltrans, Port Standards, and Greenbook requirements.
2025 | Newport Beach, CA | City of Newport Beach | Transportation
ASCE-OC Outstanding Bridge Project 2025. Geotechnical services as sub to Dokken Engineering for City of Newport Beach.
View project source2022 | Los Angeles, CA | Port of Los Angeles | Ports & Harbors
Container wharf upgrade at Port of Los Angeles. ASCE LA Metro Branch Port and Airport Project and LA Section Project of the Year 2022. Sub to Moffatt & Nichol.
View project source2021 | La Jolla, CA | Transportation
ACEC California Honor Award for Engineering Excellence 2021. Sub to Moffatt & Nichol.
View project source2013 | San Mateo County, CA | Caltrans | Tunnels
OC Engineering Council Project Achievement Award 2013. Geotechnical services for Caltrans tunnel project.
View project source2013 | California | Caltrans | Transportation
Caltrans Excellence in Transportation Award 2013 and AASHTO National Value Engineering Award 2007. Geotechnical and seismic retrofit services.
View project sourcePresident and Principal
PE, GE
Vice President and Principal
PE, GE
Treasurer and Principal
Secretary and Principal
PE, GE
Director and Principal
PhD, PE, GE
Co-Founder and Senior Consultant
PE, GE
Principal Engineer
PE, GE
Principal Engineer
PE, GE
Principal Engineer
PhD, PE
Senior Engineer
PE, GE
Principal Engineer
PE, GE
technical_paper | Ulmer, K.J., Carlton, B., Taylor, N., and Parker, Q. | 2023
View publicationtechnical_paper | Rahmani, A., Taiebat, M., Finn, W.D.L., and Ventura, C.E. | 2018
View publicationtechnical_paper | Taghavi, A., Muraleetharan, K.K., Miller, G.A. | 2017
View publicationtechnical_paper | Lim, A., Sanchez, M., Correa, B., Jaradat, O., Thurairajah, A., and Arulmoli, A. | 2019
View publication17800 Newhope Street, Suite B
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
USA
820 Los Vallecitos Boulevard, Suite H
San Marcos, CA 92069
USA