A track-mounted drill rig with continuous flight augers is the standard starting point for subgrade investigation in Brandon Manitoba. The rig advances through the region's dense glacial till, retrieving disturbed and undisturbed samples at 1.5-meter intervals. On-site geotechnical engineers then classify each stratum using the Unified Soil Classification System (USCS), while a portable field lab runs moisture content and pocket penetrometer checks before samples are sealed for transport. This phased process ensures that the georradar GPR survey, when needed to map buried utilities or old river channels, correlates correctly with the borehole log. The goal is a continuous soil profile that feeds directly into bearing capacity estimates and frost-heave predictions.
In Brandon Manitoba, ignoring the frost-susceptibility of clay till can double pavement maintenance costs within five years.