Vancouver's complex glacial and post-glacial geology, shaped by the Fraser River and Cordilleran ice sheet, demands direct observation during site characterization. The NBCC 2020 requires that geotechnical investigations account for the city's variable deposits—from Vashon till to modern alluvial silts—and exploratory test pits remain the most reliable method for exposing shallow stratigraphy in accessible areas. When borehole data leaves questions about fill thickness or lens geometry in neighborhoods like Mount Pleasant or Kitsilano, an open excavation logged per ASTM D2488 provides the visual certainty that indirect methods cannot match. For deeper profiling beyond the reach of a test pit, our team integrates spt drilling to extend the stratigraphic model into the bearing stratum.
Direct observation of Vancouver's glacial till, fill, and buried organics removes the interpretation gap that geophysics alone leaves open.
