Incotec Q&A: Cone Testing in Bolivia
CPT in South America Vertek's S4 Push System has made entry into the CPT market accessible for a growing list of geotechnical professionals. Here on our CPT U blog we often provide a closer look at some of these organizations and how their regional markets operate. One such company is a Bolivian construction and engineering group that's been in operation since 1968, but has just recently added CPT to their offerings thanks to a Vertek S4. Read on for our Q&A with Mario A. Teceros of Incotec. Provide a brief background on your company. How/when did it originate? It was established in 1968. Is one of the oldest operating construction companies in Bolivia. It was initially created to build urban infrastructure and housing. Rapidly entered to the civil works and the deep foundations market. Incotec also started with the first geotechnical equipment (SPT and DPM) in 1968. Since then, beside the experience in different type of projects (ranging from concrete structures to industrial constructions and dams), the speciality in deep and special foundations has been the main "stamp" of Incotec. Is family company and now the third generation is working. What is the scope and focus of Incotec today? More specialization in all the fields of its activities, mainly with the incorporation of cutting edge equipments for soil tests (SCPTu from Vertek), deep foundation construction (BG18, BG20 and BG 30 from Bauer, with tools for Full Displacement Piles, Cutter Soil Mixing, cased piles) and quality controls (From Pile Dynamics, PIT, Cross Hole and PDA). But the main product developed by Incotec during the last decade is the EXpander Body, a steel folded "balloon" that is installed at the tip of a pile or an anchor. The EB is then injected with grout to expand it, compacting the surrounding soil and [...]