Geohazards Assessment and Design
For abandoned mine lands, landslides, slope stability, karst topography, or subsurface void conditions.
Brierley Associates provides integrated geohazards services focused on the identification, evaluation, and mitigation of natural and human-induced ground instability that threatens infrastructure, development, and public safety. Our team combines engineering geology, geotechnical engineering, remote sensing, and software analytics to deliver practical, constructible solutions for complex surface and subsurface conditions.
Our geohazards expertise is applied across a wide range of settings, including transportation corridors, critical infrastructure, national parklands, and active and legacy mining environments. In mining-related contexts, we support geohazard site assessment and investigation of highwalls, underground workings, pillars, slopes, subsurface voids, and ground movement that influence safety, operations, and regulatory compliance. Our experience spans land subsidence, unstable slopes and highwalls, rockfall, ground deformation, and mine fires.
Through advanced field investigation, remote sensing integration, modeling, and construction support, we help clients manage geohazard risk across the full project lifecycle, balancing safety, constructability, regulatory requirements, and operational constraints from early planning through long-term monitoring.
Geohazards Assessment and Design Capabilities:
- Geohazard site assessment, field investigation, and risk characterization
- Geologic and geotechnical sampling, logging, mapping, and reconnaissance
- Underground mine, tunnel, highwall, slope, and rockfall mapping
- Drone-based thermal imaging, LiDAR, orthomosaics, direct inspection, and geoanalytics
- 2D and 3D ground modeling
- Slope, highwall, subsidence, and underground stability analysis
- Instrumentation, direct and remote monitoring, and remote telemetry systems
- Rockfall assessment, abatement, ground support, and slope stabilization design
- Karstic ground characterization and remediation design
- Ground improvement, grouting, subsidence mitigation, and mine fire investigation and abatement
Geohazard Assessment and Design Projects
Our Geohazard Assessment and Design Team
Jon “Ike” Isaacson, GE, CEG, PE, PG
Director of Geological Services
Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL
Jon “Ike” Isaacson, GE, CEG, PE, PG's Bio
Jon “Ike” Isaacson, GE, CEG, PE, PG
Director of Geological Services
Milwaukee, WI; Chicago, IL
Ike, our Director of Geological Services, is a true renaissance man. He is licensed as a professional engineer and a professional geologist, in addition to being a licensed aircraft pilot. His interdisciplinary knowledge of engineering and geology, experience as a consultant, owner’s representative, and tunnel contractor is truly unique.
Ike’s tunnel experience includes design review, constructability, grouting, ground improvement, ground freezing, geotechnical instrumentation, rehabilitation, construction logistics, hyperbaric interventions, ground loss mapping and remediation. His broad knowledge, skill sets, and experiences, combined with his passion for solving geologic puzzles, provide him with a well-rounded, pragmatic approach that promotes project success.
Dave Hibbard, PG
Geohazards Sector Leader
Laramie, WY
Dave Hibbard, PG's Bio
Dave Hibbard, PG
Geohazards Sector Leader
Laramie, WY
Dave is leader of our Geohazards Team. Dave specializes in geologic hazards assessment, subsidence risk evaluation, subsidence mitigation strategies, ground improvement, remote and geospatial analysis, hydrogeologic characterization, slope stability analysis, and geographic information sciences. He has worked on an assortment of civil and geologic projects relating to historic underground mine mitigation, trenchless tunnels, earthwork, dam assessment, road improvement and design, bridge improvement and design, engineered foundation materials, oil and gas exploration, geologic site characterization, geotechnical drilling and sampling, and lab testing/analysis.
Joel James,PE
Geotechnical Engineer
Laramie, WY
Joel James,PE's Bio
Joel James,PE
Geotechnical Engineer
Laramie, WY
Joel leads our Laramie, WY office and focuses on land subsidence mitigation and geotechnical engineering. He has a wide array of underground and civil works construction and management experience. His constructability analyses relies on more than seven years in the field managing, supervising, and constructing pipelines, structural concrete, roadways, and water treatment facilities prior to receiving a B.S. in Civil Engineering. Joel’s positive attitude ,great work ethic and construction knowledge make him capable of fulfilling a wide range of roles for almost any project.
Melissa Bautz, PG
Subsidence Mitigation Specialist
Laramie, WY
Melissa Bautz, PG's Bio
Melissa Bautz, PG
Subsidence Mitigation Specialist
Laramie, WY
Melissa was formerly Program Principal and Mine Reclamation Project Manager with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Abandoned Mine Lands Program. She enhances our capabilities through her extensive experience managing several multi-million dollar mine reclamation projects in Wyoming. She provides project oversight and assists with project design, groundwater research, and geologic interpretation. Melissa increases the value we provide to our AML clients and expands our role in subsidence mitigation nationwide. Melissa earned her BS in Geology with an emphasis on Hydrogeology from California State Polytechnic University and her MS in Geology with an emphasis on Structural Geology and Tectonics from University of Missouri. She’s a licensed Professional Geologist in Wyoming.