Transportation - Morteza Mirshekari

Brightline West High-Speed Railway, Rancho Cucamonga, CA to Las Vegas, NV

Morteza managed a team of geotechnical engineers and geologists and led the geotechnical engineering efforts to design multiple Brightline West high-speed railway segments in California (with a total length of more than 200 miles). This national project has a total revenue of more than $12B and is currently on track to connect the SoCal area to Las Vegas in about 90 minutes. The task orders managed by Morteza, to date, have involved drilling more than 600 borings, performing the associated laboratory tests, geotechnical design of the bridge foundations and the substructure of the alignment in California, and preparation of Geotechnical Design Reports (GDR), Materials Reports (MR), Foundation Reports, (FR), and various other track design reports and memorandums.

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Sepulveda Transit Corridor, Los Angeles, CA

This confidential project will connect San Fernando Valley to West Los Angeles and ultimately extend southward to Los Angeles International Airport in its final construction phase. Currently several alternatives are being considered for the proposed corridor involving different means of transportation. Morteza served as the geotechnical Subject Matter Expert (SME) reviewing submittals and deliverables and preparing memorandums for the design team. In particular, Morteza was the lead reviewer for geotechnical earthquake engineering design, and also peer-reviewed other aspects of the project including geotechnical exploration and laboratory program, geotechnical data interpretation, and geotechnical analyses and calculations.

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SR-67 at Bradley Avenue Interchange Bridge, El Cajon, CA

Constructed in 1966, the existing structurally deficient bridge at Bradley Avenue Overcrossing will be replaced with a new bridge providing additional traffic capacity and pedestrian facilities. The proposed new bridge will be a two-span, cast-in-place, prestressed reinforced concrete box girder with overall length and width of 190 feet and 99 feet, respectively. Scope of geotechnical services for this project included a review of previous geotechnical explorations and performing engineering analyses in accordance with AASHTO LRFD BDS document for lateral earth pressures, bearing capacity and settlement of shallow foundations, approach embankments, pavements, and providing seismic spectral accelerations. Geotechnical reports were prepared per Caltrans guidelines. Morteza served as the technical reviewer for this project.

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Bonsall Oaks Rue Margaux Over North Fork Gopher Canyon Creek Bridge, Bonsall, CA

The Rue Margaux Over North Fork Gopher Canyon Creek Bridge will be approximately 176 feet long and will include two traffic lanes and an outside shoulder for a total width of approximately 31 feet. Embankment fills up to about 36 feet above the existing grades are proposed on the south and north sides of the creek. The geotechnical services for this project included a site-specific geotechnical exploration and laboratory program, LOTB preparation, geophysical evaluation (ReMi survey), and performing engineering analyses in accordance with AASHTO LRFD BDS document for lateral earth pressures, bearing capacity and settlement of shallow foundations, approach embankments, pavements, and providing seismic spectral accelerations. Geotechnical reports were prepared per Caltrans guidelines. Morteza served as the technical reviewer for this project.

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Etiwanda Avenue Grade Separation Project, Rancho Cucamonga, CA

The proposed Etiwanda Avenue Grade Separation aims to provide uninterrupted flow of vehicular and railroad traffic at the intersection of Etiwanda Avenue and the SCRRA and BNSF railroad lines. The final proposed design includes two approach embankments and 10 bents. I led the engineering efforts in assessing the settlement, axial and lateral pile design, and seismic evaluation of the proposed bridge. A seismic Finite Element Analysis was performed (PLAXIS) to evaluate the inertia soil-structure-interaction impacts of the embankments on the seismic response of the underlying 12-foot Etiwanda feeder.

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Blythe Border Protection Station, Blythe, CA

Morteza managed and led the geotechnical engineering design for the proposed Border Protection Station and its associated improvements in Blythe, California. The project also included realignment/construction of parts of I-10 and Hobsonway road. The geotechnical design included the recommendations for shallow and light post foundations, seismic ground motion study, liquefaction analysis, and remedial grading. Rigid and flexible pavement sections were also provided as part of the recommendations following a Mechanistic-Empirical approach for the Caltrans roadway and a typical CalFP pavement design for the City of Blythe roadway.

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Otay Mesa LPOE Concourse Renovation, San Diego, CA

Lead geotechnical engineer for the investigation supporting walkway and shade canopy renovations at the Otay Mesa Land Port of Entry. Borings and lab testing identified fill, very old alluvium, and Otay Formation. Recommendations addressed grading, support of shade canopy on CIDH or shallow foundations, expansive soil mitigation, and pavement design.

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City Creek Bikeways and Retaining Walls, Highland, CA

Lead engineer for the geotechnical investigation supporting the design and construction of approximately 1.4 miles of new bikeway and retaining walls along an existing levee in Highland, California. The investigation included boring field exploration, laboratory testing, and evaluation of subsurface conditions consisting primarily of granular artificial fill with cobbles and boulders. The study assessed geologic hazards including liquefaction, flooding, and seismic ground shaking, and provided recommendations for site grading, excavation, foundation design for Caltrans Type 5 retaining walls, and pavement sections.

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NAVFAC SW, MCAS Miramar Runway and Taxiway Repair, San Diego, CA

Technical reviewer for the supplemental geotechnical evaluation supporting repairs at Runway 24R, Taxiways Echo and Papa, and the Warm-Up Pad at Marine Corp Air Station (MCAS) Miramar. The investigation included pavement coring, borings, DCP testing, and laboratory analyses to assess subgrade support conditions. Subsurface materials consisted of medium-dense clayey sands, gravels, and very old paralic deposits with cemented conglomerates. The evaluation addressed subgrade variability, expansive soils, and the presence of cobbles and debris. Design recommendations included subgrade stabilization, earthwork guidance, and pavement reconstruction options following UFC and ASTM standards.

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East Mission Road Sheet Pile Wall, Fallbrook, CA

Lead geotechnical engineer for the investigation supporting the evaluation and potential improvement of the existing sheet pile wall along East Mission Road in Fallbrook. The investigation included drilling borings, geophysical surveys, and laboratory testing to assess subsurface conditions, including fill and weathered tonalite.

The sheet pile wall, exhibiting signs of lateral movement, was assessed for its depth and condition. Geotechnical recommendations for potential improvement or replacement included sheet pile wall design parameters, excavation characteristics, and guidance on lateral earth pressures. No groundwater was encountered during the investigation. The project also addressed potential seismic hazards, with recommendations for settlement monitoring and design considerations for wall backfill.

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San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, Gate P-01 Replacement, San Diego, CA

Lead geotechnical engineer for the investigation supporting replacement of Gate P-01 at San Diego International Airport. The study included drilling three borings and the associated laboratory testing, and evaluation of subsurface conditions consisting of loose hydraulic fill underlain by marine deposits, with groundwater encountered at approximately 7.5 feet. Key geotechnical considerations included high liquefaction susceptibility, shallow groundwater, and loose fill requiring deep foundations. Recommendations addressed earthwork, dewatering, temporary excavation, and auger-cast pile design. Seismic parameters and pavement section designs were also provided based on 2022 CBC.

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John Wayne Airport, P447 Concession Development, Santa Ana, CA

I performed site-specific seismic evaluation for the proposed concession development of Johan Wayne Airport in Orange County, California. The seismic evaluation included ground motion hazard analysis, time history analysis, and site-response analysis. The ground motion hazard analysis followed a code-based approach comprising of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis and deterministic seismic hazard analysis. Equivalent-linear and nonlinear site response analyses were performed under a set of bedrock motions to evaluate surface ground motions given the outputs of ground motion hazard analysis.

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FedEx LAX Maintenance Hangar Facility, Los Angeles, CA

I designed the pavement sections of the maintenance hangar facility at the Los Angeles International Airport. FAA Rigid and Flexible Iterative Elastic Layered Design (FAARFIELD) program was used to provide a FEM-based pavement design under a combination of airplanes operated at the FedEx facility.