Dan Brown and Associates, LLC

Specialists in Deep Foundation Design, Construction, and Testing and Slope Stability Problems

About the firm

Dan Brown and Associates, LLC (DBA) is a consulting engineering practice specializing in geotechnical and foundation engineering, with emphasis on problem solving relating to foundation engineering and slope stability. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Dan Brown, P.E., BC.GE, it serves as a deep foundation specialist to designers, contractors, and owners across the United States. In December 2022, DBA became part of the UES family, establishing a center of technical expertise in deep foundation design and construction.

Established: 2004
Firm type: Geotechnical Engineering · Design-Build

People

Dan BrownFounder

Timothy C. SiegelSenior Principal Engineer / CEO

Paul AxtellSenior Principal Engineer / COO

W. Robert Thompson IIISenior Principal Engineer / CFO

Barry J. MeyerSenior Principal

John P. TurnerSenior Principal

Capabilities

Geotechnical Engineering

Comprehensive engineering services focused on soil mechanics, rock mechanics, and underground structures.

Deep Foundation Design
Specialized design of structural elements installed deep into the ground, including drilled shafts, driven piles, and micropiles.
Deep Foundation Construction Support
Technical guidance and engineering services during the installation and construction of deep foundation systems.
Ground Improvement
Methods to enhance the engineering properties of soil, featuring composite ground designs and dynamic stabilization.
- Liquefaction Mitigation
  Techniques to prevent soil strength loss during earthquake events, including densification and shear demand limiting.
- Settlement Mitigation
  Systems designed to control and limit foundation settlement under heavy structures.
Slope Stability and Earth Retention
Analysis and stabilization of natural and engineered slopes to prevent soil movement.
- Landslide Stabilization
  Design of deep foundation passive structural resistance and retaining walls to stabilize active landslides.
- Excavation Support
  Engineering of earth retention systems, shoring frames, and anchors for deep excavations.
- Rockfall Hazard Mitigation
  Design and analysis of mitigation systems to manage rockfall hazards on transportation routes.
Seismic and Earthquake Engineering
Evaluations of soil and foundation performance during seismic events, with emphasis on lateral spreading and kinematic loads.
- Seismic Analysis
  Global stability analyses and dynamic site response modeling for critical infrastructure in seismic zones.
- Liquefaction Triggering Evaluation
  Pre- and post-installation cone penetration testing and analytical evaluations of liquefaction potential.
Foundation Testing and Instrumentation
Comprehensive quality assurance programs, field testing, and structural monitoring of foundation elements.
- Load Testing
  Static, rapid, dynamic, and Statnamic load testing of piles, micropiles, and drilled shafts.
- Integrity Testing
  Crosshole sonic logging, non-destructive testing, and thermal integrity profiling.
- Instrumentation & Monitoring
  Installation of displacement, crack, and piezometric sensors to monitor structure and soil stability during construction.
- Geophysical Services
  Subsurface imaging and characterization utilizing geophysical methods.
Construction Observation & Quality Assurance
Field observation, pile driving criteria development, and implementation of Emergency Action Plans during construction.
Risk Assessment
Identification and mitigation of geotechnical and structural risks associated with unique civil projects.

Industries

Bridges · Transportation · Mixed-Use · Multifamily Residential · Water Resources

Projects

State Route 67 Bridge Repair

Elizabethton, TN · Bridges · 2025 · Client: Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT)

Project details

Following damage from Hurricane Helene in September 2024, the Michels-DBA design-build team repaired and lifted the concrete arch span bridge in Elizabethton, Tennessee. The project involved de-watering, installing micropiles, designing steel shoring frames to support jacks under each column, demolishing undermined footings, jacking the bridge 4.5 inches to restore structural integrity, and constructing a new pile cap.

RiverRow Mixed-Use Ground Improvement

Santa Cruz, CA · Mixed-Use · 2025 · Client: Lincoln Property Company

Project details

Design-build of a hybrid ground improvement system consisting of vibro-stone columns (VSC) and cutter soil mixing (CSM) panel grids for a mixed-use development in Santa Cruz, California. The design successfully mitigated liquefaction risks and achieved target settlement criteria while protecting sensitive adjacent structures and a USACE-controlled levee along the San Lorenzo River.

30 Crossing Design-Build

Little Rock, AR · Bridges · 2021 · Client: Kiewit Massman Construction (KMC)

Project details

Lead geotechnical and foundation design for the navigation unit and north approach unit of the new river bridges over the Arkansas River. The design featured 10-ft diameter drilled shafts socketed into shale bedrock and addressed seismic hazards including liquefaction triggering and lateral spreading through column-supported MSE wall embankment ground improvement.

TH-84 Bridge Risk Management

Pine River, MN · Bridges · 2021 · Client: Schroeder Construction, Inc.

Project details

Geotechnical design and risk management for a new bridge constructed at the toe of an active dam. Developed and implemented an Emergency Action Plan, designed an instrumentation system, and calibrated seepage models to safely monitor stability conditions during and after construction.