Our field teams typically mobilize with an excavator and a track-mounted drill rig when working on retaining wall design in Chatham-Kent. The soil here — mostly glacial till over clay plains — demands careful observation. We dig test pits down to 3 or 4 meters first, logging each layer. That initial look tells us where the water table sits and whether we will hit stiff clay or softer silty zones. From there we decide if a calicata exploratoria is enough or if we need deeper borings. The Thames River valley adds variability; properties near the river often show alluvial deposits that change quickly over a few meters. Getting that profile right early saves time and cost later.
Retaining wall design in Chatham-Kent must account for highly plastic clay soils and a shallow water table — drainage is structural, not optional.