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East Norriton, PA

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Dr. James McKelvey, Ph.D., P.E., BC.GE, F.ASCE

Director, Geotechnical Design

Bio

Registered professional engineer (P.E.) in twelve states and the District of Columbia. Diplomate (D.GE) of the Academy of Geo-Professionals. Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (F.ASCE).

Extensive experience in geotechnical engineering including site assessment and field investigations, deep and shallow foundation design for buildings, bridges and other structures, retaining wall design, temporary shoring design, embankment stability, mechanically stabilized soil structures, and subsurface hydrology.

Significant experience in mitigating heavy construction claims and litigation support pertaining to impacted heavy construction projects. Significant experience in construction support and construction quality assurance projects.

Environmental engineering experience includes technical contributions to the remediation of many Superfund sites and over fifty landfill design projects.

Have published over 30 technical papers in journals, conference proceedings and trade magazines. Currently the ASCE Liaison for the Delaware Valley Geo-Institute (DVGI), the Region 2 Local Involvement Committee Member for the Geo-Institute and serves on the Geo-Institute's Earth Retention Structures, Geosynthetics, and the Embankments, Dams and Slopes technical committees. 

Specialties: Geotechnical engineering, geosynthetic engineering, retaining wall design, temporary shoring design, foundation design, ground improvement, slope stability, litigation support.

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Education

Drexel University
Doctor of Philosophy, 2025
Doctor
To 2025

Drexel University
Master of Civil Engrg., 1992
To 1992

Drexel University
Bachelor of Science, 1989
To 1989

Professional Associations

Delware Valley Geo-Institute
2008 - Present

American Society for Testing and Materials
1991 - Present

International Geosynthetics Society
1991 - Present

American Society of Civil Engineers
1987 - Present

Job History

Earth Engineering Incorporated
Director, Geotechnical Design Division
May 2005 - present

Hunt Engineering Company
Senior Project Engineer
Malvern, PA, United States
January 2002 - May 2005

Guardian Group, Inc.
Senior Claims Management Consultant
Torrance, CA, United States
December 2000 - July 2001

GeoSyntec Consultants
Senior Project Engineer
Huntington Beach, CA, United States
May 1996 - June 2000

Roy F. Weston, Inc.
Project Engineer
West Chester, PA, United States
March 1990 - April 1996

Honors and Awards

Diplomate, Geotechnical Engineering
Academy of Geo-Professionals (AGP)
2009

Fellow
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
2012

Young Member Achievement Award
International Geosynthetics Society (IGS)
1994