New Westminster's development, from its 1859 founding on the steep northern bank of the Fraser River, has always contended with challenging ground conditions. The city sits on a mix of glacial till, marine silts, and thick river deposits that vary dramatically over short distances, and the downtown core climbs sharply from the waterfront. For engineers working on high-density infill or the new towers near the SkyTrain, a standard borehole often misses the subtle transitions between soft compressible layers and dense bearing strata. The CPT test captures these boundaries continuously, delivering a high-resolution log of tip resistance, sleeve friction, and pore pressure without the disturbance caused by drilling. For deep excavations near Columbia Street or foundations in Queensborough, this data is essential to avoid surprises during construction. When the scope calls for discrete sampling, the CPT results guide the placement of SPT drilling boreholes so the investigation targets the exact depths that need laboratory verification.
A continuous CPT log through New Westminster's river deposits reveals the exact depth of the sensitive marine clay layer that standard split-spoon sampling can easily miss.
