Jim and Harry Schnabel established the first geotechnical firm in the Mid-Atlantic to offer subsurface investigations and soil mechanics—Foundation Test Services, Inc.—which later became Schnabel Engineering Associates, Inc.

The Pressuremeter: Schnabel Engineering Associates became the first pressuremeter user in the Eastern U.S. This new testing device measured strength and deformation properties of soil in situ. The firm’s early use of the pressuremeter gave Schnabel an advantage in understanding the true nature of the engineering properties of the unique geologic formations within its footprint.

The Schnabel brothers went their separate ways by trading their shares in the two companies. Jim effectively became 100% owner of Schnabel Engineering Associates. Harry became the owner of Schnabel Foundation Company.

Schnabel’s first branch office opened in Richmond, VA.

Double-Belled Drill Shafts: Schnabel recommended the first use of double-belled drilled shafts in the U.S. for the support of a heavily loaded building in Richmond, VA.

The James Monroe State Office Building, Richmond, VA: Schnabel Engineering provided geotechnical engineering for this high-profile project that featured massive column loads of up to 2,700 tons and high lateral loads caused by wind and unbalanced site excavation. This was the first project in Richmond to use permanent tiebacks in Miocene clay to resist lateral loads.

Schnabel added many institutional and government projects to its portfolio. Clients included the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Smithsonian, Walter Reed Hospital, the Pentagon, and the FDR Memorial in West Potomac Park.

Environmental services were first offered by the firm, primarily in the area of solid waste and environmental investigations.

Northern Area Landfill in Chesterfield County, VA: Schnabel designed Virginia’s first engineered landfill, including a clay liner, leachate collection system, and gas venting system.

Schnabel expanded its field services to include construction materials testing.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, DC: Schnabel provided geotechnical engineering for the construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

The Baltimore, MD, office opened.

The Newport News, VA, office opened.

Land Level Shipbuilding Facility, Newport News, VA: Schnabel played a pivotal role in redefining foundation design practices for the Yorktown Formation, a calcium carbonate-rich marl from the Miocene epoch. Traditionally, the formation’s tendency to lose strength when disturbed led to over-designing foundations due to underestimated strength from standard penetration testing. This changed with the Land Level Shipbuilding Facility project from Schnabel’s long-term client, Newport News Shipbuilding. Schnabel conducted an instrumented pile load test program, accurately determining the true capacity of piles in the Yorktown Formation. The findings revolutionized pile design in the region.

The Chadds Ford, PA, office opened: Schnabel expanded northward to West Chester in southeastern PA, which eventually became our Chadds Ford office. The firm’s reputation grew as a technical leader and innovative solution provider for projects located in areas prone to sinkholes.

Schnabel hired its first geophysicist, ushering in full-capacity Geosciences services.

Floating Stone Columns: For the Salem/Hope Creek Nuclear Power Station in NJ, Schnabel designed 18-foot-deep stone columns that “floated” within 40 feet of soft dredge material.

The Blacksburg, VA, office opened.

Schnabel became an employee-owned (ESOP) firm.

The Rockville, MD, office opened.

Schnabel acquired Dan McGill and Associates, a Georgia-based dam design firm. This marked the firm’s foray into design services—a major departure from the pure consulting work that formed the mainstay of the business since its inception—helping Schnabel grow technically and geographically. This acquisition marked a change in the firm’s philosophy. Instead of growing by branching out with existing employees, we embraced external growth.

The acquisition of Dan McGill and Associates led to a new location in Georgia. This eventually became the Alpharetta branch.

Labyrinth Weirs and Computational Fluid Dynamics: Schnabel has been at the forefront of hydraulic evaluation and design of labyrinth weirs for spillways as part of new dam design and for the rehabilitation of existing dams. Of the more than 100 constructed labyrinth weirs in the United States, the firm has designed over half of the unique structures.

A satellite of the Bethesda, MD, office opened in Leesburg, VA, eventually becoming our Sterling, VA, office.

Schnabel received the U.S. Senate Productivity and Quality Significant Achievement Award. Schnabel was one of the few engineering firms in the country to join the quality movement, adopting its own internal Top Quality Management program. Our commitment to quality remains strong and unwavering to this day.

Micropiles: Schnabel’s geostructural group collaborated with partners in the industry to solve a challenge for Engle Machinery’s Ford Motor company project by using micropile technology. This marked the beginning of the firm’s long history with micropile technology and involvement in industry organizations, establishing us as leading researchers and speakers in the field.

The Columbia, SC, office opened, expanding Schnabel’s environmental and geotechnical capabilities throughout the Southeast.

The Charlottesville, VA, office opened.

Tobesofkee Creek Dam, Monroe County, GA: Named the Georgia Chapter ACI Renovation Project of the Year (2000).

Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC): Schnabel led the industry in the use of RCC for dams, including the design of new dams and the rehabilitation of existing dams. With involvement in more than 40 projects totaling nearly 650,000 cubic yards of RCC, Schnabel consults around the world on RCC projects, serving on review boards, and evaluating RCC feasibility for new and existing projects.

Schnabel acquired AG&E, in Greensboro, NC, and landed the (future) award-winning Deep Creek Watershed Dam project in Yadkin County, NC.

This acquisition added a Greensboro, NC, office.

Dulles Airport Automated People Mover, VA: This series of projects was part of an ambitious six-year expansion plan involving the construction of a two-track automated train system to provide passenger transport between the main terminal and midfield concourses. Schnabel provided geotechnical, geostructural, and rock mechanics engineering services to support the design of the excavation and foundation support for the main terminal station and its connections for the future Tier 2 Concourse C. These projects were a huge milestone in the early development of Schnabel’s geostructural services.

Schnabel acquired Lachel & Associates, Inc., a firm specializing in design and construction management services for tunneling and other heavy civil construction projects in transportation, water and wastewater infrastructure, and hydroelectric power.

The acquisition of Lachel & Associates, Inc. added a Dallas, TX, office.

The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water): The Clean Rivers project was a 20-year, $2.7-billion effort to reduce pollution from combined sewer overflows into the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. Schnabel contributed to the design of more than 12 miles of 23-foot diameter storage and conveyance tunnels, associated shafts, pump stations, overflow facilities, and diversion chambers.

Schnabel became 100% ESOP-owned.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Independent External Peer Review Indefinite Delivery Contract: Schnabel was selected for a new nation- wide contract to support both the USACE Headquarters (HQ) and RMC for their dam and levee safety programs. Schnabel completed reviews for projects from California to New York, and also provided value-added support, where appropriate, with regard to the design, construction, and operation and maintenance implemented in their dam and levee safety modifications.

Seattle City Light, WA: An early opportunity to conduct Part 12 inspections began with inspections for Seattle City Light (SCL) and Seattle Public Utilities for the Cedar Falls and Tolt Hydroelectric dams. These projects helped us build trusted relationships, leading to a continuous flow of engineering work on those dams.

Cobbs Creek Reservoir, Henrico County, VA: Beginning in 2011, Schnabel provided full design services for the 160-foot-high, 4,750-foot-long primary embankment dam, a 30-foot-high, 800-foot-long saddle dam and associated spillway, a 155-foot-high inlet/outlet tower, an outlet works conduit, and maintenance vehicle access bridges. Our services also included geotechnical engineering to support the design of the river intake, pump station, and transfer pipeline; bid support; full-time construction phase engineering; and monitoring and inspecting the dam during the first filling of the reservoir. Construction began in 2017, with the reservoir fully operational in 2025.

Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC: Decades of settlement and lateral movement of the Jefferson Memorial’s north plaza and adjacent seawall prompted the National Park Service to close the north plaza in 2005 due to safety concerns. To prepare for a $13.5 million reconstruction, Schnabel performed a rigorous site investigation and used the resulting data to design a new seawall. We provided construction oversight and continue to monitor the wall’s performance on a quarterly basis.

The Albany, NY, office opened.

Schnabel acquired Geo/Environmental Associates, Inc., in Knoxville, TN. The acquisition added a Knoxville, TN, office. 

Schnabel purchased its headquarters office building in Glen Allen, VA.

Schnabel Engineering DC, Inc. was formed to provide services as a Certified Business Enterprise in Washington, DC.

Yeager Airport, Charleston, WV: The 240-foot-high, reinforced soil slope and the emergency runway overrun structure experienced a catastrophic failure in March 2015. The resulting landslide swallowed buildings and blocked a creek, causing major flood damage and destabilizing the surrounding area. Schnabel developed mitigation and remediation plans to stabilize the vertical face and debris field and subsequently designed a repair alternative to restore the runway. A new 85-foot-high retaining wall with geofoam as a significant portion of the backfill was designed and constructed within 22 months.

The Wilmington, NC, office opened.

Piano Key Weir: Schnabel designed the first multi-stage piano key weir in the world, constructed at Lake Peachtree Dam, GA. Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic modeling and structural finite element modeling were used to visualize spillway performance, which helped reduce constructability issues before they emerged in the field.

The Seattle, WA, office opened.

Children’s Hospital of Richmond Pavilion, VA: The 16-story hospital, with four levels of underground parking, is part of a comprehensive plan to address the needs of the community and state, becoming a destination for children and their families as well as for research and education. During the design phase of the project, Schnabel provided geotechnical, geostructural, geophysical, and seismic analysis. The project has won numerous industry awards.

Route 29 Solutions, Charlottesville and Albemarle County, VA: The highway improvement projects, known collectively as “Route 29 Solutions,” represented a six-year effort by the Virginia Department of Transportation to reduce congestion on the Route 29 corridor. Schnabel was the geotechnical engineer on four of the eight projects. The Rio Road grade separation project involved the depression of Route 29’s four inner lanes, along a 1,400-foot-long section, allowing overhead passage of Rio Road.

Infrastructure Monitoring Services (IMS): Schnabel utilized cutting-edge technology that helped government and private sector clients increase safety, look back in time, optimize monitoring during and after construction, decrease capital and recurring expenditure, and consistently deliver productivity improvements.

Boundary Dam in Seattle, WA, is a 340-foot- high double curvature concrete dam with the underground powerhouse generating over 1,000 megawatts of electricity—often providing as much as 60% of Seattle’s power. Schnabel performed the 2015 and 2021 Part 12D dam safety inspections with included PFMA and risk assessment under FERCs Risk Informed Decision Making pilot program. We performed a detailed evaluation of the geology and dam foundation and designed permanent stabilization measures for the right abutment, including cable lashing and post-tensioned anchors. A focused spillway inspection and PFMA were performed for both radial gate spillway chutes.

Terror Lake, AK: Schnabel completed our largest Alaskan project thus far, helping Kodiak Electric Association (KEA) implement the final component of its Upper Hidden Basin Diversion project, increasing water supply to its Terror Lake Hydroelectric Facility—the cornerstone of its renewable energy generation system. The firm conducted a feasibility study and design. We oversaw construction of the two diversion dams, conveyance systems, and a tunnel beneath a high granite mountain.

Deere & Ault Consultants joined Schnabel, adding offices in Longmont, CO, and Boise, ID.

The Longmont, CO, office opened.

The Boise, ID, office opened.

The Austin, TX, office opened.

The Denver (Lakewood), CO, office opened.

Schnabel University Technical Conference: As we convened in rapidly with the onset of COVID-19, employees were notified that they should shift to remote work immediately. We learned new skills and adopted new technologies on the fly (like Microsoft Teams)! Thanks to careful management and tireless commitment from everyone at the firm, we achieved a banner year and emerged stronger than ever.

The Jersey City, NJ, office opened.

Developed by Citizens Energy Group, Citizens Reservoir is vital to helping the region surmount serious drought conditions that caused mandatory water restrictions in the past. Completed in 2021, the 88-acre, 250-foot-deep former limestone quarry is the largest reservoir built in Central Indiana since 1968. As the tunnel and geotechnical Engineer of Record, Schnabel was instrumental in evaluating design alternatives to help the owner select a cost-effective approach.

Anderson Dam Tunnel Project, CA: Tunnel construction began in the right abutment of Anderson Dam in 2021 to release and regulate water flows from the reservoir. In an emergency, the tunnel allows the dam owner, Valley Water, a five-fold increase in water release rate and the system will eventually be used to achieve full reservoir draw down and bypass flows during the removal and replacement of the existing dam embankment. As part of the construction management team, Schnabel provided resident engineering, contract administration, and inspection services in the day-to-day management of the project. Schnabel also provided risk management services, providing several workshops throughout the project.

Hampton Roads, VA, Bridge-Tunnel Expansion: Aiming to alleviate congestion on I-64 between Hampton and Norfolk, this project involved twin, 46-foot diameter bored tunnels. JCK supported VDOT during the planning and procurement phases, and conducted geotechnical, structural, and risk assessments to ensure constructability during the preliminary design phase. Schnabel, through the addition of JCK, became part of the engineering and construction support team, providing key personnel with technical expertise for tunnel construction, geotechnical evaluations, and structural reviews.

JCK Underground, Inc. joined Schnabel. JCK was an industry-recognized leader in tunnel engineering. This strategic addition brought significant value to clients through the combined resources, expertise, and experiences of two firms that have a shared commitment to excellence.

The Lexington, KY, office opened.

The Houston, TX, office opened.

Schnabel’s corporate staff moved to a new location in Glen Allen, VA, thanks to continued growth at our Richmond operation. This move allowed our technical operations folks to expand and grow into the entire building.

The Gladstone, MI, office opened.

The Portland, OR, office opened.

The Helena, MT, office opened.

The Nashville, TN, office opened.

The Honolulu, HI, office opened.

Hampton Roads, VA, Bridge-Tunnel Expansion: In September, TBM Mary made her historic and final breakthrough of the second tunnel spanning from North Island to South Island, marking a new chapter in—up until now—Virginia’s largest ever construction project. The first tunnel from South Island to North Island was completed in April 2024.

Performance-Based Evaluation (PBE) Technologies: Schnabel launched this innovative approach that has transformed how dam owners, regulators, and engineers assess the structural integrity and performance of concrete structures. Leveraging advanced monitoring and testing methods to measure actual dam behavior under operational conditions, these cutting-edge services provide real physical data using non-destructive techniques, enabling more accurate validation of numerical models and informed decision-making for major infrastructure projects.

Virgil R. Hazelett Reservoir, Henrico County, VA: The Virgil R. Hazelett Reservoir at Cobbs Creek (formerly the Cobbs Creek Reservoir) officially reaches full pool, holding nearly 15 billion gallons of water at 345 feet above sea level. This marks a major milestone in securing the region’s long-term water supply as it will provide a dependable water supply for the next 50 to 75 years.

The Marquette, MI office opened.

Oxbow Fish Hatchery Renovation: The Oxbow Fish Hatchery Renovation in Idaho reached a major milestone in early 2025 with the completion of construction on a fully modernized, world‑class facility designed to meet complex biological, operational, and regulatory needs. Key achievements included commissioning a new Snake River intake and pump station, rehabilitating two production wells, installing custom mechanical crowders and fish lift systems, and activating a new aeration tower feeding more than a mile of distribution piping, as well as numerous operational and flood resilience enhancements. With these upgrades, the hatchery is now equipped to reliably hold and spawn up to 3,000 adult spring Chinook and steelhead annually, supporting ecological health and fisheries across the region. This project received 1st place in the Water Resources category in ACEC of Idaho’s annual Engineering Excellence Awards competition.

Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts: In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in September 2024, Schnabel led the geotechnical and geostructural design of the complex retaining wall structures and roller-compacted concrete (RCC) buttress that was selected to reconstruct the embankment that supports I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge in western North Carolina.  The highway is critical infrastructure for interstate commerce and connecting communities across the southeastern US.  From November 2024 through 2025, Schnabel’s team logged hundreds of exploration borings, led the acquisition and interpretation of about 15 miles of surface geophysical investigations, defined the basis of design criteria in consultation with NCDOT and teaming partners, undertook tunnel inspections, and slope failure evaluations. In early 2026, we are finalizing design plans and specifications for the permanent reconstruction efforts.

Schnabel also provided critical dam safety support to multiple western North Carolina dam owners, including the town of Lake Lure and the city of Asheville, as they recovered from Hurricane Helene. At Lake Lure, Schnabel completed post‑storm inspections and assessments, an emergency repair subsurface investigation, finished a low‑level outlet retrofit, designed spillway gate seal repairs, and began design of a replacement dam. For Asheville, Schnabel designed repairs at North Fork Dam following storm‑related damage – with plans to reinstall a Fusegate that was tipped during the storm as designed.