Geotechnical Manual

The Geotechnical Manual documents the Department's standards of practice for geotechnical investigations, design, and reporting.

Attention Consultants: Rules and information regarding document updates and implementation are provided in this Message to our Consultant Partners.

For questions on documents listed below or requests for documents that are not currently available, contact:GS@dot.ca.gov

Table of Contents

Module	Implementation Date	Revision Logs
Introduction (PDF)	June 2022	Rev. Log - Introduction (PDF)
Reporting Standards
Foundation Reports for Bridges (PDF)	July 2024	Rev. Log - FR for Bridges (PDF)
Foundation Reports for Earth Retaining Systems (PDF) Foundation Reports for Earth Retaining Systems (PDF)	January 2026 February 2024	Rev. Log - FR for ERS (PDF)
Foundation Reports for Buildings and Miscellaneous Structures (PDF)	July 2024	Rev. Log - FR for Buildings (PDF)
Geotechnical Design Reports (PDF) Geotechnical Design Reports (PDF)	January 2026 February 2021	Rev. Log - GDR (PDF)
Geotechnical Notes for Specifications (PDF)	January 2022	Rev. Log - Notes for Specs (PDF)
Geotechnical Non-Standard Special Provision Process (PDF)	June 2022	Rev. Log - NSSP (PDF)
Investigations
Geotechnical Investigations (PDF)	November 2023	Rev. Log - Investigations (PDF)
Soil and Rock Logging, Classification, and Presentation	July 2023
Borehole Location (PDF)	April 2023	Rev. Log - Borehole Location (PDF)
Groundwater (PDF)	September 2025	Rev. Log - Groundwater (PDF)
Corrosion Evaluation (PDF)	March 2022	Rev. Log - Corrosion Evaluation (PDF)
Design
Standard Plan Designs (PDF)	November 2010	Rev. Log - Std. Plan Designs (PDF)
Soil Correlations (PDF)	March 2021	Rev. Log - Soil Correlations (PDF)
Geotechnical Design Parameters (PDF)	July 2022	Rev. Log - Geotech Design Parameters (PDF)
CPT Design Parameters (PDF)	September 2023	Rev. Log - CPT Design Parameters (PDF)
Seismic
Design Acceleration Response Spectrum (PDF)	January 2021	Rev. Log - Design ARS (PDF)
Liquefaction Evaluation (PDF) Liquefaction Evaluation (PDF)	January 2026 January 2020	Rev. Log -Liquefaction (PDF)
Fault Rupture (PDF)	October 2022	Rev. Log -Fault Rupture (PDF)
Lateral Spreading (PDF) Lateral Spreading (PDF) Lateral Spreading Example (PDF)	January 2026 January 2020	Rev. Log -Lateral Spreading (PDF)
Site-Specific Dynamic Ground Response Analysis (PDF)	March 2022	Rev. Log - Site-Specific DGRA (PDF)
Seismic Overall Slope Stability (PDF)	December 2025
Earth Retaining Systems
Earth Retaining Systems Type Selection (PDF)	August 2024	Rev. Log - ERS Type Selection (PDF)
Conventional Retaining Walls (PDF) Conventional Retaining Walls (PDF)	January 2026 February 2024	Rev. Log - Conventional Walls (PDF)
Mechanically Stabilized Embankments (PDF)	January 2026	Rev. Log - MSE (PDF)
Mechanically Stabilized Embankments (Caltrans Pre-Designed) (PDF)	January 2021	Rev. Log - MSE Pre-Designed (PDF)
Mechanically Stabilized Embankments (Non-Standard Design) (PDF)	January 2021	Rev. Log - MSE Non-Standard (PDF)
Soil Nail Walls (PDF) Soil Nail Walls (PDF)	January 2026 November 2021	Rev. Log - Soil Nail Walls (PDF)
Non-Gravity Cantilever Retaining Walls (PDF) Non-Gravity Cantilever Retaining Walls (PDF)	January 2026 February 2024	Rev. Log - Non-Gravity Walls (PDF)
Ground Anchor Earth Retaining Systems (PDF) Ground Anchor Earth Retaining Systems (PDF)	January 2026 February 2024	Rev. Log - Ground Anchor Walls (PDF)
Seismic Design of Earth Retaining Systems (PDF) Seismic Design of Earth Retaining Systems (PDF)	January 2026 May 2023	Rev. Log - Seismic Design ERS (PDF)
Earth Pressure Coefficients using the Generalized Limit Equilibrium Method (PDF)	September 2023	Rev. Log - Earth Pressure Coefficients using GLE (PDF)
Overall Stability Modeling of Earth Retaining Systems (PDF) Appendix (PDF)	September 2025
Structure Foundations
Bridge Foundation Selection (PDF)	September 2022	Rev. Log - Bridge Foundation Selection (PDF)
Shallow Foundations for Bridges (PDF)	February 2021	Rev. Log - Shallow Foundations (PDF)
Driven Pile Foundations - December 2021 (PDF)	December 2021	Rev. Log - Driven Piles (PDF)
Cast-In-Drilled-Hole (CIDH) Pile Foundations (PDF)	July 2024	Rev. Log - CIDH Piles (PDF)
Building and Miscellaneous Structure Foundations (PDF)	July 2024	Rev. Log - Buildings (PDF)
Downdrag (PDF) Downdrag (PDF)	January 2026 January 2020	Rev. Log - Downdrag (PDF)
Micropiles (PDF)	February 2021	Rev. Log - Micropiles (PDF)
Vertical Ground Anchors (PDF)	January 2020	Rev. Log - Vertical Ground Anchors (PDF)
Overhead Signs and Electrical Systems (PDF) Standard Plan Overhead Signs and Electrical Systems (PDF)	January 2026 September 2022	Rev. Log - OH Signs (PDF)
Sound Walls (PDF) Sound Walls (PDF)	January 2026 December 2020	Rev. Log - Sound Walls (PDF)
Below Grade Structures (PDF) Below Grade Structures (PDF)	January 2026 November 2023	Rev. Log - Below Grade Structures (PDF)
Seal Course (PDF)	September 2024	Rev. Log - Seal Course (PDF)
Earthwork
Embankments (PDF) Embankments (PDF)	January 2026 December 2014	Rev. Log - Embankments (PDF)
Geosynthetic Reinforced Embankments (PDF) Geosynthetic Reinforced Embankments (PDF)	January 2026 September 2023	Rev. Log - Geosynthetic Reinforced Embankments (PDF)
Landslides (PDF) Landslides (PDF)	January 2026 January 2020	Rev. Log - Landslides (PDF)
Debris Flows (PDF)	September 2025	Rev. Log - Debris Flows (PDF)
Soil Cut Slopes (PDF) Soil Cut Slopes (PDF)	January 2026 January 2020	Rev. Log - Soil Cut Slopes (PDF)
Rock Cut Slopes (PDF) Rock Cut Slopes (PDF)	January 2026 March 2021	Rev. Log - Rock Cut Slopes (PDF)
Rockfall (PDF) Rockfall (PDF)	January 2026 December 2020	Rev. Log - Rockfall (PDF)
Collapsible Soil (PDF) Collapsible Soil (PDF)	January 2026 February 2024	Rev. Log - Collapsible Soil (PDF)
Ground Modification (PDF) Ground Modification (PDF)	January 2026 March 2021	Rev. Log - Ground Modification (PDF)
Grouting (PDF) Grouting (PDF)	January 2026 March 2022	Rev. Log - Grouting (PDF)
Geosynthetics (PDF)	May 2013	Rev. Log - Geosynthetics (PDF)
Trenchless Construction (PDF) Trenchless Construction (PDF)	January 2026 December 2023	Rev. Log - Trenchless Construction (PDF)
Stormwater and Wastewater Best Management Practices (PDF) Stormwater and Wastewater Best Management Practices (PDF)	January 2026 April 2022	Rev. Log - Stormwater and Wastewater (PDF)
Technical Administration
Alternative Contracts and Consultant Oversight (PDF)	April 2022	Rev. Log - Alternative Contracts (PDF)
Cost Estimating (PDF)	May 2022	Rev. Log - Cost Estimating (PDF)
Emergency Response (PDF)	September 2022	Rev. Log - Emergency Response (PDF)

Geotechnical Manual

Statewide Campaigns

Statewide Campaigns

Statewide Campaigns

Statewide Campaigns