About
About Us
Overview
Olson Engineering is a Small Business Enterprise (SBE) that provides state-of-the-art Structural and Infrastructure Condition Assessment using a wide variety of NDT technologies, and advanced ground imaging with multiple Geophysical methods for geologic, engineering and hydrologic applications. Investigations are performed throughout the U.S. and around the world. Projects are conducted for governmental agencies, commercial & private industry, and educational institutions.
Who We Are
Olson Engineering, Inc. was founded in 1985 by Mr. Larry Olson, our President and Chief Engineer. Mr. Olson is recognized as one of the pioneers in the development, commercialization, and application of unique Nondestructive Testing (NDT) technologies. As a widely known industry leader, Mr. Olson continues to diversify the applications of NDT.
The professional staff at Olson Engineering possess world-class expertise in a wide range of NDT and Geophysical consulting services. Our multidisciplinary group of employees are dedicated experts whose professional strengths enables Olson Engineering to develop state-of-the-art procedures, and build instruments and software to meet routine – and unique – project needs.
In the 35+ years Olson has been in business, we have provided NDT and Geophysical services to projects around the world and all 50 United States.
Olson’s corporate office is located in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. A branch office in Rockville, Maryland serves the East Coast.
The Executives
Larry Olson
President and Chief Engineer, M.S., P.E.
Larry Olson co-founded Olson Engineering and is internationally recognized as a leader in nondestructive evaluation. Mr. Olson has over 35 years of consulting experience in structural condition assessment, geotechnical, pavement, materials, geophysical and vibration engineering. He has conducted and/or reviewed as the Chief Engineer over 4000 projects.
Dennis Sack
Senior Vice President and Principal Engineer, P.E.
Dennis Sack supports the OE Consulting Group and the OI Design Group in the Colorado Office. Mr. Sack has a broad range of experience in NDT and evaluation of structural elements of various materials. He has extensive consulting experience in over 3800 nondestructive evaluation, vibration and geophysical investigations.
Patrick K. Miller
Associate Principal Engineer, M.S., P.E.
Patrick Miller is the Associate Principal Engineer at Olson Engineering, and manages the Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Group. He has been with Olson Engineering for 13 years, where he has been involved in nondestructive evaluation (NDE) engineering consulting projects on all types of civil structures, applied research including federally funded studies, and NDT product development for Olson Instruments on systems such as the Olson Resonant Tester (RT-1), Sonic Surface Scanner (S3) and Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD).
Company Milestones
1985
Olson Engineering opens.
1986 –
1987
Olson Engineering develops the first PC-based digital Crosshole Sonic Logging system
1990s
Olson Engineering performs historic preservation studies of the concrete substructure and marble on the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials as well as vibration damage mitigation and corrosion evaluation studies at the Jefferson Memorial
1993
Olson Engineering’s Crosshole Sonic Logging system is commercialized
1993
Larry Olson serves as the principal investigator on Phases 1 and 2 of an NCHRP 21-05 (2) research grant for the Determination of Unknown Bridge Foundations. The final report on an FHWA study for dynamic evaluation of bridge substructures is submitted in 2002
1995
Olson Instruments opens.
Larry Olson is the principal investigator in a Phase I NSF Ultrasonic Tomography study for concrete flaw imaging
1997-1998
Olson Engineering performs a construction quality audit of the embankments, bridge foundations and tunnel linings on a Korean High Speed Rail line from Seoul to Taejon, South Korea
2002
Olson Instruments works together with the Supreme Council of the Antiquities of the Egyptian Government, National Geographic, and iRobot Inc. to explore the Queen’s Chamber in the Cheops Pyramid in Cairo, Egypt, using the Olson Instruments Impact Echo (IE) head
2005-2009
Larry Olson serves as a co-PI on 2 NCHRP IDEA grants for stress wave scanning of bridge decks and for post-tensioned bridge ducts to check for void
2006
Larry Olson serves as the Principal Engineer for the Pilot Technology Transfer Project in a Joint Venture of Olson Engineering and Ultra Technologies in New Delhi, India for Northern Railways of Indian National Railways. This project involves the classroom training of 28 civil engineers, from 13 railways across India, on structural condition assessment of railway bridge piers and abutments. A total of six concrete and masonry bridges are nondestructively tested and evaluated with nine NDT&E methods in the New Delhi area. Detailed reports are submitted on each of the six bridges tested
2006-2007
Olson Engineering tests the Interstate 90 Indiana Toll Road near Gary, Indiana, for structural condition assessment of foundations, piers and abutments, beams and girders, and decks of eight steel/reinforced concrete bridges. Olson provides consultation services on steel and concrete repair designs for corroded decks, girders, beams, piers and abutments
2018-2019
Olson Engineering serves as the subject matter expert for the SHRP2 R06A (Nondestructive Testing for Concrete Bridge Decks) and R06G (Nondestructive Testing for Tunnel Linings) as well as R01B (Utility Investigation Technologies)