GTA is pleased to announce that Andres Villarreal has been promoted to Associate.

Over the past six years, Andres has played an integral role in advancing GTA’s geotechnical services through technical leadership, thoughtful analysis, and a strong understanding of how subsurface conditions influence project outcomes in the built environment.

Andres specializes in geotechnical investigations and in situ testing, soil and rock mechanics, slope stability and settlement assessment, geo-structural analysis, foundation design, earth retaining structures, earthquake engineering, geotechnical risk assessment and mitigation, ground improvement, advanced laboratory testing, and construction material testing. Clients benefit from his ability to integrate field data, laboratory results, and engineering judgment to develop recommendations that support constructability, schedule, and long-term performance.

His experience in laboratory testing has been fundamental in the continued development of GTA’s advanced laboratory testing capabilities. Andres has played a direct role in expanding the firm’s use of direct, simple, and torsional shear testing, consolidation and swell testing, triaxial testing, and thermal testing, strengthening the technical support available for complex subsurface conditions.

Andres’ project experience spans industrial, mixed use, residential, institutional, and infrastructure work. He has served as the project geotechnical engineer for multiple projects across Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, including the 400-acre National Capital Business Park site in Prince George’s County, managing extensive subsurface exploration programs and designing retaining wall systems exceeding 40 feet in height in a complex geological setting. He has also supported challenging remedial projects such as the geo-structural stabilization with soil nails of two existing geogrid-reinforced retaining walls (accumulated height of 45 feet), supporting commercial buildings at Coca Cola Drive in Howard County, that experienced failure and deep-seated global instability. Academy Yards in Anne Arundel County, where low strength soils and existing fills required tailored foundation and earthwork strategies.

Additional experience includes residential, commercial, industrial, and public sector projects such as the Parkside development in Prince George’s County, MD; Watershed community and Waugh Chapel Business Park in Anne Arundel County, MD; Faulkner Ridge Elementary School and Democracy Center in Howard County, MD; 301 Florida Avenue Apartments and Boys Town redevelopment in Washington, D.C.; and Windsor Oaks in Prince William County, VA, where coordination with owners, designers, and contractors was critical to addressing difficult subsurface conditions efficiently.

Andres is a licensed Professional Engineer in Maryland and holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, as well as a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Cartagena in Colombia. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Maryland Building Industry Association, and NAIOP Maryland. His published research in liquefaction analysis, seismic site response, and geotechnical monitoring reflects the strong analytical foundation he brings to client projects.

Andres’ continued leadership and technical depth strengthen the geotechnical services GTA provides to clients advancing complex and ambitious development goals.