Reading the Ground
Subsurface investigation, borehole logging, lab testing, and statistical characterization of soil and rock to produce the design parameters every structure depends on.
St. Louis, MO · Available for collaboration
JAMES
KORE-QUAYE — Geotechnical & Tunneling Engineer
Assistant Consultant — Geotechnical & Tunneling/WSP USA
“Engineering what lies beneath. Building what comes next.”
WSP USA · Geotech & Tunneling
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01 · About
WHO I AM
James Kore-Quaye is a civil and geotechnical engineering professional with 3.5 years of experience delivering geotechnical analysis and field support across transportation, tunneling, and water infrastructure projects in the United States and Ghana. Based in St. Louis, MO, James works with WSP USA's geotechnical and tunneling team and is building at the intersection of underground engineering, AI, and business innovation through his venture, JKore Engineering and Farms.
3.5
Years of Experience
2
Years with WSP USA
10+
Projects Delivered
5
Countries / States
Roots · Ghana
Where the ground first taught me.
Before St. Louis, the field was Ghana. As a Geotechnical Intern at Golden Star Wassa Mine, I logged core and calculated RQD across active pit drilling sites in Akyempim. At Community Water & Sanitation Agency in Cape Coast, I supported O&M of a 7.5-mile distribution pipeline and supervised leak-repair crews. Then, as a Safety Officer at Manko Quarry in Apam, I ran field risk assessments for drill-and-blast operations and supported open-pit stability. Two continents, one craft — reading the ground.
02 · Discipline
GEOTECHNICAL & TUNNEL ENGINEERING
Every road, bridge, tower, and tunnel ultimately stands on the ground beneath it. Geotechnical engineering is the discipline that reads that ground — characterizing soil and rock, predicting how they behave under load and water, and designing the foundations, slopes, and earthworks that make modern infrastructure possible. Tunnel engineering takes that further, carving safe, durable passages through earth and rock for transit, water, and utilities — where ground conditions, machine performance, and ground support must be engineered in concert.
Built ground · In service
A transit tunnel at work — decades of geotechnical investigation, ground support, and construction monitoring made permanent.
Designing What Holds It Up
Slope stability, bearing capacity, deep foundations, and earth-retention systems — translating ground behavior into safe, constructible foundation solutions.
Engineering the Underground
Rock mass classification (RMR, Q-system), TBM performance analysis, GBR development, and ground support design for transit, stormwater, and CSO storage tunnels.
Why it matters
Ground is the one material engineers do not get to specify — it is inherited from geology. Geotechnical and tunnel engineering turn that uncertainty into design: managing risk, controlling water and stress, and unlocking dense cities, resilient transit, and cleaner water systems that simply could not exist above ground.
03 · Expertise
CORE COMPETENCIES
Each competency links to a detailed breakdown — methods, tools, and where I've applied them in the field.
Geotechnical Engineering
Slope stability, subsurface profiling, bearing capacity, soil classification, Atterberg limits.
Explore Geotechnical EngineeringTunnel Engineering
GBR development, TBM performance analysis, RMR & Q-system classification, ground support design.
Explore Tunnel EngineeringSubsurface Investigation
Borehole supervision, SPT & Shelby tube sampling, core logging, RQD, HDD pressure analysis.
Explore Subsurface InvestigationDeep Foundations
Micropile, drilled shaft, and driven pile inspection; construction conformance verification.
Explore Deep FoundationsEnvironmental Monitoring
Groundwater, methane, and H₂S monitoring; ERT for pipeline leak detection.
Explore Environmental MonitoringSoftware & Tools
Slope/W, Seep/W, Civil 3D, AutoCAD, ArcGIS Pro, Res2D/3D, Earth Imager 2D/3D.
Explore Software & Tools04 · Portfolio
PROJECT EXPERIENCE
Boston, MA/Inspector
Logan International Airport — Terminal E Parking Garage
Deep foundation inspection for garage and canopy — micropiles, drilled shafts, driven piles. Verified contractor conformance, documented daily progress, coordinated with airport stakeholders.
Deep FoundationsConstruction InspectionTransportation
Plaquemine, LA/Supervisor
US-Westlake Brine Pipeline Replacement
Supervised 6-borehole subsurface investigation (260 LF) using dry/wet rotary drilling. Directed SPT and Shelby tube sampling; led field crews and coordinated with client.
PipelineSubsurface InvestigationField Supervision
Detroit, MI/Assistant Consultant
I-94 Stormwater Drainage Tunnel
Analyzed boring logs and subsurface data; developed statistical distributions of soil parameters to support GBR baseline values for a stormwater drainage tunnel.
Tunnel EngineeringGBRGeotechnical Characterization
St. Louis, MO/Intern
RDP Tribs & URDP CSO Storage Tunnel
Determined Rock Mass Rating (RMR) from core logs and geologic mapping data. Developed geotechnical design parameters and summarized ground support implications.
Rock Mass ClassificationTunnel SupportRMR
St. Louis, MO/Intern
Lower Meramec Tunnel
Processed and analyzed TBM production data and environmental monitoring (groundwater, methane, H₂S). Built organized datasets to support field decision-making and reporting.
TBMEnvironmental MonitoringTunneling
Wichita, KS/Assistant Consultant
US-54 / East Kellogg Phase 1
Slope-stability analyses for 28 bridge abutments. Developed subsurface profiles from boring logs for deep foundation recommendations.
Slope StabilityBridge FoundationsTransportation
Clay, NY/Intern
White Pine HDD Crossings
Drilling-fluid and annular pressure calculations for 7 HDD crossings. Documented pressure limits and communicated constructability considerations to the project team.
HDDPipelineBore Stability
Edwardsville, IL/Graduate Research Assistant
SIUE Graduate Research — ERT Pipeline Detection
Research using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) for subsurface investigation and detection of leaking pipelines. Performed PSD, Atterberg limit, and Proctor testing.
ERTResearchGeophysics
05 · Credentials
EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS
Education
- MS Civil Engineering — GeotechnicalSouthern Illinois University EdwardsvilleExpected 2026
- BS Geological EngineeringKwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Ghana2020
Certifications & Awards
- OSHA-10 Hour Construction Safety & Health
- NAT 2024 Conference Attendance Scholarship
- Research Grant for Graduate Students (RGGS) — SIUE, 2023
- Competitive Graduate Award (CGA) — SIUE, 2023
Professional Affiliations
ASCE — American Society of Civil EngineersGeo-Institute of ASCENSBE — National Society of Black EngineersUCA — Underground Construction AssociationAEG — Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists
06 · Sports & Athletics
OFF THE CLOCK, ON THE MOVE
Engineering rewards endurance, focus, and pacing — the same traits sport keeps sharp. Running, football, and strength training are the weekly counterweight to long hours underground and at the desk.
2025 · SIUE Homecoming Run
Cougars Unleashed 10K · Finish Line
Crossing the line with a running partner — pacing, push, and a shared finish.
2025 · SIUE Alumni Run
Post-Race Medal Moment
10K in the books. Training weeks rewarded with a hard-earned medal.
Summer · Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Cardinals Game Day
Catching the energy at Cardinals Nation — baseball, sun, and a packed plaza.
2025 · Edwardsville, IL
Race Day · Medal Moment
10K finisher. Endurance training as a weekly ritual.
Year-round · Community Pitch
Sunday League Football
Lifelong footballer — touch, tempo, and teamwork off the clock.
Weekly · Cross-training
Strength & Conditioning
Resistance work to support running mileage and field play.
Spring · SIUE Practice Field
Pitch Session with a Teammate
Pre-match warmup — camaraderie and craft before kickoff.
Fall · Local Course
Golf Day with the Crew
A round on the links — strategy, patience, and good company.
07 · Conferences
CONFERENCES ATTENDED
Active participation in industry gatherings on tunneling, geotechnical engineering, and seismic resilience — engaging with leading practitioners and emerging research.
2024 · Nashville, TN
North American Tunneling Conference
Attendance Scholarship Recipient
2024 · Nashville, TN
NAT 2024 — Gaylord Opryland
Underground Construction Association
2024 · Nashville, TN
NAT 2024 — Networking Sessions
Student Delegate
2023 / 2024 · St. Louis, MO
ASCE Structural & GeoConfluence
Geo-Institute of ASCE
Full Conference Record
- North American Tunneling Conference — 2024, Nashville, TN
- Geo-Institute: A Decade of Seismic Resistance Advances — 2024, St. Louis, MO
- Geo-Institute Geo-Legend Panel & Student Projects — 2024, St. Louis, MO
- ASCE Structural and GeoConfluence — 2023, St. Louis, MO
08 · Ventures
BEYOND THE OFFICE
Venture
JKore Engineering and Farms
A personal venture focused on integrating engineering expertise, AI-driven workflows, and sustainable farming innovations. Building toward the intersection of engineering, automation, and impact-driven entrepreneurship.
Explore JKEF
Education
AI & Engineering Education
Exploring AI tools, generative workflows, and digital strategies to transform how engineers work and communicate. Passionate about AI education, productivity systems, and building scalable knowledge platforms.
09 · Contact
LET'S CONNECT
Open to engineering collaborations, AI workflow conversations, speaking opportunities, and strategic partnerships.