Lessons from floodsp11 Florida bridge failings p12 Managing stormwater p23 New Civil Engineer DECEMBER 2019

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07617_002_WAV_Q-Bic Plus Campaign_Ticks Ad G_NCE_265x210__New Brand_AW.indd 1 05/11/2019 12:30 New Civil Engineer NET ZERO CHALLENGE COULD REVITALISE HIGH SPEED 2

MARK HANSFORD EDITOR

ew ICE president Paul Sheffield entered office this month It is time for civil engineering with a clear message to civil engineering professionals worldwide: it is time to get serious about tackling the to step up to the challenge and N climate emergency. His call to arms could not have been better timed. show other sectors how net zero can be Sheffield was delivering his address as prime minister Boris Johnson was belatedly convening the government’s emergency Cobra committee to achieved discuss devastating floods across northern England. Meanwhile, Venice was being submerged by the city’s highest tide in 50 years and, across the other side of the world, Australia was battling catastrophic bushfires. “led the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s engagement on HS2 and was All are attributed to climate change and, finally, key influencers from the only person permitted to petition the High Speed Rail Bill Committee lawmakers to global sports bodies are taking action. In the UK, we have about HS2 legislation regarding its climate change impacts. enshrined in law a commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by Smyth recommends using the net zero obligation to reboot HS2’s 2050, making Britain the first major economy to do so. environmental narrative and relaunch it to coincide with the project’s tenth And, as Sheffield said, it is time for civil engineering to step up to the anniversary. He argues that the government’s forthcoming Transport De- challenge and show other sectors how net zero can be achieved. carbonisation Strategy should be used as an opportunity to commit to The ICE’s annual State of the Nation report will next year show the way. But making rail, as opposed to air, the longer distance travel mode of choice the industry cannot wait and must start having the difficult conversations. – and that any moves to curtail HS2 will weaken, not improve, its carbon By various reckonings, the built environment has a major effect on 80% case by reducing the wider benefits the project unlocks from released of UK emissions. Within the infrastructure space, we know from the Infra- capacity and sustainable housing development. structure Carbon Review and its associated technical report that emis- Smyth’s report demands consideration alongside the (now leaked) sions from UK infrastructure account for some half of that total. Oakervee review that also calls for the full route to be built. Projects have to change – how they are designed; how they are de- The HS2 project is clearly not perfect; Oakervee’s review accepts that livered – and questions should be asked of clients about whether they the procurement was “deeply flawed” and that costs still need to be con- should be built at all. trolled. And ongoing questions over the ways the project promoter treats High Speed 2 (HS2) has faced – and continues to face – plenty of ques- its engineers need answering. tions about whether it should be built. And thus far the net zero question But HS2 will form a crucial part of the UK’s transition to net zero. As has not been a comfortable one because, despite plenty of net zero bene- the transport sector undertakes an irreversible shift towards net zero fits in use, it does use an awful lot of concrete in construction. emission mobility, a high capacity fully electrified railway such as HS2 is But that could now change. A timely and independent report published essential to making this happen. this month sets out the crucial role that HS2 will play in the UK achieving As Sheffield says, “Creating a sustainable future is our biggest challenge its net zero targets by 2050. HS2 – towards a zero carbon future examines and should lie at the heart of everything we do. We have the technology the carbon case for HS2, considering its impacts from construction, op- and capability at our fingertips and we can change the world.” eration and modal shift. The independent review commissioned by High Through projects like HS2 we will do that. Speed Rail Industry Leaders was produced by Ralph Smyth, who formerly l Mark Hansford is New Civil Engineer’s editor

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 3 Contents NEW CIVIL ENGINEER DECEMBER 2019 MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

08 News, Comment 23 Future of & Analysis Stormwater

08 The Edit: Crossrail opening delayed to ‘sometime in 2021’

08 The Edit: Grenfell Tower cladding breached Building Regs

09 Wylfa green light decision put back

11 Inside Track: Flood lessons

12 Inside Track: Engineers blamed for Florida bridge collapse

20 Your View: Powering electric vehicles; tackling water waste; poorly conceived projects

52 ICE News: Hong Kong-Zhuhai- Macau bridge wins People’s Choice Award; She eld gives inaugural address

16 Big Climate change is impacting the UK’s infrastructure in Interview many ways, but fl ood risk, and in particular the risk of fl ooding from surface water, poses one of the most pressing challenges for engineers

24 Localised sustainable drainage 32 Will England follow the lead of systems are gaining weight as Wales and make sustainable stormwater management methods drainage systems mandatory on all new developments? Much 28 An innovative housing depends on the way English fl ood development in Leeds is using 16 Incoming ICE President Paul defence policies are enforced by a range of sustainable drainage local government and water She eld is a dyed in the wool systems as fl ood protection contractor with global experience companies

4 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER DECEMBER 2019 For instant updates follow us: Twitter: @ncedigital LinkedIn: new civil engineer Facebook: ncedigital

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37 Innovative Also this month EDITORIAL TEAM Thinking EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Email: [email protected]

Editor Mark Hansford (020) 3953 2821 mark.hansford

Deputy Editor Alexandra Wynne (020) 3953 2822 alexandra.wynne

Associate Editor Emily Ashwell (020) 3953 2094 emily.ashwell LISTEN: THE ENGINEERS COLLECTIVE 38 Digital twins start to yield results on The latest episode of New Civil Engineer’s podcast News Editor Rob Horgan major projects explores ways the industry can address net zero with (020) 3953 2087 rob.horgan Forum for the Future chairman Keith Clarke 40 Cleveland Bridge probes Humber newcivilengineer.com/podcast Reporter Bridge cables for evidence of Sam Sholli (020) 3953 2086 | sam.sholli corrosion (pictured) ATTEND: TUNNELLING FESTIVAL Chief Sub Editor 51 Beach recharge programme protects Plan your visit to New Civil Engineer’s Andy Bolton (020) 3953 2823 | andy.bolton North Norfolk communities Tunnelling Festival on 5 December. Go to tunnelling.newcivilengineer.com Designer James McCarthy [email protected]

42 SME Graphic Artist Anthea Carter Interview [email protected]

Technical Editor Emeritus Dave Parker dave.parker

CUSTOMER SERVICES (020) 3953 2152 [email protected]

ENTER Showcase your talent by entering the New Civil Engineer 42 SME Interview: Stormharvester Graduate & Apprentice Awards has a smart solution to surface graduates.newcivilengineer.com water induced fl ooding

DECEMBER 2019 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 5 Lighthouse ICE VIEWPOINT The next government must address infrastructure and climate challenges

n just a few short new government to deliver those weeks, Britain outcomes. The will have a new First, Britain needs a national government I government – its strategy for infrastructure. One that third this year. It takes a long-term, joined-up view should also take goes without saying that whatever of our future infrastructure needs, this government may be, it will based on evidence. The work of the steps to incentivise have a major role to play in taking National Infrastructure Commission decisions on the future shape of the BY ART WE is a solid base on which to build the uptake of offsite country’s infrastructure networks. MASTER such a strategy. “manufacturing for The ICE’s mission is to ensure WHAT WOULD Underscoring the significance society gets the infrastructure it MASTER US of this need, our research shows construction needs and that it can trust that it that 75% of the public agree with will be delivered. the statement: “The UK is in need The Institution will be making of a new national strategy for the case to the new government infrastructure”. delivery. Many innovative solutions for infrastructure that drives the A strategy is important; not exist to help address productivity economic growth necessary to something just for civil servants to and the health of the business enhance the UK’s position in the get excited about – but a clear story environment sector, however global economy, that supports a about where the country is going, government action can help to high quality of life and that realises and the infrastructure needed to get propel forward this change. a low carbon future. us there. Some of the things we’d like to see To that end, there are important Second, we must address the include setting out further support next steps that must be taken by the burning platform – of our burning for the principles of Project 13 as a planet. We need to take robust steps new model to improve the delivery to deliver on the target of net zero of major infrastructure projects and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, programmes. as recommended by the Committee The government should also on Climate Change. take steps to incentivise the Britain needs While the scale of tackling that uptake of offsite manufacturing challenge is significant, the impact for construction, by targeting key a national of doing nothing is even more so. public projects in the infrastructure strategy for This is why the ICE, alongside other pipeline and mandating the use of civil engineering organisations, has offsite construction. infrastructure. One declared a climate and biodiversity The new government will have emergency. Next year, its annual to prioritise its agenda quickly that takes a long- State of the Nation report will be – ensuring a coherent and clear “term, joined-up tackling what steps must be taken. strategy for infrastructure that Lastly, we must not forget meets our society’s future needs the important need to improve must be near the top of that list. view of our future productivity across the built l Comments about the Lighthouse infrastructure needs environment sector and with it, Column to [email protected]

6 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 CIVILS UTILITIES POWER & FIBRE HIRE 01685 374771 0344 2511 999 0344 2511 666 0344 8244 482 MORE NEWS HIGH SPEED 2 HS2 CONTRACTS Sign up for FACE RETENDER The Edit New Civil SAYS INDEPENDENT THE BIGGEST STORIES OF THE MONTH Engineer’s REVIEW FROM NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM Breaking, Daily and Major contracts for High Speed 2 (HS2) may have to be retendered, a Weekly news leaked version of the independent alerts at review into the project led by former newcivil HS2 Ltd chair Doug Oakervee has revealed. A leaked copy of the engineer. Oakervee report into HS2, published com/ in The Times, concludes that the procurement process for the first newsletters phase of the line was “deeply flawed”. The review also concludes that costs will rise above the revised £88bn figure released in August. It recommends that the line should still be built in full, but with fewer trains per hour than originally planned. It adds that the project’s cost benefit to the public from has fallen from £2.30 for every £1 spent, to between £1.30 and £1.50.

STRUCTURES KEY STATS GRENFELL TOWER CLADDING Crossrail opening date delayed to £650M ‘BREACHED BUILDING Value of REGS’ SAYS JUDGE latest ‘sometime in 2021’ as costs rise The judge leading the Grenfell tower Crossrail inquiry has ruled that its external again and stations near completion cost increase cladding breached regulations and “actively promoted fire spread” after suffering a “total failure” to CROSSRAIL was the first part of our previously compartmentalise the blaze. Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild declared opening window. The Giving his ruling on the first phase has ruled out the possibility of Elizabeth line will open as soon as of the inquiry Sir Martin Moore-Bick opening the central section of the practically possible in 2021, he said. said that changes made to the Elizabeth line during 2020. Wild said Wild commended tier one contractors building during its refurbishment that a “mountain has already been for their work on stations and tunnels. in 2016 meant it was “non-compliant” overcome” but told the Rail Industry In particular he praised contractors with regulations. Pinpointing the Association annual conference that working at Bond Street and cladding system as a primary cause there is “still a long way to go” before Whitechapel for “turning a corner” on of the flame spread, Moore-Bick’s the project is complete. He said that the line’s “more difficult” stations. He report noted that “the principal previous targets to open the line in added: “A key focus during 2019 has reason why the flames spread so the autumn of 2020 were no longer been finalising the stations, tunnels, rapidly up, down and around the realistic. Instead he said the line portals and shafts. By the end of the building was the presence of the would open “at some point” during year, Custom House, Farringdon and aluminium composite material 2021, and could cost up to £650M Tottenham Court Road stations will rainscreen panels with polyethylene more than current estimates. “Crossrail be complete and the project is on cores, which acted as a source of Ltd will need further time to complete track to finish fit-out of the tunnels in fuel”. The inquiry report adds that software development for the signalling January. The central section will be “there was compelling evidence that and train systems and the safety substantially complete by the end of the external walls of the building also approvals process for the railway,” he the first quarter of 2020, except for failed to comply with [Building said. “The opening of the central Bond Street and Whitechapel stations Regulations]” and “actively promoted” section will not occur in 2020, which where work will continue.” fire spread.

8 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 GEOTECHNICS CAR PARK GETS MAKEOVER

Developer Reef Group has submitted plans to Westminster Council to transform the car park in London’s Cavendish Square into a “mixed-use destination in the heart of London’s West End”, with an investment in excess of £100M. The plans involve creating 26,012m2 of space across four storeys below ground level. Statement entrances to Harley Street and Regent Street will complete the development.

TUNNELS ENERGY TUNNELS POLYHALITE MINE LEADSOM PUTS BACK SILVERTOWN DEVELOPER SEEKS DECISION ON WYLFA CONTRACT AWARD £466M TO FUND NUCLEAR PLANT SUSPENSION ORDER PROJECT COSTS GREEN LIGHT IS LIFTED

Sirius Minerals is looking for a Business secretary Andrea Leadsom Transport for London (TfL) has been strategic investor to back a revised has deferred her decision on whether given the go-ahead to award its £1bn development plan for its £4.2bn to push ahead with the £16bn nuclear Silvertown Tunnel contract, after a Yorkshire polyhalite mine project. power project on Anglesey. Leadsom High Court suspension order was Sirius is currently seeking to raise was expected to rule on the application lifted. Losing Silver Thames Connect £466M ($600M) by March to fund the for a development consent order (STC) had submitted a Part 7 Claim project until shaft sinking at the site is (DCO) for the Wylfa Newydd plant to the Technology & Construction completed and the polyhalite fertiliser in November. However, the business court, preventing TfL from awarding ingredient can be accessed. Another secretary has bought herself more the contract. STC is still pursuing funding round will then take place to time, requesting more information on damages but has consented to the Liebigcover NCE the secondRevised phase ad Dec of work.2019_Layout 1 11/5/19environmental 5:01 PM impacts Page of1 the scheme. suspension order being lifted.

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new code of practice to be launched by Large areas of northern [construction research body] Ciria next England were hit by month. This will encourage the retrofit- flooding in November ting of measures such as flood doors and cement-based wall and floor finishes to avoid buildings being so badly damaged by flood water.” But much more must be done. A 2012 progress review of the Pitt review – the last update given – found that only 43 of Pitt’s 92 recommendations had been implemented. The main recommenda- tions so far ignored concern alterations needed to houses to help them cope with floods. Balmforth said major improvements since the Pitt review included major infrastructure investments and improv- ing the speed at which the Met Office and the Environment Agency set up their joint office to provide more accurate flood warnings and mapping. Another successfully implemented Pitt review recommendation is the use of military engineers to assist with emer- gency flood defence operations. Pitt’s report recommends that “the Ministry of FLOODING Defence should identify a small number of trained Armed Forces personnel who Have we learned from the 2007 floods? can be deployed to advise Gold Com- mands on logistics during wide-area civil emergencies and, working with Cabinet Many Pitt recommendations have still to be implemented Office, identify a suitable mechanism for deployment.” BY EMILY PRESCOTT This recommendation has been adopt- ed, and the army was deployed across the country during November. Major Ben ost-apocalyptic scenes of northern from their home in this round of floods. Foster, a commander from 170 Engineer- towns under water are leading But many areas remain unable to cope. ing Group, told New Civil Engineer that many to call into question how Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster this collaborative effort helped prevent Pmuch the UK’s flood management are among the worst hit areas, 12 years damage to 3,500 properties in flood hit systems have progressed since the after they were also badly flooded when Doncaster in November. Called to action deluge of 2007 prompted a major flood the River Don burst its banks. During by the Environment Agency, Foster defence policy rethink. the first two weeks of November more helped in an operation to lower water In the summer of 2007, 48,461 homes than 4,300 properties had been evacuat- levels which involved plugging a breach were flooded and the government com- ed due to extreme rainfall as New Civil in a wet well in Bentley with more than missioned Sir Michael Pitt to write his Engineer went to press. Between 7 and 30t of gravel, as well as liaising with the comprehensive Lessons learned from the 8 November 82.2mm of rainfall was re- Environment Agency about how to best 2007 floods review. corded in Sheffield – more than an entire use pumps. Since then the Environment Agency month’s average. “From my perspective, as a military has invested more than £2.6bn in flood ICE past president, MWH executive guy turning up and just watching this defence schemes. East Riding of York- technical director and flood specialist operation being run by the Environment shire Council – one of the worst hit areas David Balmforth says that more could Agency, I thought it was really slick,” in 2007 – has invested £60M in flood pre- be done to help communities like these Foster said. vention, including terraced lagoons and become more flood resilient. “They were collaborating well. Ev- a vast glass wall flood defence structure “An area which has lagged behind is erybody was cool, calm and collective near Hull. And so far, no one in Hull and making buildings more resilient to flood- and doing everything they could in the the surrounding areas has been removed ing but now that’s catching up with a response,” said Foster.

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 11 Inside Track Xxxxx xxxx xxxxx NORTH MIAMI Orlando BEACH N West Palm STRUCTURES Beach MIAMI Central pylon (33m high) Miami Florida bridge flaws International Airport FIU BRIDGE COLLAPSE Steel tubes

Top chord Blister MIAMI Design and construction errors canopy BEACH Lift Florida International MIAMI led to FIU bridge collapse University 5km

1 BY SAM SHOLLI 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 rrors during design and South 9 Pier 10 construction led to the fatal 11 collapse of the under-construction 12 COLLAPSED EFlorida International University (FIU) MAIN SPAN bridge in 2018, said the US National 8th Street POINT OF FAILURE Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) E A S T B O U N D in its final report. Central Pier The report concludes that design Truss Back span calculation errors made by Figg Bridge members

Engineers were ultimately to blame for W E S T B O U N D

the collapse of the main span which CANAL killed five motorists and one construc- tion worker in March 2018. North lift The main span was a concrete truss, FIU BRIDGE spanning 53m across a major highway. Twelve truss members were aligned along the structure’s centreline. Each measured 500mm wide and between 600mm and 900mm deep connecting the walkway deck and an overhead canopy. At the time of collapse the main span was the only section to have been installed. The adjoining 30m backspan at one end was to take the footbridge across a canal. A 33m tall pylon was to Collapse: The FIU bridge be built on top of the pier where the failure killed six people backspan and main span met. This was in March 2018 an architectural feature with 10 diagonal steel “pipes” hanging off it to give the impression that the bridge was a cable what the design team had calculated.” dent peer review and failed to perform stayed structure. It continues: “The design team also an adequate review of the Figg Bridge The NTSB report says that the “prob- overestimated the capacity of the node to Engineers design plans and to recognise able causes” of the collapse were load resist shear (horizontal force) where the the significant under-design of the steel and capacity calculation errors made by nodal region (11/12) was connected to reinforcement within the 11/12 node, Figg in its design of the 11/12 “nodal re- the bridge deck. which was unable to resist the horizon- gion” or “node”, where the diagonal and “This overestimation was the result of tal shear between diagonal 11 and the vertical truss members connected to the the designer using incorrect loads and bridge deck.” bridge deck at the central pier. load factors in its calculations. These two It adds: “Errors in design may occur, The report states: “The bridge design design errors resulted in a node that lacked but systems should be in place to catch team made two errors that resulted the capacity to resist the shear force push- those errors when they do occur. In this in the under-design of the nodal area ing the node to the end of the bridge.” case, a firm [Louis Berger] was hired to (11/12) that failed, resulting in the The report adds that a design review independently review the bridge design collapse. First, the design team under- performed by consultant Louis Berger for errors. estimated the demand (loads imposed was inadequate and failed to spot the “However, the review conducted by on structural members) that would be calculation errors. It added that Louis this firm did not evaluate the nodes of acting on the nodal area. Berger was not even accredited to carry the bridge truss where they connected “The investigation compared out such work by the Florida Department with the bridge deck and canopy, nor post-collapse calculations for the of Transportation. did it consider the multiple stages the demands on the node with the design It states: “Louis Berger was not bridge construction involved.” calculations. This comparison found that qualified by the Florida Department of The report adds that failure to the demand for the node was nearly twice Transportation to conduct an indepen- determine the serious nature of cracks in

12 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 MORE NEWS NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM

the structure before its collapse also con- SMART MOTORWAYS M1 and M62 north of London; the M4 tributed to the severity of the incident. and M5 around Bristol. There are also The NTSB report states that work Faster and safer? sections of smart motorway on the M25, should have been halted and the road be- the M3 and the M20. neath the bridge should have been shut Meanwhile, the M4 is currently under- before the collapse on 15 March 2018. The questions hanging over going major works as part of a smart The superstructure was assembled smart motorways motorway scheme which will be in- offsite using the university’s specified stalled from Heston near Heathrow to “Accelerated Bridge Construction” Reading. The £840M project was given model. They were moved into position BY TIM CLARK the go-ahead in 2016. Balfour Beatty has on transporters only five days earlier the contract to deliver the scheme in a on 10 March. Cracking was observed ressure on Highways England 60:40 joint venture with Vinci. and reported before and after bridge to axe its smart motorways Attempting to get ahead of the govern- unit was moved into position on 28 programme has been building over ment review, Highways England chief February and 13 March. On 13 March Pthe last few months. The roads operator executive Jim O’Sullivan told the Com- the cracks were up to 100mm deep. could yet be facing corporate man- mons transport select committee that The report states: “Although it may slaughter charges after two motorists he would stop any further dynamic hard be generally accepted that concrete died on the M1, and the government has shoulder schemes as he deemed them itself is susceptible to cracking, the now ordered a review of how smart too “confusing” for motorists who are rate of premature concrete distress was motorways operate. House of Commons often unsure about when to use hard clear evidence that the structure was transport select committee chair Lillian shoulders. The body has not actually progressing toward failure and should Greenwood has also ordered Highways built any dynamic hard shoulder motor- have alerted Figg Bridge Engineers and England to reveal the safety and cost ways since 2014 when the road network [contractor] MCM to the origin of the data for its smart motorways projects. was run by the Highways Agency. distress mechanism that was causing In terms of investment and planning, And yet, according to O’Sullivan, there the cracking and the rapidity of crack- the smart motorways programme has is no evidence thus far that smart motor- ing progression.” been embedded in Highways England’s ways are any less safe than conventional It adds: “As soon as the bridge had long term vision for the UK’s strategic motorways. He told the transport select to support its own weight, cracks road network. committee session that out of 85 motor- appeared at the under-designed nodes, At their simplest, smart motorways way fatalities in the past 12 months, 77 particularly node 11/12. involve the use of variable speed limits were on conventional motorways, and “Over the next 19 days, the cracks to control traffic flow. More complex are eight on smart motorways. And smart grew until the bridge collapsed. The dynamic smart motorways whose hard motorways are believed to carry a high- construction and inspection firms shoulders are used as live traffic lanes er proportion of traffic per kilometre. working on the bridge were aware of during busy periods. There are also “all The statistics appear to back him up. the cracks and reported the cracks to lane running” smart motorways whose There are 643km of smart motorway the design firm, asking for guidance. hard shoulders have been permanently across England. The oldest section is on The engineer of record at the design replaced with a live traffic lane. the M42 and opened to traffic in 2006. firm repeatedly indicated that the The technical document published to Analysis found that journey reliability on cracks were of no safety concern. advise contractors considering bid- the M42 improved by 22%, with personal “On the day of the collapse, the firms ding for the roads body’s five year RIS2 injury accidents reduced by more than met to discuss a plan by the engineer investment programme says there will half. Where accidents did occur the of record to remediate the cracks. The be two more smart motorway phases in severity was much lower overall. bridge collapsed as the firms were RIS3 and RIS4 beyond 2030. Support for implementing the remediation plan.” the development of the business cases In addition, the report claims that the for RIS4 projects is also included in the collapse “might have been prevented” scope of opportunities even before RIS2 had the Florida Department of Transpor- has begun. tation mandated independent reviews for Regional bodies are also heavily nodal forces on this category of bridge. committed to smart motorway schemes. The NTSB said Florida International Midlands Connect included a number of University, MCM, Figg Bridge Engineers, new projects in its £25bn project wish nor inspection engineer Bolton, Perez & list for the 2020 to 2025 investment Associates Consulting Engineers failed to round. Of the five projects it submitted take responsibility for declaring that the to Highways England for RIS2, two were cracks were beyond any level of accept- smart motorway projects such as the ability and did not meet Florida Depart- junction 15 to 16 improvements and the ment of Transportation standards. junction 0 to 2 upgrade of the M6. Miami state prosecutors will now There are smart motorways across decide whether to take legal action. England, including the M60 and M62 Figg and MCM have been contacted for in Manchester, the M6, M40 and M42 comment. between London and Birmingham; the M42: Faster journey times

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 13 Inside Track

structure were tabled by marine engineer- Hammersmith: Plans for ing consultant Beckett Rankine last month. a temporary road bridge The proposal won support from have been rejected Chelsea & Fulham MP Greg Hands and more than 3,000 locals signed a petition backing the scheme. London mayor Sadiq Khan also confi rmed that the Beckett Rankine solution was being “seriously considered”, when asked during Mayor’s Question Time. But Hammersmith & Fulham Council, in whose jurisdiction the bridge’s north- ern end falls, has ruled against the road bridge, and New Civil Engineer under- stands that TfL has switched its focus towards the feasibility of installing a nearby cycling and pedestrian-only link. A council spokesperson said: “The expert advice is that this [the temporary motor vehicle bridge] proposal is not feasible in the space available and at an affordable cost. STRUCTURES “We are therefore not pursuing this option. Work is already under way for the Temporary replacement explored for troubled complete refurbishment of Hammersmith Hammersmith Bridge during repair work bridge.” While TfL has brought in Pell Frischmann to work up designs for a Cycle and pedestrian crossing designs are underway possible cycling and pedestrian bridge, it is also understood that at least three BY ROB HORGAN temporary bridge specialists, including Janson Bridging, have submitted ideas for a temporary solution as part of a ransport for London (TfL) has asked “There are issues with the bearings; scoping exercise. engineers working on repairs to the cast iron pedestals have cracks in Architects at The Manser Practice have Hammersmith Bridge to design a them and there is some corrosion to the also revealed plans for a ferry alternative, Ttemporary pedestrian and cycling link deck and the structure itself. Age catches however New Civil Engineer understands New Civil Engineer can reveal. up with us all and it would be fair to say that the scheme is not being considered The link would clear the 19th century Hammersmith Bridge is suffering from by TfL or the council at this time. structure while repairs are carried out. arthritis.” Concerns about the temporary road Consultant Pell Frischmann has been He added: “The truth is, we don’t live bridge are believed to have included the tasked with designing the temporary in a time where an engineer can come cost of driving piles into the riverbed, structure as part of its brief to design along and oil the bearings once a week, as well as costs associated with issuing repairs to the bridge, working alongside so we must come up with solutions compulsory purchases orders for proper- contractors Freyssinet, Costain and using new technologies, techniques and ties on the banks of the Thames. Mabey. materials which require less day to day Beckett Rankine director Tim Beckett Pell Frischmann transport infrastruc- maintenance.” said that he “would not give up” on his ture director Sas Majlessi confi rmed that Total repair works are estimated to proposal just yet. sites to the east of the west London road cost up to £120M, before the temporary “We still believe it can be done at bridge were being explored as locations bridge is factored in. the cost we submitted and we are for the demountable bridge. TfL asked Pell Frischmann to work having further discussions with “We don’t just want to repair the bridge up plans for a demountable cycling Richmond Council [at the bridge’s so it looks good, we want to do a job so and pedestrian bridge after proposals southern end] and local MPs,” Beckett that it can be used properly and can be for a temporary road bridge next to told New Civil Engineer. used for 50, 60, 80 more years with very Hammersmith Bridge were dismissed Hammersmith Bridge has been closed little maintenance or work needed to it,” as “not feasible” and “unaffordable” by to traffi c since April after critical faults he told New Civil Engineer. Hammersmith & Fulham Council, which were found in its ageing cast iron struc- “It was designed for horse and cart and operates the bridge New Civil Engineer ture. Remediation work is scheduled to has now been taking buses, so we have to understands. take three years. look at how to strengthen it while keeping Plans for a £5M temporary road and The bridge will be shut to traffi c during its character. cycle bridge parallel to the 132-old-year the repairs.

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DRIVING FORCE INCOMING ICE PRESIDENT PAUL SHEFFIELD IS A DYED IN THE WOOL CONTRACTOR WITH GLOBAL CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE BY MARK HANSFORD

16 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 MORE IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS AT WWW.NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM

ncoming ICE President Paul is beginning to embrace. Sheffield is a civil engineers’ civil Civil engineering is, he says, If you’ve never engineer. He has worked all over PAUL “ultimately all about focusing on the the world on all kinds of projects. SHEFFIELD detail. And the detail can be boring,” made a mistake And now, as President, he is CV he says. determined to get the profession Sheffield is not anti-technology. Or then you have never focused on doing what it does best: boring. Indeed, it was he who, after built anything Ibuilding things well. 2017 31 years with Kier including four “You can only learn so much from -PRESENT years as chief executive, stepped looking at spreadsheets from behind Supervisory down and took a more junior role “ a desk,” Sheffield, then Kier chief board member, with Laing O’Rourke – purely to get than proposals in Dame Hackitt’s executive, told the Mail on Sunday in Royal Bam a more intimate insight into Laing review of building regulations Spring 2011. O’Rourke’s then nascent Explore and fire safety by “providing clear “Site visits – usually every two Group offsite manufacturing centre. And he accountability for, and stronger duties weeks – mean I can talk to people at remains frustrated that too many in on, those responsible for the safety the sharp end who dig trenches and 2014 the industry are, in his view, blocking of high-rise buildings throughout the plaster ceilings along with tackling -PRESENT a broader adoption of factory-based building’s design, construction and the thousand and one other tasks Independent construction methods. occupation, with clear competence every construction project requires,” Those people will be in his sights in requirements to ensure high he said. non-executive his year as President. standards are upheld”. Eight years and two fairly significant director, He is hugely mindful that during his This principle, he says, could easily job changes later and that is pretty Southern year as President, the Grenfell Tower be extended to infrastructure. much still how he views things. It Water Inquiry will enter its second phase, “Why just high-rise residential is clear that Sheffield is a man who focusing on the actual construction buildings?” he asks. “Why not every believes in the nuts and bolts of civil work carried out on the building. building; every bridge?” engineering and getting the basics 2017 And Sheffield accepts that the Sheffield reflects on the fact that he right. And, after a career spent -PRESENT hearings – and ultimately inquiry is from an era where to run a project building civils projects, he is not going Industrial chair Sir Martin Moore-Bick’s or to be a project’s chief engineer, you to start using fluffy language or talking advisor to recommendations – are likely to had to be a chartered civil engineer – in riddles. the board of heavily criticise every party involved, it was stated in the contract. “If you’ve never made a mistake from standards bodies and clients And he is now keen to explore how than you have never built anything,” Manchester through to project managers, to bring that thinking up to date. he states when asked to reflect on Airport Group designers, contractors and suppliers. “There could well be a need and his career and the moments that Sheffield has worked in the industry indeed an opportunity for people made him. 2014-2017 for almost four decades, having who sign off on a design to have a That is not to say his is a career of Managing worked his way up from graduate, stamp with a certification on it that errors. Far, far from it. It just means through chief engineer and project demonstrates that they are competent that he, perhaps, is just the kind of director, manager to director, managing at that role,” he says. President who can challenge those Europe director and chief executive. He says He is equally determined that who would like to forget the nitty and Middle this experience means he can hear in maintenance regimes are not gritty end of engineering and focus East, Laing his own head the conversations that forgotten, referencing the collapse instead on the arguably cooler, O’Rourke all those involved in Grenfell would last year of the Polcevera viaduct technology-led solutions the industry have had as they made their now in Genoa. Here, he says there is an fateful decisions about project scope analogy with the regime applied to and specifcations. dams, which are inspected by the 2010-2014 There could Chief “Our message is that as engineers ICE’s All Reservoir Panel of engineers: executive, we have got to do the right thing,” “As with a dam, the failure of a bridge well be a Kier Group he says. is usually catastrophic.” He is also determined that the ICE’s Sheffield is, at his heart, a hands- need for people who response to whatever the inquiry on contractor. He says his passions 2005-2010 recommends is strong. were ignited during a year in industry sign off on a design Managing “It is going to be a real wake up while studying civil engineering at the director, call and there will be actions to be University of Surrey. It took him to to have a stamp with Kier Group taken. It is an opportunity for the South Africa and he absolutely loved Institution to step in and accept it has it. “I came out really wanting to work “ Construction a certification on it role to play in continuing professional for someone who was going to send division development and demonstrating me abroad again as I really loved it; that demonstrates that competence.” the different cultures and the different Sheffield references the recent environment.” they are competent Continued Queen’s Speech, in which the On graduating in 1983 he joined Kier at that role on next page Government said it would go further and was initially sent to Abu Dhabi

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 17 Presidential Interview Paul Sheffield

I came out [of university] really wanting to work for someone who was “going to send me abroad again as I really loved it

for six months and from there to a gold mine in Papua New Guinea. This globetrotting typified his career. He spent 31 years with Kier, moving from Papua New Guinea, to a commercial development in London, to a hotel in Turkey, before coming back to the UK for a concrete gravity dam project in Snowdonia where he became chief engineer straight after getting chartered at just 26. “That was probably the best job I ever had and it was the most incredible project to build,” he reflects. “It wasn’t the biggest but it had all the technical complexities and, as chief engineer, they were all under me.” As the project progressed, so did Sheffield, ending the project as project manager. “It was the first time I truly experienced leading a team to a 1983-2005 So when he says he has never special technical advisor to the board tangible result and it really lit my fire,” Various roles, really spent much time in the ICE’s of Manchester Airport Group, working he recalls. Kier Group One Great George Street HQ before on its capital expansion work at From there he returned to London now, he is not joking. Indeed, Manchester and Stansted airports. to build a 800MW gas-fired power his presidential address in early All this is distracting him from his station before heading to Saudi Arabia 1996 November was his first presidential real job of building his new house in to become project director on a Civil address – having never previously the Brecon Beacons. “It’s keeping me desalination plant and then heading Engineering managed to attend one. quite busy,” he admits. Too busy for to Hong Kong to build underground Manager of the That said he is keenly anticipating proper project oversight? Not at all. railways. travelling around the ICE Regions – at Procurement has been immaculate he Between 2005 and 2010, he sat Year home and abroad – even if he was not says. “I’m embracing the full Project on the board of Kier Group, with even considering the ICE presidency 13 ethos,” he insists. And don’t forget responsibility for its global civil 1987 until April last year. It was then that about those fortnightly site visits. N engineering and construction Gained former Crossrail chief executive activities. From 2010 to 2014, he was chartership Andrew Wolstenholme stood down the contractor’s chief executive, with as succeeding vice president, having overall revenues of £3bn and activities previously been scheduled for the spanning construction, support 1983 2019/2022 presidency. services, property development and University “I suppose I have difficulty saying I suppose I housing. of Surrey, no to people with interesting have difficulty In 2014, he left Kier for Laing BSc(Hong) propositions,” he says by way of O’Rourke to head its Europe and explaining his ICE role and his other Middle East construction business, in Civil current roles as non-executive saying no to people particular helping the firm with client Engineering director of Southern Water Services, with interesting relationships in the Middle East region supervisory board member of the that he knows so well. Dutch construction group Bam, and “propositions 18 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2016 Make contracts easy with CEMAR®

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www.thinkproject.com #constructionintelligence very inclement weather. This is something that got overlooked and then disappeared as the industry profit margins got squeezed and site operations became subcontracted- out or labour-only employment became more prevalent. Your View As welcome as better working conditions are, not everything is LETTERS TO THE EDITOR new and improvements are not AND COMMENTS ONLINE necessarily innovative. Michael Taylor (M), [email protected]

WATER It is interesting to recall that more PROFESSION STEMMING INEVITABLE than 20 years ago the Japanese built robotic erectors for their ENGINEERS MUST DO WATER WASTE @ large Trans Tokyo Bay tunnelling MORE TO ELIMINATE machines. These were partially POORLY CONCEIVED When I stop temporarily in my successful but were not repeated car after a few seconds the engine because not only was the expense PROJECTS stops and then restarts when I very great but the erection time wish to move off. Although this was too slow and the reliability not feature can only make a minute great. This meant that access to the reduction in energy use it is build area for maintenance during considered worthwhile. When I erection was needed, negating the visit the kitchen tap I have to run safety aspects they were trying to (and waste) two and a half litres enhance. It will be interesting to before hot water arrives. Comparing see whether the French attempt these two events makes me wonder for robotic segment erection is any whether I should take seriously the more successful with respect to article “Future of Water – Cutting speed, accuracy and safety. Consumption” in November’s issue. In terms of speed, the targeted If I visit this hot tap say four erection time of 30 minutes per times per day I am immediately ring is not particularly fast. Some wasting one tenth of my annual examples of targeted erection times consumption. As this water has on other projects are – Channel all been heated and allowed to Tunnel, some 30 years ago, but cool before disposal there is a similar diameter – 25 minutes. More triple whammy of water waste, recently Crossrail – 20 minutes, global warming and waste of my and in Kuala Lumpur a target of 15 Stonehenge tunnel: Economic value? money. The house in question is minutes, though this was not always seven years old. I imagine that this achieved. I was interested to read and would situation will persist in this house Richard Lewis, YL Associates endorse the views expressed in the and all the other similar ones on the Limited, 25 G/f San Uk Tsai Tsuen, letters from James Fletcher, Mario estate right through to 2050. Surely, Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, New Territories, Donnetti and David Myles in the thoughtful persons could readily see Hong Kong November issue; their general theme how to ameliorate this problem. was similar – that is ill-conceived Ken Bowman (M Ret), TUNNELLING “don’t bore me with the facts” [email protected] schemes, where political expediency TRIPLE SHIFT WORKING has taken precedence over the sort IS NOT AS INNOVATIVE of practical advice obtainable from TUNNELLING AS IT SOUNDS members of our profession, before AUTOMATED TUNNEL unseemly embarkation on projects RING ERECTORS ARE A move towards triple shift working with little or no benefit/technical during continuous mining may feasibility, let alone affordability. NOT NEW The Editor, well be seen as innovative by To Donnetti’s list of schemes New Civil members of the tunnelling industry could be added the A303 The article Express Delivery in the (Innovative Thinking, last month), Stonehenge tunnel at up to £2.4bn, Engineer, November issue was interesting but is something that the UK coal which is still being actively Telephone insomuch as it reported that the mining industry adopted many, advanced; this project seems to tunnel boring machine being House, many years ago. have little or no economic value employed was fitted with a fully 69-77 Paul Of course many readers will and a much simpler and less costly robotic erector to enable the Street, London, remember the days not that alternative could surely be designed. segments to be erected behind the EC2A 4NQ long ago when construction site By comparison, the £1.4bn M4 cutter head without any operatives Email: nceedit@ workers were not obliged to Relief Road around Newport, vitally in the risk zone. emap.com work outside during periods of important economically, has been

20 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DEC EMBER 2019 MAIN POINT TACKING THEYOUR VIEWS UK AND OPINIONSCARBON CRISIS

David Myles’ letter (Your View last month) has illustrated David Myles’ contribution to the energy debate is welcome perfectly the need for individual action on climate and raises useful issues. Electric transport needs change. electricity and the source of this is often ignored. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Neither he nor I shall live to see the outcome, as Change (IPCC) has shown as fact the need for he says, but I owe it to my grandchildren (not yet us to rapidly decarbonise our economies, born) to make sure I have all the facts to hand, our industries and our lives. We are running to act on those facts and to encourage others to out of capacity to emit CO2 and other do so. greenhouse gases if we are to keep climate The latest IPCC report makes sobering warming below 2°C. Burning natural gas reading and the 2019 update will have the and petrol still releases greenhouse gasses, benefit of looking at recent events. Engineering though admittedly at a lower rate than coal. of all kinds will be at the forefront of ensuring Thus we do need to switch to electric powered that the worst predictions are mitigated. Sadly, as vehicles. However, the Committee on Climate engineers, we have done too little for many decades Change and the IPCC say that this needs to be and the mountain to climb is now of Everest proportions. coupled with a move to less carbon intensive modes The disastrous results are already underway. of transport for example walking, cycling, and using public Simple maths on the number of cars in the UK and the transport. If we switch to electric cars and then use them more number of power stations required is not enough and over- because we think we are being more green (as humans are simplistic. Good engineering solutions must be broad-based; prone to doing with more efficient technology) we will not do dare I say ‘holistic’? ourselves any favours. The Zero Carbon Britain (ZCB) reports Rethinking the To meet our targets for 2020, we each should be aiming Future 2013 and Making it Happen 2017 take that holistic for a 10t annual carbon footprint (reducing by 3.9% each approach and offer an optimistic view. The reports are based year thereafter). Currently we average 13t each in the UK. In on long-term detailed research and analysis of energy use his book, “How bad are bananas,” Mike Berners-Lee shows and generation, but also land use, carbon capture, agriculture, that the carbon footprint of an annual commute of 14,400km industry, even diet trends and international trade and aid. It can add up to anywhere between 3t and 20t, depending on concludes that we need to act on all these issues and more to prevent what type of car we drive and how we maintain and drive the predicted worst-case scenarios. The ‘business-as-usual’ principle it. Commuting a similar distance by public transport would is simply not viable and advocates of it are irresponsible. have a carbon footprint of less than 1.5t and active travelling Myles asks “why not stick with gas?” I recommend he reads (walking, cycling, e-cycling) less still. The ideal would be the IPCC and ZCB reports and thinks of his grandchildren. for most of us to commute by public transport, cycling and Andrew Wood (M), 21 Victoria Avenue, Haworth, West Yorkshire, walking and only use the electric car for those journeys that BD22 8HP really cannot be done by other means of low carbon transport. Tracy Samphier (M), [email protected] David Myles is right to raise the cost and complexity of converting cars and houses from fossil fuels to electricity, David Myles describes the transition to electric vehicles and especially as about 40% of electricity is generated by gas. other measures to help achieve carbon net zero by 2050 Missing from his analysis was efficiency. as “folly” and “madness”. Given the latest predictions by the Internal combustion engines are less than 25% efficient, IPCC, surely it would be madness not to act. Of course it will be whereas electric traction is over 80% efficient, and braking challenging, but that is no reason to bury our heads in the sand, energy can recharge on-board batteries. The fleet could be even if that means acting ahead of other developed economies. recharged overnight using otherwise idle generation capacity. In the 19th century, Britain and its engineers led the Electric cars need about a fifth of the energy of oil engines, world with the first industrial revolution. But global carbon so off-peak recharging will need only two base load nuclear dioxide emissions began to rise, and we now understand how power stations not 11, which would otherwise be idle. dangerous this is. In reversing this trend, Britain can lead the The UK has one of least efficient stocks of houses in Europe. world once again. Indeed it would be fitting for us to do so. Over 80% of domestic energy is used for space and water There are huge opportunities for us in developing the heating. In 2006 a 20-year programme began to convert all world’s zero-carbon infrastructure – take offshore wind for existing houses to a zero energy standard in Germany. This is example, which is already cheaper than new gas power. British being achieved by a combination of better insulation and solar engineers need to be at least as ambitious as our politicians. capture for water heating and electricity generation. By 2026 It is not the time for us to “stick with gas” just because other nearly 100% of German houses will be zero energy, whereas in countries are still burning coal. the UK it will be under 5%. Jon Blaza (M) [email protected] Lewis Lesley, [email protected]

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 21 Your View

cancelled by the Welsh Government (albeit subject to review). I suggest that every ICE member sends copies of these letters to their MP, urging them to persuade ministers to seek a professional overview from the ICE and other appropriate professional organisations, before the government promotes such naïve projects. In turn it could only enhance the status of our Institution to take a proactive approach to government when such projects are initially announced: a good example would be the proposed Scottish-Irish crossing. David Price (F), Smart 200m-plus water depth of the North listen to engineers?” success comes [email protected] Motorways: Sea, structures which could support when politicians take heed of public More cameras 30,000M.t, if not more, in a harsher opinion and take sound advice from needed? TRANSPORT environment than the North Channel. real professionals, such as civil Positioning such structures at engineers. POLICING SMART 2km intervals supporting successive Alan Fell (M), MOTORWAYS suspension bridges for the deepest [email protected] parts would seem to be a basis for a Your article on Smart Motorways technical study. TRANSPORT (Inside Track, October 2019) reveals If the decision is political the cost that 23% of drivers admitted in will be what it is; if it is to be an RETHINKING HEATHROW a survey to disregarding the red economic investment that is another RAILWAY LINKS Xs that are used to close a lane. question. But at least we should do The variable speed limit is already the study. The sad truth is that the enforced by cameras on the gantries. John Franklin (F Ret), government simply doesn’t have Could Highways England not install [email protected] the money to build southern and additional cameras to enforce what western Heathrow links. Neither is effectively red light-running? You TRANSPORT is funded. It’s debatable whether would not need a working camera they should be anyway given that on every gantry to provide effective CREDIT FOR both represent a hidden subsidy to deterrence. LONDON’S TRANSPORT Heathrow airport. Should ordinary Gordon Heath (M Ret), 90 Catlins IMPROVEMENTS rail commuters be subsidising the Lane, Pinner, Middlesex airline industry? Paul Smith criticises prime minister Would these expensive rail STRUCTURES Boris Johnson and his current lines be dropped anyway as soon government for doing little to as the airport has its permission NORTHERN IRELAND improve London’s transport system to expand, as happened with Air BRIDGE LINK MUST BE (Your View, last month), which is an Track? A more fundamental EXPLORED unbelievably one-sided view of the rethink along the lines that the situation. The truth is that London’s Windsor Link has been promoting I am surprised and disappointed transport has for some while now from the outset is surely the about the scepticism, and lack of been the responsibility of local way to go. And congratulations vision and lateral thinking, of James politicians and authorities rather to transport secretary Grant Fletcher and Mario Donnetti (Your than the UK government and in this Shapps and his officials for signing View, last month) regarding the respect moved forward far more off new objectives for Heathrow proposed bridge between Scotland under Johnson as mayor than under southern access. and Northern Ireland. the subsequent ducking and diving George Bathurst Posted online Thirty to 40 years ago we were of leftie poster boy Sadiq Khan. on story headed “Heathrow successfully designing, constructing On the matter of the headline southern railway boss accuses on land, and then installing in the question “Why don’t politicians DfT of ‘lacking urgency’”.

22 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 Future of Stormwater

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are increasingly seen as the solution to the perennial challenge of stormwater management. Here we examine the issues facing engineers and look at a major SuDS scheme in Leeds.

TACKLING THE SUDS CHALLENGE IN ENGLAND / PAGE 24 LEEDS HOUSING SCHEME COMBINES A RANGE OF SUDS / PAGE 28 HOW CAN ENGLAND FOLLOW THE LEAD OF WALES? / PAGE 32

DECEMBER 2019 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 23 QUALITY AND PROPORTION OF APPROVED PLANNING APPLICATIONS OF ALL DEVELOPMENT TYPES EXTENT OF SUDS THAT WILL FEATURE SuDS IN PLANNING 2% 11% Unknown WRESTLING Do not feature Do feature 87%

Source: Government review of SuDs in planning policy

WHO WILL MAINTAIN THE SuDS (DATA TAKEN FROM PLANNING APPLICATIONS) 2% 3% THE RUNOFF 26% Climate change is impacting the UK’s infrastructure LA Site owner/ management in many ways, but flood risk, and in particular the risk company of flooding from surface water, poses one of the most WaSC 70% No details pressing challenges for engineers. Margo Cole reports. provided

Source: Government review of SuDs in planning policy

SURVEY OF LEAD LOCAL FLOOD AUTHORITIES: HAS THE QUALITY OF INFORMATION PROVIDED IN 96% SUBMISSIONS IMPROVED SINCE APRIL 2015? Future of Submissions inadequate Yes, definitely improved biodiversity. or mixed KEY FACTS A report published earlier this A slow but Stormwater gradual improvement, year by the Landscape Institute but could still be better and Construction Industry Council, Not much change, but urface water flooding is a 3M evaluated the effectiveness of SuDS submissions are good quality and well detailed major threat to properties Number of delivery through the planning system 25% and infrastructure in England. It says a “huge step Not much change, properties LAs lacked formal but submissions are generally throughout the UK. “Of change” is still needed to ensure very mixed in quality and detail all the flood risks to more schemes get through. in England SuDS policies Not much change, which our rainy island is at risk of The research said 96% of local but submissions are generally subject…it is surface water flooding authorities report that the quality poor in quality and detail Swhich threatens more people and surface water of planning submissions for SuDS is 01020304050 properties than any other form of flooding either “inadequate” or “mixed”. It 23% Percentage flood risk,” Environment Agency chief found that the “easy” SuDS option of Source: CIC and Landscape Institute SuDs review executive Sir James Bevan, told a installing over-sized pipes, tanks, and Surface water flooding SURVEY OF LEAD LOCAL FLOOD AUTHORITIES: conference in October 2018. crates with a “token gesture” swale or WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THE SCHEMES YOU But data suggests that England is pond is common. in Scotland annually ARE ASKED TO REVIEW? far from where it should be in terms The report claims that in 2017, 25% Generally, good technical, of using sustainable drainage systems of local authorities lacked formal practical and attractive schemes, (SuDS). These are among the most well documented and explained effective ways to make communities 23 Heavy on technical (modelling) more resilient to flooding by information, but light on integrated physcial design or providing somewhere for rainfall to 96% of local Tube stations at design di‚cult to understand go other than into overloaded sewer significant risk systems. Very mixed quality and detail authorities from good to inadequate The benefits of SuDS are that they are designed to manage stormwater report that the locally, as close to its source as Often in adequate information possible. They mimic natural quality of planning 55,000 requiring additional submissions drainage and encourage infiltration, Homes and businesses attenuation and passive treatment. submissions for SuDS 0102030406050 As well as mitigating flood risk, SuDS “ Percentage is either “inadequate” flooded in 2007 manage pollution risks from urban Source: CIC and Landscape Institute SuDs review run-off and provide amenity and or “mixed”

24 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 SuDS policies and had not immediate It’s still not plans to implement one. QUALITY AND PROPORTION OF APPROVED PLANNING More than 3M properties in APPLICATIONS OF ALL DEVELOPMENT TYPES 100% clear for THAT WILL FEATURE SuDS England are at risk from surface EXTENT OF SUDS water flooding. This type of flooding developers, who SuDS 2% accounts for 23% of annual average IN PLANNING flood damage in Scotland. are going to belong to 11% Bevan says surface water at the end of day. Unknown flooding is such a big problem because of its effect: “It hits not just “ Do not feature individual homes and businesses, but Do feature the whole infrastructure – road, rail, standards. To approve SuDS, lead utilities etcetera – of a town or city, local flood authorities must set 87% disrupting pretty much all aspects of up SuDS Approving Bodies (SABs) modern life.” which are responsible for reviewing Source: Government review of SuDs in planning policy This was highlighted in London drainage plans against a set of new in September, when heavy rain led national standards for sustainable WHO WILL MAINTAIN THE SuDS (DATA to flooding at four London stations drainage. If a drainage plan is TAKEN FROM PLANNING APPLICATIONS) – Victoria, Liverpool Street, St Paul’s approved by a SAB and constructed 2% 3% and Moorgate. London assembly correctly, then it must be adopted by 26% member Caroline Russell says climate the SAB. LA change could make flooding like this But this is by no means the case, Site owner/ management at Tube and railway stations a regular and years of consultation have so company occurrence. She claims that 23 Tube far failed to resolve the issue of who WaSC stations are at “significant risk” of should adopt and maintain SuDS flooding. infrastructure. As a result, some 70% No details provided Climate change is resulting in a developers in England have been able greater number of sudden, severe to avoid including the systems in downpours that can quickly overload their plans. Source: Government review of SuDs in planning policy sewer systems. In addition, loss “England is lagging behind,” says SURVEY OF LEAD LOCAL FLOOD AUTHORITIES: of green space in urban areas and drainage products manufacturer HAS THE QUALITY OF INFORMATION PROVIDED IN 96% SUBMISSIONS IMPROVED SINCE APRIL 2015? construction of new developments Wavin product manager Martin are also hampering the natural Lambley. “It’s still not 100% clear Submissions inadequate Yes, definitely improved dissipation of surface water, resulting for developers, who SuDS are going in the potential for flooding. to belong to at the end of day. But I or mixed A slow but Recent flood events – including the think house developers have come gradual improvement, but could still be better floods of 2007 that resulted in 55,000 long way in last 10 years. They were Not much change, but homes and businesses being flooded instrumental in blocking Schedule 3 submissions are good – have demonstrated the need for when the FWMA was first published, 25% quality and well detailed the UK’s towns, cities and housing but they are increasingly accepting, Not much change, developments to be more resilient to and the most far-sighted ones are LAs lacked formal but submissions are generally very mixed in quality and detail surface water flooding. quite pro. They just want to know In a written response to an who’s going to deal with SuDS SuDS policies Not much change, but submissions are generally enquiry into flooding by the House infrastructure.” poor in quality and detail of Commons environment, food and Scotland has been mandating 01020304050 rural affairs committee in May, the sustainable drainage for some time, 23% Percentage National Infrastructure Commission and from January 2019 it became Source: CIC and Landscape Institute SuDs review recommended that the government mandatory for all new developments “should ensure that all communities in Wales with more than one house, Surface water flooding SURVEY OF LEAD LOCAL FLOOD AUTHORITIES: WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THE SCHEMES YOU are resilient, so they are able to cope or where the construction area is in Scotland annually ARE ASKED TO REVIEW? with, and recover from, flooding”. 100m2 or more, to have SuDS for In theory, SuDS should already be surface water. To make this happen, Generally, good technical, practical and attractive schemes, commonplace. In Scotland the Water SuDS on new developments in well documented and explained Environment (Controlled Activities) Wales must be designed and built 23 Heavy on technical (modelling) Regulations of 2005 made it a in accordance with the Statutory information, but light requirement for all surface water from SuDS Standards published by the on integrated physcial design or Tube stations at design di‚cult to understand new developments to pass through a Welsh Ministers. SuDS schemes significant risk sustainable drainage system before have to be approved by the local Very mixed quality and detail being discharged into the water authority acting in its SAB role before from good to inadequate environment. And Schedule 3 of the construction begins. 2010 Flood & Water Management “This is definitely the right way to Often in adequate information Act (FWMA) covering England and go, and as everybody gets to grips 55,000 requiring additional submissions Wales also calls for SuDS to be used with it, we will see the benefits,” Homes and businesses to manage all surface water in new says consultant Waterco managing 010203040650 0 developments. director Pedr Jones. flooded in 2007 Percentage Under the FWMA a SuDS should “But there’s probably a challenge Source: CIC and Landscape Institute SuDs review be adopted by the lead local for how developers assess viability. flood authority if it meets certain “There’s an opportunity cost,”

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 25 Future of Stormwater Overview

Where it is Firs farm wetlands in Enfield provides done right and sustainable drainage for the area holistically, planning the drainage goes hand “in hand with where the houses go

he explains. “Developers have to make allowances for other things – like affordable housing. “And while SuDS features themselves are probably more cost effective, it’s a case of what are you chopping out of the development to make space for it.” Jones explains that, traditionally, drainage is one of last things to be considered, so if large SuDS features – like swales and ponds – are to be included, developable space could be lost. “But where it is done right and holistically, planning the drainage goes hand in hand with where the houses go, and you are creating green space, which allows for amenity,” he says. CASE STUDY: ENFIELD “That’s where the SAB system in Wales is good: developers and planners are having to have these Like many local authorities, the London Another policy has been to construct wetlands conversations early. Because the Borough of Enfield is a statutory consultee across the borough’s parks estate. “Enfield has lots drainage approval is alongside in the planning process. It liaises with of parks and green spaces,” explains Campbell. “We planning [approval], it should developers and encourages them to incorporate have targeted some of the more underused spaces force developers’ hand to consider SuDS into their schemes. that have amenity grassland close to the surface drainage early.” water drainage system, and created specially The situation is slightly different While this has “mixed results”, according to constructed wetlands.” in Scotland, according to consultant engineer Graham Campbell, this has not deterred Eight of these wetland areas have been Mott MacDonald’s global water the borough from pursuing sustainable drainage constructed so far. “It is very important to get resources and flooding practice options elsewhere – particularly within its own community involvement,” says Campbell, who leader Fiona Barbour. estates and infrastructure. says one of the largest projects was in an area of “One thing Scotland is strong on is “We have been successful in constructing rain parkland with football pitches and an area of open the requirement for installing SuDS gardens in the highways, and have incorporated amenity grassland. “It was a big space – several as part of the planning process,” sustainable drainage into a Transport for London hectares – and had an underground pipe running she says. “At least that allows it to cycle scheme that runs through the borough,” along the north boundary, where we had identified happen.” says Campbell. “We effectively see them as being an flood and pollution issues further down.” Barbour contrasts this with alternative to, or replacement for roadside gulleys, The new wetland area prevents flooding further England where, because arguments which are under the operation of the council anyway. downstream, as well as being an addition to the are still ongoing as to who should “Maintenance of roadside gulleys is expensive. amenity value of the park. “We have a really adopt SuDS infrastructure, the These [SuDS] systems are above ground, so we can strong community group that looks after requirement to put it in is being see when they need maintenance, and can get at wetlands,” says Campbell. “That has been very waived. them more easily.” He says the council’s grounds successful.” As a result of its efforts to manage “I think we’re missing out on a lot of management team gets involved in choosing the surface water more sustainably, Enfield is part of a opportunities to build in resilience,” planting for the SuDS features, opting for plants Europe-wide BEGIN project that brings 10 cities she says. “And the fact that we’re that are good at soaking up water and pollution, and and six research institutes together to look at blue- ignoring it now is storing up problems that are easy to manage and maintain. green infrastructure. for the future.” N

26 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 Marsh Industries Leaders in off-mains drainage products

Ultra:PolylokTM Marsh:MaratorTM Advanced commercial Oil separators sewage treatment plants High performance full retention oil Bespoke designs with optional tank separators for sites where “industry sizes ranging from Ø1.9-3m satisfying standard” is just not good enough the demands of all site conditions

Tailored solutions for your water and wastewater projects Sewage treatment plants | Pump stations | Grease management | Silage effluent storage | Stormwater attenuation | Oil/water separators www.marshindustries.co.uk SuDS River Aire Sustainable drainage system A63 SOLAR AVENUE N

Secret Garden Sustainability N development A58

A61 LEEDS DELAYING A63 A61 Central M621 rain garden River Aire Living roof SOLAR AVENUE The ‘living roof’ reduces flow of roof water and improves biodiversity, created using perennial herb Sedum The Willows Acre. Providing habitat for wildlife, in particular insects TACTICS River Aire A huge sustainable drainage project in All external works/surfaces, streets and landscape are permeable. Rain Leeds aims to revolutionise efforts to improve water landing on surface, filters through and is stored in the sub-base urban flood resilience. Margo Cole reports. and released at a very low rate Roof water eventually drains through down pipe into water butt, where it is stored for re-use, watering plants etc. When full the water butt overflows into the rain garden Gabion wall Interlocking recycled plastic grid system to reinforce the grass and the gravel paths Rain garden A61 Future of is currently under construction on £250M the north bank, using timber framed R I V E R A I R E Development Cost Stormwater panels fabricated in Citu’s own factory on the other side of the river. Water ultimately discharges In October a new footbridge was to the River Aire via a low flow channel and gabion ngineers for a £250M car- installed to link the two halves of outlet free housing development the development and to give people in Leeds have developed already living in the area a means a sustainable drainage to cross the river and access the system (SuDS) which uses riverside path and cycleway, which go space normally given into the city centre. over to vehicles. The development The site benefits from Leeds City Eis one of the most comprehensive Council’s £50M flood prevention in the UK combining a range of scheme, which opened in late different methods for dealing with 2017 and uses moveable weirs to surface water run off. Consultant massively reduce flood risk in Leeds Civic Engineers came up with the plan City Centre. But the development’s for developer Citu, which wanted to riverside location has also provided a prevent surface water run off from the great starting point for innovation in development from reaching the city’s SuDS design, as all the surface water drains. The development in the city’s Climate Innovation District straddles the River Aire south east of the city centre. The drainage design aims to The idea is mimic nature incorporating permeable footpaths and thick vegetation, to catch the holding back run off and channelling it into the river. water where it lands, In a city where the memory of the devastating floods of Boxing Day 2015 so we have designed is still raw, preventing surface water the landscape to be A computer generated from entering the city’s drainage image showing the network is key. “ completed scheme with a permeable – like a The first phase of what will total bridge over the River Aire 800 terraced houses and apartments big sponge

28 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 River Aire collected on site can be discharged SuDS into the river in a controlled way. We were Sustainable drainage system A63 “[Rainwater] is constantly slowed SOLAR AVENUE N desperately Secret Garden and treated before it ends up in Sustainability the river,” explains Civic Engineers keen to avoid a hard N development A58 director Paul Morris whose firm designed the SuDS. road. We wanted to “The ‘route one’ solution would be A61 to provide an outfall and a big tank landscape everything LEEDS A63 underneath, but as a practice we Central want to bury as little infrastructure “ A61 M621 rain garden River Aire as possible. Instead, the idea is to catch the water where it lands, so reinforce the grass and the gravel Living roof SOLAR AVENUE we have designed the landscape to paths. The grid system is open The ‘living roof’ reduces flow of roof be permeable – like a big sponge. enough for surface water infiltration, water and improves biodiversity, created using perennial herb Sedum The Willows Then water trickles out into the river so is ideal as part of a SuDS solution. Acre. Providing habitat for wildlife, through outfalls in the gabions.” “Any water that lands on the in particular insects Although parking is provided, it is “street” element infiltrates through River Aire in an undercroft car park, enabling all into the reduced fines sub-base,” the areas around the houses to be car- explains Morris. “From there it goes All external works/surfaces, streets and landscape are permeable. Rain free, including the central street, Solar through the voids in the sub-base water landing on surface, filters Avenue. As a result, over half the land and out through the gabion outlet through and is stored in the sub-base into the river. “One of the big parts and released at a very low rate Roof water eventually drains through within the Climate Innovation District down pipe into water butt, where it is development is open green space, of our brief was to make all the stored for re-use, watering plants etc. creating plenty of opportunities to infrastructure work, which is what When full the water butt overflows into the rain garden incorporate different SuDS features you have here, because we are using Gabion wall Interlocking recycled that add amenity value for residents the sub-base as part of the drainage plastic grid system and the wider community. system. In extreme events that fills to reinforce the grass Houses are accessed by permeable with water which filters and drains and the gravel paths Rain gravel paths. There are wildflower back into the river.” garden meadows and beds of edible plants The sub-base also runs under A61 and older trees have been retained the rain gardens, so the same £250M on the site, as well as new trees and mechanism operates here, with R I V E R A I R E Development Cost shrubs, which have been planted rainfall eventually finding its way to help slow down surface water into the sub-base. Water ultimately discharges filtration. Roof run-off goes into a downpipe to the River Aire via a low The houses themselves are built that discharges into coarse stone flow channel and gabion outlet sufficiently high above the river to beneath the rain garden and from withstand a 1 in 200 year flood. Every there into the sub-base. However, house on the development has its every house also has a water butt own small “rain garden” outside that intercepts this downpipe, so it is its front door – a planted area that only if the butt is full that roof run-off stores rainwater and lets it slowly will go into the sustainable drainage infiltrate the ground. The houses on system. the river frontage, in the area known The rain gardens can store large as the Secret Garden, open out onto amounts of rainwater and host a a communal meadow leading to a variety of plants. Residents can deck alongside the riverbank; those also add their own planting to on Solar Avenue open onto a car-free personalise their homes and help street punctuated by rain gardens and shape the look and feel of the seating areas. street. Morris says in normal rainfall But this soft appearance belies a conditions water is collected within hard-working landscape. Although the the rain gardens and gets used up by development is car-free, it had to been the plants as they grow, so will never designed so that emergency vehicles make its way into the lower levels. It can get to the front door of every is only during bigger rainfall events home if required, including those that the sub-base will be called into in the grassy meadow of the Secret action for storage. Garden, so the grassed areas and the “The strategy is that the plants will gravel footpaths have to be capable of take up the first 5mm of rainfall,” he being trafficked. explains, adding that the extensive “We were desperately keen to avoid tree planting across the site will also a hard road. We wanted to landscape play a major part in reducing the everything,” says Morris. volume of water reaching the river. This was achieved by providing a The houses in the Secret Garden stone sub-base beneath the whole also have “green roofs”, created area, and using a strong interlocking using the perennial herb Sedum recycled plastic grid system to Acre. This layer of vegetation

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 29 Future of Stormwater Leeds

We would have had to provide sub-base anyway. We’re just making it work “harder in terms of surface water drainage

retains rainwater and promotes evapotranspiration, providing a level of attenuation that will prevent large volumes of water pouring into the downpipes during sudden downpours. All these measures not only slow down and reduce the volume of water getting to the river, they also ensure that the water that does go into the river is clean. “The filtration process treats the run-off, as well as providing amenity and biodiversity benefits,” says Morris. Towards the back of the site, the area between the terraces of houses and the apartments will be made up of pathways crossing a large dry basin that acts as a series of attenuation ponds. Most of the time, these planted areas will provide amenity space, enhanced by natural play equipment. But after periods of heavy rain, they fill up to become ponds, and the water slowly seeps into the ground. “In the absolutely worst case of a 100 year storm, [the basin] should fill up,” says Morris. The only road on the development Phase 1 of the makes its way into the car park. That more sustainable features, such as is a short section of highway at the development avoids an additional pipe network and rainwater harvesting and a reed bed entrance. Any run-off from this bit features SuDS interceptors; and everyone’s accepted filtration system. of road will drain to a central rain elements such as that, in rainfall events, there will be “We need to push it a bit harder,” garden, which will reduce flow in the permeable street water in there.” he says. same way as the gardens do on the surfaces and The development is not entirely Morris is convinced the SuDS rest of the site, and also filter the gabion walls free of pipes. A network of perforated strategy makes financial – as well as run-off so it is clean when it reaches pipes runs below ground throughout environmental – sense. “This is more the river. the district to take surface water run- cost effective, I’m absolutely certain This road leads to the undercroft off from hard surfaces – such as the of it,” he says. “There are no oversized car park, which sits beneath the paving in Solar Avenue – and slowly pipes, and no attenuation tanks; the Solar Avenue. Developer Citu wants sequesters it into the ground. dry basin is part of the earthworks residents to be less dependent on Morris is looking forward to pushing balance, so that’s effectively free cars, as part of its overall carbon the SuDS strategy even further on attenuation; and with the need to reduction strategy, but the planners future phases of the development. make [the Secret Garden] capable of insisted on the provision of quite a lot These will include more homes, being trafficked, we would have had of parking in this first phase. offices and a multi-generational to provide sub-base anyway. We’re There will be no drainage at all in building housing a primary school and just making it work harder in terms of the undercroft car park, says Morris: elderly persons’ care home. Across surface water drainage.” “The strategy being tested is to rely the river, Citu is building an extension He adds: “It’s essentially a on evaporation for any water that to its timber panel factory. It includes functional landscape.” N

30 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019

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NCE100 Awards Entries Advert - 265mmh x 210mmw.indd 1 08/11/2019 16:13 Debate: Future of Stormwater TAKING ON SUDS

DEBATE BACKGROUND

60% 52% 40% SuDS design SuDS professionals SuDS professionals in Wales professionals experiencing considering SuDS considering planning delays to be default option the SuDS on all projects framework is good or excellent

In association with Proponents of sustainable drainage systems received a major boost this year with Wales determining that their use must become mandatory on all new developments. The move has received widespread praise across the flood defence community. But the question now is how and if England should follow. Ruby Kitching reports.

n Wales, Schedule 3 of the Flood There is still and Water Management Act 2010 debate about how says that all new developments to implement of more than one house or SuDS standards where the construction area in England is 100m2 or more, must be designed and built to Sustainable IDrainage Systems (SuDS) standards. They require approval from a SuDS approval body (SAB). The same requirement does not exist in England, where SuDS continue to be designed and constructed in accordance with non-statutory technical standards produced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. A number of English local authorities have also produced their own policy and guidance. SuDS manage rainfall in a way that is similar to natural processes, making use of landscaping and natural vegetation to control the quantity and quality of surface water run-off. Well designed, they should also create an amenity for the local community that encourages biodiversity. Research carried out by sustainable drainage product supplier Wavin and to implement. Cardiff offers a free [a] pre-application [consultation], the ICE in spring this year revealed pre-application consultation to begin because we know we have to that 60% of professionals in England a dialogue with developers. break down those barriers. Having were experiencing more delayed “Problems arise mostly through relationships with developers and or blocked planning applications a lack of understanding,” says consultants is important because because of issues related to SuDS Titherington. “We don’t charge for it’s critical is to get [SuDS] in early. design. This compares with 30% in Retrofitting is difficult. The whole Wales. This could indicate in Wales point of the new policy is to think that the introduction of Schedule 3 Having about the drainage first to drive down had increased awareness of SuDS, its cost.” enabling more projects to get off the relationships Consultant GHD associate director ground. Victoria Brayshaw, says that Cardiff City Council lead drainage with developers and Wales’ experience could prove that officer Ian Titherington expands on mandatory SuDS accelerates its take- the survey’s findings, explaining consultants is important up in a way that is impossible without the steps are being taken to ensure regulatory enforcement. developers are not put off investing because it is critical to Her experience has been that in Wales due to concerns that SuDS “ developers want to do the “right would be costly and complicated get [SuDS] in early thing” for developments to go ahead,

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 33 Debate Future of Stormwater

The Greater London AT THE ROUND TABLE Authority has put This report is informed by a round table debate of discipline, Atkins together a standard held in London in September. The debate was run Ruby Kitching reporter, New Civil Engineer in association with Wavin. Around the table were: Martin Lambley product manager - below ground SuDS checklist for plastics, Wavin “ Victoria Brayshaw associate director, GHD Joshua Rigby associate, Delta-Simons developers to consider Faye Gennard chartered civil engineer, Gladman John Rumble head of environmental resource Jonathan Glerum regional flood risk manager, planning, Hertfordshire County Council Anglian Water Jack Southon associate consultant – water & but that conflicting advice from Rachel Glossop flood risk planning manager, Hull environment, Capita Property different planning departments makes City Council Ian Titherington lead drainage officer, Cardiff City it difficult for them to appreciate Mark Hansford editor, New Civil Engineer Council the importance placed on SuDS in Richard Horswill development and flood risk George Warren project manager – London England. “The challenge is to be officer, Essex County Council Sustainable Drainage Action Plan, Greater London consistent, because if one application Jeremy Jones networks and drainage practice head Authority gets through [with little SuDS provision], a developer might think they don’t have to [consider it on future projects].” FURTHER READING Concerned about this, the Greater London Authority (GLA) has put together a standard SuDS checklist SuDS – perception and progress. A comparison of SuDS statutory guidance – for local authorities on for developers to consider – “to be up England and Wales. ICE and Wavin joint research. the implementation of Schedule 3 to the Flood and front about our requirements,” says www.wavin.com/en-gb/-/media/Wavin/united- Water Management Act 2010, the mandatory use Greater London Authority London kingdom/Documents/SuDS-wavin-and-ice-report. of SuDS on new developments and approval and sustainable drainage action plan ashx adoption by the SuDS approving body (the SAB) project manager George Warren. https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/ For land that already comes with Greater London Authority SuDS proforma publications/2019-06/statutory-guidance.pdf planning permission, Delta-Simons www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/environment/ associate Joshua Rigby explains that climate-change/surface-water/london-sustainable- developers are often surprised that drainage-proforma different ground conditions affect the viability of different SuDS schemes. His experience is that overlooking offer ground conditions information their function with the surroundings SuDS initially, impacts on the to inform designs. Being proactive is vital if people living alongside business case for the entire in educating the industry about them are to accept them, he added. development. SuDS amid a shortage of drainage “How they look is very important Hertfordshire County Council head engineers in Wales was key to its and landscape architects are key [to of environmental resource planning success, continued Titherington. The achieving the right balance].” John Rumble agrees, adding that same skill shortage was mirrored in Anglian Water regional flood risk the reason a plot of land is often England, according to many of the manager Jonathan Glerum recalls that undeveloped is not because of its engineers at the round table event. schemes that are part of schools offer above-ground potential, but because of Poor public perception of excellent opportunities for promoting the below-ground challenges. SuDS is another issue to address. SuDS benefits via students, teachers, Titherington emphasises the Communities are often ignorant of parents and grandparents. importance of linking SuDS with a the pressure on current systems to site’s development potential. “It’s control flooding and pollution. They the developers I want to influence I are also sceptical of the amenity want them to see one place [as being] value of SuDS, especially when they We are all more attractive to develop than might be prohibited from entering another because of SuDS.” some SuDS features or when planting waiting to see Another barrier to successful SuDS takes years before it is considered what happens in Wales. implementation is that many planning “attractive”. departments lacked SuDs knowledge “The best designs come from My main worry is how and experience. multi-disciplinary teams,” states Cardiff Council is working with Atkins head of networks and drainage Schedule 3 will be the British Geological Survey to Jeremy Jones. The need to integrate “ resourced in England 34 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019

CASE STUDY: CRAY WANDERERS

Sustainable drainage was key to securing planning permission for Cray “The football club encouraged us to explore new ideas to enhance the Wanderers football club’s new stadium, which is being built on green belt scheme. We had to be better than the best”. land in south east London. The scheme improves drainage in the area, which sits on made ground underlain by 18m of London Clay. There was pressure from Cray Wanderers FC had been without its own ground for 25 years until Sport England to maximise sporting facilities on the site, so all drainage 2016 when former sports fields along the A20 Sidcup bypass were solutions had to be below ground. Apart from land occupied by identified for development. Known more for car boot sales and a nightclub buildings, all surfaces are permeable, enabling water to be attenuated in recent years, the club’s plans for the 7.5ha site was to revive the or stored in the gravel sub-base of driveways, the artificial pitch or in community asset by building a 1,300 capacity ground with a 3G artificial the 1.5m deep geocellular storage tanks beneath carparks. Run-off from pitch and six grass pitches, a car park, 42 homes and a children’s play area. roofs is collected via pipes that join this distributed storage system and But located on protected green belt land meant that it would be subject feed into a diverted Thames water sewer. to extra planning scrutiny. The project would need to convince planning Only the grass pitches are excluded from this treatment. The drainage officials that there were “very special circumstances” if it was to get off system manages surface water so that the rate and volume of run-off the ground. do not exceed pre-development values, so there is no increased risk of “Every aspect of the development had to be of net benefit to the flooding. There is an overall 13% reduction in impermeable land across area,” recalls Capita associate consultant Jack Southon, who also grew the site due to the redevelopment. Advance works have begun and the up in the area. main construction phase begins in 2020.

Much praise is given to Wales for introduction had been a “vertical happens in Wales,” comments Hull taking bold action in making SuDS learning curve,” and that he had, City Council flood risk planning mandatory to reduce pressure on “learned more in six months than manager Rachel Glossop. sewers and treatment plants and in he could have in six years,” leaving “My main worry is how [Schedule showing clear support for pushing many of the experts working 3] would be resourced in England. sustainable design in the built predominantly in England cautious of Having good relationships with the environment. its introduction. water industry will be key [to its Titherington warns that its “We’re all waiting to see what successful rolled-out].” N

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 35 UPCOMING EVENTS

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Future of Series Advert - Update IV - 265mm h x 210mm w.indd 1 08/11/2019 16:07 Innovative Thinking NEW DESIGN CONCEPTS, INVENTIVE CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND FRESH IDEAS

Engineers are examining sections of suspension cable on the Humber Bridge to check for corrosion. Meanwhile major projects are increasingly benefi ting from the use of 4D digital twins and an SME has developed new stormwater storage technology

4D DIGITAL TWINS ARE REAPING REWARDS / PAGE 38 HUMBER DEHUMIDIFICATION SYSTEM CHECKED / PAGE 40 DIGITAL STORMWATER STORAGE SYSTEM / PAGE 42

DECEMBER 2019 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 37 Innovative Thinking Digital Twins DOUBLE BUBBLE Projects using 4D digital twins are now yielding results from their technological leap forward. Emily Ashwell reports.

ven projects using world- various sources including BIM and contractors can all collaborate class engineering talent KEY FACTS data, Lidar and other survey data. to shape what happens on site before can struggle to stay on Changes to a physical asset must be work starts. time and on budget, as the communicated to the digital twin to “If you have a large-scale recent history of Crossrail 12 stop it from becoming obsolete. A infrastructure asset, it probably and Hinkley Point C shows. Number of digital version can also be used to doesn’t change all that much at While the reasons for delays and model changes to an asset before the any point in time, but something is Ecost hikes are complex and varied, different physical version is altered. changing every day,” Bentley chief clients, consultants and contractors design A 4D digital twin can be used to technology officer Keith Bentley told are increasingly looking to technology disciplines model changes to an asset over time the conference. and tools such as 4D digital twins to and predict its future behaviour. It “So, if you have a digital twin and help mitigate risks. And the first wave on Tideway can track changes to an asset, so it doesn’t reflect the current state of of projects using 4D digital twins is tunnel engineers can see what it used to be, what you have in the real world, not now bearing fruit. what has happened to it and what its only is it not going to be valuable, but At the recent Year in Infrastructure current condition is. it could be dangerous.” conference held by software company Technology such as Synchro 4D “Sometimes you’ll change the Bentley in Singapore, project teams also enables detailed construction digital representation in preparation demonstrated that it is not enough for planning, so engineers, designers for making changes to the physical engineers to have entry level Building world. We might call that a project Information Modelling (BIM) systems digital twin. And sometimes, we’re these days. There is even more scope looking into the future, so the for project efficiencies in the brave constant digital twin is all about new world of the 4D digital twin. marrying the two worlds and keeping So, what is a digital twin and If we can them in sync.” where is its fourth dimension? A Bentley says having a digital twin digital twin is a digital representation improve is gives the opportunity to improve of a physical asset. It is used to processes, for controlling elements help engineers understand what is those metrics – cost, such as cost, safety and carbon. happening to a physical building or efficiency, safety – we “The opportunity is to change not piece of infrastructure. only the process, but the business Digital twins contain data from are creating value process. If we can improve those

38 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 “ READ MORE BUSINESS ARTICLES AT NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING

The technology shortened design time, reduced resource hours, “made meetings more productive, and eliminated tedious task

metrics – cost, efficiency, safety – we Engineers have This has increased buy in as it is says: “The technology shortened are creating value,” he says. modelled Tideway easier for stakeholders to understand design time, reduced resource hours, The benefits of this approach can Construction than engineering drawings. In made meetings more productive, and be seen in the work the joint venture plans using a 4D one case, an objection to an item eliminated tedious tasks. (JV) of Costain, Vinci Construction digital twin of planned work was withdrawn “The collaborative approach Grands Projets and Bachy Soletanche when the team was able to use the achieved through Synchro 4D has has undertaken on the Thames technology to better explain what it been key to involving the client, Tideway Tunnel in London. was doing. designers, and fabricators during It says that so far, 4D construction It used the Bentley Synchro 4D early decision making.” planning has saved £1M, two years technology to combine the 3D models There has been a similar success into a five-year construction project. with the construction schedule to story in Norway, where Sweco is It has also helped to slash 90 days show how the project will develop. designing a new 9km light rail line in from the construction schedule. An example of how this worked Bergen. Construction of the whole 25km- is at Tideway’s Greenwich Pumping The new line, which includes eight long tunnel, which is split into three Station, where an acoustic enclosure stations, an underground depot, sections, is logistically complex. was being constructed above an shaft bridges and two tunnels with a total There are 24 constrained and to protect residents from noise. length of 5km. Sweco used a 4D digital challenging sites, 11 of which are The Docklands Light Railway runs twin to visualise design changes along the banks of the River Thames. close to the shaft and the site is also and provide evidence to support In addition, there is a large supply next to a railway viaduct, meaning decisions. The digital twin enabled chain and there are 12 different work could only be done at night. Sweco staff in five countries to better design disciplines. The team ran 4D construction collaborate and there was a resulting The JV, which has the East works scenarios to work out the optimum 25% reduction in construction errors. construction contract, says using construction schedule. The It is now using the technology on a 4D digital twin has saved time technology rapidly reviewed site other projects. through better construction planning conditions, identified asset protection Sweco 3D specialist/BIM consultant and modelling and has ensured that requirements and explored potential Christiaan Post says that using the more work on site is right first time. crane locations. The speed of this technology enabled Sweco to engineer The digital twin has also generated review work meant the time to the extension of Bergen’s Light Rail a 3D video of planned work to show complete this phase was cut by 50%. system “right first time,” and as a result stakeholders. Tideway BIM manager Sandra Reis make significant time and cost savings. N

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 39 Innovative Thinking Humber Bridge

Engineers remove protective led paste which was originally used to SURGERY protect the cable wires IN THE SKY Contractor Cleveland Bridge have an office at altitude as they carry out essential inspection work on the Humber Bridge. Connor Ibbetson reports.

ngineers at the iconic The latest Humber Bridge, once KEY FACTS the longest suspension inspection work bridge in the world, are undertaking a £2.6M, 14,948 is focusing on eight of 12-month inspection of its Number of mainstay cables dehumidification the bridge’s 120, Esystem. Fears about corrosion wires making resulted in the system’s installation up the main 18m long cable panels in 2009. Humber “ Cleveland Bridge, which has inspected and maintained all of the Bridge UK’s major suspension bridges, suspension and corrosion. including the Severn Bridge and An inspection in 2009 by Aecom the Forth Road Bridge, is acting as cables revealed corrosion in one of the the principal contractor, working Humber Bridge’s cables that could alongside project manager Aecom. have led to a weight restriction on Cleveland Bridge was also part of the bridge. Inspection of the high level the original British Bridge Builders The dehumidification system panels takes place from a construction consortium which installed as a result was so effective gantry mounted on the cable built the bridge in the 1970s. Other that similar systems were installed on members were Sir William Arrol & Co Forth and Severn Road bridges. and Redpath Dorman Long. This latest inspection work is Most modern bridges use locked focusing on eight of the bridge’s 120, strand coils, Z cross-section wires 18m long cable panels to check for which interlock to form a sealed any signs of further corrosion. barrier to water and moisture. Bridge operator the Humber The Humber bridge main cables Bridge Board chose four panels at are made up of parallel strand cables lower height on the cables, as well that leave voids between the bundled as two low and two high-level panels wires, exposing them to water ingress per side. The low level panels can

40 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 READ MORE INNOVATIVE THINKING ARTICLES AT NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING

be accessed with scaffolding from push them apart. the bridge deck, but those higher “The inspection seems brutal,” up require the engineers from says Humber Bridge Board head of Cleveland Bride to deploy their engineering and infrastructure Andrew bespoke hanging gantry system. Here Arudel, “but this physical inspection saddles are fitted to the cable, one is all in line with current best practice temporary to lift and one permanent coming out of North America.” for attachment. Insitu, the cable is Once each wedge line has been attached by a Crosby turnbuckle, opened, the engineers carry out both slings and shackles. a visual and physical inspection says Installing the hanging gantry takes Arundel. approximately one-week depending “This is both a visual and physical on weather conditions. Traffic on inspection, with a visual inspection the bridge is also restricted to a of the grade of corrosion, as well as contra-flow system. wire samples being taken for further The view from the gantry is awe analysis.” inspiring and terrifying, but Cleveland Specialist engineers from Cowi are Bridge construction manager Mark carrying out physical inspections and Dymond explains that his engineers removing the wire samples from each all have a “a strong head for heights” wedge line for off-site testing, as well and enjoy having a “unique office with as splicing in new wire to replace any a good view”. samples taken. Once the gantry is hoisted into Once all eight wedge lines have place, the engineers move into their been inspected and replacement “office”. The first stage of the work wire spliced in, the wires are re- on the cables involves removing compacted with a bespoke hydraulic the elastomeric wrap, called DS- compaction machine. Site workers Brown, from around the cable follow the compaction machine and panel to expose the outer layer of wrap stainless steel bands around the circumferential wire, which protects re-compacted wires every 300mm as the wires underneath. the machine makes its way along the Once the plastic coat and the 18m panel. circumferential wires have been Once the wires have been removed, all 14,948 of the 4.98mm recompacted, a bespoke wire diameter wires are exposed. The wrapper is used to re-install the thousands of wires are coated in a circumferential wire. mix of lead paste and linseed oil. Keeping the wrapper supplied with This protective lead paste has to wire is also a tough job, says Dymond, be removed and safely disposed of by as spools of wire must be lifted up to hand by engineers, as the installation the gantry. of the dehumidification system has The wrapper has to be lifted to the made it redundant. gantry in pieces before it is assembled. The nature of the work, especially Finally, a highways standard paint removing the lead paint, means that system will be applied to the cable and the gantry is sealed in protective a new elastomeric wrap over the new plastic to prevent the paint falling circumferential wire. into the Humber and polluting it. “It is fair to say the corrosion was Dymond explains that working inside probably greater at the midspan of the suspended gantry is a tough the bridge than other areas because The inspection job. “It can be freezing in winter, and gravity takes its effect and the water roasting in summer,” he says. migrates to the lowest point of the seems brutal Dymond says the gantry gets so cable, so for this reason we have hot that the protective paper suits decided to re-inspect a panel from but this physical the engineers wear when removing 2009,” says Arundel. the lead oil from the cables “turn to “These results will give us a good inspection is all in mush”. He adds that the engineers indication that the system is working take regular breaks. and early reports say it is and the line with current best Once the paint has been panels are in a good condition with “ completely removed and the wires not much change since 2009.” practice coming out of cleaned, eight plastic wedges are The next inspection of the Humber North America driven into the wires in each panel to Bridge is set for 2025/26. N

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 41 Innovative Thinking SME Interview STORM SENSOR A simple idea to mitigate flooding in Queensland, Australia, formed the basis for a start-up which is now rolling out its innovative technology worldwide. Emily Ashwell reports.

hree months into a new only discharged water when the rain the rain went into the tank. But when job, Brian Moloney started, so did not help to alleviate the tank was drained, we noticed that faced one of the biggest KEY FACTS flooding. when the next rain event happened, challenges of his career. “I came up with the idea that if we there was significantly less impact on The civil engineer, who £1bn knew we were going to have flooding the downstream river,” he says. had left Dublin when his Damage tomorrow, and we drained down the “The volume of water that was employer cut its workforce from tanks today, they would take the first released when the tank was drained T120 to 20 during Ireland’s financial caused impact,” he says. was minimal in comparison to what crisis, had just started a new job by 2010 Moloney pitched the idea to the you would get into river. Flooding with the water department for the senior team and it was implemented. is not just a problem with volume, South Burnett Regional Council in Queensland A team with cordless drills went to it is problem with volume and time. Queensland, Australia. floods every vulnerable house and installed So, if we could bring the water It was November 2010 and over cheap valves in the tanks. These discharge from the tank eight, ten or the next three months, heavy rainfall 30% could then be emptied in advance of 24 hours before the rainfall, it makes a would lead to Queensland being Reduction in heavy rainfall. significant impact.” declared a disaster zone with 75% of Northumbrian “When the rain fell on a house, the Moloney then started to think the state suffering extensive flooding. Water sewer first thing that would happen is that how he could move the idea on, and Almost 6,000 people were overspills after started to work on an automated evacuated and 33 people died over Storm- valve, linking water release to weather the course of the floods, which harvester forecasts. caused more than £1bn worth of installed By 2013 the economy in Ireland damage. I could clearly had started to pick up and Moloney It was during this disaster that returned. After receiving a £10,000 Moloney came up with a simple see that civil grant from Techstart to develop proof idea which could have an important of concept, Moloney approached impact on water levels. engineering and Queen’s University in Belfast for help At the time all new homes in to test a prototype. Queensland were required to have drainage hadn’t He worked with the civil a rainwater tank, usually holding embraced the Internet engineering department to test between 5,000 litres and 10,000 and trial the system in different litres. But these were often full and “ applications, focusing on how the of Things revolution

42 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 READ MORE BUSINESS ARTICLES AT NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING

Once we had the first product built, a simple product controlling “one tank, we started to build a second product which was a more networked version

innovation could be scaled up, and Molony flood prevention and rainwater research grant and started working considering questions such as: if undertaking harvesting. with Northumbrian Water on a larger the power shut off, how would the a smart valve With flood tanks mandatory on scale roll out of the technology into technology react? All this time, installation at many new development sites, the wastewater networks. Moloney was working most of the Hillsborough concept cuts construction costs and The technology achieved 96% week as a consultant drainage Castle reduces water demand on the new accuracy on combined sewer outfall engineer to fund his project, working buildings. It can also be used on lakes predictions and demonstrated a on Stormharvester a couple of days a and reservoirs. 30% reduction in overspills if they week and at weekends. By the end of 2017 the business operated their pumping chambers “I could clearly see that civil was moving rapidly and Moloney preemptively under Stormharvester’s engineering and drainage hadn’t quit his job to work full-time on instructions. embraced the Internet of Things Stormharvester as more investment The firm has since signed a revolution. and a commercial director came in partnership with Wavin, which is now “I thought it would only be a matter and the software engineering took a taking the product into 20 countries of time, given ageing infrastructure stride forward. on mainland Europe. and the cost of capital upgrades,” he “Once we had the first product “If we had to hire staff all around said. built, a simple product controlling Europe and try and get into projects, In 2016 the automated water one tank, we started to build a second that would have been impossible. management control system and the product which was a more networked Ultimately, we do the smart company bearing the Stormharvester version built specifically for water technology not the tanks. Having name was born. utilities,” said Moloney. them come to us and say: ‘we love By installing a weather forecast- In May 2018 Stormharvester your idea and want to sell it’. To me linked control system within tanks, started to make strides into the UK that’s a no brainer.” they can be held full or partially full market, partnering with Stormsaver – Today Stormharvester can be seen when there is no problematic rainfall. a company which provides rainwater on major projects including one at However, when a large storm event harvesting systems and products Hillsborough Castle and Gardens and is forecast, tanks can be emptied or such as water storage tanks. It had in the redevelopment of a landmark partially emptied in advance. Water started to work directly on projects, property on London’s Grosvenor can also be recycled, for example for including a house, a couple of schools Square, making it a worthy winner flushing toilets. and some garden centres. of New Civil Engineer’s Techfest The system essentially combines Stormharvester won a £100,000 Accelerator award. N

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 43 Innovative Thinking Amey DIGITALLY DRIVEN

Few civil engineering businesses are now ignorant of the world of data. Industry 4.0 is happening. Businesses need to digitise to survive. Amey chief executive Andy Milner tells Mark Hansford.

igitisation heralds a new many client organisations are aware of era of possibility in the KEY FACTS the opportunities few are geared up world of data-driven asset to take advantage of them. They need performance improvement. practical specialist partners to help “We can now move forward and New technologies Turnover them exploit their data to maximise focus on delivering the services our ranging from cloud asset value and enable sustainable, digital clients and communities across the UK computing to advaced analytics; £2.2bn transformation. rely on,” he says. Dblockchain to ever bigger “big” data; This is now a real focus for his business, And that focus is very much digital and and from cognitive tech to digital realities 17,000 says Amey chief executive Andy Milner. data-enabled. But that does not mean are all increasingly coming into play. “We as a business are now clearly spouting clichés or espousing the value of Quietly, and away from the headlines, Total staff focused on professional services, the much-vaunted “digital twin” idea. Amey has perhaps taken bigger steps than engineering excellence, evolving our “Digital twin?” he says when asked most. It has amassed a 130-strong team thinking and investing in data analytics. It about the concept. “I don’t really buy in in its strategic consultancy business, after 130 is about enabling clients to deliver better,” to that. What I understand is the value of starting it up with just two people seven Size of he says. people developing algorithms to develop years ago. strategic This shift in emphasis – and a solutions for clients, tailored to the And while 130 people in a company of willingness to talk about it – comes actual solution and developed from first around 17,000 sounds quite small, the consultancy after Milner finally freed Amey from its principle,” he explains. impact of this team is being felt across team “onerous” highways maintenance PFI Clients from Highways England, the business. Amey operates in almost contract with Birmingham City Council. Manchester Metrolink, Ofgem, National every stage of project lifecycles in almost The termination agreement was finally Grid, Transport for Greater Manchester, every sector, and this team is helping struck earlier this year and while it has Transport Scotland, Heathrow Airport Ltd the firm win work and grow relationships caused some short-term pain – along in the UK and others abroad including with clients who are increasingly aware with its parent company, Ferrovial, Amey New Yorks City’s Mass Transit Authority of the potential to manipulate data to has agreed to pay the council a total and the Australian Department for amplify asset value and achieve tangible of £300M over the next six years – it Defence have all benefited from Amey’s performance improvements. was, said Milner at the time, “hugely data-driven approach. Client awareness here is key. While significant” for the company. But perhaps one of the most tangible

44 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMEY

We brought data alive in a way that an operator could “understand and own

examples of the power of data is with Smart use of data the project Amey took a bottom-up An example of the successful Network Rail where Amey has moved has cut delay approach, ensuring that approaches and implementation of Quartz can be seen the mystery of data science consulting minutes at East methodologies were accepted and bought in at East Croydon station in south into reality and enabled its staff to be Croydon by 40% into. London. Quartz enabled Network Rail confident in using data to improve the “We brought data alive by working to identify that platforms 3 and 4 were journeys of millions of people per year. in a way that an operator could the main causes of delay. After further Network Rail South East had a limited understand and own,” explains Milner. investigation it was found that this was understanding of what are termed “We demystified data and as practical because there were not enough staff “sub-threshold” delays of less than three consultants, we helped upskill a new breed to dispatch trains at peak times. Six minutes because its monitoring method of operational data staff. additional full-time staff were added, captures delays in minutes instead of Amey built a cloud-based data resulting in a 40% decrease in daily delay seconds. As a result it had not been processing and storage solution, minutes, saving £3.5M in fines over the conducting root cause analyses of these processing Network Rail’s internal data in next five years. smaller hold ups. real-time, and displaying it as information As a result of this success in the South But, in 2016, 40% of delay minutes on an interactive platform. East, Amey has just signed a five-year were sub-threshold delays. With 500M “Our team of skilled mathematicians deal to roll Quartz out across all Network passenger journeys per year serving the turned data analytics into insights for Rail routes – the consulting team’s economic hub that is South East England, Network Rail,” says Milner. biggest contract win. small delays have a big impact. The final result of this engagement It is just one example, but a powerful Amey set out to investigate under- is called “Quartz”: a tool which utilises one of how data, used well, can deliver used existing data within Network Rail to-the-second train movement data to serious performance improvement – and and turned it into actionable insights, present the performance of individual at much lower cost than capital upgrades. enabling network staff to understand the stations across the South East route, “We have a massive capacity,” says importance of “seconds performance”. allowing users to understand the impact Milner. “And we have a world-leading To bring about the most change within of small process changes on performance. quality in this,” he says. “But we keep our

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 45 Innovative Thinking Amey IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMEY

What we’ve not done is recruit civil engineers with tech skills. We need people “who are not frightened of data

light under our bushel.” But clearly not for much longer, as the plan is very much to expand the strategic consultancy team. But with what sort of staff? “We have now around 130 people doing this and it is the quality of the people that is relevant,” says Milner. The significance of this statement is that few of those in the strategic consultancy team are civil engineers, in that they are not ICE members. “We have recruited a lot of bright people with some sort of background in analytics. What we’ve not done is recruit civil engineers with tech skills,” explains Clients in “The challenge I face as a business have had all these things [monitoring and Milner. “We need people who are not locations ranging leader is to invest in this new capability sensors] as a means of collecting data. frightened of data.” from Manchester while respecting the skills we already What is important is what the data is As an ICE Fellow himself, Milner is in the UK to New have – and it will have to be give and telling you,” he explains. concerned about his Institution’s response York City and take,” he says. “If you think about what goes wrong on to this new need. Australia have Another strong example of Amey’s most structures it is not unusual loading. “I genuinely love and care about the benefited from use of data is on the Forth Road Bridge It’s fatigue. And that is hard to predict. So ICE. And my challenge to it is – are Amey’s data- where, it has rolled out two systems that why don’t you just do something simple they embracing these people? This is driven approach give bridge owner Transport Scotland like count the cycles? We are getting an industrial revolution and if the ICE real-time asset condition information and smart on that,” he says. doesn’t recognise that and doesn’t adapt now actually uses weather forecasting to So the future of Amey? itself then it will be an Institution of predict some failures. “The future is being sat in an office with Digital Engineering that will emerge,” This is powerful stuff, and clearly needs a load of data. The future of consultancy he says. to be well understood. and outsourcing is adding value. We want Milner also says the employers “We are now extrapolating rather than to make our money out of being smart,” themselves will also have to change their interpreting,” says Milner. “But it is only he says. view on new talent. an evolution of engineering. “We as employers have got to “As long as you are careful, you can move our views and trust some of this do this. You just need to contain it at the capability. When I started in this industry start and only when you are confident no-one would have listened to what I had [in the extrapolation] can you move the The data-led to say until I was 30. boundary a bit. “Now it’s the younger talent that is “But to be clear, the data-led solution solution is going to be pushing the older engineers. is smarter. There is so much you can do We’ve got to embrace that… without with algorithms,” he emphasises. smarter. There is so collapsing a bridge,” he says, referencing And much of this data is not new. Most the continuing need for technical structures today are heavily monitored much you can do with excellence that underpins a business with remote sensors. algorithms such as Amey’s. “In all my career on bridge projects we “ 46 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 “IT’S THE VOICE OF THE CIVIL ENGINEERING INDUSTRY”

MARK GRIFFITHS, GENERAL MANAGER SELLAFIELD SITES LTD

New Civil Engineer

PUT YOURSELF IN FRONT OF 48,000 INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS CONTACT FRANCIS BARHAM 020 [email protected] Innovative Thinking AquaSpira CSR Pipes FAST AND FLEXIBLE

Smaller external diameters and push-fit connections on composite steel reinforced pipework have saved Thames Water time and money on a sewer upgrade in south east London.

esidents of Dunoon Road resulting wider and deeper excavation, but in south east London KEY FACTS due to the practicalities of handling and have benefited from an installing pipes that weigh almost 10t. In upgraded sewer system stark contrast, the use of more modern enable quick and simple connection to the with much less disruption 325m3 composite materials enabled the trench adjoining pipe network. during construction than width to be reduced by 500mm and the Thames Water senior general foreman, normal. In the process of installing it, Required depth by 400mm, and weighing in at Andy Adaway, explains: “The technology RThames Water also managed to reduce its storage in 400kg, the pipes could be handled with from AquaSpira has seen a significant costs and programme time. sewer relatively small machines. reduction in lorry movements on this In common with most urban flood The smaller outside diameter of the project. It’s not only on deliveries where alleviation schemes, the design team for pipes also enabled them to fit between, or we have seen a reduction of more than

Thames Water’s eight2O alliance faced 93m beneath other existing utilities much better 50% compared with a traditional concrete the usual challenges of limited space in than conventional, more bulky pipes. pipe installation, but equally important the road, existing utilities, and the need Length of pipe It was also recognised very early in when working in London, ‘muck-away’ to create a solution that would minimise sections used the design process that access into the vehicles can be scarce, and when haulage disruption for local residents and road pipeline could not be achieved via large is delayed, the work stops. users. conventional manholes, which would “Much fewer muck-away trucks are To provide the necessary storage 2.1m simply not fit within the available space in required when installing AquaSpira pipes capacity of 325m3 it was agreed that this Pipe the road. This challenge was overcome by due to the trenches being shallower and could be achieved most efficiently by incorporating Access End Pipes at each narrower. On the Dunoon Road project, utilising a 93m long run of 2.1m diameter diameters end of the pipeline, together with two for example, muck-away tonnage was AquaSpira Composite Steel Reinforced used Access Bends at intermediate locations substantially reduced to 246t, compared (CSR) pipe. along the run to accommodate minor to 354t with concrete pipe installations, Historically, attempting to fit changes in direction. and 465t with other plastic derived conventional concrete pipes of this size The prefabricated Access Units, systems,” says Adaway. into existing highways was extremely supplied with the same sealed push-fit This equates to a saving of up to 13 difficult, not only due to the much greater joints as the pipes, were also fitted with lorry movements to site, reducing costs, outside diameter of the pipes and the all necessary inlet and outlet pipe stubs to site management time, environmental

48 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AQUASPIRA

The technology from AquaSpira has seen a significant reduction in lorry “movements on this project

impact and improving the safety of Above: The pipes difficulties on previous projects with large all projects very seriously, and this was no residents and workers, and of course, were chosen plastic chambers and pipes too. exception. The ability to reduce transport more than halving the HGV traffic to minimise “More often than not, due to either to and from site by over 50%, together emanating from the project. disruption and rain or groundwater, in deep excavations with a 25% reduction in excavation, AquaSpira’s unique push-fit joining speed installation we’re working in wet conditions. The contributed towards a significant decrease system has also added to the success of Right: They are method of jointing large plastic pipes and in emissions from vehicles and plant. In the Thames Water project. relatively light chambers that have been installed in the addition to operational benefits, pipes By simply lining up the spigot and and can be lifted past has involved insitu welding, which in manufactured from composite steel socket joints on the two pipe sections by relatively small wet conditions is inherently difficult and, reinforced polyethylene in this diameter and using the supplied jointing frame, the machines by definition, requires risk assessment utilise 30% less material than alternative pipes push together and are sealed with a and method statements to manage the plastic pipes and contain over 25% factory fitted integral rubber seal. safety of men working and undertaking recycled material. The bright red spigot gives a clear hot welding operations in confined spaces Following the success of the project indication that the joint has been made, below ground for long periods of time. at Dunoon Road, Thames Water’s which proved to be very helpful for the Working with the AquaSpira system is eight2O alliance partnership is already installation team and site supervisors in completely different. The access units are incorporating the AquaSpira pipe and terms of efficiency and confidence. much sturdier and can be firmly fixed into access system into designs for future “The very robust prefabricated access position and, rather than being a major schemes. units are a massive improvement” remarks concern, the push-fit joints with integral Approval is also in place for developers Adaway. ring-seals enabled us to connect pipes to use the system on adoptable drainage “Of course, they eliminate many of together in a matter of seconds, fully systems, where the same significant the problems and genuine safety issues sealed – fit and forget!” savings in cost, programme time and associated with attempting to build huge The Thames Water eight2O alliance disruption can be achieved, in addition to manholes in roads with heavy concrete takes its responsibility to reduce carbon the major improvements to safety and rings and slabs, but we’ve experienced and the overall environmental impact of carbon reduction.

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 49 IN PARTNERSHIP Innovative Thinking WITH SIMPSON ASSOCIATES STRONGER TOGETHER Structural and civil engineering consultancy Simpson Associates has recently acquired fellow consultant Taylor Whalley Spyra.

impson Associates’ head office is in the centre of Henley-on-Thames where the firm was established 50 years ago based on commissions for mainly industrial clients such as SColman’s Foods as well as the usual local work. Senior Partner, Mike Ellis, joined in the mid-1980s as a graduate engineer fresh from Middle Eastern postings when the practice was a proud three strong operation. Simpson has grown steadily, using local contacts to open an office in Gloucester and subsequently in London and Exeter. In the last six years the company has averaged double-digit growth, and now employs around 60 staff. “We have progressed by servicing blue chip companies and private individuals alike with the hands-on culture of an owner-managed company,” says Ellis. Success is based on established relationships with clients such as Premier Inn, Merlin Entertainments, Redrow, Galliard, Marston’s, Costa, Bourne Leisure and many others. It has recently acquired Taylor Whalley Spyra (TWS) which has a history Main picture: The mutual benefits of joining forces. Simpson management is already being nurtured going back 70 years, having originally Kimpton Fitzroy, was looking to continue its growth and demonstrating a clear vision for been based in Manchester and Poland. a Simpson reinforce its presence in London while continuing growth. TWS’ directors have been at the helm project. Inset: TWS needed a succession plan to build Simpson has moved its London staff since 1996 and have consolidated their The new Simpson on its strong reputation and impressive to the TWS Barbican office and all are operations at the Barbican office with an leadership team client base. integrating well. Ellis summarises the enviable portfolio including high profile from left: Chris Ellis has recently made three of his strategy: “Our preference has always been institutional and commercial clients. Martin, Gareth team equity partners. They are long to promote staff internally to provide a TWS projects include the 1,000 Crowther, serving staff whose internal promotions varied and progressive career. It is very bed Westminster Plaza hotel and the Mike Ellis, reflect a commitment to staff exciting to welcome the TWS team into Fitzroy Place development. A recent Ian Rollinson development. This provides a ready-made the family. This is a great example of how commission involved the relocation of a management team to integrate the TWS flexibility and a willingness to combine Banksy mural as part of the new Art’otel in operation and allow its directors to step two different businesses can succeed. An Shoreditch. down over the next few years. acquisition will be to the benefit of all if Both practices quickly understood the Following this, the next generation of the fit is right.’

50 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 Innovative Thinking Sandscaping SAND

SANDSCAPING 20 YEARS AFTER CONSTRUCTION CONSTRUCTION OF Long term and adaptable protection with benefits SANDSCAPING SOLUTION for key infrastructure, local communities, the Short term inpact during construction environment and tourism SCREEN Bacton Gas terminal Bacton Gas terminal Sandscaping could protect

vulnerable coastal locations Bacton Bacton after its first UK use in Norfolk. Sam Sholli reports.

illions of cubic (New Civil Engineer, December 2017). Council] has to make a choice” metres of sand could KEY FACTS Royal Haskoning DHV flood and Flikweert says other potential target be pumped onto coastal management advisor Jaap areas are Aldeburgh in Suffolk and the beaches around Flikweert says a similar scheme to Lincolnshire coast. the UK to protect 1.8M.m3 protect a railway from flooding and “Lincolnshire protects the coast coastal communities erosion in Penzance, Cornwall is by placing sand on the beach every from coastal erosion. Volume currently being investigated. year at a much smaller volume [than MRoyal Haskoning DHV, the of sand “[Sandscaping] has been identified in North Norfolk] but [our longer Environment Agency, Crown Estate deposited as one of the likely solutions for that term approach] could be more cost and local authorities are currently area in the coming five to 10 years,” effective.” working on a list of 20 areas in the UK onto Bacton Flikweert tells New Civil Engineer. When asked about barriers to which could benefit from sandscaping, beach He added: “We are now doing implementation in other parts of after it was introduced in Norfolk. a study where sandscaping [in the UK, Flikweert admits the biggest The North Norfolk project followed Cornwall] is going to be compared in obstacle is funding. a storm in December 2013 which nearly detail to traditional [hard engineered “You do need a particular type of halved the size of the sand buffer near coastal defences] options. There is a coast,” he says. “So, it needs to be a the Bacton Gas Terminal, causing cost element, a landscape element and sandy coast and it needs to have long- severe flooding in nearby villages an environmental element, so all of shore elements to make the natural At Bacton 1.8M.m3 of sand was those things are going to be compared processes work. placed on the beach. Work was and then the client [Cornwall County “It also needs to be right in terms completed in August and involved of designated or imported habitats, a ship removing sand from licenced so if there is an important protected dredging areas of seabed and then habitat that you do not want to cover depositing it along a 5km stretch to You have to with sand then it won’t work either. recharge the beach. “But probably the most important The sand increases the height and demonstrate barrier is that someone has to pay width of the beaches. Then nature for it… How that works on the coast takes its course as waves and tides that you are protecting with coastal management is that you help distribute the sand along part of have to demonstrate that you are the coast so that it gradually moves households and protecting households and economic from an initial bulge where it was placed economic value value.” N

“ DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 51 Innovation News NEW INNOVATIONS THAT WILL TRANSFORM YOUR PROJECTS NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING

STRUCTURES DANISH LIGHTHOUSE SLIDES BACK FROM CLIFF

Engineers have moved a 720t lighthouse in Hjorring, Denmark, to prevent it from being lost to the Scandinavian country’s eroding coastline. The 120-year-old Rubjerg Knude Fyr lighthouse was slid 70m using rails, jacks and hydraulics supplied by Danish engineering firm BMS Krangården. Twenty- four steel bars enabled the jacking system to lift the lighthouse before it was placed on the rails. The 10-hour move took place along a trench excavated on a flat foundation. The existing foundations for the 23m tall lighthouse were reinforced with steel and 7m3 of concrete.

AIRPORTS TRANSPORT STRUCTURES HEATHROW ‘NERVE CALL FOR BIM MODEL USED TO DEVELOP CENTRE’ TO E-ROADS TO POLCEVERA REPLACEMENT DESIGN CONNECT OFFSITE CHARGE ELECTRIC HUBS VEHICLES

Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) Concrete paving specialist will use a centralised system Britpave wants the to track millions of components government to consider plans that will be used on its for concrete “eRoads” which expansion project. HAL’s four incorporate recharging logistic hub sites, will be technology for moving electric connected to a “nerve-centre” cars (New Civil Engineer to “keep the incredibly December 2016). The firm has complex expansion project said the technology could moving”. The hub sites will be bridge the gap between the Italferr, a subsidiary of Italian original structure collapsed in selected from a shortlist of 16,500 charging points which state railways group Ferrovie August last year, killing 43 bidders next year. A HAL currently serve the whole of dello Stato Italiano, has people. Designers have used spokesperson added: “The the UK. They could help meet developed a building the BIM model for process technology will enable a the demands from the information modelling (BIM) co-ordination, construction network of separate offsite estimated 1M electric vehicles, model for the new £180M new simulation, 3D detailing, clash construction centres to work that are due to be using the viaduct across the Polcevera detection, facilities management in unison.” UK’s roads by the mid 2020s. River in Genoa, Italy. The and site analysis.

52 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 Institution of Civil Engineers Record

ICE The bridge includes the Hong Kong Port and Hong New policy Kong Link Road programme pushes best practice share

Promoting and sharing global best practice in strategic infrastructure planning is the goal of the ICE’s new international policy programme, to be launched next month. The programme is called Enabling Better Infrastructure. It recognises the fact that the way in which infrastructure is planned and delivered must accommodate the changing needs of future populations. The ICE will launch the programme by publishing a report focusing on the first stage of infrastructure delivery: planning and prioritisation by decision makers. AWARDS It will also publish a resource hub which collates case studies and examples of effective Hong Kong section of mega-bridge infrastructure policy making around the world. The Steering Group for the to Macao is People’s Choice programme has produced the report and resource hub, plus an insight development programme The Hong Kong section of the The Hong Kong section supports them.” for 2020. These will be launched Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge of the project involved the Chris Wong, who is project at key locations around the (HZMB) has won the 2019 ICE construction of the Hong Kong Manager/major works (special world in early December. People’s Choice Award. Port and the Hong Kong Link duties) for the Hong Kong Discussion about the The award goes to civil Road, which connects the port Highways Department said: programme can be found using engineering projects that have with the main bridge. “The uniqueness of this #EnablingBetterInfrastructure. made a positive impact on their ICE membership director infrastructure lies not only in local communities, with the Seán Harris said: “Visible the engineering feats, but also final winner decided by a global from space, this is a true in bringing the three cities public vote. mega-project and one which of Hong Kong, Zhuhai and The 55km-long HZMB has rightly been voted as the Macao, much closer and thus connects Hong Kong, Zhuhai winner of the People’s Choice enhancing the prosperity and and Macao, reducing the Award 2019.” economic development in the distance and travel time He continued, “HZMB creates Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao between the three cities. It is a close-knit, better designed Greater Bay Area. the longest combined bridge integrated transport system “We are honoured that and tunnel sea crossing in the which will enhance the lives the mega project has won world and has created a one- of residents and travellers, this prestigious award. It hour “living circle” in the Pearl ensuring that with greater recognises the culmination of River Delta region, boosting the prosperity comes a greater hard endeavour and unyielding Greater Bay Area’s economic capacity to care for nascent steadfastness of all those who development and enhancing communities in the region and have contributed to achieving Programme will go global Hong Kong’s position as a hub. for the environment which this engineering wonder.”

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 53 Institution of Civil Engineers Record

PROFESSION Sheffield: Call for engineers to remain at the cutting edge of Sheffield pushes more technology robust maintenance Incoming ICE President also calls for engineers to be transparent and to work to the highest standards to demonstrate career long competence

Engineers must “do the standard. He said: “In the face of right thing” and ensure that public scrutiny, it is increasingly infrastructure maintenance important for engineers to be regimes are robust to ensure able to demonstrate that they public trust, new President Paul are competent throughout their Sheffield said in his inaugural careers, not just on the day they address. qualify. This is a process that the Sheffield gave his address on ICE is very well placed to help 12 November, when he became with, to moderate and to assure.” solutions. innovation to create structures the ICE’s 155th President. Sheffield also discussed net He said, “We must step up and buildings for tomorrow. We He is a former Kier Group zero carbon emissions and the to these challenges and show must be anticipating long-term chief executive and Laing role of civil engineers in meeting other sectors how it should trends and developing resilient O’Rourke managing director and this target. He highlighted be done. Many of the assets products and processes.” will serve as President for the energy efficiency in buildings, that we design and build are Sheffield’s speech referred to 2019/20 term. smart city energy networks, and expected to last for decades, three presidential themes for Sheffield urged the profession adapting road infrastructure if not centuries. Today’s civil his year in office: embracing to ensure its work is accurate, for electric vehicles as areas engineers need to remain at the innovation and iteration to transparent and to the highest where civil engineering can offer cutting edge of technology and support a modern workforce;

VICE PRESIDENT’S VIEW We all have a responsibility to society

Recently, and to society. Together, we reflected on how Our focus is not solely on new ICE Council The meeting gave us the we ensure a sustainable future, major projects but our existing and opportunity to listen to, not just for our profession but infrastructure’s resilience. We Trustees debate and challenge differing society at large. need to breathe new life into came viewpoints, both from members Civil engineers understand the existing assets through innovative together for and from external guest positive impact of infrastructure thinking and by embedding the Annual presenters from Parliament, on any modern, thriving economy smart technology. Infrastructure Emer Strategy the National Infrastructure and society. Moreover, our Royal spending needs to support Murnaghan Meeting Commission, the Met Office Charter commands that we sustainable economic growth (ASM) – the and the Infrastructure Client improve people’s quality of life fairly across all regions. first since Group. Our discussions were while caring for environmental Our Council shapes the adopting the new governance wide-ranging, covering the UK’s outcomes. direction of the Institution, arrangements. national infrastructure needs, Professionally, we are obliged supporting engineers to address The ASM informs Council so international best practice, the to use our expert knowledge societal concerns. But serving our that it can set the agenda for ICE latest Project 13 developments, to influence government and communities and safeguarding activities, prioritising the issues and the implications of climate infrastructure clients to invest the future will not be achieved that really matter to members modelling. in the entire asset lifecycle. solely by Council members.

54 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 OUTGOING PRESIDENT’S VIEW WE CAN ALL CONTRIBUTE TO A CHANGING WORLD

It has been an enormous Society is desperate privilege to have been your President. for pragmatic solutions The ICE is a great success story with a membership now to population growth, getting the basics right and self- approaching 100,000 in over urbanisation, sustainability assessment; and what the future Andrew 150 countries. I have had the holds. honour of meeting thousands and climate change The presidential address Wyllie of you across every region of was given at One Great George the UK and around the world. “ Street and was attended by ICE You are the very lifeblood of members and infrastructure the Institution. sector leaders. It was also Motivated, enthusiastic and engaged people broadcast live online to who, through your extraordinary endeavours, change. By 2050, 10bn people will be living in cities. members around the world. are making a profound difference to the lives of We need to achieve net zero carbon by then. This millions of people. I applaud every one of you. is not going to be easy. Everywhere I have been I have met with In parallel, other major trends also need to be graduates, students and apprentices. They accommodated to provide these solutions in a VICE PRESIDENT’S VIEW represent the future of our profession, and their responsible manner. energy is astonishing. It is matched only by their Society generally understands the economic concern about society’s big issues and their benefits of infrastructure. However, your We all have a responsibility to society determination to provide solutions. neighbours in your community are also concerned In my speeches, you’ll undoubtedly have heard about the high costs of infrastructure. They me talk about a young guy named Henry Palmer. passionately want to protect the environment. We have more than 92,000 Not because he was an outstanding engineer or They worry about whether that tower block or members who should engage in because he and his colleagues founded the ICE. But bridge is safe. And they rightly expect major this debate, not only because of because of his clarity about the enduring purpose schemes to be delivered on time and on budget. the impact to themselves but to of civil engineering: to improve people’s lives in our In addition, attitudes to equality, diversity and inspire our next generation of global society. inclusion have changed. People are demanding to professionals. While the ASM was Maintaining that clarity of purpose is critical as see this reflected in our profession. held in London, the issues and we, like every sector of the economy, have entered I know that you are up for this challenge. With challenges are the responsibility a period of unprecedented change and opportunity your combined wealth of experience, desire of members across all regions – driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution. and ambition, ICE members will deliver. There urban and rural, coastal and inner It is a revolution characterised by a fusion of has never been a better time to have a career in city, highlands and floodplains. technology breakthroughs – artificial intelligence, engineering. The response must come from machine learning, nanotechnology and robotics This is your time. Step into the shoes of Henry each of us at all stages of our – creating a wonderful array of new and exciting Palmer and make your own lasting and meaningful careers. possibilities to fulfil that purpose. contribution to the world in which we live. l Emer Murnaghan is ICE Vice And there is much for us still to do. Society is Our families, our communities and our global President UK Regions and head of desperate for pragmatic solutions to population society are depending on us. responsible business at Graham growth, urbanisation, sustainability and climate l Andrew Wyllie is the ICE’s outgoing President

DECEMBER 2019 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 55 Institution of Civil Engineers Record

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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD IN WALES TO SHINE Rachel Skinner (chair), Bill Grose, Alan Clucas, Andrew Mylius, Martin Knights, Mike Napier, Miles Ashley, Rob Naybour, Tim Chapman, Tony Gates, Zakiyya Adam, Aimi Elias, John Dillon, David Caiden, Fay Bull, Stephen Wells, Simon Creer Let’s face it, as civil engineers we’re not We need to put Magazine of the great at shouting Institution of Civil Engineers 1 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA from the rooftops serious thought 020 7222 7722 | www.ice.org.uk about the vital role we play in society. I am into improving the “value ICE MEMBERS’ ADDRESS certain there are lots CHANGES/ SUBSCRIPTIONS Benji of reasons why this of enjoyment” of our QUERIES Poulton is the case, but the structures www.ice.org.uk/myice to update your fact that we end up address quickly online. For subscription burying most of the “ queries, please phone 020 7665 2227, or email [email protected] things we do under the ground probably does not help matters. serious thought into improving the “value SUBSCRIPTIONS The ICE has clearly noticed this too and has of enjoyment” of our structures. We need to For subscription queries contact; been turning the tide by introducing initiatives think about improving the wellbeing of those dsb.net Ltd, 3 Queensbridge, such as the “Invisible Superheroes” characters. in nearby communities, include cultural and Northampton NN4 7BF Resources like these provide us with a “hook” to tourism benefi ts, and inspire wonder in the next Telephone: 01604 828 705 sell the importance of what we do to the public, generation. All rights reserved © 2019 New Civil and crucially to inspire the next generation of Fortunately, in Wales, the Welsh Government Engineer. Published by EMAP a member potential engineers. has passed the forward-looking Wellbeing of of the Metropolis Group. Metropolis The other huge opportunity we have, of Future Generations Act. This requires public Group respects the privacy of every course, is when we are lucky enough to be bodies in Wales to consider aspects such as the person for whom we have personal providing a community with something as community cohesion, wellbeing and cultural data. We comply with data protection spectacular as a new bridge. value provided by their projects. legislation such as the Data Protection There are proposals for a number of The Welsh Government has challenged our Act 1998 and the General Data signifi cant new bridges in Wales, with three large industry to do things better, to unlock more Protection Regulations which regulates bridge schemes planned in North Wales alone. benefi ts from our projects, and to make our the processing of data and ensures that your data is processed fairly and Most prominent of these is the third Menai infrastructure work harder to deliver more. It is lawfully, is kept secure and only that data Crossing. A new bridge spanning a world-famous also funding the bulk of the major infrastructure necessary for any processing is kept. stretch of water, constructed between two works that are in the pipeline. We now need to You can see our privacy policy at www. world-famous bridges – designed by two world- grasp the opportunities with both hands, fl ex metropolis.co.uk/privacy famous engineers, Thomas Telford and Robert our creative muscles, and in return challenge the Stephenson. As civil engineering projects go, funders to put their money where their mouths Printed by Precision Colour Printing Ltd, they do not come much more high profi le. are – to look beyond rigid cost/benefi t formulas Telford. Registered as a newspaper with Projects like these are unmissable when making their decisions. the Post Offi ce ISSN 0307-7683; Issue opportunities to promote the skills, creativity They are going to need us to hold their hands No: 2081. Statements made or opinions expressed in New Civil Engineer do and innovative thinking that is overfl owing in through this step change. As an industry, it is not necessarily refl ect the views of ICE our industry. For such signifi cant spends of our responsibility to do exactly that – not just Council or ICE committees public money, they need to provide so much for high profi le bridges in Wales, but for all our more than just reduced travel times. We need to projects. think about going beyond the usual cost, traffi c l Benji Poulton is chair of ICE Wales Cymru North and environmental considerations, and put Wales branch

56 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | DECEMBER 2019 The Engineers Collective is the new monthly podcast from New Civil Engineer that will debate and discuss the month’s hot topics and explore with a special guest how key sectors must evolve in order to meet the needs of clients and society.

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