Transforming urban landscapes p16 Boosting dam resilience in Canada p26 New Civil Engineer NOVEMBER 2020
HIGH SPEED LINE AHEAD LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR HS2’S TUNNELLING CHALLENGE The new force in surface water infrastructure management is here…
StormForce is the service that developers, tier-one design and build contractors, and civil engineering fi rms have been waiting for. A single-source solution to the design, supply and installation of stormwater tanks and their infrastructure. Everything is taken care of by Wavin – we value engineer to optimise the design, manufacture and co-ordinate the required products and components, and then install through fully trained StormForce partners to your schedule. It’s the future of sustainable drainage. It’s fast and effi cient. It’s hassle and risk free. It’s quality and compliance assured. It’s StormForce and it’s one click or call away. wavin.co.uk/stormforce New Civil Engineer AUTUMN PROMISES CAN SIGNAL WINDS OF CHANGE
ROB HORGAN NEWS EDITOR
utumn is here. Trees have started shedding their leaves, Stonehenge Tunnel and the Hornsea Three windfarm. the Christmas countdown has begun and the promised And then there are the ongoing talks with Transport for London about second coronavirus wave has hit. a long-term funding plan or financing options for Crossrail – which has A But while the weather may be dreary, and the Covid-19 warned of a forced shut down without an additional £1.1bn. challenge mounts by the day, the year is unlikely to end An action plan on London’s other headache – the Hammersmith with a whimper as several key decisions are expected to be made by Bridge – is also due in the coming weeks, with the taskforce already government before we can sing Auld Lang Syne (in groups of no more revealing that it is keen on a temporary ferry crossing of the Thames. than six, of course). Here are just a few big ticket items, the next few weeks and months should produce: the National Infrastructure Strategy; the Williams Rail Several key decisions are expected Review; the government’s Energy White Paper and its Heat Strategy. to be made by government before All have been long awaited; all have been pushed into the ambiguous promised land of “autumn” – which we all understand to mean “some we can sing Auld Lang Syne (in groups of time before the end of the year”. Large parts of the Williams Review have, of course, already been no more than six, of course) shared and the overhaul of the UK’s rail franchising system is underway. But what the National Infrastructure Strategy will look like is still a mystery with little indication from government. Chancellor Rishi Sunak has repeated his promise to publish it this autumn, and he has added “The country’s biggest infrastructure projects are also set for a that cancelling the Budget will have no impact on the content of the busy autumn, with court cases involving Heathrow and High Speed 2 infrastructure strategy – which on the face of it sounds like good news. promoter HS2 Ltd getting underway as this issue of NCE went to print. The government’s Energy White Paper has also gained extra weight in Heathrow Airport Ltd heads to the Supreme Court in the hope that the last few weeks, with the developments (or lack of) at the proposed it can overturn a Court of Appeal decision which effectively blocked its Wylfa Newydd nuclear power plant. expansion plans. First Hitachi backed out of the project following 18 months of Meanwhile, HS2 Ltd faces Bechtel in the Technology & Construction unsuccessful talks with government about funding, and then the Court to finally settle their long-running battle over the procurement of government postponed its planning decision once more – leaving Wylfa Old Oak Common Station. and the wider nuclear sector in limbo. The Department for Transport’s (DfT’s) £27bn RIS2 roads funding plan If you were to put two and two together, prime minister Boris will also go before a judge in the coming months – with all eyes on the Johnson’s ambition – set out in his Conservative party conference outcome of the Heathrow Supreme Court ruling. The case against RIS2 is speech – to power all UK homes with wind energy by 2030 looks to largely built around the court’s decision that the Airports National Policy be the final nail in the coffin for nuclear. Big nuclear anyway, as small Statement, which concludes Heathrow expansion was unlawful. nuclear reactors do still to curry some political favour. Following a year of great uncertainty, upcoming policy Away from policy, the government must also rule on planning announcements and project decisions offer hope of clarity for 2021. applications for major schemes before the end of the year, including the l Rob Horgan is New Civil Engineer’s news editor
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 3 Contents NEW CIVIL ENGINEER NOVEMBER 2020 MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS
08 News, Comment 21 Future & Analysis of Water
08 The Edit: Cash-strapped TfL lowers Crossrail 2 priority
08 The Edit: WSP faces Florida bridge collapse lawsuit
11 Inside Track: Concerns voiced over Heathrow expansion bid spending
12 Inside Track: Nuclear power projects face uncertain future
13 Inside Track: Covid hits civils fi rms
14 Inside Track: Tideway tunnelling leads to Tower Bridge monitoring
16 Big Interview: André Gibbs, Argent
18 Your View: Hull fl ood barrier; Hammersmith Bridge
47 ICE Record Engineers are grappling with government pressure to improve environmental performance while those in Canada and Norfolk seek to improve the fl ood and drought resilience of their infrastructure
22 How are water engineers 30 Climate change resilience is a key responding to pressure to improve part of work on a Norfolk Broads environmental performance? water transfer project
47 Call for infrastructure strategy; 26 Engineers add capacity and Pitch200 winners; Boston Barrier resilience to Canadian dam wins ICE award
4 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER NOVEMBER 2020 For instant updates follow us: Twitter: @ncedigital LinkedIn: new civil engineer Facebook: ncedigital
Instagram Email: newcivilengineer.com/newsletters
35 Innovative Live! EDITORIAL TEAM Thinking EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Email: [email protected]
Editor Claire Smith (020) 3953 2818 claire.smith
Features Editor Nadine Buddoo (020) 3953 2819 nadine.buddoo
News Editor Rob Horgan (020) 3953 2087 rob.horgan
LISTEN: THE ENGINEERS COLLECTIVE Features Reporter NCE has released two new podcast episodes this Catherine Kennedy 36 Contractors gear up for the start of (020) 3953 2095 catherine.kennedy work on High Speed 2’s Chiltern month. Go to newcivilengineer.com/podcast to listen Tunnels to the latest episodes and The Engineers Collective Chief Sub Editor back catalogue Andy Bolton 40 Airport owners and contractors are (020) 3953 2823 | andy.bolton using thermal imaging to fi ght the Designer spread of Covid-19 James McCarthy [email protected] 45 Innovation showcase Graphic Artist Anthea Carter [email protected]
46 Innovative CUSTOMER SERVICES Thinker ICE members 0203 953 2152 and press option 1 BOOK NOW [email protected] NCE’s Future of Transport event is a week of Individual subscribers and virtual content from 9 to 12 November. The event will general enquiries explore the opportunities and critical projects in the 0203 953 2152 and press option 2 airports, bridges, rail and road sectors. [email protected] Visit https://transport.newcivilengineer.com for the Group subscribers speaker line up 0203 953 2152 and press option 3 [email protected]
COMING SOON DISPLAY ADVERTISING Francis Barham (020) 953 2912 francis.barham 46 Shaun Tate of Mace on how modern Future of Floods construction methods are removing https://fl oods.newcivilengineer.com risk from sites
NOVEMBER 2020 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 5 Lighthouse ICE VIEWPOINT
We need spending priorities for a sustainable future
ow the government ICE members and industry leaders While the allocates and spends to put together a submission to the public funds is review. This will, we hope, encourage development H something that is the government to include funding discussed in offices, for core areas, which will improve the of emerging around dining tables, at the pub and, performance of the UK’s infrastructure. most importantly, within the walls of A key area we hope to see a focus on technologies, such as Westminster. is jobs and skills. With unemployment Decisions about what projects or BY ART WE continuing to rise as the Covid-19 carbon capture and programmes will be funded, and by MASTER pandemic continues, it is increasingly “energy storage, will how much, impact all areas of our WHAT WOULD important that there is a plan for lives – which is why the government’s MASTER US investing in job creation and skills create opportunities upcoming Comprehensive Spending development. Review is such a significant event. This is also particularly important for change, it also The outcome of this review, like its when considered alongside the fast- predecessors, will have a massive approaching 2050 net zero target. creates a need for new impact on the provision and quality of The UK’s built environment sector all public services, including the UK’s is ready to play its part in transitioning skills infrastructure networks. to net zero, but doing so will require a That is why the Institution’s policy radical transformation in the sorts of the UK has an opportunity to lead team has been working closely with infrastructure networks that we build the way in terms of developing the and how they are built. technologies across transport, power The UK needs cleaner transport and heating – and those for abating solutions and more renewable power emissions in heavy industry – that will The outcome and heat sources. be required not just here, but globally. And, while the development of The government has many difficult of this review, emerging technologies, such as policy and investment choices to make carbon capture and energy storage, as it approaches the spending review. like its predecessors, will create opportunities for change, it Decisions about the combination of will have a massive also creates a need for new skills. To technologies and approaches it will co-ordinate this effort and to ensure back to meet the target must be made impact on the that better project delivery is at the quickly to allow industry time to react forefront of the economic recovery, and deliver. “provision and quality it is essential that the government Let’s not waste the opportunity of publishes an infrastructure skills plan putting the UK at the forefront of the of all public services, that addresses and offers solutions for scientific and technological battle to these challenges. mitigate the impacts of climate change including the UK’s The UK is one of only a small number and create a sustainable future that we infrastructure of countries to have legislated for a can all enjoy. net zero emissions target. Although l Send feedback on the networks achieving it by 2050 will be challenging, Lighthouse to [email protected]
6 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 ALIMATS® INTERLOCKING OUTRIGGER MATS The only interlocking aluminium outrigger mat system in the world
There is no suitable alternative
Interlocking design enables bi-directional load spread
Manufactured from certified extruded aluminium modules
Light enough for two people to safely carry and set up
Fully load tested up to 1800 tonnes / m2
Standard mat sizes from 0.67m2 to 8.41m2
Designed for crane outriggers, MEWPS & scaffolding
Small enough to fit in a van
Get in touch to find out more Call on: 01335 345111 / 0800 0234 555 Email at: [email protected] Visit us: www.brilliantideasltd.co.uk MORE NEWS RAIL CROSSRAIL FACES Sign up for SHUT DOWN The Edit New Civil WITHOUT EXTRA THE BIGGEST STORIES OF THE MONTH Engineer’s £1.1BN FROM NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM Breaking, Daily and Crossrail Ltd will be forced to shut down unless the government releases Weekly news an additional £1.1bn soon, Transport alerts at for London (TfL) board meeting agenda papers reveal. Crossrail newcivil announced this summer that it needs engineer. the additional funding to complete com/ work on the Elizabeth line. “We are […] in discussions with Department newsletters for Transport in order to resolve the additional £1.1bn of funding that Crossrail Limited (CRL) have stated they need to complete the project, as this issue was deferred in the fi rst half of the year,” the papers state. “This is becoming an increasingly critical issue [..] CRL will soon have committed all of its funds within the current £14.964bn funding envelope.”
STRUCTURES KEY STAT WSP FACES FLORIDA BRIDGE COLLAPSE Crossrail 2 falls down TfL priority £4.9bn LAWSUIT FOLLOWING Additional BERGER TAKEOVER emergency list in favour of Northern Line and WSP is embroiled in a lawsuit funding followibng the collapse of the Florida Docklands Light Railway projects sought by International University (FIU) bridge in 2018, despite not being involved in Transport the project. Contractor Magnum TRANSPORT projects from the mayor’s Transport for London Construction Management (MCM) has Transport for London (TfL) cannot Strategy, particularly Crossrail 2 and to keep named WSP on its lawsuit against the afford to build Crossrail 2 this decade, Bakerloo Line Extension, are still Louis Berger Group, the company says its Investment to get London and relevant and aligned to the going until responsible for reviewing the bridge’s the UK moving again report. The Department for Transport’s the end of design. WSP acquired Louis Berger document sets out a revised list of decarbonisation plan. However, given Group after the bridge collapsed. project priorities for the next decade. current affordability constraints, our 2021/22 MCM is attempting to recover costs It was released with board meeting immediate priority for these is paid to the university as part of a agenda notes for 30 September as safeguarding, although they are still previous settlement. The FIU bridge in long term funding negotiations likely to be needed in the future to Miami-Dade County collapsed onto a continue with the government. support long term growth and modal live eight lane road on 15 March 2018, Priority schemes include the shift in London.” Board meeting killing six people and injuring eight Docklands Light Railway extension to papers also reveal that TfL has spent others. A National Transportation Thamesmead, south east London, all of the £1.6bn emergency Safety Board report on the collapse plus the Camden Town Tube station government grant it secured following published last year concluded that and Northern line upgrades. The a downturn in revenue caused by design calculation errors made by report says that major projects such Covid-19 restrictions. As a result, TfL MCM’s consultant Figg Bridge Engineers as Crossrail 2 and the Bakerloo Line has stopped all new non-critical were ultimately to blame. But it says Extension will be unaffordable before spend. It adds that a £2bn annual failures by independent design checker 2030. “We are being realistic about funding gap must be plugged and it is Louis Berger, the client, contractor and what is affordable over the next asking for £4.9bn to cover operating on-site construction supervisor also decade,” the report states. “Very large expenditure until the end of 2021/22. contributed to the disaster.
8 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER NOVEMBER 2020 STRUCTURES LOWESTOFT BRIDGE CONTRACT
Farrans is to build Lowestoft’s £76M Gull Wing, tilting bridge, after Bam Nuttall failed to agree a price with Suffolk County Council last year. The bridge will be Lowestoft’s third crossing of Lake Lothing. A tender process was run over the summer and approval to appoint the contractor was granted by Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet. Farrans’ contract will begin later this year.
TRANSPORT ENERGY TRANSPORT VITAL LONDON CUMBRIAN NETWORK RAIL ROUTES FACE COAL MINE TO ASSESS UK CLOSURE WITHOUT WINS PLANNING TRANSPORT £2BN REPAIR CASH PERMISSION CONNECTIONS
Key road bridges and tunnels in Cumbria County Council has Network Rail chair Sir Peter Hendy London face closure unless Transport approved the planning application will lead an independent review of UK for London (TfL) gets £2bn for its road for the £165M Woodhouse coal mine transport connections. It will assess renewals programme for the next 10 in Cumbria. It is the fi rst deep coal the feasibility of a bridge or tunnel years. TfL says that the A40 Westway, mine to receive planning permission between Scotland and Northern Rotherhithe Tunnel and Gallows in the UK for 30 years. The green light Ireland. The review will look at how to Corner Flyover need urgent repair comes despite campaigns from boost transport infrastructure in cash. Speed and weight restrictions are environmentalists who fear that Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and already in place on all three routes. All emissions from burning coking coal England via road, rail and air, and three are part of TfL’s Surface from the mine could stop the UK across the Irish Sea, as part of the LiebigTransport NCE AssetRevised Renewals ad Dec Programme. 2019_Layout 1 11/5/19meeting its5:01 net PM zero Page target. 1 Covid-19 recovery effort.
ETA for cracked and Available in the UK from EJOT uncracked concrete Email: [email protected]
NOVEMBER 2020 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 9 www.cordek.com
[email protected] 01403 799 600
01 CELLVENT HX
Combined heave protection with ground gas venting.
02 CELLFORM HX
Heave protection with integral formwork for ground beams.
03 04 HEAVEGUARD HEAVEGUARD PILE COLLAR
Lateral heave protection for Aids the installation of Cellform HX perimeter ground beams. adjacent to piles.
COMBINED GROUND HEAVE SOLUTIONS
HEAVE PROTECTION PRODUCTS WITH INTEGRAL FORMWORK & GROUND GAS VENTING FEATURES Inside Track THE BIGGEST ISSUES OF THE MONTH EXPLORED
Cause for concern: Heathrow tunnel refurb He added: “Every pound we spend is accounted for, because we run the expansion like a business. “The way Heathrow is regulated means it is not penalised for spending large amounts of money and therefore it can spend inefficiently without consequence.” To cover the £500M expansion bill, HAL is expected to charge airlines more to operate at the airport. Another rival expansion bidder, Heathrow Hub, now believes that its expansion plan to extend the north runway is the only financially viable option left open to the airport. Heathrow Hub founder Jock Lowe claims that the group’s runway extension scheme is “cheaper, greener and more sustainable” than third runway proposals put forward by HAL and Heathrow West. He told NCE that Covid-19 economic pressures, a drop in passenger numbers AVIATION and legal issues with building a third runway all strengthen the business case Regulator and rivals’ alarm at Heathrow spending for Heathrow Hub’s proposal. “Now is the time to look again at this Airport operator reveals it spent more than £500M on its failed plan [to extend the runway],” Lowe said. “It’s greener and cheaper than HAL’s plans. expansion bid and regulator expresses concern about tunnel refurb costs It causes less disruption, and it makes better business and financial sense as it BY ROB HORGAN can be done incrementally.” Heathrow Hub’s plan consists of three ival airport expansion bidders bid costs are less than a tenth of HAL’s, phases of expansion. The total cost of and the aviation regulator have with Heathrow West chief executive all three phases is £12.6bn, less than the criticised the amounts Heathrow Carlton Brown estimating total sunk costs estimated £37bn third runway proposal RAirport Ltd (HAL) spent on its failed to be less than £50M. put forward by HAL. third runway expansion bid and on two Final sunk costs are currently being But it is not just HAL’s expansion costs tunnel refurbishment schemes. agreed with the CAA. which have come under scrutiny. A CAA HAL has been left with a £500M bill for “The amount HAL has spent really is economic performance review concludes its thwarted third runway expansion bid. a shocking amount of money,” Brown that HAL has “wasted” money on two The Court of Appeal blocked the £14bn told NCE. ongoing tunnel refurbishment schemes. expansion programme in February due “To put it into context, we expect our It adds that HAL acted “inefficiently” to climate change concerns, and in May entire costs, including planning fees, legal on refurbishments of a cargo tunnel and a the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said fees and wind down fees, to come in below road tunnel servicing its terminals. the plans were “unlikely” to re-start in the what HAL is proposing for wind down The combined cost overrun of both “short term”. costs alone. schemes is estimated at £212.4M, although It has emerged that HAL had already “The final sunk costs have yet to be the CAA suggests that those costs could spent £504M on planning and early finalised with the CAA, but I am confident be inflated further by the time work is construction works at the time the project that our spend will be less than £50M.” completed. was halted. He added: “It is true that HAL have Conclusions made in the CAA’s According to the CAA’s Economic been doing their planning application September 2020 Economic regulation of regulation of Heathrow: Policy update and for longer and got slightly further along, Heathrow paper draw on independent consultation report, the costs are broken but that does not justify spending half a analysis by Arcadis and the Institute for down into £394M of planning (category B) billion pounds before securing planning Fiscal Studies. and £110M of early construction (category permission.” Costs of refurbishing the cargo tunnel C) costs. Brown estimates that Heathrow West’s between Terminal 4 and the Central Competing expansion bidder Heathrow wind down costs will be less than £500,000, Terminal Area have soared by £152M, from West has also halted its expansion bid. Its compared to HAL’s £46M. its approved £44.9M budget to the current
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 11 Inside Track Xxxxx xxxx xxxxx
estimated cost of £197M, the report ENERGY reveals. Meanwhile, the cost of upgrading the Nuclear uncertainty road tunnel linking Terminals 1, 2 and 3 has risen by £60.3M to £146.3M from an approved budget of £86M. The CAA states that for the cargo tunnel “there is clear evidence that the actions Developer pulls out of Wylfa project of HAL may have directly contributed to wasted spending or lost benefits”. BY ROB HORGAN It adds: “The cargo tunnel project faced significant cost overruns of around 400% he UK’s nuclear power sector against the original budget and is now has been left in limbo because of forecast to be completed during H7 [the government indecision about the next funding period starting in 2022]. Tfuture of the £20bn Wylfa Newydd power “We consider that this has led to a loss plant on Anglesey. of benefits to consumers because of late The government has delayed its delivery […] We also consider that if the decision on the development consent risk of cost increases had been better order (DCO) application for a third time. assessed at the beginning of the project, Business, energy and industrial strategy more efficient contractual terms (in terms secretary Alok Sharma was due to rule on of risk allocation) may have been obtained the scheme at the end of September. But by HAL through its procurement process.” he has deferred his decision until the end Design work for the project is now being of the year “to allow further information to undertaken by WSP, with Mace providing be provided and considered”. contractor input and Brydon Wood Developer Horizon Nuclear Power Wylfa, onboard to provide offsite and DFMA requested the delay, asking for time to government’s long term thinking about expertise (NCE last month). discuss the future of the project with its nuclear projects. They took over the project from Bam shareholders. Its parent company Hitachi “Policy decisions on nuclear power’s and Mott MacDonald which were initially had said it was withdrawing from the future in Britain’s energy mix are required involved in the scheme. project after funding talks with ministers urgently if the industry is to stay alive. The The CAA had complimented HAL for broke down. prime minister recently stated that there working to overcome poor contractor A letter from Horizon Nuclear Power is a role for nuclear power in reaching net performance on the initial road tunnel Wylfa chief executive Duncan Hawthorne zero, but without clarity on funding it is work which was being carried out by Bam adds: “Due to the recent change in hard to see how this will come to pass,” Nuttall with mechanical and electrical circumstance, a short extension to the said Ralston. specialist VVB engineering. decision deadline would be beneficial to “Without long term direction and a The CAA report states that “Arcadis enable Horizon to work constructively signal for investors, the industry may not concluded that the project had been with its key stakeholders to ascertain the be economically viable in this decade and delivered efficiently to date, and HAL options for the Wylfa Newydd DCO Project beyond, particularly as the investments had, by and large, acted reasonably in and secure its future, recognising the are large and the planning stages long. trying to mitigate the contractor’s poor critical role nuclear power has to play in More delays also mean more scrutiny in performance”. helping tackle the UK’s energy needs, meet light of the ever falling cost of renewables It adds: “Arcadis found several examples climate change targets and level up the along with developments in technologies of poor performance by HAL’s contractor economy through green growth and job needed to balance the grid at low cost. on this project, including continuing creation.” “All eyes are on the upcoming energy discovery of defects within works already The Planning Inspectorate filed its White Paper, promised this autumn. Net completed.” report to Sharma’s office in July 2019. The zero is entirely feasible but an answer on But the CAA concluded that HAL is still government has delayed its decision three the future energy mix is needed soon, with ultimately “responsible for any inefficient times, with a ruling originally scheduled or without nuclear.” management or delivery of projects by its for October last year. That deadline was Other potential developers will also contractors that increases cost or results adjusted to March this year but was further be keeping a close eye on the ruling. NCE in loss of benefit”. delayed because of the Covid-19 lockdown. understands that the DCO application The CAA will now assess whether to The DCO decision will be watched could be taken on by a third party, should remove costs associated with the tunnel closely by EDF in particular, as the one be willing to step in. A new developer refurbishments from HAL’s Regulated Planning Inspectorate is assessing its would be able to make minor changes to Asset Base (RAB) – which effectively Sizewell C nuclear reactor plans, after an Horizon’s DCO, but any major changes means HAL would have to pay for cost appeal for a judicial review of the scheme would require a new DCO application to overruns, rather than charging airlines. was thrown out by the High Court. be filed. The decision will be taken after a further Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit But Ralston added that cost overruns consultation round and once work on both analyst Jess Ralston told NCE that the and delays to current nuclear projects projects is complete. ruling is likely to give an indication of the such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C had
12 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 MORE NEWS NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM
BUSINESS before the pandemic reduced the amount Wylfa: Planned new of work the contractor could do, and nuclear plant on hold Covid hits on civils firms costs increased. He added that the management team is working to ensure the company is “well- placed” to benefit from expected increases Losses reflect tough year for sector in UK infrastructure investment. Meanwhile, Costain recorded a pretax loss of £92.3M during the first half of this BY CATHERINE KENNEDY year after taking financial hits on two troubled contracts. he impact of the Covid-19 pandem- Results were impacted by a £45.4M ic has been laid bare by a series of charge on the A465 Heads of the Valleys financial results recently released road contract and a £49.3M charge on Tby construction and engineering firms. the Peterborough and Huntingdon gas Big name contractors Galliford Try, Kier, compressor station programme. Costain and Amey have all reported losses. Despite the challenges, the firm’s chief All have felt the effects of forced site executive Alex Vaughan said he was closures at the start of lockdown and the confident about future profit and margin additional safety precautions required growth with over £2bn of contracts and on reopening. frameworks secured in the first half. Fines and cost overruns on major He also cited the government’s drive projects have also contributed. to progress infrastructure investment to Galliford Try reported a pretax loss of support the post-Covid recovery. £59.7M in the financial year to 30 June Amey reported a £217M loss for the year 2020. The firm said Covid-19 hit revenue ending 31 December 2019 as the pandemic made investment in UK nuclear projects and lowered site productivity. delayed attempts to sell its loss-making “unattractive”. Twelve months ago, But the firm’s infrastructure division utilities and waste businesses. Hinkley Point C developers announced reported an improved performance, Chief executive Amanda Fisher said that the plant faced delays after costs incurring a pre-exceptional operating loss Covid-19 had led to “significant business rose by £2.9bn. of £1.8M, compared to a £5.5M loss in 2019 challenges”. EDF’s Sizewell C DCO application has which was inflated by dispute costs. However, in its remaining core business, also been hit by delays this year due to Its order book stands at £3.2bn, a rise on the firm increased turnover from £1.5bn Covid-19 restrictions and legal challenges. the £2.9bn reported last year, and despite in 2018 to £1.9bn in 2019, while operating Ralston added: “When you look at the economic disruption caused by the profit was £73.2M, compared to a £178.2M the case for nuclear projects like Wylfa, pandemic, the business reported good loss in 2018. they no longer stack up. Nuclear is not progress towards its strategic goals. And despite “Covid-19 shocks”, a financially attractive proposition for Chief executive Bill Hocking emphasised consultant Turner & Townsend’s 2019/20 investment, especially when you put that Galliford Try had responded “rapidly turnover rose from £639M to £744M. UK them next to renewable projects. and effectively” to the Covid-19 challenges, net revenue grew by 9% to £283M, while “Delays to other projects have also with working practices changing UK profits jumped from £29M to £36M not helped. We’ve had delays at Hinkley “significantly” through staggered shifts, year-on-year. and at Sizewell, which makes it harder to increased welfare facilities and enhanced The firm’s infrastructure division make the case for new projects.” cleaning regimes. increased revenues by 15% to £206M, Wylfa is the latest nuclear scheme Contractor Kier posted a pretax loss of boosted by high profile jobs in Australasia. to be canned in the UK. In the last few £225M for the 12 months to 30 June, again Chairman Vincent Clancy said: “While years, Japan’s Toshiba dropped plans to due to challenging market conditions and we continue, like the rest of the industry, build a new nuclear reactor at Moorside, Covid-19 costs. to feel the impact of Covid-19, our financial Cumbria, while Hitachi scrapped plans It said the results reflect nine months performance and business model stand us for a plant at Oldbury-on-Severn in of “good strategic progress” and three in good stead to withstand the economic Gloucestershire. months affected by the pandemic. aftershocks.” He emphasised that there Meanwhile, political backing for Despite the losses for the whole is now an “exciting opportunity to drive renewables is on the rise due to dramatic company, Kier’s infrastructure services change and to build back better”. reductions in cost during the last decade, division reported an operating profit of Glenigan economic director Allan Wilen and prime minister Boris Johnson £9.4M on revenue of £1.5bn compared said the recent results highlight that pledging to power all UK homes with with an operating loss of £3.3M on revenue construction businesses were hard hit by wind energy by 2030. Across the board, of £1.6bn the previous year, and the the initial lockdown. the cost of renewables has fallen since firm described its £7.9bn order book as “Whilst industry activity has begun to 2010. Large scale solar power costs have “stable”. recover, firms are now facing increased fallen 47%, while onshore wind are down Kier chief executive Andrew Davies said operating costs and the challenge of 40% and offshore wind 29%. the company had been trading “in line delivering projects with a reduced onsite with expectations” up to 31 March 2020, workforce,” he said.
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 13 Inside Track
probably take this movement in their Twin high level trusses stride,” a paper written by Smith states. Smith is concerned that the movement Rockers of the towers will place extra loads on the twin high level trusses between them. He is also concerned that the Surrey long movement will stretch the suspension chains structureswhich carry the side spans and suspension their connections with the towers. structures “As the rockers are believed to have seized, the consultants concluded that each of the two high level ties [twin girders between the two towers] will shorten by 24mm, reducing the tension in each tie from 897.2t to 234.9t.” It adds: “It is likely that these rockers have been seized for many years […] The movement of the tops of the towers will cause stretching of the two Surrey long chains [suspension structures] as the stiffening girders prevent the Surrey suspended span [south bank side span] from hogging. The twin towers will tilt “The Middlesex suspended span towards each other as a [north bank side span] may be capable result of the tunnelling of hogging if the bearings connecting the Middlesex long and short chains [north side suspension structures] are not seized. STRUCTURES The stretching of the main chains will apply substantial additional horizontal load to the Tower Bridge braces for Tideway impact as TBMs pinned joint linking each long chain to its high-level tie. prepare to pass beneath the landmark structure “The rocker assemblies [connecting the high level ties with the suspension structures] will thus be subjected to substantial horizontal forces which they Concerns work on super sewer could disturb bascule bridge were not designed to sustain.” Speaking to NCE, Smith added: “Perhaps BY ROB HORGAN I am being overly concerned but when I was reading over the Aecom report as part dditional monitoring equipment by Aecom. In its report – seen by NCE – of my research [for the Haynes Manual] I has been installed at London’s Aecom concludes that tunnelling will cause couldn’t help but think something had been Tower Bridge to ensure tunnelling Tower Bridge’s piers to rotate very slightly overlooked. forA London’s Tideway sewer does not towards each other. “It might not seem like a massive thing, damage it, NCE can reveal. But the report concludes that this would and it is not going to cause the bridge to The City of London Corporation – which not cause lasting damage. collapse. That said, the cost and complexity owns the bridge – confirmed that Tideway But chartered electrical engineer of replacing damaged rockers would be has installed “invar barcodes” over the last and author of the Haynes Tower Bridge extensive.” few weeks, before Tideway’s tunnel boring Operations Manual John Smith has warned In March 2019, Ursula became the second machine (TBM) passes beneath the 19th that more significant damage could occur. TBM to be launched from a 45m deep century bascule bridge. Smith has aired his concerns with the shaft at Tideway’s Kirtling Street site in The invar barcodes have been installed City of London Corporation and Tideway, Battersea. It is due to pass under Tower to detect any unexpected movement in the in a discussion paper that concludes that Bridge in the autumn. bridge during tunnelling. rusted rocker bearings [connecting the A Tideway spokesperson added: TBM Ursula stopped beneath the HMS suspension structures to the twin high level “TBM Ursula has stopped for routine Belfast museum ship for three weeks, trusses] will be unable to withstand the maintenance between London Bridge and around 500m from Tower Bridge. slight movements predicted by Aecom’s Tower Bridge, and is expected to resume Tideway confirmed that it had stopped to modelling. tunnelling soon, passing beneath Tower allow general maintenance. “At first sight, this does not appear to be Bridge later in the autumn, and breaking Concerns that tunnelling could disturb a serious issue. If the rockers were working through at Chambers Wharf in late 2020/ the structure were first raised in 2013 as designed, the suspension bridges could early 2021.
14 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 VOLKERLASER The exclusive supplier of Fast Beam
Fast Beam access technology is set to revolutionise bridge repair, maintenance, and construction in the UK market.
Proven to reduce cost, time, manpower and risk, the system provides a safe and secure working platform for operatives, whilst reducing the need for road closures or diversions, by maximising working space.
Alongside our diverse range of specialist repair and maintenance services, VolkerLaser can provide access and temporary works design, using BIM modelling, as well as the installation of the required systems.
Our technical expertise means we don’t just meet the brief - we help write it.
Find out more about Fast Beam today: [email protected]
Head offi ce: Northern offi ce: Southern offi ce: Telephone: The Lodge The Heath Technical Building S6 +44 (0) 800 022 3292 Blackpole Road and Business Park Westcott Venture Park Worcester Runcorn Aylesbury Website: WR4 9FH WA7 4QX HP18 0XB www.volkerlaser.co.uk
NCE November Draft 2.indd 1 02/10/2020 15:38:40 André Gibbs PARTNER, ARGENT BY NADINE BUDDOO Delivering sustainable urban regeneration projects
elivering mixed-use NEW FOCUS developments which As work at King’s Cross draws to a blend residential, close, Gibbs’ focus has now pivoted D commercial and to another of Argent’s regeneration leisure space is a projects in the capital. The developer considerable feat, particularly in is delivering the £5bn Brent Cross densely populated urban areas. It is Town project – formerly known as a challenge André Gibbs knows very Brent Cross South – in partnership
The Interview The well. In his role as a partner at real with Barnet Council. This 72.8ha estate developer Argent, Gibbs has town centre development is at the been involved with the delivery of heart of the Brent Cross Cricklewood the £6bn King’s Cross regeneration regeneration scheme. It covers scheme, north of London’s King’s three interrelated developments – Cross Station. Brent Cross Town; the new Brent Gibbs was tasked with integrating Cross West Thameslink station; land assembly, business planning, balance between the benefits of and the redevelopment of Brent finance, infrastructure and long term relationships, while also Cross shopping centre and related sustainability into the construction encouraging fresh thinking. infrastructure. and delivery of the scheme. “When you’re working on a 15 Brent Cross Town will deliver “Argent is best suited to large, to 20 year project, you don’t want 3M.ft2 of office space, 6,700 new complicated and difficult projects to always have to start from scratch homes, restaurants, sports facilities that provide opportunities to with a completely new team,” and student accommodation, all set transform parts of a city,” he says. says Gibbs. “However, we’re never around 20ha of parks and playing “Currently, our focus is very closed to working with a new fields. The first office buildings are much on city building, which business or new suppliers.” expected to open in 2024. means we’re not just involved in Gibbs is understandably proud individual building projects but of the success of the King’s Cross also considerable amounts of development which has transformed infrastructure and all of the planning an underused industrial site into a and challenges around that.” Our focus is thriving part of the city. But he is Maintaining long term relationships at pains to point out that the Brent across the supply chain has very much on Cross project will not be a replica. become a defining feature of “It’s easy for people to say ‘oh, you’re Argent’s approach. Gibbs explains city building, which going to do another King’s Cross at that projects often span up to two Brent Cross’, but that’s absolutely not decades, so it is important to ensure means we’re not just the case,” he insists. that lessons learned are carried from “We obviously hope the one development to the next. involved in individual development will be just as successful Equally important is finding a “building projects as King’s Cross in terms of the
16 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 Brent Cross Town will deliver office space, homes and restaurants, all set in around 20ha of parks and playing fields contribution it makes to the area and There are a lot area. We’ve been tackling a lot of those local communities, while continuing engineering challenges.” to set a high bar for what regeneration KEY FACTS of challenges As well as the complexities related and transformation of areas can do and to transport infrastructure, the site should achieve. But we have to look at 72.8ha around how we will require significant earthworks and every single project within its context.” remediation. Dealing with issues such Gibbs says Argent is embedding Size of Brent ensure everything is as asbestos sheeting and demolitions will sustainability into all its thinking, with Cross Town be a challenge, although these issues are a health and wellbeing agenda at the connected into the not uncommon issues on brownfield sites. core of the development. The team is development “ The overall development will be currently exploring how nature and wider area delivered in phases, which means a sound can be integrated, for example. £5bn cost-benefit analysis is carried out for The focus on sustainability is also every structure before construction can shaping plans for the development’s Cost of Brent LOCATION, begin. Each decision to start building energy infrastructure. Argent is working Cross Town LOCATION, LOCATION is market driven, explains Gibbs. This with energy provider Vattenfall to This long-term, holistic thinking goes means it is vital for engineers and the manage the district heating network beyond the energy infrastructure for wider supply chain to understand the at the site. Gibbs says the decision to the development – it is also evident economic drivers behind the project partner with Vattenfall, which is owned in the approach to design and and the challenges Argent faces in by the Swedish Government and has construction on the project. allocating capital prudently. around 1.8M customers across Europe, The site itself is well situated in “It’s important for them to take the was a logical step towards quickly terms of the surrounding highway time to understand what we want, but achieving low to zero carbon solutions. infrastructure, Gibbs explains. However, if they don’t understand why they’re “Vattenfall’s mission is to be fossil a key focus for the project is connecting doing something then they need to ask free in a generation,” he adds. “That’s to this existing infrastructure and us about it,” says Gibbs. the sort of partner we need to work ensuring the highways continue “Obviously, we’d love everybody to be with to bring about innovation.” to function and provide long term a clairvoyant but the second best thing is This innovation is in the form of a accessibility. to be questioning and challenging.” combined heat and power system that Barnet Council is working with There’s a sense that Gibbs is keen operates at low temperatures and allows Network Rail to deliver the new to ensure his company’s previous multiple sources of renewable heat. Thameslink station, which Gibbs success does not engender a culture of “I think overall energy efficiency says will help to address some issues complacency. He insists that constant and multiple sources which allow you concerning rail accessibility. “Due to its improvement is required from the to adapt over time and use the best physical geography, there have been wider supply chain, but that sentiment technology without having to change issues around accessibility because is just as true for the organisation itself. every building is a long term strategy of the major highway infrastructure He adds: “The attitude must always that we embraced at King’s Cross and around the site,” he says. “There are a be pushing ahead while maintaining will take us to another level at Brent lot of challenges around how we ensure enough to anchor on to ensure we’re Cross,” he says. everything is connected into the wider not just reckless risk takers.” N
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 17 all increase actual exposure to potential infection and perceived exposure. Taking Oxford to Cambridge, that’s a trip of 2.5 hours by rail at present using three operators. Sure, using an electric vehicle would be half an hour Your View quicker and less exposure but I wouldn’t risk doing those 136km in LETTERS TO THE EDITOR a Nissan Leaf. What about the return AND COMMENTS ONLINE journey? There’s a lot to be said for the defocusing of London when it comes to travel interchanges. South of London there’s a rich web STRUCTURES explained to the voters at the next of interconnecting stations, but to mayoral election that the reason the the north, the concentric options WHY NOT USE A TOLL TO bridge is still closed is down, fairly are very limited indeed. Where PAY FOR HAMMERSMITH @ and squarely, to the current mayor they did survive the Beeching axe, BRIDGE REPAIRS? and his incompetent TfL cronies. these local connections were often Phillip Alexander, curtailed leaving communities I read with little sympathy about the [email protected] served by two stations that are wringing of hands at the inability of miles apart. those responsible for maintaining The Editor, RAIL Grant Wray, [email protected] the Hammersmith Bridge to find the Posted online on story headed East New Civil £100M funding needed to repair it. WON’T ELECTRIC West Rail boss claims case for line Engineer, I do not see it as a responsibility of CARS SUPERSEDE is strengthened by Covid-19 Telephone the government. I do see that it is EAST-WEST RAIL? an historical monument and worthy House, MAJOR PROJECTS of repair rather than replacement. 69-77 Paul Suggesting that there will be benefits The solution is blindingly obvious – Street, London, from the East West railway sounds HOUSE BUILDING IS borrow the funds and impose a toll EC2A 4NQ like wishful thinking. People will NOT THE SAME AS on the use of the bridge to discharge Email: nceedit@ have transferred to electric cars MAJOR PROJECTS the loan and build up a fund for emap.com powered by clean electricity long future maintenance. If the bridge is before construction of the railway that important a traffic route, the is complete. The construction users should be glad to pay to have process and the manufacture of it restored. rail, rolling stock and equipment Here in Cornwall, we built a bridge will emit large amounts of carbon, many years ago to link us with accelerating climate change. Better Plymouth and this was, and still is, to act responsibly and divert current funded by tolls. activity into clean power projects, Steve Burstow (M), and build the railway cleanly, if its [email protected] viability can be demonstrated, as you breathe clean air in the new STRUCTURES clean, climate-controlled planet that GOVERNMENT SHOULD you will have helped to create. Rodney Bridle (F), Crossrail: hugely complex CALL TFL’S BLUFF [email protected] Posted online on story headed East Not unlike those he castigates, Transport for London (TfL) just West Rail boss claims case for line Adrian Marsh (Your View, NCE last can’t admit that the deterioration is strengthened by Covid-19 month), appears to have an attitude of Hammersmith Bridge is down to problem. His view is characteristic its own mismanagement, since it RAIL of that expressed by many who see has chosen to pour money down the ailments of modern society in the drain of Crossrail and son of EAST-WEST RAIL IS emotive and stereotypical ways. Crossrail [Crossrail 2] rather than JOINED UP THINKING His comparison between private spend it on maintenance as a good house building contracts and major asset steward should (NCE last Something I think that’s been infrastructure projects is not viable. month). It just continually plays the missed out of this is that currently Housebuilding is generally well game of blaming central government many rail journeys, East to West understood and straightforward. for its own mistakes in the hope primarily but many others similar However, major, and to a greater (quite justified in the light of recent to this, involve a journey through extent megaprojects (ie multibillion fiascos) that central government a London interchange. These are pound projects such as Crossrail) will come to the rescue with yet often crowded, bustling places with face many complex problems both more taxpayers’ money to pour a Tube journey between termini in their planning and execution, as down another black hole. It’s about and taking hours longer than a well as intense political scrutiny. time government called its bluff and direct route would. These events The simplistic notion that the
18 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 MAIN POINT TACKLING HULL’SYOUR VIEWS ANDFLOODING OPINIONS PROBLEM
Please excuse a slight touch of amusement in reading the I walked a large area of the city to note the complete absence article on Lagoon Hull in your September issue. It states: “In of any reasonable budget for systematic maintenance of the 2007 a massive downpour into saturated land led to surface highway surface water system. I noted a client specification of water just pooling everywhere before it got to the 75,000 road gulleys to be emptied twice a year by the drains”. in-house direct labour organisation. This was I was employed as an external unsurprisingly way beyond the capabilities consultant to Hull in 2007. Initially of a single gulley emptier with a one-man I was to report on a variety of crew even on a 55 hour week. issues following this flooding. As a result, a large number of full I went up to Hull to meet the depth highway gully pots had so job specification as provided much sediment that established by Hull officers. I stayed vegetation was literally growing and worked there over out from them. The many water many days, interviewed courses I walked were filled willing and receptive in with dumped material to staff, and attended the extent that over many management meetings years very large trees had with the department established themselves in responsible. some of them. I was very surprised I noted that an emergency to find Hull had a most plan had purchased and modern surface water stored 5,000 sand bags. This system. All surface rain was not of much use if there was water as it ran off was no sand or machinery available collected and pumped off out or a plan on how to fill them. I to sea. understood that their only use in Unfortunately, as so often 2007 could have been in the mopping happened, municipal engineering up operations. good practice was forgotten and I supplied three comprehensive reports routine inspection and maintenance of the including a service profile totalling 75 pages. pumping stations was not up to scratch. My final report had 25 detailed recommendations. Worse, even, was that the standby pumping station Although neither I personally nor the London-based had not recently been tested and did not kick in following this recruitment agency which had employed me received any failure. The result was that over 24 hours of heavy rainfall, vast adverse comment or reaction to these reports, my initial areas of Hull City built below the highway surface water level very short-term introductory contract was not (as promised) were flooded overnight and, of course, once in the very many extended. houses affected was the devil of an expensive job to clean out, Ah – history. taking many months. Roger Khanna (M), [email protected]
difference in the successful major infrastructure projects in difficult to control. Unfortunately, management of private house the UK, including High Speed 1 and the research shows that nearly all building compared with public Crossrail. In my experience, the fail to meet programme and budget infrastructure is due to some innate notion that those employed on these to some extent, often to an alarming incentive in the former as in “it is projects, be they direct employees extent. In the league table of these my money” rather than someone or consultants, behave in the way projects, Crossrail is below the else’s in the latter is simplistic in the he suggests is just not true and very norm, as it stands, and is certainly extreme. insulting to those it addresses. unexceptional. Unfortunately, the To give a little balance. I too There is much research way the almost inevitable delays and have similar experience to Marsh into delivering international overspending were communicated over perhaps a longer period megaprojects which highlights, and managed could, I think, have both as employee and as a self- and to some extent explains, the been better handled. employed consultant on several multitude of complex interfaces Michael Robinson (M Ret), of the largest and most complex within them and why they are so [email protected]
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 19 Kalasatama, A Helsinki Digital Twin Project Helsinki, Finland
HELSINKI FINLAND IS GOING DIGITAL WITH BENTLEY Transforming Helsinki with the Kalasatama Digital Twin
Going Digital enabled the Helsinki team to deliver a robust digital twin of the Kalasatama region, equipping them to better engage citizens Learn more about Helsinki’s work and stakeholders and optimize planning for the future of the city. and take your Going Digital assessment Bentley.com/going-digital-cities Helsinki is digitally empowering their citizens and stakeholders.
Ad_Going_Digital_Industry_Helsinki_NCE_210x265_0720.indd 1 7/15/2020 9:59:38 AM Future of Water
As the impact of climate change puts increasing pressure on water supply and quality, this issue looks at sustainable solutions that could provide blueprints for future projects
BOOSTING ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE / PAGE 22 GLENMORE DAM BUILDS RESILIENCE / PAGE 26 HALVERGATE MARSHES’ FRESHWATER SYSTEM UPGRADE / PAGE 30
NOVEMBER 2020 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 21 Future of Water Overview CONFLICTING PRIORITIES Ministers have urged water companies to make environmental performance a top priority. But how can engineers help them achieve this? Nadine Buddoo reports.
espite a period of “This country’s green recovery from significant challenges, coronavirus can only happen if water water companies are KEY FACTS companies step up and play their being encouraged part.” to use the Covid-19 £800M Pow, representatives from Ofwat, pandemic as a the Environment Agency, Natural springboard to improve their Amount England, Water UK, the Consumer Denvironmental performance. earmarked Council for Water and the Drinking But can the government’s push Water Inspectorate, met with the chief for what it terms a “green economic by Anglian executives of 15 water companies recovery” from the coronavirus crisis Water for on 8 September to discuss what provide an opportunity to ramp environmental can be done to better protect the up delivery of the infrastructure environment and safeguard the UK’s projects and network upgrades that improvements water supply. growing population and the climate will support better environmental in the next Speaking after the meeting, emergency. performance? Environment Agency executive “Our environmental targets are In September, environment minister five years director of environment and business ambitious and we are challenging Rebecca Pow acknowledged that the Harvey Bradshaw said: “Our water water companies to go faster and water industry had coped well under 20% environment is precious and under further on environment, leakage and increased pressure during lockdown. huge and increasing pressure from a protecting supplies. Water companies But she made it clear that stronger Anglian have a key role to safeguard our action on environmental priorities Water’s water environment and we will is needed, especially with regard to regulate them as a modern regulator storm overflows, chalk streams, water pollution should; rewarding excellence and resources and leakage. reduction for This country’s sanctioning behaviour that harms “Water companies need to take 2020 the environment. In this way, we will their environmental obligations green recovery be working with them to drive up seriously and this impetus must come from coronavirus can standards, including through our new from the top,” Pow said. “Despite taskforce on storm overflows. investment from the industry, the “Everybody shares a crucial damage inflicted on our environment only happen if water responsibility to protect the – our rivers, lakes, streams and the companies step up and environment for future generations, wildlife that rely on them – is still far and we will continue to work with too great. “ all parties to deliver much-needed play their part
22 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 We are challenging water companies to go faster and further on “environment, leakage and protecting supplies
initiatives that support this. We also have our own high quality standards to maintain and new metrics in the Environment Agency’s Environmental Performance Assessment to meet so we are already focused on how we are going to deliver those moving forward,” Gilfoyle says. “Our telemetry system that monitors our water and sewerage networks, our treatment works, and pumping stations enables us to keep a close eye on what our assets are doing but we are always keen to build on this.” The company is focused on the provision of additional monitoring to supplement its existing telemetry. The aim is to better understand whether assets are producing an adverse environmental impact, providing evidence that will shape investment priorities. “We are also interested in working with in-catchment solutions and those that give us biodiversity net gain,” Gilfoyle adds. “For example, solutions such as our ground-breaking improvements.” Water companies Anglian Water spokesperson said the Ingoldisthorpe wetland, in Norfolk, On 2 October, the Environment are under pressure company was disappointed by the helps us treat final effluent but also Agency released its annual report to improve the rating, but it has already implemented support biodiversity simultaneously, on the environmental performance water environment strategies which have already reduced or working with farmers and of England’s water and sewerage pollution by 20% this year. communities to prevent pollution at companies in 2019. The report shows “We take every incident extremely its source (see box).” that four out of the nine companies seriously, and we have one goal – While the company has committed are falling short of expected zero pollutions. We will innovate, to investing more than £800M over standards. collaborate and invest until we get the next five years to improve the Each company is rated from there,” the spokesperson added. environment, Gilfoyle welcomes more one star (poor) to four star Despite the challenging innovation from engineers and the (industry leading), based on a performance review, Anglian Water wider supply chain that can deliver range of measures including serious head of environmental quality Lucinda not just against quality standards pollution incidents, pollution per Gilfoyle says the company is taking a but also provide wider benefits, such kilometre of sewer pipes, and firm stance on driving down leakage as biodiversity net gain or help to compliance with permits. and maintaining its zero carbon address issues at source. Anglian Water received a two commitments. It is this kind of innovative thinking star rating, meaning the company’s “We are fully committed to the that University of Reading professor environmental performance requires government’s green recovery of hydrology Hannah Cloke believes improvement. approach and will play our part to water companies and engineers alike Responding to the report, an make sure we deliver projects and must adopt in order to cope with the
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 23 Future of Water Overview
Traditional methods of CASE STUDY: RIVER INGOL WETLAND floodwater storage, like big concrete tanks, are not as effective as “diverting water into the landscape
demands of climate change. “We’re looking at a climate emergency. The climate is changing – as it gets hotter, heavy rain is more likely. We’re going to see differences in rainfall patterns, and we’ve got increasing urbanisation which is increasing pressure on housing and infrastructure,” Cloke explains. “These are problems that are just going to get worse, so we need to change the way we’re doing things. “There’s been a big push from the industry around issues such as leakages, for example, which is great. That’s exactly the right thing to do Anglian Water has delivered its first wetland GPS technology was used to cut the pools to but we have to go faster. We’ve got treatment site, on the River Ingol – a spring-fed the required levels and allow the correct rate of seriously ageing infrastructure – chalk stream – in west Norfolk. The company water flow. The edges of each pool include gradually we’ve just got to go faster.” believes that the project’s success will provide a sloping banks, with significant variations in the But the water industry should blueprint for the delivery of dozens of similar sites alignment to produce an ideal wildlife habitat. not just be concerned about ageing across its network. The final phase of the project involved installing assets. Cloke believes some new a new feed to pipe the water supply from Anglian infrastructure projects fail to focus on The wetland treatment site at Ingoldisthorpe is Water’s recycling plant into the new River Ingol long term sustainability. described as the first of its kind in England and has wetland. “I’m a big enthusiast of working been created in partnership with the Norfolk River Used but treated water is released into the river with natural processes and using our Trust. The site works as a natural treatment plant after it has filtered through the pools, significantly natural landscapes to the best of our for millions of litres of water each day. improving water quality in the river and helping ability. Soil, for example, holds water The wetlands – formed by four interlinking to preserve the habitat for wildlife. Aside from well, so if we look after our soil it can shallow pools – are planted with approximately its water filtration purpose, the wetland is also a help to alleviate flooding. It can also 25,000 native plants. The plants help to purify the biodiversity asset which attracts breeding birds, ensure that water is going down into water, filtering and sequestering nutrients. amphibians, bats and water voles. the deep groundwater stores so that Creating the four pools involved a major Anglian Water is monitoring the wetland to see we can sustain chalk streams over earthworks project, requiring a significant level of if it removes nutrients such as nitrates and other periods where we do get less rainfall,” excavation from within the proposed areas where substances such as metals and microplastics, in she says. the pools were being built. addition to removing ammonia and phosphates. “The landscape functions quite well until we start to interfere with it. Some of that is around urbanisation needed, but that requires more joined- an impact elsewhere. If we make a and making water runoff from our up thinking from all stakeholders, change in our headwater, it will have cities flow into the combined sewers not least the engineers tasked with an impact further downstream. If we quickly. Traditional methods of flood upgrading and maintaining water change our cities, it will change the water storage, like big concrete tanks, infrastructure. runoff that goes into our rivers. It’s all are not as effective as diverting water “We have to think about everything connected. The landscape is linked, into the landscape.” holistically,” adds Cloke. “We have to but I worry that siloed decisions are A more holistic approach to understand that whatever changes made without really understanding flooding, drought and water quality is we make in one area, it will have that everything is connected.” N
24 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020
® REFURBISHING THE GLENMORE DAM
Gle nmor e Tra PROTECT il SW N Elbow River North GLENMORE DAM Weaselhead Glenmore Flats Park Glenmore CAL GARY Tsuut’ina Trail Reservoir
South 1km AND SUPPLY Glenmore Park As the upgrade of Glenmore Dam draws to a close, Nadine Buddoo explores how the Canadian structure has evolved to help reduce flood risk, while increasing its water supply capacity.
Future storage capacity and improving flood mitigation capability. KEY FACTS of Water The dam incorporates a bridge The dam with which runs along its crest providing new stoplogs in £46M a pedestrian and cycle route, and position anada’s Glenmore previously carried water and gas Reservoir has become Cost of mains. New pedestrian an important landmark The work has focused on the and cycle route: Glenmore 6m wide in the city of Calgary, stoplogs – flood gates – which providing clean water, Dam refurb are incorporated into the bridge flood mitigation and structure. They can be raised or a recreational setting for locals. 320m lowered to regulate water flows. CThe 3.8km2 reservoir is formed by a The original timber stoplogs were concrete dam, which has been the Length of positioned below the dam’s concrete focus of a C$81M (£46M) improvement Glenmore crest and would be raised to slow project. water flow. Approximately 320m long, Glenmore Dam The refurbishment programme Dam is located on the Elbow River involves replacing the 28 original in south west Calgary. The structure stoplogs with new steel ones which was originally built in 1933 to supply are taller. The new gates are 2.5m high drinking water and enable the city to 2.5m cater for future population growth. More than 85 years after the dam’s Original timber construction, the city’s population has stoplogs: 1.5m high increased by almost 1,500% to over The flood event NEW STEEL GATES: 2.5m HIGH 1.2M, significantly increasing water demand. But as well as the need to in 2013 made future proof the water supply, Calgary Reservoir has also had a series of significant us think about how we floods – in 1996, 2005 and 2013. ORIGINAL TIMBER GATES Not to scale These have brought flood mitigation could get more out of sharply into focus and led to the the dam in terms of recent upgrade project which has the joint aim of increasing water “ flood mitigation
26 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 The flashy nature REFURBISHING THE of the geography doesn’t give you a lot GLENMORE DAM of time before there’s runoff in the city Gle nmor e Tra il SW N “ Elbow River – 1m taller than their predecessors. North GLENMORE DAM They are positioned above the crest Weaselhead Glenmore Flats Park and lowered to slow water flow. Glenmore CAL GARY City of Calgary project engineer Tsuut’ina Trail Reservoir Patrick Mackie has been involved with the upgrade project since 2011 when South 1km Glenmore Park the design phase started. He explains that the 2013 flood impacted the direction of the project. “It steered us in a slightly different mode,” he says. “The flood caused a lot of damage to critical infrastructure throughout the city. It focused everyone on the issue of flood mitigation.” Downtown Calgary, north east of the dam, is the bustling retail and business heart of the city. Businesses and recreational venues in the area were severely affected by the flood, as were residential properties close to the river. “Up to that point, the Glenmore Dam project was about water resilience,” says Mackie. “The dam was initially built to retain water, so it always inherently had a bit of flood mitigation capability, but New pedestrian it was never built as such. The flood and cycle route: event in 2013 made us think about 6m wide how we could get more out of the dam in terms of flood mitigation.” As well as being on the Elbow River, the dam is bordered by the foothills of the Rocky Mountains to the west. After significant snow melt or a period of heavy rainfall – like that experienced in 2013 – it can take just 48 hours for water runoff to reach the city. “The flashy nature of the geography doesn’t give you a lot of time before there’s runoff in the city,” says Mackie. 2.5m “In 2013, we experienced a fairly normal year for snow melt, but a Original timber significant rain event stalled over stoplogs: 1.5m high the mountains and dumped a huge NEW STEEL GATES: 2.5m HIGH amount of rainwater. Soon after, that water hit the river and then impacted the city.” Reservoir The City of Calgary appointed consultant Klohn Crippen Berger ORIGINAL TIMBER GATES Not to scale (KCB) to help design a solution that would meet all of the requirements associated with increasing water supply capacity and reducing flood risk, while respecting the architectural
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 27 Future of Water Glenmore Dam
Relocating the of the utilities means that the full width of the deck can now be used utilities has to improve access for cyclists and pedestrians. allowed us to free up “It’s very rare to have public access on a dam,” says Brunsdon. the deck, so there are “To have the public in and around industrial equipment is a real no services running challenge. “across it “That’s something Klohn and the City of Calgary have worked hard on – ensuring that it’s a safe environment that functions as a dam but is also a heritage of the Depression era wonderful public space.” structure. Mackie admits that the team toyed Construction to deliver the upgrade with the idea of closing the bridge, but started in September 2017. The work there were concerns that a complete is expected to extend the lifespan of closure would be a contentious the dam by 100 years. Minor clean-up decision as it forms part of a city-wide work is still underway but the team regional pathway network, providing a expects everything to be completed vital link between downtown Calgary within the next few weeks. and the south west of the city. Initially, the upgrade design Despite the potential disruption specified 1.5m high gates but this associated with any major was increased to 2.5m as a means construction programme of this scale, of boosting the reservoir’s capacity Mackie says the project has been and providing additional protection generally well received. “We don’t against runoff. get a lot of public pushback because During normal operations, the The dam was has increased by 10M.m3. obviously drinking water is so reservoir’s water level can be brought originally built in KCB senior civil engineer Andrew important and flood mitigation is also to 1.5m above the crest, which is the the 1930s Brunsdon says that retrofitting the on the radar,” he says. provincially regulated level. “We can’t structure posed some of the biggest “At the end of the day, when you go any higher than that level. But the challenges across the project. commit to boosting the drinking water gates now allow us to keep the water “The as-built information is pretty supply and protecting the city from at that 1.5m level for a longer duration sparse,” he says. “Nothing is linear some degree of flood damage, people through the year,” Mackie says. on the existing structure – a lot of the are pretty open and accepting of From May to July, the reservoir’s issues aren’t evident until you peel the that. There might be some short-term water level is typically lowered in lid off.” inconvenience, but there is overall case of flooding. Then, in September Before work to install the new long-term gain for everybody.” to October when the river inflow is gates could begin, the team had to Following the extensive upgrade, approaching its minimum level, but relocate the water and gas mains that the pathway across the deck was water demand remains high, the ran along the bridge deck. reopened to the public in September. reservoir captures as much water as “That was quite a challenge. The Conclusion of the main works on site possible. solution was to tunnel beneath the has given the team an opportunity to The new gates mean this water Elbow River just in front of the dam,” reflect on the delivery of the project. level can be maintained through the says Brunsdon. The tunnel would then With winter fast approaching, the winter months. The steel barriers house the relocated utility pipelines. upgraded dam will surely be put to the have also been designed to withstand While Flatiron Contractors Canada test. But Mackie acknowledges that the significant ice loading that can was appointed for the main works the reservoir and dam were primarily occur during winter, where sustained programme, contractor Ward & Burke constructed for water supply – not temperatures of -30°C are common. was brought in to relocate all the flood mitigation. “The [water level in the] reservoir utilities through a 3m diameter tunnel Analysis has shown that the new isn’t going to be any higher, per se. It’s beneath the river. gates could potentially mitigate the just going to be at its maximum level “It sounds simple, but it wasn’t,” effect of the 2005 flood, and while for longer periods,” Mackie explains. says Brunsdon. “Relocating the the barrier would also provide some The new gates, along with the utilities has allowed us to free up the protection against the level of flooding installation of a new independent deck, so there are no services running seen in 2013, it would not be capable hoist system above deck level to raise across it.” of mitigating the risk completely. and lower the barrier, mean that high The 6m wide concrete bridge deck Mackie adds: “You’re never going flow events can be better managed which runs above the crest of the dam to get 100% protection from all floods. and the reservoir’s storage capacity has also been replaced. The relocation The structure has its limits.” N
28 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 Coastal Defence Units Ramps and Slipways ECOncrete Ecological Concrete Cill and Ballast Units Deck Slabs Railway Platforms Asset BEBO Arches Retaining Wall Solutions Box Culverts Attenuation Tanks Portal Frames Ducts and Trenches
Pipeline Decommissioning and New Connections
DECOMMISSIONING OF PIPES, DUCTS OR CHAMBERS Our Foambag system seals pipes and ducts prior to sectioning/removal and encapsulates loose debris and contamination within the pipe NEW CONNECTIONS Using our bespoke under pressure systems we can make new connections to existing pipelines under live conditions CCTV SURVEYS Our CCTV surveys can assess pipe conditions, allow for remediation and for removal of a pipe wall sample for testing
ALL APPLICATIONS CAN BE CARRIED OUT UNDER LIVE CONDITIONS
Over 30 Years Experience | Cost Saving Solutions | Remote Application Solutions www.stevevick.com | 01225 864864 Future of Water Halvergate Water Management SALINE SOLUTION A £2.1M scheme to improve the storage and transfer of fresh water is helping Halvergate Marshes adapt to climate change. Nadine Buddoo reports.
alvergate Marshes is of the existing high level water carrier Norfolk’s assistance, for example. an environmentally watercourse. An additional 4.7km HLC Halvergate The scheme was designed and designated area within from east to west, was delivered across Marshes rely delivered in-house by the WMA, with the Broads National Park a three year construction programme on fresh water support from a small framework of west of Yarmouth in which completed in May 2019. taken from the contractors. Norfolk. Sprawling across Increasing storage and improving the River Bure “There was no major consultant 1,069ha, the land nestles between the ability to transfer fresh water across or major contractor involved. It was HRivers Bure to the north and the Yare to the Halvergate Marches was the key primarily delivered by our own staff,” the south. It is the UK’s second largest objective for the £2.1M project. says WMA project director Matthew area of grazing marsh. Essentially an internal ditch system, Philpot. The site is a freshwater system fed by the network at Halvergate Marshes “There’s a real danger of client rainwater and the river. It relies on fresh is managed by the Broads Internal organisations losing a lot of their skills water being taken from the River Bure Drainage Board, which is part of the because they don’t deliver projects to water course known as the high level Water Management Alliance (WMA). themselves. The WMA really tries to water carrier (HLC) and then to the The WMA is a consortium of five retain those skills in-house so that we marshes via a gravity feed when salinity drainage boards across Norfolk and have the capability to deliver projects if levels are low. Suffolk and provides support through we need to.” Water from the River Bure enters engineers, ecologists and administrative the high level water carrier through PROJECT FOCUS the Stracey Arms control structure - an Approximately 8km of clay embankment automated freshwater inlet located has been constructed to border the HLC on the river. The existing 7.4km water extension and the newly established carrier is located south of the river, There was no floodplain wetlands, allowing more feeding water to a drainage network water to be retained. across the marshes. major consultant WMA operations engineer Paul Building resilience to rising sea George explains that the team levels and low rainfall and creating new or major contractor has effectively created two water habitats and wetlands has been the levels – the water stored in the HLC focus of the recently completed second involved. It was watercourse, and the drainage network phase of work. across the marshes. Storing water The scheme involved major primarily delivered by at a higher level allows it to be more earthworks to increase the capacity “ efficiently transferred to the drainage our own staff
30 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 Online Training Courses
Design of Retaining Walls to Eurocode 7 Brought to 14th & 15th September (6hrs CPD) you by Role of The Temporary Works Coordinator & Temporary Works Supervisor The Engineers Collective is the 21st & 22nd September (6hrs CPD) podcast by New Civil Engineer. Highway Law: An Introduction Tune in to meet the new podcast 21st & 23rd September (6hrs CPD)
hosts bringing you news, opinion Land Drainage Law for Non Legal and topical interviews every Professionals two weeks. Start listening to 28th & 29th September (6hrs CPD) the back catalogue on your CDM Awareness favourite podcast platform today. 5th & 6th October (6hrs CPD) Basic Reinforced Concrete Detailing 12th & 13th October (6hrs CPD)
Drainage Design (Foul & Surface Water) 19h & 20th October (6hrs CPD)
Health, Safety & Welfare - Site & General Safety PODCAST AVAILABLE ON 26th & 27th October (6hrs CPD) Management of Earthworks 28th & 29th October (6hrs CPD)
Tune in to hear the latest episode 01446 775959 [email protected] www.symmonsmadge.co.uk
Podcast Advert 3 - 265x210.indd 1 19/03/2020 11:25 Future of Water Halvergate Water Management
You’ve got a freshwater habitat sandwiched between saline tidal “watercourses
network via the gravity feed. “The storage is generally about 500mm higher than the lower drainage system,” he says. “That gradient allows us to move water around the marsh network to wherever it’s needed.” A total of six aqueducts have also been installed to help maintain low level drainage within the system. HALVERGATE MARSHES Five new environmental scrapes – River Bure Phase 1: High level carrier route shallow depressions which seasonally A47 retain water and are attractive to Phase 2: High level carrier route wildlife – have also been constructed. Phase 2: Embankments As part of the project, two fl ood plain Floodplain wetlands water meadows have been created Wader scrapes across 35ha at the site, in addition 12 Aqueducts water control structures have been SSSI installed, including pumping stations. Collectively, the new features at the Philpot adds: “We’ve achieved our site have created an additional 70,000m3 aim of transporting fresh water when of freshwater storage – a much needed it is available further into the marsh step toward tackling the pressing network, further towards the sea where impact of climate change. the salinity conditions get worse. The But as well as meeting current River Yare new system also allows us to store more demand for freshwater, the project N fresh water when it is available.” has been designed to anticipate 1km Based on current climate change future requirements. “We have slightly forecasts, the project has a 50 year oversized culverts and pipes within Climate change predictions show The £2.1M design life. But the team is keen to the system so that if there’s ever an that the availability of fresh water will project has ensure that it remains proactive, rather option to tie into a larger scheme, for become less reliable due to higher tides created than reactive to the water requirements example, then it’s relatively simple. The and longer periods of drought. 70,000m³ at the site. infrastructure is there,” says George. “You’ve got a freshwater habitat of additional “We’re looking at a range of other sandwiched between saline tidal freshwater potential projects. It’s really important WATER CHECKS watercourses. The issue we have in storage to explore better ways of using the There are two main sources of fresh maintaining this pristine freshwater water, better ways of storing it and water at the site – rain water and the habitat on such a scale is the fresh then maybe connecting into different tidal rivers. The existing HLC was water availability,” says George. systems,” says Philpot. “There are lots completed in 2006. It incorporates “With tidal conditions, sea level rise of interesting options on the horizon.” salinity probe sensors in the inlet and climate change, there is more saline Philpot also believes treating water structure to check that water is fresh water heading up these watercourses as a scarce resource and managing it enough before releasing it into the so we’re getting less fresh water coming properly is a transferable principle that marsh area. down to dilute it, especially during the can and should be applied to other Salinity levels are dictated by summer period where water scarcity is projects. tides pushing upstream and rainfall a real problem at the site. “With a bit of initiative and solid discharging downstream. But with “We can’t get enough water, not only engineering knowledge, water the dual threat of fl ood and drought, for the site of special scientifi c interest [drainage] systems can really be fi ne the existing system did not have the (SSSI) habitats but also for agricultural tuned,” he says. “I think other drainage capacity to future proof the site’s water purposes like wet fencing and drinking boards and consultancies should see supply. water for cattle.” this as an exemplar project.” N
32 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER NOVEMBER 2020 5 November 2020 Virtual Event
REGISTER TO ATTEND FOR YOUR FREE VIRTUAL PASS
Headline sponsor Sponsored by Supported by Media partner
Registration enquiries Sponsorship opportunities Colin Ennis Francis Barham bcia.newcivilengineer.com 020 3953 2627 020 3953 2912 @BCIAwards #BCIA [email protected] [email protected]
BCIA 2020 Virtual FP Advert - 210mmw x 265mmh.indd 1 30/09/2020 10:39 ARE YOU PART OF A TEAM?
While you are enjoying this informative issue of New Civil Engineer, your colleagues aren’t and that doesn’t seem fair to us. To help your team keep up-to-date with the latest developments, best practice and thought-provoking opinion in the construction industry, contact us today:
Telephone: +44 (0) 203 953 2112 Email: [email protected]
NCE_SUB08_CORPORATE ACCOUNT PRINT FP AD.indd 1 10/01/2018 09:59 Innovative Thinking NEW DESIGN CONCEPTS, INVENTIVE CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND FRESH IDEAS
Applying fresh thinking and innovative solutions is a common theme when it comes to delivering High Speed 2, tackling Covid-19 restrictions and adopting o site construction
HS2’S CHILTERN TUNNELS PROGRESS / PAGE 36 THERMAL IMAGING AIDS CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE / PAGE 40 INNOVATIVE THINKER: SHAUN TATE / PAGE 46
NOVEMBER 2020 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 35 Innovative Thinking HS2 Chiltern Tunnels GROUND CONTROL Work on High Speed 2 is ramping up ahead of tunnelling on the first phase of the route. Greg Pitcher reports.
hen tunnel pressure balance,” explains James boring machines Reilly, TBM engineer at contracting (TBMs) Florence KEY FACT consortium Align, which is and Cecilia are responsible for the Chiltern Tunnel launched next project as part of a £1.6bn package of spring, the 2,000t works on phase one of HS2. 2,000t German-built giants will work Weight of “Given the constraints we have – relentlessly and largely unseen for such as an aquifer underneath the W each TBM three years to create the UK’s longest tunnel and not being able to use transport tunnel. certain chemicals – we are to use a Little Chalfont Named after local nursing and variable density TBM, which uses CHILTERN astronomy legends Florence Nightingale both slurry and pressure balance Amersham M25 H a r e f i e l d and Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, the technology.” Herrenknecht TBMs will create 16km Align comprises Bouygues TUNNELS of twin-bore passageway under Travaux Publics, Sir Robert McAlpine Chalfont St Peter Buckinghamshire’s Chiltern Hills for and VolkerFitzpatrick. It has thought vent shaft SOUTH PORTAL High Speed 2 (HS2). beyond normal constraints to Chalfont St Giles And like their namesakes, the maximise the efficiency of the TBMs. NORTH PORTAL vent shaft bespoke machines will display “We have changed the design,” says elements of innovation working in Reilly. “For example, grout used to Chalfont St Peter challenging conditions. Chalfont COLNE VALLEY VIADUCT Little Missenden Due to the length of the tunnel A413 vent shaft Amersham St Giles and the amount of time they will be vent shaft A413 M40 underground, a huge amount of design CHILTERN TUNNELS A40 effort has gone into making the TBMs We will have a as efficient and reliable as possible. A356 For a start, it will be the first time grout plant on M25 variable density TBMs have been used NORTH PORTAL SOUTH PORTAL in the UK. This technology allows the the TBM itself. This Little Missenden Amersham Chalfont St Giles Chalfont St Peter vent shaft vent shaft vent shaft vent shaft G e r r a r d s C r o s s machines to adapt to different ground conditions. means we will not rely “There are two main types of as much on logistics on M40 N conventional closed-faced tunnelling Beaconsfield 2km machine – slurry shield and earth “ the outside
36 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 We have targets Levelling the sprawling, hilly to meet so we and chalky South Portal site is a main cracked on with the focus of work in preparation for the plans as the Oakervee TBMs’ arrival “Review happened. We could not afford to pause
fill the gaps between segments of the tunnel wall would usually be pumped to the TBM or brought on vehicles to the machine, but given the length of the tunnel this was not practical – so we will have a grout plant on the TBM itself. This means we will not rely as much on logistics on the outside.” The boring machines also feature robotic arms that will automatically screw in dowels to join concrete lining segments together as well as removing timber planks that separate these segments while they are transported. “It removes a person from a hazardous area,” says Reilly. “We’ve done a lot of development with the supplier to put the correct equipment on the TBM.” The TBMs will operate in a “continuous boring” mode that hasn’t been used on site before. “Usually you would excavate, stop, install a ring, continue excavating,” says Reilly. “We are doing a form of continuous boring where segments can be installed as the TBM excavates. Align has been working very closely Little Chalfont with its supplier to make sure it is CHILTERN working; we’ve had to change the Amersham interface with the cabin, the hardware, M25 H a r e f i e l d the programming and logic to make TUNNELS the system work.” Chalfont St Peter Florence and Cecilia will arrive on vent shaft SOUTH PORTAL site in parts this autumn and the team Chalfont St Giles will undertake a six month building NORTH PORTAL vent shaft phase before launching them next spring. But before the machines’ Chalfont epic journey can begin, a similar St Peter Chalfont COLNE VALLEY VIADUCT effort has already been required from Little Missenden A413 vent shaft Amersham St Giles the engineering team preparing the vent shaft A413 M40 ground along the tunnel alignment. CHILTERN TUNNELS The consortium took over the South A40 Portal site – which has its own access A356 slip road between junctions 17 and 18 of the M25 – in September 2019 M25 NORTH PORTAL SOUTH PORTAL to prepare for tunnelling as well as Little Missenden Amersham Chalfont St Giles Chalfont St Peter construction of the 3km long Colne vent shaft vent shaft vent shaft vent shaft G e r r a r d s C r o s s Valley Viaduct. Levelling this sprawling, hilly, M40 N chalky site and ensuring everything Beaconsfield 2km is ready for Florence and Cecilia has required an unblinking focus,
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 37 Innovative Thinking HS2 Chiltern Tunnels
When you launch a TBM forward, you have to bury the whole of the cutting head straight “away, so you need vertical ground to press into
especially in the face of a government- ordered Oakervee review of the entire HS2 project, closely followed by a global pandemic. “The tunnel is on the critical path of phase one of HS2,” says Align construction director David Whiteford. “The decision was taken last year to order the TBMs. “We have targets to meet so we cracked on with the plans as the Oakervee Review happened. We could not afford to pause as we are working to a tight plan that includes procuring buildings and processes. The team is moving in the region of 850,000m3 of chalky earth to create the right conditions to build a raft of construction facilities and to build and launch the TBMs. Align South Portal construction director Mick O’Hare says the high Top: A robotic soil nails, each up to 20m long, were squeeze the water out. The slurry water content of chalk means it can arm will be used driven into the wall to stabilise it. A treatment plant is a process in its own become unworkable after heavy rain. to position tunnel specialised rotary drill took up to two right. We have a facility to reuse as “A big challenge was that chalk has lining segments hours to create each bore hole before much of the water as possible.” an extremely high water content – up Bottom left: each nail could be installed. Digging the tunnel approach cutting to 33% – so any more water makes Work is underway “Building and nailing the headwall and creating the reinforced concrete it unworkable. We were therefore to prepare for took seven months, starting in launch slab for the TBMs is another unable to move a lot of the material tunnelling to December 2019 and completing this major project. through the winter. We started at the begin at HS2’s June,” adds O’Hare. “It is a technically challenging beginning of April and we’ve done South Portal site All the precasting for this section reinforced concrete structure,” he says. about 500,000m3 over the summer.” Bottom right: of HS2 will be done on facilities that “It’s only an 18m section and has 207t of As the groundworks are delivered, TBM Florence is Align is purpose building on site. steel due to the weight and thrust that the construction aspects of the due to arrive on “We’re creating three batching will go through it when we launch.” project can begin. One major site in the autumn plants to produce all the concrete,” Designing the slab took 18 months structure that the consortium says Whiteford. “There will be tunnel of close collaboration between the has already created is a 17m high segment and viaduct deck precast Align team and its design joint venture headwall for the boring machines facilities. Jacobs and Ingerop-Rendel. It is to break through when they are “We will also be processing 3M.m3 described by Whiteford as among the launched. “When you launch a TBM of arisings from the tunnel and placing largest co-ordinations of permanent and forward, you have to bury the whole them into the recently quarried temporary works he’s ever worked on. of the cutting head straight away, so landscape. Water has to be added As this issue of NCE went to press, you need vertical ground to press to the chalk at the face of the tunnel work to build the launch slab was well into,” says O’Hare. to slurrify it, then it can be pumped underway ahead of the arrival of the Almost 700 reinforced polymer down the tunnel and we immediately TBM components. N
38 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020
Innovative Thinking Thermal Imaging
t the beginning of International Airport, for example, – then that is directing the camera this year, it would involved positioning a thermal camera software as to which pixels on the have been difficult to KEY FACT at a boarding gate. thermal image correspond to the face.” imagine a scenario This was used to pinpoint passenger The best indicator of core body in which London 500mm to 1m temperatures, with the technology temperature generally comes from Underground and rail Range of site displaying elevated temperature around the eyes, so the thermal services operated at 4% capacity and readings on a monitor screen.. imaging software focuses on this area. airportsA saw 90% of flights grounded. cameras used It is an approach, Woodcock says, “That’s how you’re looking And yet here we are. by Costain that can be effectively used alongside specifically at people and not just As this issue went to press, the UK other measures to make air passengers going, ‘oh there’s somebody at 70°C was facing a growing list of local and more comfortable and improve safety. over there’ and it’s just somebody regional lockdown measures imposed holding a cup of coffee,” Middleton in response to rising Covid-19 infection CAMERAS adds. “For each pixel on the sensor, you rates. Indications that the virus will be The cameras take thermal and visible can extract a temperature reading.” present for some time mean attention light pictures – essentially two lenses When it comes to locating the is being focused on how to enable are built into their bodies. cameras, there is a range of options. public life to remain functional. Costain proposition lead for elevated As with the Birmingham Airport trial, Thermal imaging cameras for body temperature Rob Middleton they can be stationed at boarding temperature readings – deployed explains: “The visible light camera is gates to help provide confirmation that across public spaces – could be part of looking for where to measure – not individual flights are clean. Equally, the solution, according to Costain chief face recognition but face identification checks can be done as people move systems engineer Hazel Woodcock. through an airport at established Costain has trialled and installed points, as the cameras can monitor thermal imaging technology for several multiple individuals up to 5m away at aviation sector clients – airports and any one time. airlines – for their passengers and For each pixel If a high temperature is detected, cabin crew. The whole process from rescreening is possible – false readings initial enquiry to installation now takes on the sensor, can be caused by warm weather or around three to four weeks. you can extract a physical exertion– while in other cases A three-week trial with Swissport a more robust medical examination Western Europe at Birmingham “temperature reading may be necessary. HEAT SPOTS Thermal imaging could be rolled out further in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Catherine Kennedy reports.
40 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 READ MORE INNOVATIVE THINKING ARTICLES AT NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING
CONSTRUCTION SITES after to trialling an offering on one of We can detect Costain has also deployed cameras our projects,” says Bouygues UK HSQE across some project sites and offices. director Dean Murphy. somebody Lower specification cameras – used for After an electronic induction and one person at a time – are suitable in initial registration on the system, those with an elevated this context. entering sites queue, while adhering “Cameras we’ve installed at the to social distancing guidelines, then temperature and you airports are optimised for 2m to 5m stand in front of the camera for a heat working range,” Middleton says. detection scan. just need imagination “One of our site cameras is for a The site entry door opens “to work out where single person and it’s got a range of automatically if a temperature reading 500mm to 1m so you basically stand is normal. right in front of it.” If someone has a high temperature, that’s useful Similarly, contractor Bouygues UK the door will not open and the monitor has deployed thermal imaging cameras screen will go red. As experienced by at 60% of its offices and on most Costain, false positives have occurred projects. where people have cycled to the site, process and business case.” Working with technology and for example. In these cases, there is a Masks are also mandatory on software company Biosite – which also cooling down area. Bouygues sites. “Initially the feedback manages the firm’s door entry systems Once a person has cooled down, was that 100% masks and thermal and turnstiles – Bouygues trialled the screening is repeated and if the high imaging is a bit draconian,” Murphy technology at its 800-person Mount temperature persists access to the says. “But after four to six weeks, the Pleasant site, a residential project in project is denied. supply chain feedback was: ‘we feel central London. “We’ve found it takes less time to safer on your projects’.” The technology became a minimum do that than having somebody with a standard for Bouygues projects at the thermometer,” Murphy says. WIDER ROLLOUT beginning of April and the contractor “It’s also more efficient because Opportunities for a wider rollout of is in the process of rolling out the you’re not paying for a person to do the thermal imaging technology are “broad cameras to remaining sites. tests – and we are reducing the risk for an and varied”, according to Woodcock. “Within three weeks Biosite had individual manually taking temperatures. “Beyond Covid, we can look at gone from understanding what we were So, it’s more efficient both in terms of detecting people with seasonal flu or with the next thing that comes along. Anywhere you’ve got a high level of Thermal imaging can detect pedestrian traffic, you can see people potential Covid-19 carriers as going through so it would suit other they move around airports transport methods.” The technology could also be used at hospital entrances, nursing homes, offices, shopping centres and sports venues. “I could get really excited about the potential applications – it doesn’t need to be constrained to Covid and airports,” says Woodcock. “We can detect somebody with an elevated temperature and you just need imagination to work out where that’s useful.” Murphy also sees scope for the technology’s deployment in public areas. But he adds that once rail and underground use rises again the numbers may make using it in those contexts challenging. At the same time, he emphasises the importance of embracing new approaches. “It’s got to become the new norm until we get a vaccine. We’ve got to be more innovative with new solutions. It’s a mindset thing,” he says. N
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 41 Innovation Showcase Schaeffler Bearings TURNING POINTS Schaeffler bearings have played a vital role in key civil engineering projects.
y using its expertise and WHY IS EARLY INVOLVEMENT experience as early as KEY STATS SO IMPORTANT? possible in the design Schaeffler UK technology centre stages of building manager Sally Sillis comments: “When and civil engineering 600mm sourcing bearings, various bearing projects, Schaeffler can design criteria need to be considered, help architects, structural engineers Outside including operational safety, load Special coatings, materials or sealing Band main contractors to select the diameter of ratings, the life rating of the bearing arrangements can be provided to most suitable, cost effective bearing London Eye and the lifecycle cost of the bearing, upgrade the bearing solution to one solution. which includes maintenance and that will be fit for purpose for the For large structures such as bearings servicing costs. expected lifetime of the project. commercial buildings, bridges, dams, “As a bearings supplier, we can use While this may mean higher initial flood gates, sports stadiums and our expertise and experience to help costs, designers often follow this airports, the design of the supporting 194kg select the most appropriate, cost type of advice from the bearing bearings is critical. Weight of effective bearing solution. supplier, particularly if the technical The surrounding structure can London Eye “When we are involved early in the upgrade is justified and assures a greatly influence the behaviour of the design process, we can provide trusted longer bearing life. bearing and so it is important that the bearings advice, guidance and engineering The building or structure may also selection of the bearing is correct. support from our experienced require the bearing to fulfil “special” In the UK, Schaeffler has been application engineers. This can save duties. It may, for example, need to involved in a number of prestigious 50+ years significant time and costs for the support several hundred tonnes in building projects, including the London Eye contractor in terms of redesign or weight or withstand a harsh operating London Eye, Wembley Stadium, bearings’ life modification work later on, but it environment such as freezing the Lloyds of London Building, should also result in a more cost temperatures, extreme heat, high Wimbledon Centre Court’s expectancy effective overall design of a building humidity or high winds. In certain retractable roof and Tottenham or structure,” adds Sillis. applications, the bearings may also Hotspur’s new stadium. In all these Many designers and main need to be earthquake-proof. cases, early involvement from contractors will want a “fit-and- Sillis points out: “If the architect Schaeffler was fundamental in forget” bearing solution – one that is or main contractor specifies a bearing ensuring that the correct bearing maintenance-free and guaranteed to themselves, they tend to consider only solution was selected. last for the lifetime of the structure. the maximum loads and movements
42 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHAEFFLER
bearings. Innovative plain bearing materials are used, such as Elgoglide, Elgotex, and the metal-polymer composite E40. These PTFE-based plain bearing materials enable ultra-low coefficients of friction for spherical plain bearings and rod ends, while ensuring low wear and very long lifecycles. Maintenance-free plain bearings considerably reduce lubricant and maintenance costs as they do not require oil or grease, while also being environmentally friendly.
SPHERICAL PLAIN BEARINGS With more than 75 years of plain bearing expertise, Schaeffler is a market leader in the design and manufacture of spherical plain bearings. Durable and capable of supporting heavy loads, its bearings ensure reliable operation, even under harsh environmental conditions. The product range is also geared towards maintenance-free operation.
SPHERICAL PLAIN BEARINGS WITH ELGOGLIDE Elgoglide is a high performance, maintenance-free sliding material based on Teflon fabric. Suitable for dynamic loads at contact pressures ranging from 1MPa to 300MPa, bearings with this layer are particularly suitable for applications that require minimal friction. When we are For bridges, but well within its load carrying Radial spherical plain bearings dams and capacity, that bearing may suffer comprise inner and outer rings involved early floodgates, from “stick-slip” – a spontaneous with maintenance-free sliding architects juddering motion that occurs when layers made from Elgoglide, PTFE in the design process, and structural two surfaces within a bearing slide composite or PTFE-bronze film. engineers require over each other, often causing This means they are suitable for we can provide trusted a maintenance- loud grinding noises, which in most alternating dynamic loads. free bearing civil engineering projects would be Angular contact spherical plain advice, guidance and solution that is unacceptable. This condition can be bearings comprise inner and outer “engineering support guaranteed to avoided by selecting the appropriate rings with Elgoglide. In addition to last the lifetime type and size of bearing and/or by radial loads, they can also support of the structure applying special low friction coatings high axial loads. to bearing components and surfaces. Axial spherical plain bearings on the bearing, which unfortunately comprise shaft locating and housing does not provide a full picture of the BEARING TYPES AND EXAMPLES locating washers with Elgoglide. application and invariably will lead The bearings themselves – which to incorrect bearing selection, over- might be spherical plain bearings, SPHERICAL PLAIN BEARINGS engineering or under-engineering.” cylindrical bushings, rod ends, or WITH PTFE SLIDING SURFACES Sillis says that an experienced combination bearings – should be Schaeffler offers various PTFE- bearing supplier would also consider maintenance-free if possible. A ferris based sliding materials for specific the minimum loads and movements wheel or swing bridge, for example, applications. These include a PTFE on the bearing, as well as the type of will have little time to set aside for composite material for compact radial movement and the available operating maintenance work to be carried out. spherical plain bearings for small envelope. This is because if, for Schaeffler offers a comprehensive envelopes with bore diameters as example, a bearing is heavily loaded range of maintenance-free plain small as 6mm.
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 43 IN PARTNERSHIP Innovation Showcase WITH VOLKERLASER EFFICIENT ACCESS Fast Beam is a low disruption access system which maximises workspace.
olkerLaser is the exclusive supplier of Fast Beam access technology to the UK market. Fast Beam is a temporary works solution for bridge parapet repairs and maintenanceV operations. VolkerLaser says Fast Beam, which is new to the UK market, is a unique, safe and extremely efficient bridge access system. From straight to curved bridges and platforms, it is designed to maximise working space and minimise traffic disturbance, while site teams undertake parapet repairs, maintenance, or construction. The system replaces conventional scaffolding methods – reducing cost, time, manpower, and risk. Typically, 50m of Fast Beam can be installed by a five- person team, within an eight-hour shift, compared to traditional systems, which can take up to two weeks to install. Traffic management can often be Main picture: reduced to maintain traffic flow, meaning the underside of the deck edge for repair subsequently awarded for innovation Fast Beam access the impact and disruption to the travelling or maintenance works. and good practice. technology public is significantly minimised, by Fast Beam can also be installed while With UK exclusivity, and international Inset: VolkerLaser limiting the need for road closures or the existing parapets are in place, making agent agreements with Fast Beam in conducting the diversions. The system can also be used trial on the M5 it an ideal solution for rail bridge repair place, VolkerLaser is continually looking to provide a safe and secure pedestrian Oldbury Viaduct works and highway maintenance. to improve and innovate, using building walkway or cycleway while bridge repair The system has already been information modelling to fully design work is undertaken. successfully used on a number of and explore the best access solutions via The system can be hydraulically Highways England and Transport Scotland 3D design. This includes developing the adjusted up and down by up to 1m, projects, with the technology winning system for the new build bridge market. either targeting specific individual access an RTB Blue Star award from Highways VolkerLaser claims to be one of platforms, or adjusted as a complete unit. England during a trial installation on the the market leaders in the specialist When lifted to the underside of a bridge M5 Oldbury Viaduct. construction sector, and recognises that deck, a water and debris tight seal is During the trial, an independent to remain a specialist, new and innovative created, allowing secure hydro-demolition health and safety inspection took methods of work must be implemented. or concrete breakout works to the place, specifically looking at the The company believes this innovation parapet to be undertaken. innovation initiative being used to will change the way parapet repairs are When lowered, it provides operatives replace traditional scaffolding. undertaken across the UK, saving clients’ with a safe working platform and access to As a result, the RTB Blue Star was money and reducing programme time.
44 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 Innovation News NEW INNOVATIONS THAT WILL TRANSFORM YOUR PROJECTS NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING
STRUCTURES TOWERS FOR WORLD BEATING SUSPENSION BRIDGE FINISHED
The two 318m high towers for the 1915 Çanakkale suspension bridge in Turkey are now complete. The £1bn bridge, also known as the Çanakkale Strait Bridge, is being constructed in Çanakkale Province, north west Turkey. When complete, the central span will be the world’s longest at 2,023m, beating the previous record holder, Japan’s Akashi Kaikyo Bridge by 32m. The deck will carry six motorway lanes and two maintenance walkways. Construction started in March 2017 and is due to finish in just over 18 months, opening in March 2022. Designed by Cowi, the bridge is being constructed by a joint venture between Daelim, Limak, SK and Yapı Merkezi.
ROADS STRUCTURES STRUCTURES ARTIFICIAL NETWORK RAIL SKY POOL LIFTED INTO PLACE ON INTELLIGENCE TO DESIGN AND NINE ELMS DEVELOPMENT IN LONDON TOOL TO TACKLE BUILD COMPOSITE POTHOLE WOES BRIDGES
Artificial intelligence is being Network Rail plans to build deployed in Durham and composite footbridges at its Gwent to tackle pothole stations, working with the problems. Vehicle-mounted 3D National Composites Centre. The cameras will patrol the streets in “Futura” concept footbridge, both areas, scanning the road conceived and designed by surface for defects and Marks Barfield Architects, is reporting them. The technology being prototyped to show the is developed by GPC and is benefits of using composites in supported by the GovTech new build and replacement London’s Sky Pool has finally to be completed in 2018. No Catalyst funding pot, which structures at railway stations. been lifted into place, five years reason has been given for the encourages innovative solutions Cowi engineering designer Ian after designs were first unveiled delay. The 5m wide pool is 200t to public sector problems. In Firth said: “High strength (NCE September 2016). The when full and spans 14m between April, the Department of modern composite materials ambitious project is the first fully two residential towers in the heart Transport ring-fenced £23M for present huge opportunities for transparent swimming pool in of the new American Embassy councils to trial new pothole a new generation of bridges and the world to bridge two buildings development in London. Structural repair technologies. structures.” 10 storeys up. It was initially due engineer is Eckersley O’Callaghan.
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 45 Innovative Thinker Shaun Tate RISK REMOVAL Modern methods of construction are transforming how buildings are pieced together. Mace’s Shaun Tate explains to Catherine Kennedy.
ith an emphasis concurrently with bathroom pods, Tate: Covid-19 design and use the base design for the on offsite utility cupboards and mechanical, has brought an next building if you want to,” Tate adds. manufacturing, electrical and plumbing (MEP) service increased focus The digital and logistical aspects of modern methods of modules to reduce programme times on off-site construction can also be combined. construction (MMC) and improve productivity. manufacturing Tags embedded in the building elements improve efficiency When it comes to safety, the factory gather data for a digital database but and safety and have the potential to approach is a complete cultural shift, also enable tracking, so the team knows Wrevolutionise the industry. Tate says. Fewer people on site reduces when elements leave the factory, arrive “We’re on the cusp of a massive safety risks. Working at height is also on site and how long they take to install. change,” says Mace Tech business reduced as cladding, for example, is During the Covid-19 pandemic, such unit director Shaun Tate. “I’m more installed in the factory at ground level. predictability has become increasingly excited now at this point in my career Meanwhile, the digital platform used important. “Moving operations offsite than I ever have been – you can see an means that components can be designed becomes a no-brainer,” Tate says. “As opportunity to be part of something and replicated for future projects. dreadful as Covid has been, one thing that will be a legacy that generations “You can have all the benefits of it has done is force people to think beyond us will see as the norm.” offsite – all the quality, the reduced differently. I think innovative delivery Tate speaks from experience – Mace vehicle movements and operatives solutions are being looked at in a more is using the MMC method High Rise onsite – but you can have your bespoke open-minded way than 12 months ago.” Solutions (HRS) to construct N06, a Tate says widespread uptake will build to rent scheme at Stratford’s East require teams to have confidence they Village in London. This follows the can deliver across multiple projects. success of the company’s “Jumping “The industry has to be brave enough Factory”, the UK’s first rising factory I think to take the leap of faith that clients which facilitated the construction will see the benefits case and start to of retail, leisure and residential innovative demand this – not just want it,” he adds. development N08, also in Stratford With an increasing interest among (NCE July 2018). delivery solutions are clients, Mace Tech is currently looking Using parametric modelling tools at how the approach can be rolled out and artificial intelligence, HRS involves being looked at in a beyond residential , Tate explains: “It’s the offsite design and manufacture of a very much a mindset and if you apply the structure and façade sub-assemblies. more open-minded way mindset to the solution you’re looking to This includes installing modules “ deliver, the benefits are the same.” N than 12 months ago
46 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 Institution of Civil Engineers Record
ICE AWARDS ICE President Paul Sheffield told MPs that Boston a clear infrastructure Barrier wins strategy is needed ICE Award for creative design
A project protecting thousands of homes and businesses from tidal flooding won one of the top prizes at this year’s ICE Awards. The Boston Barrier, built by a joint venture between Bam Nuttall, Mott Macdonald and the Environment Agency, was awarded the Edmund Hambly Medal at this year’s awards event. The award recognises creative design of engineering projects that make a substantial contribution to sustainable development. This year’s annual ICE Awards was held online for the first time in the event’s history. The Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority won the Brunel Medal for its inter-governmental INFRASTRUCTURE hydroelectric plant project in Bhutan. Gue See Sew won the Engineers tell MPs of need for International Medal, for his outstanding contribution to the civil engineering industry, clear infrastructure strategy including presenting more than 250 lectures on geotechnical engineering in Malaysia. Success of the UK’s infrastructure inquiry. levels of people walking, Shirley Sivakumaran took the infrastructure networks They said much of the cycling, and running, as well as Warren Medal, in recognition will require a clear, long- success of infrastructure over an increase in people working of her valuable service in term strategy set out by the the coming decades depends from home. Singapore promoting the government, senior engineers on the government giving long- He said that, as a result, ICE to young engineers and told the Commons Treasury term clarity and certainty about higher priority should be given potential Fellows. select committee in September. its priorities. to active travel and improved l A full list of ICE Award ICE President Paul Sheffield This should be set out in the digital connectivity. winners is at ice.org.uk appeared before the committee National Infrastructure Strategy, He added that new with National Infrastructure they added. infrastructure investments Commission (NIC) chair Sir The strategy, which is should prioritise the John Armitt, NIC chief executive expected to be published accelerated rollout of fibre-optic James Heath and Infrastructure in the next Comprehensive and 5G broadband in the short Projects Authority chief Spending Review, is a response to medium term. executive Nick Smallwood. to the National Infrastructure This would enable thousands They were giving evidence Commission’s infrastructure of people to continue working about the government’s plans assessment, published in 2018. flexibly, while ensuring that to invest in infrastructure over Sheffield told the committee safe spaces for the public to the remainder of this Parliament that Covid-19 had caused a continue to engage in active Award winning: Boston Barrier as part of the committee’s short-term increase in the travel are in place.
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 47 Institution of Civil Engineers Record
PITCH 200 Tee won with a geogrid demonstration Atkins graduate wins Pitch 200 prize Competitors had just 200 seconds to present a civil engineering idea or principle to an audience made up of non-engineers
A graduate tunnel engineer bring lasting safety benefits to representing London and South infrastructure projects. East England has won the 2020 Pitch 200 usually takes place national final of ICE’s Pitch 200. before a live audience before a Atkins engineer Rui Jian Tee public vote. This year the event won the most public votes was moved online because of for his video explaining the social distancing restrictions. innovative uses of geosynthetic Eight civil engineers took part geogrid to reinforce soils and in the national final after being similar materials. selected in regional heats. Pitch 200 is an ICE-run University of Warwick civil competition where civil engineering student Jasmine engineers use their creativity Brittan, who was representing and communication skills to the East and West Midlands, of this new technology using a North West England. explain a civil engineering idea came second with a video hair dryer, ping pong ball and The presentation focused or principle in just 200 seconds. making the case for Hyperloop toilet roll. on the wastewater treatment Tee’s pitch explored the as a low energy solution to Third place went to Costain process and included a river positive aspects of using plastic future transportation needs. civil and structural engineer water filtration demonstration solutions like geogrids to She explained the principle Maria Eftimova who represented with Maria drinking the clean
INFRASTRUCTURE PROFESSION ICE ICE Schultz is key speaker Webinar series sets out Arup engineer wins Members invited to in 13th Brunel civil engineering career international Emerging debate extension of International Lectures possibilities Engineers award graduate voting rights
Seth Schultz, executive director A series of webinars showcasing Leeds-based Arup structural ICE members have been invited of infrastructure consultant the variety of careers available engineer Selina Rai has won to take part in a debate about The Resilience Shift, will be the in civil engineering have been the international final of the whether to extend voting key speaker for the 13th Brunel launched online. The ICE ICE International Emerging rights for graduate members. International Lecture Series, Inspiration Series is delivered Engineers Award. She beat three At present graduate members which starts on 2 December. by civil engineers who will others finalists and impressed can only elect other graduate Established in 1999, in memory share their stories and offer the panel of judges with her members to Council. ICE of pioneering engineer Isambard practical advice for study presentation on the effect Council wants to engage the Kingdom Brunel, this 12 month and development. The series of staggered openings on the membership in a debate before series is entitled 21st Century provides a complete online seismic performance of reinforced taking its recommendations Leadership is Partnership: careers programme for students concrete shear walls. The award to the Institution’s Trustee How a Coalition of the World’s and educational establishments is aimed at students, graduates Board. Changes would require Engineers Can Change the who want to explore the and trainee technicians and is approval by Corporate Members World and will be held online. rewarding and diverse world of intended to encourage and in a ballot. l Full details of all the civil engineering careers. reward the communication of l The debate takes place lectures, plus sign-up l The series is open to all, civil engineering ideas, research online on 20 October and information, will be confirmed and places can be booked at and best practice in projects members can book their place via www.ice.org.uk www.ice.org.uk/events and design. at ice.org.uk/events
48 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 VICE PRESIDENT’S VIEW ENGAGING NEW TALENT TO LEAVE OUR LEGACY
What do you love most about being a civil engineer? The work I do every For me, it is working in day makes a difference a profession that exists to serve the fundamental to others – mostly, I hope, for needs of society. Moreover, it is retaining that sense of the better Emer enthusiasm and passion Murnaghan for civil engineering, three dream up ideas using technological advances we end product. decades on. The work I do “have yet to discover. First placed Tee won a £400 every day makes a difference The civil engineer of the future has an incredible voucher, Brittan received a £200 to others – mostly, I hope, for the better. For many opportunity – they will have centuries of voucher for coming second and of you, I imagine, it is similar – civil engineers help experience to learn from, and the fourth industrial Eftimova a £150 voucher for transform lives, help build better communities, revolution to innovate and incubate new ideas. third place. help create a more sustainable future. Why would As an industry, it is our duty to inspire those anyone choose anything else? who will follow us, to help accelerate those journeys. Of course, getting these points across to others My recent involvement in the Quest scholarship ICE is sometimes a challenge. The stereotype of hard interviews was a privilege and a delight. hats and construction sites remains – but it’s I had the chance to speak to students who ICE gears up for changing. Campaigns aimed at primary school were full of ideas and passion – interested in presidential address and secondary school students are working, with joining a profession that makes a difference to recent EngineeringUK figures showing that 44% of society, protects the planet and improves people’s in November boys and young men, and 24% of girls and young lives. The Quest scholarship programme offers women would consider a career in engineering. students the chance to realise those dreams. They The inauguration of Rachel But there is more to do. get to work with firms that are demonstrating Skinner as the ICE’s next We need to think about who we want to take our the true impact of infrastructure and how civil President takes place on 3 places in five, 10 or 20 years. What does the future engineers really make a difference. It is the kind November. At a live-streamed of our society look like – and how can we ensure of programme made possible by the support of online event, on 3 November our profession is the one to make it happen? What responsible leaders who want to ensure a brighter 2020, Skinner will become the personal responsibility must we each take today? future, and by firms willing to invest time and 156th ICE President. In her Much infrastructure conversation has recently money to secure that future. address, she will speak about concerned the government’s levelling-up agenda I encourage all of you to speak to your her upcoming year as President, and the need to further invest in communities colleagues about whether this scholarship, or and discuss the changes that across the country. Creating better regionality, another scheme, is something you could support. decision makers, industry and through effective transport networks, and targeted It is our responsibility to ensure that talented the public must undertake if the economic support will help create the resilient and ambitious young individuals are nurtured, UK is to achieve its target of net future we need across the UK. encouraged and supported to realise our zero carbon emissions by 2050. But focus cannot only be at the funding and aspirations of building a sustainable, digital and l Places are still available, financing level or focused on systems and supply connected future. those wanting to attend the chains – the how. We need to also focus on who What will your legacy be? event, should book at will deliver this future infrastructure and who will l Emer Murnaghan is ICE vice president, UK regions www.ice.org.uk/events
NOVEMBER 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 49 Institution of Civil Engineers Record
EAST MIDLANDS VIEW New Civil Engineer 4th Floor, Telephone House 69-77 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NQ
MARKETING SOLUTIONS Head of Sales | Francis Barham FUTURE-PROOFING (020) 3953 2912 | Francis.barham ONLINE ACCESS ENQUIRIES Email: [email protected] INFRASTRUCTURE EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD 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 Global warming is Bull, Stephen Wells, Simon Creer real, and we can see At peak times, fl ooding Magazine of the it in the changing UK costs the economy Institution of Civil Engineers climate. The country 1 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA has seen its top 10 020 7222 7722 | www.ice.org.uk warmest years over around £100,000 per hour, the last two decades. per major road aff ected ICE MEMBERS’ ADDRESS Ben February 2020 CHANGES/ SUBSCRIPTIONS McGrath was the wettest on QUERIES www.ice.org.uk/myice to update your record for England, address quickly online. For subscription Wales and Northern “fl ood-resilient infrastructure. queries, please phone 020 7665 Ireland; while the hottest day on record reaching This means that civil engineers in the region 2227, or email [email protected] 38.7°C was recorded in July 2019 at Cambridge have an increasingly important role to play University Botanic Gardens. Storm Desmond, in in protecting communities from fl ooding SUBSCRIPTIONS 2015, still holds the record for the largest rainfall by including more elements of blue-green For subscription queries contact; within a 24 hour period, when Honister, Cumbria, infrastructure. Esco 020 3953 2152 received 341mm. By the end of the century, we To build more resilient infrastructure in the All rights reserved © 2020 New can expect warmer temperatures, more serious East Midlands, civil engineers must start with Civil Engineer. Published by EMAP fl ooding – particularly during winter – and some design. Design decisions affect the economy, a member of the Metropolis Group. signifi cant rise in sea levels. Civil engineers the environment and society – today and in Metropolis Group respects the privacy will need to address these issues when future- the future. of every person for whom we have proofi ng our infrastructure. Good highway design should have people and personal data. We comply with data Climate change is visible in the East Midlands. communities at its heart by creating an inclusive, protection legislation such as the Data According to the 2015 Changing Nature of resilient and sustainable road network. This Protection Act 1998 and the General Flooding in the East Midlands report, published can be achieved by incorporating blue-green Data Protection Regulations which regulates the processing of data and by East Midlands Councils, around 20% of infrastructure elements within new projects. ensures that your data is processed fairly the region is at risk of fl ooding. This is from Implementing sustainable drainage systems and lawfully, is kept secure and only that a combination of sea, river, waterway and (SuDS) is now generally required as part data necessary for any processing is kept. groundwater level rises and excess water in the of the design of new highways. They are You can see our privacy policy at www. local surface drainage networks. environmentally friendly, natural drainage metropolis.co.uk/privacy At peak times, fl ooding costs the economy solutions, which are more resilient than the around £100,000 per hour, per major road traditional pipes and sewers. Printed by Precision Colour Printing Ltd, affected. Billions of pounds and hundreds of Other natural passive options include Telford. Registered as a newspaper with thousands of jobs are put at risk due to these ensuring green spaces, such as playing fi elds, the Post Offi ce ISSN 0307-7683; Issue No: 2092. Statements made or opinions climate change events. can act as water storage areas. expressed in New Civil Engineer do not This has a signifi cant impact on the mental In order to reduce the risk of fl ooding in the necessarily refl ect the views of health and wellbeing of people affected by region and future proof infrastructure, East ICE Council or ICE committees fl ooding, so it is important that we look at what Midlands civil engineers will have to embrace can be done to reduce those risks. planning, design and understanding of blue- Flood risk management can be achieved green infrastructure and address the current by extensive research and planning, and by obstacles to the adoption of SuDS. applying civil engineering processes and building l Ben McGrath is ICE East Midlands regional chair
50 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | NOVEMBER 2020 Members of ICE receive unrestricted access to newcivilengineer.com
READTHETOPSTORIES ICENEWS DIGITALEDITIONS ACCESSANYTIME,ANYWHERE READTHETOPSTORIESFROMTHEINSTITUTION THENCEDIGITALARCHIVE New Civil Engineer covers all the top stories New Civil Engineer reports on all the top stories Browse every issue from the last four online affecting the civil engineering sector from the Institution, from council nominations, years or search for specific articles and explains the impact of them latest passes and what's on each week
INNOVATIVETHINKING THEFUTUREOF... CAREERS FROMPEOPLEANDCOMPANIES RAIL,WATER,ROADS,AIRPORTS,BRIDGES YOURJOURNEYSTARTSHERE Read about new design concepts, inventive We explore the advances that are shaping the Looking to discover new career construction methods and fresh ideas key sectors and changing engineering skillsets opportunities, search recruiters or to shaping the industry read the latest insights into top companies to work for 3 easy steps to access all the content
VISITNEWCIVILENGINEER.COM REGISTERANACCOUNT COMPLETEREGISTRATION 1 2 3 Visit newcivilengineer.com and click Click on 'Register New Account' on Choose your password and complete on the 'Login / Register' button in the popup and enter your email your details. Click 'Create an the top right of the page. address registered with ICE. account' and you are done.
Visit newcivilengineer.com today