AGS Magazine - May 2020

May 2020

ON THE HUNT FOR SAFE ACCESS TO GI SITES CC Ground Investigations and Ground-Guards look at the tricky issue of difficult access to sites on muddy or uneven ground.

AGS MEMBERS VERSUS COVID-19

20 YEARS OF SiLC

GEOTECHNICAL ASSET OWNERS FORUM

Julian Lovell discusses how AGS Members are adpating to fight COVID-19

A brief history of the Specialists in Land Conditioning Register.

An overview and explanation of the objectives of the Forum.

Chair’s Foreword Well the new normal is really starting to feel the normal and for many of us this is still a very unusual, unnerving and frustrating time. At AGS, we are hearing, on a daily basis, how members have either adapted to working from home or have changed their working practices and behaviours to allow their site operations to continue. In response to an anticipation of a wider return to site activities, the AGS Safety Working Group is working with Prof. Paul Nathanail to develop guidance which will, hopefully, help members to think about how this will effect their works and what they may need to consider. The guidance will be developed and then circulated to the members and we would welcome comments and suggestions. We do not want this to be a prescriptive set of instructions of how members should manage their works and we do envisage that the document will develop and evolve even after it has been published.

Although we took the difficult decision of cancelling the Annual Conference and our other 2020 conferences, we held the first and hopefully the last on-line AGM. The event was virtually well attended and we welcome Rosey Bloxham as the new Safety Working Group Leader and welcome back Ken Marsh as Treasurer, Hugh Mallett as Loss Prevention Working Group Leader and Jackie Bland as Data Management Working Group Leader. We also welcome new AGS Executive Committee Members from RPS Group, Fugro Geoservices, Dunelm Geotechnical and Ian Farmer Associates.

We have responded to numerous 2

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queries from members during this period and in response to concerns regarding UKAS Accreditation, I have sent a formal request to UKAS to extend current certification periods and we will inform the membership when we receive a response.

We have held a number of virtual working group meetings and these are likely to become a format which will be kept even after travelling and face to face meetings return. I am also very pleased to report that we have also held our first Instrumentation and Monitoring Working Group meeting and a big thank you to Jonathan Gammon for getting this off the ground. This working group already has a clear set of objectives and will help to improve the understanding of all things instrumentation and monitoring as well as raising awareness of best practices and innovation.

As with our other very vibrant working groups the AGS will continue to be a strong voice for industry and an influential body in the wider community.

We are always on the lookout for additional, informative content for the magazine, so if you have a case study or technical article that you think the wider geotechnical and geoenvironmental public would find beneficial, please do get in touch.

We would be interested in your feedback on the magazine and our future plans. Please contact ags@ags.org.uk if you have any comments.

Julian Lovell AGS Chair

ABOUT THE AGS The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS) is a non-profit making trade association established to improve the profile and quality of geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering.

The membership comprises UK organisations and individuals having a common interest in the business of ground investigation, geotechnics, geoenvironmental engineering, engineering geology, geochemistry, hydrogeology, and other related disciplines.

EDITORIAL BOARD Julian Lovell, AGS Chair Ciaran Jennings, Forum Court Associates Katie Kennedy, Forum Court Associates Calum Spires, Equipe Group Neil Parry, GEL David Entwisle, BGS Jim Poole, Coffey Chris Vincett, Hydrock Vivien Dent, RSK Adam Latimer, Ian Farmer Associates EDITORIAL STORY If you have a news story or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about, please contact the AGS on 020 8658 8212 or ags@ags.org.uk. Please note that articles should act as opinion pieces and not to directly advertise a company.

The AGS is under no obligation to feature articles or events received.

CONTACT US AGS Forum Court, Office 205 Devonshire House Business Centre, 29-31 Elmfield Road Bromley, Kent, BR1 1LT

 ags@ags.org.uk  020 8658 8212  Association of Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Specialists  @agsgeotech www.ags.org.uk

Inside this month’s issue

FEATURE PAGE 9

 COVER STORY PAGE 14  Elizabeth Withington of CC Ground Investigation Ltd and Marcus Oliver of Ground Guards UK look at access issues.

AGS Members versus COVID-19 Julian Lovell, Chair of AGS and Managing Director at Equipe Group discusses the battle that AGS Members are facing against COVD-19. Julian looks at how many of them are developing, adapting and adjusting to overcome obstacles placed by Coronavirus whilst ensuring the safety of staff.

20 Years of SiLC PAGE 6  Grace Hawkins provides a brief history of the Specialists in Land Conditioning Register.

Geotechnical Asset Owners Forum PAGE 12  An overview and explanation of the objectives of the Geotechnical Asset Owners Forum.

Q & A: Mark Beastall PAGE 22  The AGS Magazine conducts a Q & A with SOCOTEC’s Operations Manager, Mark Beastall.

MORE INSIDE

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News in Short: Incl. FIDIC Emerald Book

PAGE 24 

Working Group Update Geotechnical

PAGE 25 

Becoming an AGS Member Upcoming entry date

May 2020

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News in Short FIDIC Emerald Book and Geotechnical Baseline Reports On 7 May 2019, FIDIC (International Federation of Consulting Engineers) published its First Edition of the “Conditions of Contract for Underground Works”, otherwise known as the “Emerald Book”, which was produced in conjunction with the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association.

The General Conditions of Contract in the Emerald Book are based on an earlier FIDIC publication, but the Emerald Book also features a new set of clauses and introduces a new document – the Geotechnical Baseline Report (“GBR”). These seek to achieve a balanced allocation of the risks arising out of the ground conditions, which for underground works such as tunnelling are not possible to assess with precision at tender stage. The new clauses and the GBR provide a mechanism for adjusting the completion time and the contract price remuneration according to the actual ground conditions encountered, in comparison with those outlined in the GBR. The GBR provides a model which serves as the sole contractual source of risk allocation related to subsurface physical conditions, and their geotechnical properties, and defines the ground conditions risks assumed at the outset by the Contractor.

Hydrogeological, geological and geotechnical properties of the ground, or contamination conditions not addressed by the GBR are

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considered to be ‘unforeseeable’ and therefore any differences are then deemed to be at the Employer’s risk. The risks arising out of the foreseen ground conditions, as described in the GBR, are assigned to the Contractor. It will create a reasonably “level playing field” which will allow the various bidders to base their proposals on a similar risk basis.

Another key document is the Completion Schedule which specifies the “Time for Completion” based on the Contractor’s estimated rates of progress. These are calculated by reference to the ground conditions and working methods as described in the GBR. The Time for Completion can be extended if the conditions encountered are more onerous than those anticipated from the GBR or reduced if they are less onerous.

The Engineer has a central role in assessing the Contractor’s measurement of excavation and lining works against the baselines set out in the GBR. Adjustments to the Time for Completion and remuneration are based on this assessment. Appendix A to the Emerald Book provides guidance as to what information the GBR should contain.

Geotechnical Baseline Reports are significantly different from the traditional geotechnical factual and interpretative reports described in British Standards, and from the Ground Investigation Report (GIR) and Geotechnical Design Report (GDR) described in Eurocode 7. Geotechnical baseline reporting is used to manage the commercial aspects of

geotechnical risk, not for geotechnical design, so will have a different emphasis than those elements more familiar to most geotechnical and geoenvironmental specialists.

better outcomes for managing geological and geotechnical risk. The project should be completed in early 2021. See the CIRIA website for more details.

There are currently no UK industry guidelines on how GBRs are prepared, or what they should include. However, the objective is that their use in tunnelling contracts can benefit both the Client and the Contractor by leading to effective and fair risk control.

Unsurprisingly, there are no reported decisions of disputes arising under the Emerald Book as yet, or of disputes that may have been avoided through its use. The AGS Loss Prevention Working Group will keep this under review and will provide further guidance in due course regarding the opportunities and risks that the Emerald Book and the use of Geotechnical Baseline Reports present for AGS members.

The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) has a project underway, P3165 – Geotechnical baseline reporting, which aims to provide good practice guidance on geotechnical baseline reporting, provide industry with a consistent approach to producing GBRs, encourage the use of GBRs on smaller scale projects and provide

Article contributed by Zita Mansi Senior Associate Beale & Company

The top three AGS publications for March 2020 1. AGS Guide: The Selection of Geotechnical Soil Laboratory Testing 2. AGS Guidance on Waste Classification for Soils – A Practitioners Guide 3. AGS Guide to Ground Investigation Reports To download the publications for free; click here.

AGS Data Management Conference and 2020 Events The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists regret to announce that due to COVID-19, we’ve taken the decision to postpone the Data Management conference, which was scheduled to take place in September.

With this in mind, please note that all 2020 planned AGS conferences have now been postponed until 2021. These events include; •

AGS Annual Conference

•

AGS Laboratories, Instrumentation and Monitoring Conference (was due to take place on 15th July in London - no alternative date yet)

•

AGS Data Management (was due to take place on 23rdSeptember in Birmingham, but has now been moved to 22nd September 2021)

The AGS are planning two webinars to coincide with the launch of AGSi and AGS4.1. Further details of these will be released in due course.

If you have any questions regarding any of the above events, or are interested in viewing the sponsorship packages available, please contact ags@ags.org.uk.

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20 Years of SiLC

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by then Deputy Prime Minister he SiLC Register Members were John Prescott and chaired by was launched as a Lord Rogers. Members were consequence of the chosen for their chosen for their expertise in work of the Urban Task Force expertise in the many the many elements which which recognised the need elements which are are necessary for an urban for competent people to work necessary for an renaissance including in a sector that embraces urban renaissance sustainable development, many different disciplines. urban design and urban The Register includes including sustainable regeneration. Its purpose professionals from the broad development, urban was to identify the causes range of backgrounds that design and urban of urban decline and to advise on land condition regeneration. establish a vision for our matters and provides cities, founded on the evidence of competence in this principles of design excellence, economic field. After 20 years it continues to this day, which is testimony to the need for the Register strength, social wellbeing and environmental responsibility within appropriate delivery, and the value it delivers. fiscal and legal frameworks. At the time there History was a Government target for 60% of new homes to be built on previously developed (aka The Urban Task Force was established in 1998 brownfield) land.

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six being the Panel of Assessors; 13 people sat The report from this taskforce, entitled the exam, all passed. Those passing included, Towards an Urban Renaissance was published Phil Crowcroft, Doug Laidler, Jonathan Steeds in 1999 with over 100 recommendations and Peter Witherington. The next examination which included the identification of the was in January 2002, with 13 passing including benefits of greater consistency in the handling Roger Clark and Paul Nathanail. In June 2002, of information on land contamination. It another 18 people passed including Padraig recommended the introduction of standard Daly and Claire Dickinson, bringing the total to documentation describing the condition of 50 including the 6 grandparents. the land, with the purpose of During that initial exam ensuring that during the sale, From the inception process, we identified purchase and development of SiLC it has those candidates who of land, all parties had access been administered might be Assessors, so by to the same data sets and early 2002 we had 10 more could therefore develop by a Professional Assessors. In late 2002 they some general agreement and Technical Panel examined three of the six between them on the levels (PTP) consisting grandparents and verified us of risk associated with of professional as SiLCs.” that particular site or that and technical particular use.

From the inception of SiLC it representatives... has been administered by a This concept was further Professional and Technical developed by a working group Panel (PTP) consisting of professional and chaired by Phil Kirby of BG Properties. technical representatives from each of the Members of the working Group included Phil Crowcroft and Hugh Mallett. The working group supporting professional institutions and the AGS, plus one or two co-opted members also concluded that it would be essential to who provide a specific input to the PTP. The set up a qualification in order to sign off this secretariat for the scheme is Forum Court standard documentation. The Specialist in Associates who were appointed in March 2015.

Land Condition (SiLC) Register was therefore established in 2000 focused on setting high In 2011 Specialist in Land Condition Register standards in the industry.

Limited was established with a board of directors comprising representatives from the Mike Summersgill recalls that “Judith Lowe, institutions and the AGS. The purpose was to who was technical co-ordinator for the protect the liability of those individuals who working group, decided to put together a give their time and energy to managing the group of people, one from each Professional qualification process and to provide a higherInstitution and the AGS, to formulate an level approval process regarding the financial examination method to verify (by peer review, stability of SiLC and other key decisions as still done now) those people that could recommended by the PTP. ‘sign off’ the standard document. There were 6 “grandparents”, chartered professionals, SiLC Today including Judith Lowe, Peter Braithwaite (ICE), Paul Syms (RICS), Hugh Mallett (AGS), To become a SiLC it is necessary to pass Colette Grundy (RSChem) and myself, Mike an open book exam and an interview to Summersgill (CIWEM). demonstrate that a candidate meets the SiLC

“

There was a pilot examination, with the above

Criteria. SiLC are also the accreditation body

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in respect of Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs) under the National Quality Mark Scheme (NQMS) promoted by the National Brownfield Forum (formerly the Land Forum). Passing the SiLC exam and interview, and a NQMS specific test, enables a candidate to also become an SQP. Chartership is a prerequisite for both.

Hugh Mallet leads the exam sub-group who prepare each set of questions for the exam covering technical, legislation and formal guidance issues. Each year there are a number of Introduction Days around the country to explain the process of the exam. These events are mainly prepared and presented by Peter Witherington and Hugh Mallett.

There are now 195 SiLCs and 116 SQPs with another 7 candidates sitting the 2020a exam.

The number of applications to become SiLC/ SQP has increased in recent years since the launch of the NQMS. This underlies the determination of the profession to aspire to higher standards in the outputs they produce and to recognise the benefits of qualifications that demonstrate capability and quality.

The SiLC Affiliate Scheme was launched in 2018 and is intended to assist graduates, as well as more experienced individuals, to follow an integrated process towards full membership of a professional body and chartered status.

This leads onto SiLC/SQP registration with the assistance os a SiLC mentor.

In January 2020 the Directors of SiLC Register Limited elected Roger Clark as Chair of the Board of Directors to succeed Phil Crowcroft who was Chair of the Board from 2011 to 2019 and Chair of the PTP from 2008 to 2017. The Board also elected Dr Paul Nathanail as Deputy

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Chair of the Board with the intention that Paul will succeed Roger as chair in two years’ time.

The SiLC PTP is currently chaired by Ian Evans who in March 2020 succeeded Paul Burden (2017 to 2020).

In a recent interview published in the AGS eMagazine Phil Crowcroft said “SiLC delivers confidence that an individual has core competence in their own subject area whilst recognising and appreciating the parallel skills which are needed to deliver the reclamation and redevelopment of brownfield sites.” The dedication, hard work and leadership by Phil have brought SiLC as far as it has come today and the SiLC Register will always be grateful to him.

Looking Forward and Thanks A big thanks to those mentioned in this article who have contributed to the success of SiLC over the last 20 years. Members of the Board, PTP and the SiLC Assessors are individuals who give their time and effort free of charge.

Special thanks go to Doug Laidler who was one of the first Pilot SiLCs (8th). Doug sadly passed away in December 2019; he was a hugely respected professional consultant working on land contamination matters for many years and was the secretary of SAGTA. SiLC looks forward to another 20 years of championing good quality in land condition.

Article contributed by Grace Hawkins Secretariat SiLC

AGS Members versus COVID-19

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n the face of adversity, it is uplifting to hear that during these unusual times created by the COVID-19 constraints many AGS members have adopted new and innovative ways to continue their work. For some members, the reality is the need to adapt to survive but for most it is the adeptness to change behaviour and attitude. Whatever the reason, it is a true sign of how our industry remains flexible and resilient and why it will emerge from this Members have made widespread changes to how their normally office-based workers operate, with the principal aim that they may continue to play an active part in the company activities, or just simply carry out their normal day-to-day tasks. In response to the ‘Stay Home Stay Safe Protect the NHS’ guidelines,

many have set up home offices which have included some innovative woodwork solutions to create desk space or just a take-over of the family dining table. Some have decided to spice it up by moving around the house each day. We hear about daily and weekly virtual meetings and the words ‘Teams’ and ‘Zoom’ have now become part of everyday language. We are now used to seeing our colleagues with headsets on. Oh! and the long hair.

Without doubt, site-based activities have seen the largest disruption, with largescale changes of processes and attitude.

Whilst some sites have secured everything and literally closed the gates, others have developed new working methods to keep them active. New policies and procedures have been developed with enhanced social

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distancing, hygiene, security, isolation, travel and transport aspects to cover COVID-19 requirements. Access to sites, other than to the critical workers, have been reduced or banned. Site meetings have been taking place in the compound and we have all seen images of everybody standing 2m apart or walking around the sites 2m apart. Strange images which highlight what a truly unusual time this is.

We have also seen collaboration, not a common sight in our industry, which has resulted in innovative solutions and significant changes in working practices and behaviour. Other controls have also been implemented such as exclusion zones and new manual handling aids.

Many of these changes could lead to a better and safer way of working well after COVID-19 has been supressed.

Training has also been greatly affected by the travel restrictions and social distancing requirements which rapidly made face to face training impossible. Although the delivery of the training has been affected the need is still there with members contacting the industry

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training providers on a daily basis for remote or on-line accessible courses. In response, the industry training specialists have started to deliver remote training. Equipe and LQM are now delivering remote training with live trainers for their Non-Licensed Work with Asbestos in Soils courses. Equipe are also due to launch their GEO Academy which will be a state of the art on-demand learning platform for geotechnical professionals and site operatives.

So, is the industry laughing in the face of adversity or merely smiling? Well I’ll take a smile at this time as I know this will help us focus on the positives of which there are many.

With a positive attitude, the industry will not only survive but be in a better place when we eventually return to ‘normal’ times.

Article contributed by Julian Lovell AGS Chair Managing Director, Equipe Group

WITH WORLD CLASS ONLINE GEOTECHNICAL TRAINING FROM EQUIPE Equipe are delighted to announce that a range of our geotechnical and health and safety coruses can now be delivered as online distance-learning training during the COVID-19 enforced shutdown. This means you can stay up-to-date with your training from the comfort of your own home/office.

The courses will still be delivered live by our training team and will be fully interactive, but will be split into modules that will be delivered across multiple days. Courses with practical elements will be split into two half days - one theory-based and entirely online, the other live and in person following the end of the social distancing shutdown. For more specific information, please contact us direct.

Health and Safety Courses

Delivered in partnership with RPA Safety Services

IOSH Safe Supervision of Geotechnical Sites - £495 + VAT

Learn in detail how to keep yourself and your on-site operatives safe in the field - industry SSSTS equivalent

IOSH Avoiding Danger from Underground Services - £175 + VAT

In accordance with the requirements and guidance set out within HSG47

IOSH Working Safely (on Geotechnical Sites) - £175 + VAT

A foundation to site safety for all personnel involved in the drilling and geotechnical industry

Other Health and Safety Courses Delivered in partnership with EB Safety Soltuions & RPA Safety Services

MARGI - Managing & working with Asbestos Risk in Ground Investigation - £225 + VAT

Comprehensive guidance to deal with asbestos in a GI environment, including CAR 2012

Geotechnical Courses

Prof. David Norbury’s Soil Description Workshop - £250 + VAT

Providing a detailed approach to soil description practices and techniques

Prof. David Norbury’s Rock Description Workshop - £250 + VAT

Providing a detailed approach to rock description practices and techniques

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Founding Members

Supporting Members

The Geotechnical Asset Owners Forum The Geotechnical Asset Owners Forum (GAOF) was formed in 2008 by like-minded organisations from the transport sector which manage geotechnical and related assets. The Forum usually meets four times a year and provides a platform for the sharing and exchange of ideas. The Forum facilitates topical, important and forward thinking discussions for the mutual benefit of the asset owning community and the users of those assets.

The scope of the Forum comprises the

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management of geotechnical and related assets, which include the following: earth structures - typically embankments and cuttings; foundations; retaining structures; geotechnically processed ground - typically stabilised or improved ground; and earthworks drainage.

GAOF is a self-financed membership based forum, endorsed by the Department for Transport. The Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) provides the administration.

Regular Contributors

Objectives The Forum aims to: 1. pool ideas and experiences in managing geotechnical infrastructure for collective benefit by the identification, development and dissemination of associated research, advice and Standards; 2. identify and prioritise technical and research needs on topics which promote good practice management of geotechnical assets by influencing research and other activities which support the priorities identified by the membership; 3. promote co-operation, collaboration and partnerships amongst geotechnical owners through inviting select organisations to become members; and

4. develop an effective communication strategy to promote and publicise cooperation and collaboration within the geotechnical infrastructure community.

The AGS is represented on the Forum and contributes to its discussions and when appropriate puts forward the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industries’ viewpoint on matters of interest to GAOF members. Should AGS members have any particular issues they would like GAOF to consider, or would like to present to the Forum some research, new technical development, or a case history that is relevant to the aims of the Forum then in the first instance please contact the AGS secretariat.

To find out more about GAOF visit their website www.ciria.org/gaof

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We’re going on a bear hunt...

Safe access onto GI sites

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ell, maybe not a bear hunt, but if you have small children you will be able to relate to mud…”you can’t go under it, you can’t go over it, so let’s go through it….squelch, squelch, squelch.”

Following the record-breaking winter of 2019-2020, where wet weather continually interrupted and caused havoc on sites throughout the UK, The AGS Safety Working Group has been looking at appropriate solutions for gaining safe access onto ground investigation sites.

The nature of our work often involves accessing sites with heavy plant, vehicles and

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machinery. In addition to the many health and safety issues whilst using this equipment, other considerations include damage to agricultural land, potential habitat loss and more often unhappy landowners who were unprepared for the potential damage and disruption we may have caused and want it returned to its original conditions.

Consideration of ground disturbance during the contract is often neglected within the framework of the Construction, Design and Management Regulations (CDM 2015) and is often a major factor in contractual disputes.

Additionally, there is often a significant time lapse and delay between the tender stage and

site mobilisation, with deteriorating weather conditions having a significant impact on the underlying ground conditions.

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access to and on the site.

The Role of CDM

A walkover of Under CDM, the Client must In this article we explore the site by both make sure there is sufficient how the parties involved can time and resources the Designer at the work together to avoid these allocated, the Designer design stage and the situations. A walkover of the must manage, monitor site by both the Designer Contractor at tender and coordinate health and at the design stage and the stage is a good first safety in the construction Contractor at tender stage start. phase of a project and is a good first start. This will the Contractor must determine an early appreciation prepare the construction phase plan (CPP), of the likely site access conditions and including the risk assessment and method limitations and enable consideration of the statements. Contractors must ensure that potential options to consider for gaining safe

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Method No ground protection

Hazard • Unsafe ground conditions due to mud/soft ground causing vehicle accidents.

•

Slips, trips and falls due to soft ground and vehicle rutting.

•

Mud on local roads.

• •

Landscape and habitat damage/destruction Increased vehicle traffic to/from site delivering/removing materials.

Roadway Construction • Track Matting

Potentially contaminated materials including asbestos and sharps.

• •

Underlying soft spots causing uneven tracks with potential for vehicle accidents Manual handling, particularly if covered in excess mud/debris.

•

Slips trips falls if become wet and muddy.

•

Mats slipping if not properly connected, plus ground anchoring if on sloping ground.

•

Specifying the correct mats for the job is important to minimise damage to them or the ground.

•

Lifting of mats using equipment.

•

Ecology - it is known that small vertebrates and amphibians can crawl under the mats overnight and may be crushed if the mat is travelled over by a vehicle

the plant and support vehicles engaged on the site are suitable for the task, e.g. with all-terrain tyres or tracks. All drivers of allterrain vehicles must be suitably qualified and experienced. The potential recovery of bogged down vehicles must also be considered and documented, with a safe method of recovery using appropriate equipment, training and resources.

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Access Options There are broadly three types of methods to gain access to site: •

No ground protection: Direct access by vehicles and machinery with the intention to reinstate on contract completion.

This method has several disadvantages including delays caused by bogged down

Further considerations/reference material Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

Requires temporary works design

Consider Manual Handling Regulations, must carry out MH task assessment, must follow supplier guidance.

Consider PUWER Regulations.

Consider LOLER Regulations.

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

vehicles; unsafe ground conditions including rutting and consequently slip, trips and fall hazards; harm to protected species particularly on fragile grasslands; damage or destruction of habitats; damage to the ground; and mud and debris spread onto the highway. An issue with this method is the unknown amount of reinstatement that will be required on completion, whether it will be the satisfaction of the Investigation Supervisor

and landowner and who covers the costs which could be significant. •

Roadway Construction: Construction of a temporary roadway using imported granular materials is classified as temporary works with associated implications. Importation of road construction materials requires good source and site control to prevent potentially contaminated materials entering site, particularly when recycled aggregate is used which may contain metal, asbestos fragments, tarmacadam and organic materials. A geotextile type membrane is often placed between the imported materials and the original ground surface. Further issues may include construction time of the road before ground investigation can commence; poor drainage and soft ground beneath the roadway; costs associated with the temporary works; and removal and controlled disposal after the

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works are complete. •

Ground Protection: Roadways and paths can be protected from extensive damage from vehicles and footfall using ground protection in the form of temporary trackway mats. Trackway has the advantage of being generally portable, reduce reinstatement work and costs, can be site specific, and reduces the likelihood of vehicles becoming stuck.

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The preconstruction Health and Safety assessment must identify these hazards specific to the site. With knowledge of these hazards the Client must allow sufficient time and resources to the project to allow safe access.

How CDM and the options work together Preparation of the CPP for either of the chosen access methods listed above will require a

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consideration of hazards and regulations. Particular hazards to consider are given in the table above.

The pre-construction Health and Safety assessment must identify these hazards specific to the site.

With knowledge of these hazards the Client must allow sufficient time and resources to the project to allow safe access. This means enough time for safe access to be resourced for.

It is the Designers duty to eliminate, reduce, isolate or control foreseeable risks that may arise perhaps by considering if the work at that location is actually required, considering and arranging different access points, changing the type of work therefore reducing equipment and vehicle movements

or how to control the hazards by the type of ground protection required. It is the Contractors duty to ensure that the activities are carried out to the design, safely. This includes the installation and removal of ground protection as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

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The Designer and Contractor also have responsibility to recognise the possible damage to the ground surface when carrying out construction-based activities.

The Designer and Contractor also have responsibility to recognise the possible damage to the ground surface when carrying out construction-based activities. Whatever the activity, ground disturbance almost always happens to some degree and can be very weather dependant. Leaving the ground in a safe condition at the end of works is a primary requirement but leaving it so that it looks as “if you wouldn’t know we’d been” is practically impossible.

The Specification

The UK Specification for Ground Investigation addresses ground disturbance in Clauses 3.15, 3.16 and 3.17. Particular reference should be made to Clause 3.15.1:”all work shall be carried out with the least possible damage to the site and its environs” and Clause 3.16.1: “the whole of the site and any ancillary works shall be left in a clean and tidy condition”.

The site-specific specification then often lists a lot of subjective statements that are difficult to accurately cover at tender stage such as: •

It is required that wherever the ground surface (hard or soft finish) is disturbed by the investigation activities, the contractor

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All methods: laying track matting to the construction site Placing matting by hand

Pros Provides good clean access

Further considerations/reference material Costs, impact on programme

Adaptable to restricted locations

Consider manual Mitigation handling Reduce mat size and weight Include handles to improve ergonomics

Use Telehandler or chains to place mats

Reduces manual handling to  Logistics ASARP  Cost  PUWER  LOLER

Smaller mats will fit into single cab of a 4x4 Planning to consider all relevant legislation

Ground Protection Options for Site Investigations Product type

Typical dimensions

Typical weight

Installation method

Light-duty 2.4 x 1.2m plastic mats (13mm thick)

35-39kg

Hand

40kg

Hand

Mediumduty plastic mats

1.8 x 0.9m (23mm thick)

Heavy-duty plastic mats Buoyant plastic mats

3.0 x 2.5m 295kg (40mm thick) Approx. 4 x 2m 360(100mm thick) 460kg

Mechanical

Aluminium trackway

3.0 x 2.5m (50mm thick)

285kg

Mechanical

Timber bog mats

5.0 x 1.0m (100- 530200mm thick) 1100kg

Mechanical

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Mechanical

Important points

Popular brands

Very portable for selfinstallation. Loose lay for mobile use or clip together for temporary trackway.

Very portable for selfinstallation. Overlapping flanges bolt together for a fully supportive trackway.

Bolt together with metal connector straps.

Honeycomb or foam filled for use on very soft wet ground.

Overlapping flanges with quick connectors.

Overlapping flanges with bolted connectors. Consider site security due to high scrap metal value.

Preferred option for steel tracked plant. Bulky to transport and install. No connection between mats.

Not suitable for areas liable to flooding.

Ground-Guards / TuffTrak

Ground-Guards

TuffTrak Ground-Guards / Newpark TuffTrak Live / TPA

Birketts / Timbermats / Welex

will reinstate the surface fully using the same materials to match as closely as possible to the original finish to the satisfaction of the property owner.

•

The Contractor shall make good damage, whether in the vicinity of the hole or on the access route there to the satisfaction of the Investigation Supervisor.

To avoid prolonged contractual arguments regarding the reinstatement, the Designer should ensure that all CDM responsibilities are upheld, the Client is fully briefed into what to expect during and after the works, and that there is sufficient site specific detail to allow

4x4's Commercial vehicles

Suitable for Rubber Wheeled tracked Plant Plant

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Steel tracked plant

the Contractor to adequately and fairly cover reinstatement costs in the contract.

Ground Protection Methods – Track Mats There are many suppliers of ground protection mats within the UK construction industry.

When selecting the type of track mat to be used the table on the left can be considered.

Typical ground protection products are summarised in the table below.

Article contributed by Elizabeth Withington Principal Engineering Geologist CC Ground Investigation Ltd Marcus Oliver Product Development Manager Ground Guards UK

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May 2020

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Q & A with...

Mark Beastall Job Title: Operations Manager Company: SOCOTEC UK Brief Biography: I have enjoyed being part of the Industry for 33 years, working my way up from a 16 year old Trainee Laboratory Technician through to my current role coming full circle to the Laboratory I started out at.

After deciding I was staying in the industry I studied Civil Engineering part time to HNC level which really gave me a great foundation for furthering my career as did working for and being mentored by Peter Keeton my Manager at Soil Mechanics.

After 15 years at SM I moved into various Managerial roles at Laboratories within the Industry developing my knowledge of materials and in-situ testing alongside my core geotechnical testing.

What or who inspired you to join the geotechnical industry?

I fell into the Industry by accident after joining Soil 22

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Mechanics as a school leaver for a job I expected to last me through the summer prior to starting College in September to study Hotel Management and Catering. Little did I expect to be there for 15 years I think that having my first working experience in an enjoyable environment and undertaking a technical role which was very different to anything I had known and in a unique sector was what led me to continue in the field.

What does a typical day entail?

As my current role is very varied I feel fortunate that no two days are the same.

Looking after budgets and the financial performance of two divisions and responsibility of a small team in the North East as well as Doncaster Lab and Field and Reporting up to Directors occupies a significant part of my days.

I’m fortunate to have a very experienced Manager looking after our Geotechnical Laboratory supported by a committed team of almost 40 technicians.

I can be taking a call booking in

plate CBR tests one minute and the next I’ll be being chased for completion dates for lab reports or being asked advice on the suitability of Type one sub-base.

Are there any projects which you’re particularly proud to have been a part of?

I wouldn’t put it down to working on any specific project that make me proud but more the organisations I’ve worked for and completing objectives I set out to achieve whether this was developing new test methods, multiple successful UKAS assessment visits, completing contracts to tight deadlines or over delivery of financial objectives.

What are the most challenging aspects of your role?

Managing client expectations, staffing issues and sample queries would be the main three that come to mind.

There always has been and continues to be a lack of appreciation of how Geotech

Mark hard at work in the Soil Mechanics laboratory shortly after starting his career.

Laboratories function and the length of time some of the tests can take.

Another frustration with many Lab Managers is sample volumes and sample quality.

We face a balance of having to obtain results from inadequate / inappropriate samples with insufficient volumes for testing.

With regards staff it is a common theme that a lot of Laboratories employ Technicians who have generally fallen into the industry rather than it being the path they planned to take.

This comes with challenges such as motivation, retention and career expectations for what for many is very little above living wage.

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Input into the CIRIA document for “Asbestos in Soils”

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Articles for the quality of samples for both Analytical and Geotechnical Labs

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A review and reissue of “An introduction to Geotechnical testing for routine construction projects”

What do you enjoy most about being an AGS Member?

Being able to share best practice with like-minded people and sharing knowledge.

What AGS Working Group(s) are you a Member of and what are your current focuses?

What do you find beneficial about being an AGS Member?

I am currently leader of the Laboratories Working Group which has participants from the following fields: Geotechnical, Materials and Geo-Environmental Laboratories as well as UKAS and the BGS.

Regular updates from all the participating groups, however the LWG does lack participants.

We are regularly trying to rally round our colleagues in the industry to up the attendee numbers yet it’s generally the same faces that we see at our quarterly meetings.

Current topics that we are working on are; •

Assisting in the reissue of the “Yellow Book”

Why do you feel the AGS is important to the industry?

understand the good work and the huge amount of effort that the people within the individual groups do for the good of our industry outside of their day to day roles.

There is such a drive by the current AGS Chair Julian Lovell to give the AGS a real voice and push through so many changes.

What changes would you like to see implemented in the geotechnical industry?

I think that the industry is very stagnant and slow to change or to put on paper what changes do happen or adopt improved techniques.

The current drive of the AGS is to change this and I do see that changes will happen in the next couple of years.

In particular giving labs and the technicians within labs some formalised qualification and worth to ensure we can keep hold of the people and the invested time that labs have put into training and developing individuals.

Until you start to participate in the meetings people don’t

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AGS Working Group Focus

Geotechnical Overview Photo credit: S M Associates

universities studying geoscience subjects

risk of PI related disputes with clients

2.

What is the status of 5.

What should the these issues within your AGS do about these Working Group? issues?

Stephen West, Leader of the AGS Geotechnical Working Group, has provided an update on the top issues the AGS Geotechnical Working Group discussed at their last meeting which took place on 20th February 2020.

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Issue 1: Sub-group producing a counter piece to article in last month’s AGS magazine

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Issue 2: Organisation of conference for 2021

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Issue 3: Drafting of poll for AGS members, engagement with key universities and STEM organisations

3.

Why are these issues important to the AGS?

1.

What are the top three issues in your Working Group at present? Delivery of technical •

Issue 1: Improving soil and rock sampling quality for use in design

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Issue 2: Consideration of embodied carbon in design decision making

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Issue 3: Skill set of newly graduated entrants into the industry, reduction in numbers coming into UK

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excellence for clients and reduction in risk to clients and stakeholders. Contribution to UK Net zero carbon agenda, helping AGS members with carbon consideration for clients

4.

What impact do these issues have on Members of the AGS? Additional cost due to re-work,

Provide forum for discussion within the AGS – conferences and webinars, liaise with fellow institutions to engage with UK Government

6.

Do you have any additional topics that you’d like to report on?

Appropriate specification of specialist geotechnical elements - Review of established specifications being conducted, engagement with specialist We are always keen to welcome new members into the Geotechnical Working Group and so for those interested in the governance of the AGS and wish to know how you can contribute to the GWG, please contact the AGS Secretariat at ags@ags.org.uk.

How to become a Member of the AGS AGS Members all share a commitment to quality in the geotechnical and geoenvironmental industry. This has become widely recognised by clients, governmental bodies and other associations that touch issues to do with the ground.

We welcome both companies and individuals who want to be recognised for their quality of practice to join our growing membership of over 130 Members. We shape our industry, continually improve practice and collaborate on issues that affect us all; from clients, all the way through to the people who use the land and the buildings we help develop.

To become a Member of the AGS, please visit http://www.ags.org.uk/about/become-a-member and submit your application online. Please note that all membership applications are reviewed by the Membership Committee 6 weeks in advance of each quarterly Senate meeting.

The deadline for the next round of completed applications is Tuesday 12th May 2020.

AGS Chemical and Legal Helplines All Members of the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are entitled to free chemical and contractual advice through the use of Loss Prevention Committee Members, Marquis & Lord and Beale & Co. For advice on chemical safety and best practice, Marquis & Lord will provide 30 minutes of free advice to all AGS Members.

Additionally, if you’re an AGS Member and are looking for legal advice, please contact Beale & Co and ask quote ‘AGS Helpline’ where the first 15 minutes of legal advice will be free of charge.

CHEMICAL SAFETY HELPLINE Marquis & Lord Tel: +44 (0) 121 288 2386 www.marquisandlord.com

LEGAL HELPLINE (Please quote Beale & Co ‘AGS Helpline’) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7469 0400 www.beale-law.com

Member Reporting Service for Industry Issues If you have any queries regarding AGS Data Format, there is a discussion forum on the AGS Data Format website, where queries can be posted and answered by the Data Format team.

If a Member has any issues with regard to Safety, Contaminated Land, Geotechnical or Laboratories which you think the industry should be aware of please email ags@ags.org.uk, we will then forward your email to the relevant AGS Working Group.

Disclaimer These articles are the opinions of the authors and are not intended to be a complete or comprehensive statement of the law, nor do they constitute legal or specialist advice. They are intended only to highlight current issues from date of publication that may be of interest. Neither the writer, nor the AGS, assumes any responsibility for any loss that may arise from accessing, or reliance on the material and all liability is disclaimed accordingly. Professional advice should be taken before applying the content of the articles to particular circumstances.

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Advertising and Rates An online advertising campaign within the AGS Magazine will help to build and increase industry awareness of your company’s profile, initiatives and offerings.

The AGS can help build a package to suit your needs and budget; whether it’s a series of adverts across multiple issues, a combination of event sponsorship and advertising, or a single advertorial.

How to Advertise in the AGS Magazine The AGS Magazine is a free email publication which looks at a range of topical issues, insights and concerns, whilst publishing new guidance notes, working group activities and information on upcoming industry seminars.

With 10 issues each year, our subscribers include industry professionals such as practitioners, chartered specialists, senior decision makers and managing directors To receive a media pack or to discuss advertising rates, please contact Caroline Kratz on 0208 658 8212 or email ags@ags.org.uk

Adversiting Requirements

Advert Sizes and Rates

All adverts should be sent in a PDF, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, PSD (Photoshop) or EPS (Illustrator) format.

 FULL PAGE W: 210mm H: 297mm RATE: £400  HALF PAGE W: 210mm H: 145mm RATE: £250  QUARTER PAGE

company name address contact number email

W: 105mm H: 145mm RATE: £160

logo

 DIRECTORY Company name, address, contact number, email and one logo.

RATE: £50

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All advertising artwork must be supplied in 114 dpi resolution.

Magazine

Artwork must be delivered to the AGS using the agreed artwork specification size listed left.

Artwork should be emailed to ags@ags.org. uk no later than 10 days prior to publication.

Directory

ADVERTISE HERE FOR JUST £50

ADVERTISE HERE FOR JUST £50

AGS Dates for Your Diary Upcoming AGS Events AGS Annual Conference

D E L Thursday 2nd April 2020 L Econtact ags@ags.org.uk C For more information, N CA National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham

AGS Data Management Conference 2020

D E N O Wednesday 23rd September 2020 P T For more information, POS contact ags@ags.org.uk National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham

AGS Laboratories, Instrumentation & Monitoring Conference 2020

D E N Hamilton House, Euston, O London P T2020 S Wednesday 15th July O P

For more information, contact ags@ags.org.uk May 2020

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