EG Issue 7/2019

Taste test Engineering better food

Issue 7/2019 Lights, camera, engineer!

Sir Peter Jackson’s go-to engineering firm

Injecting stability What’s new in liquefaction mitigation?

The world’s fastest engineer?

Building and racing electric motorcycles

Contents

In this issue

14

48 52 14 Taste test Feeling full faster, saltier salt, better chocolate-making – engineers are revolutionising what we eat and how it is produced.

20 Green light for rail: an engineer’s tale

Engineers played a crucial role in keeping electric trains on the North Island Main Trunk line.

20

48 Starting over in New Zealand A former refugee’s inspiring story.

52 The secret life of engineers A mechanical engineering lecturer pursues the motorcycle land speed record.

Features 14 Taste test Feeling full faster, saltier salt, better chocolate-making processes – engineers are revolutionising what we eat and how it is produced.

Engineering New Zealand Te Ao Rangahau PO Box 12 241, Wellington 6144 New Zealand P 04 473 9444 hello@engineeringnz.org www.engineeringnz.org GENERAL MANAGER – MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Bridgit Sissons bridgit.sissons@ engineeringnz.org 04 474 8943 EDITOR Jennifer Black editor@engineeringnz.org DESIGN MANAGER Angeli Winthrop ADVERTISING SALES advertising@engineeringnz.org 04 473 9444 SUBSCRIPTIONS hello@engineeringnz.org CIRCULATION ABC audited net circulation for the six months ended 30 September 2018.

New Zealand 13,011 Print ISSN 2537-9097 Online ISSN 2537-9100 EG ONLINE PDF versions of EG are available for members on our website.

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DISCLAIMER Advertising statements and editorial opinions expressed in EG do not reflect the views of Engineering New Zealand, its members, staff, or affiliated organisations unless expressly stated.

This issue of EG was published in June 2019.

20 Green light for rail: an engineer’s tale

Engineers played a crucial role in keeping electric trains on the North Island Main Trunk line.

26 Injecting stability The resin-injection process offering a groundbreaking solution to liquefaction.

32 Next stop: Northland Finding true north.

Best practice 40 Diversity in motion How can greater diversity in transportation engineering help create a more inclusive world?

42 The digital revolution Digital engineering can mean not just better workplace practices but a better country.

43 Intersection Crossing paths with engineers.

44 The generalist in a specialist world There’s still a place for generalist engineers – general practitioners – who are called to unite and increase their strength and influence.

46 Inspecting unconsented work There’s increased public scrutiny of the engineer’s role in the building consent process. So, what are engineers’ obligations, and how should they supervise building work?

Shorts 51 Day in the life A typical work day for this engineer allows him to “play with some amazing toys” – offshore platforms and subsea equipment.

56 Bedside table This environmental engineer’s reading choice is aimed at keeping her “match fit”, with a little R&R thrown in.

52 The secret life of engineers A mechanical engineering lecturer pursues the motorcycle land speed record.

57 Review 59 Obituary 60 Engineering Genius

55 C-Suite New Fellow Peter Amos explains why he’s built his career in dams, and provides tips on gaining a good international reputation.

03

Engineering Envy #17

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When in Rome… the Baroque-style Trevi Fountain is compulsory but competitive viewing. It was designed by Nicola Salvi in 1730 for a competition, then completed by other sculptors and stonecutters after his death. It’s built on top of an ancient water source – a restored version of the Aqua Virgo, one of ancient Rome’s 11 aqueducts from 19BC. Like the Colosseum, the fountain’s made from Travertine stone, a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs. The statues were carved from Carrara marble. Its name means “three street fountain”, as it stands at the junction of three roads. It was extensively restored and cleaned in 2015.

LED lights

Height

26.3m Width

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80,000m3 Refurbishment bill

€2.2 million

Outstanding leaders and innovators Twenty-nine outstanding engineers have been recognised as leaders and innovators in their fields. Engineering New Zealand has created three new Distinguished Fellows and 23 new Fellows – and bestowed three prestigious awards.

Special congratulations to Distinguished Fellows Arthur Park, Michael Pender and Ron McDowall. Stephen Jenkins was awarded the President’s Gold Medal; the President’s Silver Medal went to Lauren Croft and Paul Campbell received the MacLean Citation. Together with our new Fellows, they were celebrated at our Fellows’ Dinner in March.

Back row from left: Gerard Rowe, Scott Vaughan, Don McKenzie, Paul Campbell, Stephen Jenkins, Roger Fairclough, Philip Boys, Dave Marriot, Russell Shaw. Middle row from left: Ron McDowall ONZM, Mark Hedley, Michael Kerr, Lauren Croft, Bruce McLean, Annette Sweeney, David Whittaker. Front row from left: Bryony James, Ann Williams, Sioban Hartwell, Michael Pender, Simon Hall, Dukessa Blackburn-Huettner, Kaye Clark, Rebecca Knott, Peter Amos.

Not present: Arthur Park, Andrew Delugar, David Bouma and Nabin Pradhan.

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What they said

Editorial

07

A home for all

“It’s a huge day for Fox friends, for Haast, for Hokitika… everyone is smiling, this is amazing.”

Westland District Council Mayor Bruce Smith when the Waiho Bridge was rebuilt in 18 days.

“Diversity, true diversity, includes everyone.”

Carl Devereux CMEngNZ, Aurecon’s Regional Director – New Zealand, as Aurecon became the first New Zealand engineering company to achieve the Rainbow Tick.

“You could argue it is overkill, like putting a plaster cast on an arm that is not broken…”

Cornerstone chief executive Andrew Cotterell on precautionary exterior steel supports as part of a Wellington building’s $10 million earthquake strengthening.

“With the thick concrete walls lying against the craggy shoreline, the structure is built to withstand pressure and shock from the rugged sea conditions.”

Design company Snøhetta on Norway’s first underwater restaurant, also an artificial reef.

“Through large-scale experimental testing of a timber-core wall, engineers will have data and design tools to design multi-storey timber buildings with improved seismic resilience.”

University of Canterbury PhD student Justin Brown.

Nau mai koutou katoa.

There has never been a better time to focus on diversity, and this will be the cornerstone of my term as President of Engineering New Zealand.

To date, we’ve focused our diversity efforts on gender. Our Diversity Agenda, with the goal of 20% more women in engineering and architecture by 2021, has been steadily gaining traction, but we need to do more. Diversity also includes ethnicity, religion, culture and sexuality.

Raising the bar on diversity means everyone, from all backgrounds, feels welcome, included and respected. We have an obligation, as a profession, to lead the way. The atrocities in Christchurch in March serve to reinvigorate and re-emphasise the monumental importance of us working together and being inclusive.

The other side of diversity is the range of careers and specialty areas engineering offers. We want all engineers from all disciplines to feel that Engineering New Zealand is their professional home. While some people think we’re mainly for civil or structural engineers, in reality we’re much more than that. Engineering New Zealand has been broadening our membership

from traditional areas like structural, civil and geotechnical engineering, to provide an inclusive and inspirational home for engineers working in areas from IT and software development, to medical devices, food engineering and other areas we haven’t traditionally been aligned with. You’ll continue to see engineers from a range of fields highlighted in this magazine, like the food engineers in the article on p14.

I appreciate members’ efforts to engage with the Government’s proposal to change how engineers are regulated – through coming to branch sessions, technical groups and via engineering.org Finally, it was wonderful to attend the recent Fellows’ Dinner in Wellington.

I was struck by the citations outlining the incredible work by those getting Fellowships and other award recipients.

In this edition, we showcase some of our new Fellows and one Distinguished Fellow, shining a light on the unique way they, and everyone else featured in these pages, are helping bring engineering to life.

Ben Holland FEngNZ CPEng President, Engineering New Zealand

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Editorial

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They are us Engineering New Zealand, and the country’s engineering profession, are devastated by the terror attacks in Christchurch on 15 March 2019. We are deeply saddened by the loss of 51 lives, and by the impact of this tragedy on their loved ones.

We hold in our hearts the Muslim families affected, their friends and supporters, and the community of Christchurch. As we reflect on this tragedy and our response, please show special care for all engineers who have come from other countries to be part of our engineering community, as together we engineer better lives for New Zealanders.

We pay special tribute to our Engineering New Zealand Chartered Member and our Student Member who were killed in the attack.

Mounir Guirgis Soliman CMEngNZ CPEng 1950–2019 Originally from Egypt, Mounir was a design engineer and quality manager at Christchurch’s Scotts Engineering.

Talha Naeem Student Member 1997–2019 Originally from Pakistan, Talha had recently completed a Bachelor of Engineering Technology.

At the time EG went to print, these people had also been described in the media as engineers.

We recognise their loss to our engineering community.

——Farhaj Ahsan ——Zakaria Bhuiyan ——Ali Elmadani ——Lilik Abdul Hamid ——Osama Adnan Youssef Kwaik ——Haji-Daoud Nabi ——Zeeshan Raza ——Shahid Suhail

10

EG 7/2019

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Lights, camera, engineer!

WRITER JENNIFER BLACK

From digging hobbit holes to strengthening iconic cathedrals, new Distinguished Fellow Arthur Park’s 45-year career has been packed with ingenuity and innovation.

While Wellingtonian Arthur Park DistFEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) has had a career filled with hard work and service, it hasn’t been without what he calls “the fun stuff”.

A Director of Clendon Burns & Park, his firm has been film director Sir Peter Jackson’s go-to structural engineers for a number of blockbusters, including The Lord of the Rings, King Kong, and director James Cameron’s Avatar.

“We design the structures that hold up these things. If they wanted a bridge, we would form the basic skeleton and then the art team would decorate that to make the film set look right.”

Some of the firm’s work was carried out at Sir Peter’s film studio, Park Road Post, in Wellington’s Miramar.

“There are some major sound stages there and we’ve been involved in designing these.”

They’re huge spaces, with added complications such as being under Wellington Airport’s flight path, requiring soundproofing with 200mm of concrete all around.

With film sets, Arthur enjoyed “pushing the limits” as there was scope for creative use of materials. Due to the temporary nature of the structures, they didn’t need to be overly concerned with durability and weathering issues.

The team also worked on the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata, with work including digging hobbit holes and putting bridges across the lake.

But being a Hollywood heavyweight’s goto engineering firm doesn’t happen without years of hard graft behind the scenes.

Arthur completed a PhD in Civil Engineering at the University of Canterbury in 1973, then chose consulting over academia, establishing his own firm after just five years.

“I wasn’t intending to go out on my own that early on, but I was with a firm that fired a lot of people in a downturn – though not me – then rehired them a month later.”

This didn’t sit well with him, so he set up A G Park & Partners in 1978, merging in 1985 to become Clendon Burns & Park.

Arthur has also been a leader in the consulting engineering industry, serving as the President of the Association of Consulting Engineers from 1994–95 and Chair of the Consulting Engineers Advancement Society for 12 years.

Over the years, he’s remained an early adopter of computer technology.

“We started off in the 70s and really thought it was just a really smart technology device – instead of doing one design for a particular client we could do a sensitivity analysis and run several designs through.”

While computers revolutionised how they worked, it still took about 24 hours to complete a design or analysis.

“Now they do this in about 10 seconds.”

Arthur believes his firm was one of the earliest to move totally to a 3D draughting platform about 15 years ago.

So how does he keep up with technology advances in the engineering industry?

“I employ some very smart people,” he jokes, adding he reads a lot and that the company works hard to stay at “the leading edge”, for example with Building Information Modelling (BIM).

“We’re not computer nerds, but we do enjoy technology and having gear that does fancy stuff.”

When not helping make movies, there have been plenty of other projects keeping Arthur busy. His favourite is the seismic strengthening of St Mary of the Angels, a central Wellington church.

“I’ve been involved there for nearly 40 years… it’s a beautiful building.”

They’ve finally achieved a really good seismic strengthening system, he says.

“It has taken a long while and I’ve seen how society has changed,” says Arthur, referring to a change since the Canterbury earthquakes.

“With these historical buildings, the theory used to be not to let anybody see the strengthening measures. Now people say we want that building strengthened, we’ve got to compromise some of the heritage values, and that’s ok.”

Though he’s quick to add the heritage factors haven’t been compromised at St Mary of the Angels.

Arthur believes structural engineers in New Zealand are doing a lot of things right but that more communication will enhance trust in the profession.

Clients expect and deserve to know about the choices an engineer makes on their behalf, as it’s their money, he says.

So, what’s his advice on becoming a trusted company?

“You have to be very good technically and have procedures in place to check that things going out are right and correct.

We, as a firm, have a director right at the coalface on each job.”

Employing the right people is also vital.

“We only employ people who love what we do – we’re structural engineers, we don’t pretend to be anything else.”

EG 7/2019

12

THE WAY ENGINEERS ARE REGULATED IS CHANGING. MBIE has released a proposal outlining a new regulatory system for engineers. This replaces CPEng with a certification of general engineering competence and licensing for safety-critical engineering work.

Have your say – submissions close 16 June. engineeringnz.org/occupational-regulation

20 Green light for rail: an engineer’s tale

26 Injecting stability

32 Next stop: Northland

Features

14 Taste test

EG 7/2019

14

Professor Bryony James FEngNZ and Dr Colin Doyle in the lab at the University of Auckland’s Research Centre for Surface and Materials Science.

Photo: Geniesa Tay/ University of Auckland

Feature

15

Taste test WRITER MATT PHILP

Want to feel fuller sooner, taste saltier salt or better chocolate?

Engineers can help.

Like Isaac Newton in the famous origin story, University of Auckland Professor Bryony James FEngNZ can thank an apple for altering the trajectory of her career. The Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Engineering trained as a materials engineer in her native United Kingdom, and was happily running Auckland’s Research Centre for Surface and Material Science when she had her version of Newton’s Lincolnshire garden moment. Working late one evening, on a whim she put a piece of apple under an electron microscope. The following day she mentioned what she’d seen on the slide to a food science lecturer, who began explaining some of the properties of apples. >>

EG 7/2019

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“She talked about the properties of food in the same way that I would have spoken about the properties of a piece of metal,” says Bryony, who was named as an Engineering New Zealand Fellow earlier this year.

“It seemed an interesting avenue to pursue.”

Today, she describes herself as a materials engineer who has “strayed from the true path” of metals, plastics and ceramics to study food – particularly, the impact of food structure on food properties and oral processing.

If that sounds ivory towerish, it shouldn’t. Her ongoing research into food texture and its impact on satiation – feeling fuller, sooner – potentially opens up a whole new area of product development for New Zealand food manufacturers. And it could furnish part of the answer to the obesity epidemic. Other work has proved useful to the wine and dairy industries.

Bryony’s career switch is part of a larger story about the growing role of engineers and engineering in what we eat and how it is produced. Take rising Aucklandbased venture Sunfed Foods, for example, whose plant-based “Chicken Free Chicken” reportedly packs

We build machines that travel up and down a greenhouse applying the light recipe to the seedlings.

– Jason Phillips

double the protein of chicken. Founder Shama Lee has described Sunfed as a “product-led engineering company”. Or consider Massey University spinout BioLumic, that has developed UV light technology that in some instances has improved the yield of crops by nearly 40 percent. In these innovative New Zealand food ventures, engineers are working hand-in-glove with scientists and food technologists to create new products and better processes.

Finding the sweet spot If there’s an overarching mission here “it’s about helping New Zealand to make more money out of its biological resource,” says Professor Richard Archer FEngNZ of Massey University’s School of Food and Advanced Technology.

“That can be by adding value to consumer products, through reduction of waste and, increasingly, by shifting to renewable resources. The absolute sweet spot for New Zealand involves the application of new high-tech means – robots and AI and sensors and so on – to the production

and processing of food. And engineers are right in there.”

In Bryony’s case, her research is closely informed by her materials engineering background.

“How do you use engineering to create the structure in the food that will give you certain properties when you eat it? For the most part, I’m interested just in the chewing part.”

Her structural analysis expertise was tapped for the $170 million Primary Growth Partnership programme, aimed at transforming New Zealand’s dairy value chain.

Among other things, she helped Fonterra to hone its process to produce mozzarella-style cheese.

“It sounds like such a minor thing, but mozzarella exports are absolutely huge,” Bryony says.

The work on texture and satiation is potentially more significant. Previously, the only supposed link was that high-textured foods tend to take longer to chew, which contributes to feeling fuller sooner.

“What I wanted to answer was: is there an effect of texture that’s independent of oral transit time?” says Bryony, whose world-first study demonstrated that satiation is indeed enhanced when people eat texturally complex food.

In collaboration with a psychophysicist and a neuroimaging expert, she has secured a Marsden Fund grant to investigate further.

“The next big question is, why? If we could understand that, then food manufacturers could make use of it to produce and market foods that enhance satiation – snack bars, for example, that leave you feeling fuller sooner – by manipulating people’s chewing behaviour. There are opportunities there, too, for developing food products that go beyond where we are now to achieve particular nutritional outcomes.”

Bryony believes engineers will be important players in two other major food trends: personalised nutrition, and traceability. In the latter case, she says, “New Zealand has a big provenance story to tell, and engineers can provide the evidence in terms of remote sensing, handling big data, and so on.”

Shining light on the situation At BioLumic, the application of cutting-edge technologies is very much focused at the other end of the food chain – growing crops. The Palmerston North-based biotech firm offers growers tailored UV light “recipes” to activate natural mechanisms in seeds and seedlings that increase plant growth, vigour and natural defence mechanisms, resulting in increased yields at harvest.

“Our engineering team is where the rubber meets the road,” says BioLumic Senior Engineer Jason Phillips MEngNZ. “Once the scientists have developed a UV recipe, it’s up to the engineers to deploy it in a tangible, commercial way.

We build machines that travel up and down a greenhouse applying the light recipe to the seedlings.”

>>

Feature

17

Image: Whittaker’s

Land of milk and chocolate

Electron microscope images of apple, dark chocolate, white chocolate and fresh and bloomed chocolate. Images: Bryony James/RCSMS

Devising new food products and processes is all very well, but someone has to keep the machines running. In the case of Fonterra Reliability Engineer Andrew Richards MEngNZ and his colleagues, that entails ensuring the smooth running of the company’s operation at Hautapu, in the Waikato, which processes 3 million litres of milk a day.

“The question for us is, how do we maintain the assets we’ve got in the most cost-effective way, and in a way that keeps us making food in a safe way?” says Andrew.

Recently, the answer has involved some intriguing innovations, including trialling small sensors on critical equipment and using robots to inspect the inside of milk silos.

Meanwhile, at Whittaker’s Porirua factory, newlyappointed process control and systems engineer Michael Thomson, an Engineering New Zealand Student Member, is constantly looking for ways to tweak the chocolate-making operation.

“It’s about looking at the whole process and how it could be optimised from a control point of view – so, setting parameters and installing new gear that could make the process more efficient, with less waste and downtime,” Michael says.

“The engineering here is probably more involved than that at other chocolate manufacturers because of Whittaker’s focus on ‘bean to bar’,” he adds.

“Starting with the raw ingredients, everything has to be checked, X-rayed and metal detected, and all of that has to be engineered.”

The role has its perks, of course.

“Working in a chocolate factory? Dream job!” >>

EG 7/2019

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Jason says there’s also an automation element – a control system that means wherever you are in the world, you can remotely check in on a machine’s status and adjust any operating parameters.

“That’s all pretty traditional engineering – designing a machine and automating it. But the excitement for me going forward is incorporating the Internet of Things and computer vision and machine learning.

Biolumic is evolving a technology solution in which a machine can take environmental data from its surroundings and data on the specific plants being treated, run that through an algorithm and have it dynamically adjust how the machinery deploys a UV treatment in real time to optimise development for those plants.

“That’s groundbreaking stuff from an engineering perspective.”

Where there’s smoke…

Elsewhere in New Zealand, engineering smarts are being deployed to bring ancient food processes onto a modern footing.

Richard Archer highlights work being done at Massey on culinary smoking, a technique that has been used for centuries to preserve food.

The problem is that commercial smoking involves polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogenic.

BioLumic Senior R&D Scientist Dr Lulu He assesses the effects of UV treatment on young seedlings.

Image: BioLumic

“It is, however, possible to make smoke from wood that has no PAHs,” says Richard, who serves as Chief Technologist for the MBIE-funded Food Industry Enabling Technologies research and development programme.

“The challenge is, how do you engineer that on a realistic scale, so that every piece of wood is exactly the right temperature all the time? The research will end up resulting in a fairly simple device, because we always try to get back to a simple execution of complex principles.”

Salt of the earth In a nutshell, that’s what engineers contribute to innovation in the food industry – practical solutions.

“Engineers are central to the whole argument about food innovation, and critical to obtaining functionality in the final product,” says Professor Timothy Langrish of the University of Sydney’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, who has a particular interest in improving nutrition.

Among other projects, the expat New Zealander has investigated ways to make salt “saltier”, maximising taste while reducing sodium intake, and is collaborating with medical researchers at the University of Sydney on developing foods that could help to reduce cancer recurrence.

“Where engineering comes in is making sure we do it in a way that’s functionally effective, but also cost-effective,” he says.

>>

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EG 7/2019

20

The Hapuawhenua Viaducts on the North Island Main Trunk railway line. Photo: Rob Suisted/naturespic.com

Green light for rail: an engineer’s tale

Feature

21

WRITER ALEXANDRA JOHNSON Leaked documents, anonymous sources, government lobbying – the events that led to the reversing of KiwiRail’s decision to decommission its electric locomotives and replace them with Chinese diesel machines sounds more like a John le Carré novel than a public works project. >>

EG 7/2019

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Fifty years ago, New Zealand Railways made the prescient decision to construct electric traction over a substantial proportion of the North Island Main Trunk (NIMT) railway line. It’s now considered to be one of the most significant development projects in our history. Since completion in the 1980s, the route has been serviced by diesel locomotives from Auckland to Te Rapa, just north of Hamilton: by electric locomotives from Te Rapa to Palmerston North: and by diesel locomotives from there to Wellington.

In 2016, KiwiRail made the decision to scrap the electric locomotives and buy new diesel machines, stating it would simplify the fleet, improve efficiency, be cost effective, and remove the need to change locomotives en route. But a group of determined engineers felt this was the wrong decision, and their protestations and professional knowledge helped get it overturned by a Cabinet decision in October 2018.

“I saw [then] KiwiRail Chief Executive, Peter Reidy, on TV explaining the KiwiRail Board decision in December 2016 and thought it was a terrible decision,” says civil engineer and Greater Wellington Regional Councillor Dr Roger Blakeley DistFEngNZ (Life).

Roger says when KiwiRail was asked about the climate change impact, its response was it was advantageous because the diesels would be more reliable and attract more freight from the road. But Roger says refurbishing the electric trains would bring the same benefits, without the associated emissions.

He and fellow civil engineers Alex Gray FEngNZ, and Past President of Engineering New Zealand Bob Norman DistFEngNZ, (who is former Commissioner of Works and State Services Commissioner) along with electrical consultant Keith Flinders, resolved to have the decision revisited. They wrote an opinion piece for the Dominion Post in March 2017, initially advocating that the electric locomotives be replaced by dual-mode electric-diesel locomotives, and, in the longer term, the rest of the NIMT be electrified. Under the Official Information Act, they

Keep rolling on Here’s a roundup of some planned rail projects around the country.

If they had gone ahead, they would have jeopardised the future of fully electrifying the North Island Main Trunk line.

applied to then Minister of Transport, Simon Bridges, for the board papers on which the KiwiRail decision was based, getting a heavily redacted version.

Documents given to TVNZ, however, revealed that a KiwiRail internal report and one external report by Australian engineering company WorleyParsons had been critical of the decision, Roger says.

He says he was anonymously given the complete unredacted reports, which included reference to trials on the time it takes to change the locomotives at Te Rapa and Palmerston North. While 40 minutes was scheduled for change of locomotives at each terminal, in the trials, it took between five and 10 minutes.

“The total extra time of between 10 and 20 minutes per journey was compensated by the faster speed of the electric locomotives.”

And he says refurbishment of the electric locomotives was the cheaper option.

Doggedly, Roger and his cohorts contacted numerous people with influence in New Zealand rail, from union officials and MPs, to environmental activists.

They challenged the proposed benefits of standardising

Wellington light rail The Government has confirmed it will support a $6.4 million budget to overhaul Wellington’s public transport system. It aims to reduce congestion, in part through a modern rapid transit system, which is expected to take priority over motorway projects.

Upgrades could include light rail from the railway station to the airport – a 9.7km system with the capacity to move 12,000 people per hour on dedicated lines.

>>

Feature

23

Dr Roger Blakeley DistFEngNZ (Life)

Artist’s impression of a possible light rail solution in Auckland.

Image: NZTA/Supplied

Hamilton to Auckland commuter line The NZ Transport Agency Board has approved a business case for the next steps in a start-up trial Hamilton to Auckland passenger rail service. It allows for the fit out of rolling stock and the detailed design of infrastructure.

The total cost of the five-year trial, including the service operated by KiwiRail, is estimated at $78.2 million, including $68.4 million from the NZ Transport Agency and $9.8 million from local authorities.

Auckland light rail A light rail network is expected to be constructed between the city centre and Māngere, and another to Auckland’s northwest. The projected population of Auckland is expected to increase by 1 million over the next 30 years and the existing transport networks are insufficient. The light rail system would aim to reduce congestion, and connect communities along its route. The project is tipped to cost $6 billion.

>>

24

EG 7/2019

>>

Diesel locomotive in Wellington yards, 1962–1970. Alexander Turnbull Library Ref: DW-5145-F

the fleet and the quality, efficiency and reliability of the diesel locomotives.

“But in September 2018, we were told the new diesel locomotives were already on the ship on the way out here, so that was a bit distressing for us.”

They then upped the ante, writing to the top echelons of government, including Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Scrapping the electric locomotives would mean pouring an additional 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year into the atmosphere, which was at odds with the Labour/New Zealand First Government policy of zero carbon emissions by 2050.

“Once the Prime Minister got involved, things started to move more quickly and the announcement was made in October 2018 that the 15 electric locomotives would be retained and refurbished in KiwiRail’s workshops. We were delighted with that outcome.”

Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said refurbishing these trains in New Zealand was looking to the future of our environment and economy, and that replacing electric locomotives with diesel would have been a step backwards.

Roger says decommissioning the electric locomotives in favour of diesel would have damaged the country’s international reputation.

“If they had gone ahead with it, they would have jeopardised the future of fully electrifying the North Island Main Trunk line.”

Roger has devoted much of his professional career to transport strategy and the environment, and his vision for the future of New Zealand transport is focused on rail.

“It is a much better way to move both people and freight around.”

He would like to see the entire NIMT electrified, and says retaining the electric locomotives was the first step.

“The next step is to electrify the lines from Te Rapa to Papakura over the coming years, and the ‘golden triangle’, between Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga,” he says.

“Then the whole North Island main lines would be electrified.”

Roger says climate change effects will require adaptive action on the network itself. For example, the line on the edge of Wellington harbour and other low-lying areas will require protection from rising sea levels and more frequent storm surges.

Rail, he says, is an efficient, environmentally sound transport mode that offers the best customer experience.

“It also offers great benefits to tourism and freight and is an attractive low carbon alternative to cars and trucks.”

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Incredible track record The reopening of the Main North Line (MNL), between Picton and Christchurch, following the Kaikōura earthquake is a remarkable story of railroading success in New Zealand.

Moving 1 million cubic metres of rock and rubble is no easy task and that was just one of the challenges.

Due to the sheer scope of the geotech issues, the rebuild involved a number of engineering challenges, says KiwiRail spokesperson Simon Kilroy.

“The slips were massive, there were almost 60 major damage sites including tunnels, bridges and embankments. The line itself was buried in many places under more than 100 slips and landslides, 60 bridges were damaged, and repairs were needed at more than 750 individual sites.”

Around 200km of track was damaged.

“Having the MNL out of service had a significant impact on our business. Before the earthquake we were carrying around 1 million tonnes of freight annually.”

One bridge north of Kaikōura was so badly damaged it needed to be replaced.

“But rather than delaying the re-opening of the line while a permanent replacement was built, we constructed a temporary bridge that used steel spans we already had available.”

The first revenue freight train ran from Picton to Christchurch on 15 September 2017, 10 months after the earthquake.

Simon attributes the quick re-opening to the 1,700 people who worked on the project from KiwiRail and its partners in the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery (NCTIR) alliance, including NZ Transport Agency.

The rebuild of the Main North Line railway and State Highway One has achieved global recognition by beating nine other major engineering projects to win a prestigious international award – the Institution of Civil Engineers People’s Choice Award.

Major slips damaged sections of the Main North Line following the Kaikōura earthquake. Photo: NCTIR/KiwiRail/NZTA

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Cars stuck in liquefaction in Barbour St, Christchurch, after the February 2011 earthquake.

Photo: Stuff Limited

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Injecting stability WRITER AARON WATSON

A resin injection process developed by Mainmark following the Christchurch earthquake offers a groundbreaking solution to the problem of liquefaction. >>

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The widespread damage caused by the 2011 earthquake in Christchurch spurred a search for engineering solutions to help mitigate the risk large earthquakes pose to New Zealand.

On 22 February 2011, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Christchurch killing 185 people and injuring many more.

Buildings were damaged, roads rendered impassable, infrastructure destroyed and more than 7,000 homes were “red zoned” – meaning the ground they were built on was considered too high a risk for repairing or rebuilding.

According to the Insurance Council of New Zealand, the cost of claims has exceeded $31 billion and could climb to more than $40 billion. Deloitte in 2018 estimated the cost to the Christchurch City Council alone at more than $10 billion (of which just under $1 billion was covered by insurance).

Could engineers find a way to prevent such catastrophic outcomes from future earthquakes? The Earthquake Commission (EQC) wanted to find out.

“There was so much ground damage in Christchurch and no obvious off-the-shelf solutions without complete demolition of the existing houses,” says John Scott CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ), a senior advisor at EQC. “So, we instigated a large body of work investigating potential ground improvement solutions.”

This included investigating a resin injection technique proposed by ground engineering specialists Mainmark.

It demonstrated the potential to alleviate the effects of liquefaction, which weakened soils, damaged buildings and infrastructure, and caused an estimated 400,000 tonnes of silt to flood Christchurch suburbs after the February earthquake.

“Much of the city was built on soils susceptible to liquefaction and the extent of the liquefaction-related damage caught nearly everyone by surprise,” John says.

“In part this was because the earthquakes are very rare and large events.

“The movement along the Darfield fault that started the 2010/11 earthquake sequence had been covered up by glacial action. It was a previously unknown fault that had not ruptured for at least the past 8,000 years,” he says, based on information provided in the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission reports.

Liquefaction is a weakening of soil structure caused by earthquake shaking that results in the “solid ground” behaving like a liquid. Buildings may sink into it, groundwater may rise out of it or the land may develop cracks. It is a problem that sandy, loose soils are particularly susceptible to.

“Although the resin injection trial was quite successful, the peer reviewers at that time were reluctant to endorse it completely as it was a fairly new technology for liquefaction mitigation,” John says.

“In 2016, after being approached by Mainmark, MBIE and EQC each put up $60,000 to support further tests of

resin injection by Mainmark. The tests proved to be very successful, showing significant ground improvement – particularly in sandy soils, where liquefaction tends to occur most often.”

What makes it exciting, says John, is that resin injection could improve the resilience of soil under existing buildings.

“To date, there have really been very limited options to mitigate liquefaction vulnerability below an existing structure without the structure itself being removed.

“This technique now provides new opportunities for improving the earthquake resilience of existing buildings or infrastructure built on liquefaction-prone soil.”

Eight years on from the quake, resin injection is now one of the recommended techniques included in the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and New Zealand Geotechnical Society’s ground improvement guideline for mitigation of liquefaction damage.

…resin injection could improve the resilience of soil under existing buildings.

– John Scott

Resin injection While the potential of resin injection to improve soil resilience has been known for decades, Mainmark’s Terefirm™ Resin Injection technique has been developed specifically for liquefaction mitigation. It can also improve ground bearing capacity, says Mainmark Technical Manager (NZ) Theo Hnat.

“It’s a modified process for resin injection, which we’ve been doing for over 20 years, but using equipment suitable for larger volume injection and tested using traditional geotechnical investigation methods,” Theo says.

“Resin injection is used for, say, level correction of a structure. It was designed to be used under existing structures where traditional underpinning technologies were too invasive – you couldn’t get past having to move out the people.”

>>

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1. Field trials underway in the Christchurch Red Zone.

2. Theo Hnat, Mainmark Technical Manager (NZ).

3. Revealed resin injection macro structure during Red Zone testing. Photos: Mainmark

>>

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Protecting water at Seaview The wastewater treatment plant at Seaview on the Wellington Harbour is going through an earthquake strengthening project that includes structural and ground improvements. This will include injecting more than 120,000kg of resin to increase resilience in the event of a quake.

The plant treats up to 53 million litres daily, servicing around 146,000 residents of Upper Hutt, and Lower Hutt, plus local industries.

“We are part of the whole package to seismically upgrade this building,” says Mainmark Technical Manager Theo Hnat.

“Part of the reason our solution is attractive is that this building has a lot of surfaces inside it. There are a lot of access restrictions.”

In some places, you can only fit one person in, he says.

“That is the extent of the access. Traditional systems might only have an effect on half of the building’s footprint.”

The project has a total budget of $5 million.

Above: Resin injection equipment being used in difficult-to-reach and confined spaces with low headroom.

Photo: Mainmark

Christchurch shoppers can already see the benefits of this solution. The Northwood Supa Centa, which suffered from the effects of liquefaction in the 2011 earthquake, was relevelled using a grout injection process controlled by computer monitors, in addition to ground improvement using resin injection.

The project involved injecting resin into the soil to depths of up to 7m – while shoppers continued to browse and buy from stores above (including a busy supermarket).

“We worked around their shift times. That supermarket was operational all through the process,” Theo says.

Work has also been done on private homes and a retirement village in the city.

Terefirm resin injection compacts adjacent soils, increasing bearing capacity, filling voids and, in the event of a quake, reducing the risk of soil liquefaction.

“We have tested it specifically for New Zealand conditions,” Theo says.

Also a plus in the New Zealand market, the resins themselves have no negative environmental impact, he says.

“It is actually environmentally inert. That is one of the top questions we get, though.

“The resin is a combined product – two parts, it starts off as two liquids. It is an expanding material that compacts the materials near to it. It has greater strength than the soils themselves. The resin itself is shown to last a very long time in the soil. It has a durability far exceeding 100 years – or the building code.”

Research pays off For EQC’s John Scott, seeing the success of the resin injection technique in the trials validates the effort and money EQC has invested.

“From our perspective, it is exciting to see the research we helped fund delivering a solution,” John says, noting international interest in the process is also emerging.

Theo Hnat is also pleased the research has borne fruit, noting that engineering is all about the development of practical solutions.

“You can have a solution that works in academia but is not commercially viable. This is commercially viable.

It’s in the guidelines [MBIE’s Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering Practice Module 5],” Theo says.

“To have a process specified in a document that engineers will go to for reference is likely to boost interest in resin injection.”

But the ultimate beneficiaries will be building owners who now have a new way to improve the earthquake resilience of their structures.

“The resin injection technique is likely to be of interest to many asset owners around New Zealand who have assets in soils potentially vulnerable to liquefaction,” says John.

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Next stop: Northland

Finding true north

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WRITER JENNIE CLARKE Northland is renowned for tourism, beaches and soaring summer temperatures. But perhaps less well-known are the big projects, some with health or environmental benefits, helping build a resilient region.

Engineering healthy communities

Northland population

151,692 Northland land area

13,286km

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Engineering New Zealand Branch membership

304 Did you know…

Northland is prone to both droughts and flooding. In January 2019 it had its lowest recorded rainfall for the month since 1947, whereas January 2018 was its second wettest ever recorded.

In 2016, the World Health Organisation urged governments to create better built environments so people choose to cycle and walk instead of taking a car.

It’s a challenge Whangarei is tackling head on with its vision for an integrated urban network of accessible and safe off-road shared paths, connecting people with their places of work, play and education.

The newly constructed Kamo Shared Path follows a rail corridor between Kamo township, the northern suburbs and central Whangarei. The concreted, four-metre-wide, 6.5-kilometre-landscaped route connects a third of the city’s 60,000 residents, nine urban schools and the University of Auckland’s Tai Tokerau campus.

It’s been brought to life via some complex structural engineering, innovative civil engineering and ingenious state-of-the-art traffic engineering. Heritage stone walls and railway embankments have been retained thanks to a cleverly cantilevered and permeable boardwalk section, which also facilitates storm water run-off to ground in an area with no adjacent reticulated system. A cantilevered concrete section incorporates a rockfall containment fence on one side and a high, non-climbable fence on the other, eliminating roof access to adjacent properties.

Stages Three, Four and Five of the build won’t be finished till mid-2019 but daily usage has already outstripped forecasts by more than 50 percent. It’s proof that innovative urban planning, active transport policies and clever engineering solutions can enable healthier communities.

Engineering environmental gains Golden Bay Cement is going to make fuel out of used tyres. From early 2020, New Zealand’s only fully integrated cement plant will introduce tyre-derived fuel (aka TDF or shredded tyres) to its kiln. This will cut carbon emissions and fuel costs, reduce reliance on coal and make a significant dent in the country’s growing stockpile of used tyres.

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Kickstarted by a grant from the government’s Waste Minimisation Fund, the $25 million project means the enhanced plant can consume 3 million of the 5 million tyres New Zealand discards each year.

Located 12km south of Whangarei, the plant is no stranger to alternative fuels. For the past 15 years, wood waste from local timber processors, construction and demolition works has been used alongside coal in its precalciner, where limestone is heated to 900 degrees Celsius, turning calcium carbonate to calcium oxide and carbon dioxide.

The plant has an annual thermal energy requirement of three petajoules (3 × 1015 joules).

Wood waste now accounts for 30 percent, with the remainder from coal. Adding TDF will take that to 55 percent alternative fuel, cutting the plant’s carbon dioxide emissions and its reliance on coal. Likewise, the shredded tyres’ iron content will reduce the need for iron sand addition by up to 5,000 tonnes per year.

TDF processing technology – a HOTDISC® Combustion Device – will be incorporated into the 1960s-built, 1980s-upgraded space-limited kiln line.

While it was originally built to process 1,200 tonnes a day, the plant’s current daily output sits at 2,600 tonnes. Lifting and sliding this 160-tonne piece of kit into the preheater tower, as well as accommodating an equivalent weight of new chutes and ducts, while keeping the plant operational has required some Rubik’s Cube-esque type thinking, along with 70 tonnes of structural steel.

Engineering art Twenty-five years after the idea was first mooted, in June 2018 work finally began on Whangarei’s $22 million Hundertwasser Arts Centre (HAC).

Located in the Whangarei Town Basin, the 1,076m² HAC is named for its creator, the late Austrianborn and Northland-based artist, architect and environmentalist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

His unique work is known internationally for its biomorphic forms, bright colours, use of tiles and rejection of straight lines.

Hundertwasser’s artistic style makes the structural design and building code requirements of the centre significantly more complex. The straight lines must “disappear” within a shape and design that is characteristically organic and whimsical in nature.

A large roof garden with a forest of trees and thick soil increases the mass of the two-storey building to the equivalent of a four- or five-storey building. And the large open-plan internal gallery space requires big double T-beam spans that also have to carry the roof load. Cast-in-situ concrete has been used for the walls, bringing benefits of continuity to the steel detailing and wall structure.

… the $25 million project means the enhanced plant can consume 3 million of the 5 million tyres New Zealand discards each year.

A 2-D strut and tie analysis determined the loads on the irregular and asymmetrical building, with the lack of plane faces on walls and floors introducing variable loads and load points.

And underpinning it all, there’s a network of steelcased, reinforced concrete piles tied together by a substantial array of reinforced concrete ground beam, providing a stable base on reclaimed land that’s prone to settlement, liquefaction and lateral spread.

A quarter of a century since conception and nine months into a two-and-a-half year build, there’s no doubt Hundertwasser’s unique legacy will endure.

Engineering energy independence It’s full steam ahead for a $176 million expansion of the Ngawha geothermal power station. The expansion will increase security and reliability of electricity supply for the region, as well as helping meet the Government’s target of 90 percent renewable electricity generation by 2030.

Construction will inject dollars into the local economy, as well as creating a regionally self-sufficient supply more than 95 percent of the time.

Stretching 3km² across the Ngawha geothermal field, 5km east of Kaikohe, the new power plant and steam field will generate 31 megawatts of electricity, more than doubling the output of Ngawha’s existing two plants.

Site works began in October 2017, and the project’s expected to be fully operational by November 2020. It’s a tight timeline, as tendering and awarding of contracts for well drilling and power plant construction require sequencing. And there are regional climatic conditions to contend with. High annual rainfall and heavy clay soils combine to severely limit the Far North’s earthworks’ season. With only two seasons to shift 940,000m³ (imagine a 38-storey building with the footprint of a football field), civil works started early in the programme.

Geothermal drilling, up to 1,600m deep, was completed in January. And well testing late last year proved enough geothermal fluid was available, with a greater-thanexpected energy content. Construction of the power station is scheduled for the second half of this year.

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With thanks to the following contributors: Ngawha Geothermal Power station: Thomas Zink CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ), Project Director, Top Energy/Ngawha Generation; Kamo Shared Path: Jeff Devine, Roading Manager and Nick Marshall, Team Leader Road Safety and Traffic Engineering, Whangarei District Council. Mike Sullivan CMEngNZ CPEng, Consultant Engineer, Whangarei; Hundertwasser Arts Centre: Rachel Wright CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ), Director, RS Eng (formerly Richardson Stevens Consulting Engineers); Golden Bay Cement: Russell Dyer MEngNZ, Co-processing Engineer, Golden Bay Cement (Fletcher Concrete and Infrastructure).

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1. The newly-constructed Kamo Shared Path. Photo: Whangarei District Council 2. 3D model of the FLSmidth HOTDISC® system, to be installed at the Golden Bay Cement plant. Image: FLSmidth 3. Preparation for the first big 280m³ concrete pour at the Hundertwasser Art Centre site.

Photo: Sue Shepherd 4. Iceland Drilling Company’s Odinn rig drilling one of the injection wells at Ngawha.

Photo: Top Energy

Snapshot System 001, part of The Ocean Cleanup project in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, between Hawaii and California. A 600-metre-long floater sits at the surface of the water with a tapered three-metre-deep skirt attached below. The floater provides buoyancy and prevents plastic from flowing over it, while the skirt stops debris from escaping underneath. It relies on the natural forces of the ocean and doesn’t need an external energy source to catch and concentrate the plastic. Photo: The Ocean Cleanup

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42 The digital revolution

43 Intersection

44 The generalist in a specialist world

46 Inspecting unconsented work

Best practice

40 Diversity in motion

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Opinion Bridget Burdett CMEngNZ is the new Vice Chair of the Engineering New Zealand Transportation Group.

She has a Masters of Engineering in Transportation, and a Doctorate in Psychology. Bridget is a Principal Researcher at transportation consultancy MRCagney.

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Diversity in motion BRIDGET BURDETT CMEngNZ

How can greater diversity in transportation engineering help create a more inclusive world?

There’s a roundabout near my home in suburban Hamilton where I was almost knocked off my bike on my way to work last year. I was turning right, and as I prepared to exit, a driver failed to give way and sped past, causing me to slam on my brakes and stop. They continued on, seemingly oblivious. A driver in the adjacent turning lane, waiting for me to proceed, stared at me wide eyed and we took a moment to breathe before continuing on our day.

That roundabout and its lane configuration mightn’t appear to have much to do with diversity and inclusion in transportation engineering but there’s more to this story than an inattentive driver. There were two approach lanes only because the turning lane was added to mitigate against “adverse effects on traffic” as part of a nearby building development’s resource consent conditions. The traffic effects were calculated with a traffic simulation model, based on current and projected motor vehicle flows through the intersection.

But in transport engineering we need to consider the effects of such decisions on other people – particularly pedestrians and cyclists, whose risk is markedly increased at double-lane roundabouts.

That’s where diversity comes in. If the profession is dominated by people who have the freedom and wherewithal to drive everywhere, it’s difficult to see the impact of those decisions on what used to be called “inferior modes”. Although there’s increasing recognition of design

for pedestrians and cyclists, it’s not enough to overcome decades of industry habit. Design tools such as intersection modelling allow for pedestrian volumes in theory but we need better data and more comprehensive tools. Information about pedestrians can help decision makers consider the social and psychological impact of environments that do not feel safe – and therefore, do not attract many walking and cycling trips.

While we do not have good data about gender and ethnic diversity in the industry, transportation engineering is traditionally Pākehā- and male-dominated. Many professionals already recognise gender diversity is important, most notably for engineers through Engineering New Zealand’s Diversity Agenda, which aims to get 20 percent more women in engineering and architecture roles by 2021.

More specifically in the built environment, groups such as Women in Urbanisation promote diversity of voice because cities planned by, and for, women are more inclusive, healthier, happier places. Data from the Ministry of Transport’s Household Travel Survey shows women make shorter and more complicated trips than men. They’re more likely to walk and use public transport, and more likely to combine transporting children with trips to work, shopping, and other activities. Overall, women’s different experiences of transport mean their values and decisions as professionals are likely to be different from men’s. Current transport engineering and planning tools fail to recognise such differences.

Ethnic diversity is important too.

There is rapidly increasing awareness in New Zealand of the range of cultures that make up our towns, cities, and rural areas but the push towards ethnic voices being part of decision making is not as strong as that for women. A news article earlier this year highlighted the insensitivity of a high-speed, high-volume State Highway 1 alongside a marae, where people gather to be together, to celebrate, and also to grieve. Planning rules that work to manage effects of new developments are not always easily applied in retrospect.

Beyond gender and ethnic diversity, there’s always potential to expand what we mean by inclusion. In transport, people with a disability are particularly disadvantaged by design that doesn’t include them. Roundabouts with two approach lanes, for example, are difficult for any pedestrian to negotiate, and can be a complete barrier to someone who has a vision impairment or cannot walk quickly.

Design tools and processes that allow for universal access are available but do not have as high a profile as similar tools and processes that support other investment objectives, such as road safety.

The Transportation Group of Engineering New Zealand recognises a lack of diversity in the profession is reflected in everyday decision making.

As an industry group with influence we want to do more but for us, diversity is about more than workforce statistics. The Transportation Group is active in seeking opportunities to engage with other professionals, including land use planners and urban designers, to promote diversity of voice in the profession.

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The digital revolution DAN JURGENS

With a digital toolset that enables engineers to work in a virtual environment, digital engineering can mean not just better workplace practices but a better country.

Our industry is constantly evolving and one of the best examples of how practices are maturing is digital engineering. As a concept it’s not new, but we’re now at the point where the digital revolution is delivering on the promise of Building Information Modelling, the Internet of Things, augmented and virtual reality, Geographic Information Systems, data analytics and more.

In its purest form, digital engineering is the digital toolset that enables us to work in a virtual environment. It’s how we create, piece by piece, a full digital twin of everything around us – facilities, infrastructure, our environments and how we interact with them. It’s also how we capture this flood of data and turn it into meaningful knowledge for the greater good.

Creating smart cities Last year, I visited the site of the impressive Slussen redevelopment project in Sweden.

The entire urban transformation project is required to produce model-based deliverables, with almost no traditional documentation, hosted in centralised databases. A proper “level 3” Building Information Modelling project.

With digital engineering, the methodologies and skill sets enable the convergence of mapping, building, utility

and other data into accurate virtual models. These models effectively create smart cities that have many benefits, including helping reduce waste and improve efficiencies. A good example is energy use, where a network of sensors in buildings cuts energy use and wasted resources by automatically manipulating shades, lights, air conditioners and power sources.

Going deeper, facilities are computers themselves, where elements, fixtures and even materials are monitoring and responding to conditions inside and outside the facility.

Using data to build better These connections aren’t limited to facilities. The entire fabric of our infrastructure – including roads, bridges and ports – can report on their health, their life and connect to similar structures in different weather conditions. Together they create live neural networks of correlated data that provides information for the maintenance of a structure. Furthermore, it builds a database of information for the next generation of more resilient, more sustainable and better structures.

During design, smart virtual objects “know” they must fit together in a certain way when they’re being constructed. The design tool must take that into account and make sure they come together in the same way in the Building Information Model. These objects have a spatial awareness of where they need to be and

automatically assess the criteria present to create an optimal layout.

During construction, building elements have smart devices and sensors built into them that determine their performance, transmitting metrics as part of a larger system that manages the signals from all the tagged objects. This data is used to monitor job sites, manage logistics, keep track of materials that have arrived on the job site and monitor their use, determine which building components have already been used in the construction and which are in storage, keep track of personnel flow, manage work assignments and more.

These sensors in the building elements “know” their properties and potential signs of damage, deterioration, incorrect installation or compromises to structural integrity.

The future is now Change is happening so rapidly we all need to embrace it and be a part of this digital revolution. For anyone working in digital engineering, I’d advise starting small: look at your workflows and how you can digitise them. Consider not only how being fully digital can benefit your business, but what impact you could have on wider society. Look at how you can become a temporary custodian of the knowledge you create, and how you can hand it on to the next part of the supply chain for the greater good of New Zealand.

Dan Jurgens is Technical Director, Digital Engineering at WSP Opus.

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Intersection

Intersection

Crossing paths with engineers.

Kathryn Salm Based in: Christchurch Role: Associate – NZ Spatial Lead, Aurecon Education: Bachelor of Science (Hons) (Environmental Science), University of Canterbury, 1998; PhD, University of Canterbury, 2005.

My career path… has been varied. I began in the natural sciences – zoology – but moved quickly into more digitally oriented roles focused on project management, leading teams, digital strategy and consulting.

My role involves… “Location Intelligence” – GIS, BIM, design tools and other spatially “aware” systems that allow us to collect, create and analyse spatial information at various scales. And technologies that support us collecting, visualising and using information in spatially aware ways, such as AR/VR, 3D models, digital twins, and gaming engines. My work’s split between leading our NZ Spatial Team at a strategic level, and leading the visualisation team at the North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery Alliance (NCTIR) supporting the work to restore the road and rail networks following the Kaikōura Earthquake.

I have a passion for… the value spatial technology can bring. From a spatial perspective I’ve always been interested

in the architecture/engineering/ construction/built environment sector.

This interest intensified at around the time BIM, big data, IoT/sensor network technology, data standards, smart asset management and new ways of visualising information started to become more mainstream.

I work with engineers… in a variety of ways. Most recently, at NCTIR, we work with engineers to help them visualise their designs in 3D and in the context of the complex landscape and other engineering works, to support improved design coordination and communication.

We also use visualisation to support the programme in value engineering, safety in design, and stakeholder engagement activities.

Three observations I’d make after working with engineers are… they tend to be really knowledgeable and passionate about their specialist areas; they’re very good at coming up with innovative engineering solutions to gnarly problems and they don’t always get my sense of humour!

Engineers all seem to be good at… detail, and they generally seem to all be very organised.

I wish all engineers knew that… being open to engaging more with the possibilities of new technology and connecting across disciplines – and on occasion being the voice for driving change when things are

being done “the way they always have been” – would mean we could move the whole industry forward in exciting new ways. I tend to have a very broad view and can see opportunities and connections for the technology we are using that you can’t always see when you are deep in the detail.

Engineering decisions impact on my work because… currently, most engineering decisions are still focused on the old project-based paradigm, where the costs are usually pared back as much as possible to win the work. That impacts on the role of “digital” in projects, as while there may be budget for the basic use of GIS for example, there’s rarely the opportunity to go into projects and say: what if we approached this completely differently? The most difficult part of innovating in our industry is being given the time and space to actually effect change. Sometimes that involves some investment at the start, for a payoff later.

My work impacts on engineering because… spatial information’s an incredibly powerful way to support more informed decision making.

Knowing where things are, were, or are likely to be, is essential information for engineers. Spatial visualisation and analysis can support the entire engineering lifecycle from site selection and option testing, through design, stakeholder engagement, construction, operations/asset management and decommissioning assets.

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EG 7/2019

The generalist in a specialist world

Opinion After graduating from the University of Auckland in 1972, Pete van Grinsven CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) has been a chippie, a teacher, a draftee and an engineer, forming PvG Design in the early 2000s. He is the interim Chair of the Special Interest Group for Engineering General Practitioners.

Contact him at pete@pvgdesignltd.co.nz

Best practice

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PETE VAN GRINSVEN CMEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ)

In an increasingly specialising profession, there’s still a place for generalist engineers – general practitioners – who are called to unite and increase their strength and influence.

In the past, specialist troops, or military engineers, built the structures, roads and devices needed to wage wars.

Over time, civilians saw the value of a systematic approach to solving society’s practical problems and the civilian – or civil – engineer came into being. These engineers helped build houses, along with municipal, commercial, farm and industrial buildings. They needed to understand loads and the paths these take through structures to the ground on which they’re supported. Civil engineers carried out this work knowing where loads were generated – live loads, dead loads, wind loads, earthquake loads.

Also, how various structural components responded to those loads – beams, columns, walls – and the performance characteristics of various materials. They understood the environmental factors that might affect a structure, such as ground conditions, exposure, altitude and temperature, and designed to the standards of the day.

Engineers were also required to consider costs, worker skill levels and the requirements of regulators (now territorial authorities). They had to consider the owners, the building’s neighbours, financiers, insurers, architects and draftspeople. They also controlled construction to ensure the final structure was safe and stable and ready for purpose, with strong foundations.

The job was, and remains, immensely complex.

The age of the specialist Advances in design and construction mean engineers have become specialised – for example structural, electrical, geotechnical. Civil engineers are now specialising in earthworks, roading, stormwater and sewer systems. This is a vital part of engineering’s future and works well for large projects but doesn’t provide a suitable engineering structure to address smaller projects. Cue what used to be a civil engineer, but in today’s environment could be called an engineer in general practice.

The role of the generalist Smaller projects require engineers who understand enough of all the components to see how they integrate. These engineers are highly skilled, and the complexity of their work doesn’t derive from advanced analysis. It’s from the melding of myriad inputs and constraints, guided by a strong knowledge of structures, geomechanics and civil engineering. These engineers still abound in our community.

Like their counterpart in the medical profession, general practitioners, they’re often the first port of call for professional advice. This leads to a “diagnosis” and “treatment” with the engineering problem resolved and a suitable design provided.

The engineer looks at a project in a holistic sense before designing specific elements. Many stakeholders will have been consulted and often conflicting requirements resolved.

Sometimes, as an engineer works through the process, it becomes apparent some part of the project requires specialist input. General practitioners must know enough about all the fields involved in construction to understand when a specialist will be required, and to

brief them, allowing for the constraints on the project.

In this more specialised era, general practice engineers have become increasingly isolated. The professional development available has been focused further into the apex of the design model, meaning the skills available within this group of engineers have become misunderstood. Some stakeholders question whether these are “real” professional engineers. The danger is the construction industry will struggle to find appropriate and economic engineering solutions, and the profession stands to lose a fine body of engineers with much to contribute to society.

Re-establishing mana A group of engineers came together in 2018 to develop a vehicle for advocacy, a repository of knowledge and a source of professional development for the general practice engineer. With Engineering New Zealand’s support, we’ve created the Special Interest Group for Engineering General Practitioners. We’ve been developing a Body of Knowledge as a base for assessment and professional development.

The group is seeking engineers working in isolation and potentially missing opportunities that can be offered through a community. By keeping up with what’s going on in the industry, engineers increase their relevance, and in turn their credibility with territorial authorities.

Whether you want to contribute a lot, or just absorb new information, this is a chance to get more involved with the engineering community, increase the power of our voice and help re-establish the mana of those formerly known as civil engineers.

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EG 7/2019

Inspecting unconsented work STACEY CAMPBELL AND MADISON DOBIE

Recent media articles about properties constructed without building consent, and high-profile failures such as Tauranga’s Bella Vista subdivision, have increased public scrutiny of the engineer’s role in the building consent process. So what are engineers’ obligations and how should they supervise building work?

Building consent authorities (BCAs) are telling us they have serious concerns about engineers supervising construction or signing PS4s for properties that don’t have building consent.

Under the Building Act 2004, all building work must have building consent unless it meets certain exceptions set out in the Act. Due to time pressures, contractors and property owners sometimes want to proceed with building work before consent has been granted. This is illegal and can result in a fine of up to $200,000.

When you sign a PS4, you are saying that you believe on reasonable grounds that building work complies with building consent and the building code. If you sign a PS4 for building work that does not have building consent, you could be held liable for making a false declaration. You could also face other penalties or professional discipline under the CPEng Act and Engineering New Zealand’s Disciplinary Regulations.

A client may ask you to supervise construction or issue a PS4 for work that does not have building consent. This may be uncomfortable, and your client may place significant pressure on you

to proceed. They may even tell you your contract with them obliges you to sign off work when they ask. We have heard from engineers who sometimes feel the most pragmatic thing to do is sign the PS4 and leave it up to their client to deal with any building consent issues. We understand the desire to keep your client happy, and to keep a project moving forward, especially if there are delays on the part of a BCA. However, it is not in your client’s best interest for you to help them carry out illegal building work. If you do, they could face prosecution and a significant fine.

You could also be placing yourself at significant legal and professional risk if you do not take reasonable steps to check that building consent has been granted before you inspect or certify work. BCAs rely on engineers to act as an important check in the building consent process. While this has always been the case, BCAs are increasingly aware of their responsibility to ensure compliance with the Act, and the consequences for not doing so.

BCAs rely on engineers to ensure that where a project does not have building consent, it will not be constructed. You are a critical check to ensure the process runs smoothly and applicable laws are followed.

BCAs can also raise complaints with Engineering New Zealand when engineers supervise work that does not have building consent. Under the Engineering New Zealand Code of Ethical Conduct, engineers must act with honesty and integrity. If an engineer supervises work

or signs a PS4 for work that does not have building consent, they could be found to have acted with a lack of honesty or integrity. Engineers are also obligated to comply with applicable New Zealand laws, including the Building Act. A complaint can be stressful, time-consuming and potentially lead to a disciplinary finding against you.

In some cases, you may have assumed building consent existed, without explicitly asking your client or sighting the consent.

Before you sign a PS4, you must believe on reasonable grounds that the work complies with the building consent. This requires you to take positive steps – it is more than assuming there is building consent for the work. Ask and confirm there is building consent before you sign a PS4. This protects you against any suggestion you knowingly signed a PS4 or supervised work that had no building consent.

In summary, if your client asks you to supervise building work that does not have building consent, warn them that continuing would risk breaching the Building Act, and that you cannot supervise the work or sign a PS4 until consent has been granted. If you are worried about your contractual obligations or the legal risks of supervising unconsented work, we recommend talking to a lawyer about your concerns.

Stacey Campbell is Senior Legal Advisor and Madison Dobie is Legal Advisor at Engineering New Zealand.

Shorts

48 Starting over in New Zealand

51 Day in the life

52 The secret life of engineers

55 C-Suite

56 Bedside table

57 Review

59 Obituary

60 Engineering Genius

EG 7/2019

48

Starting over in New Zealand

World Refugee Day Every year, 20 June marks World Refugee Day, commemorating the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees. More than 1,000 people come to New Zealand every year as refugees. The quota will rise to 1,500 a year in 2020.

Shorts

WRITER MATT WINTHROP

Lal Cinzah is a structural engineer who loves his job and living in Nelson in equal measure. It’s a long way from 2006, when he and his family arrived from Myanmar as refugees to forge a new life in this strange and unknown land.

Coming from a tropical country, the New Zealand winter made an instant impression on the then 14-year-old when he stepped off the plane.

“Wow, it’s really cold,” Lal Cinzah, an Emerging Professional Member of Engineering New Zealand, remembers thinking.

His second impression?

“How polite everyone was – people say hello to you in the street even when they don’t know you, and at first I didn’t know why they did that.”

Lal, his parents, brother and three sisters arrived as refugees from Chin State in western Myanmar, leaving behind a country that’s endured decades-long civil conflict for a better life in New Zealand.

The family found a home in Nelson. It was all new and challenging in those early days, he recalls.

“Everything was so different when we arrived. It was like starting from scratch, our family didn’t have much in the way of resources.”

Lal and his family spoke Chin and Burmese but English was a struggle.

Seemingly straightforward tasks like opening a bank account or ringing the doctor are major obstacles when you don’t speak English, much harder still when you’re looking for work and a place to live.

What helped enormously, he says, were the community sponsors who supported the family as they settled in, helping them access the services they needed so they could get on the road to Kiwi life.

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I wanted to do engineering because you solve problems and do good things for people.

“They were very helpful and we are very thankful.”

Lal attended Nelson College, where school life was particularly different from what he was used to.

“I was very surprised because back home it was about rote learning – learning something over and over.

But often we’d forget it in a few weeks, whereas here in New Zealand we try to understand things, how to do stuff, so that was really good for my education.”

He’d long been interested in engineering, and while at school, decided to pursue it as a career.

“I wanted to do engineering because you solve problems and do good things for people. You have the power to make a difference, to solve problems for society.”

After leaving school, he studied civil engineering at the University of Canterbury and graduated with honours.

Then he returned to Nelson where he got a job first with Fulton Hogan, and then Tasman Consulting Engineers.

“I work a lot on residential and commercial building projects, doing design and dealing with contractors and architects. I’m really enjoying what I do.”

Returning to Nelson made sense, he says. It’s where his family and friends are, and where he retains strong links with the local Chin community, which numbers around 500 in the area.

“The community is a big part of my life, so I want to be near them. They are people from the Chin state in Myanmar.

We call ourselves the Chin community of Nelson.

“There are a lot of families who use Chin when we talk to each other. I don’t forget my mother tongue because I use it at home, and a lot of people who live here use it too.”

Lal is active in the community, and plays a big role in the youth group.

While engineering gives him the flexibility to pursue work in bigger cities like Wellington, Auckland or even Melbourne, which he may do one day, Nelson is home for the next while.

Lal says life is a lot more stable now than it was when his family arrived in New Zealand.

“It’s fair to say we’ve done our best to overcome the challenges.

“Looking back on my life, of course when I was first here I had the language problem, I had to adapt to the environment, pretty much everything.”

He believes there are a lot of opportunities for new arrivals to New Zealand, and that “if there’s a will, there’s a way”.

“I wanted to become an engineer.

I worked hard and even though we didn’t have a lot of money there was a student allowance and a good university for me to attend. If there’s a desire, it can be done in New Zealand. That’s what I would like to tell people coming to New Zealand for a new life.”

Lal has become a New Zealand citizen, so “feels more Kiwi” than he used to. But the surest sign yet that this is home?

“I don’t mind the cold weather now – I think I’ve adjusted to that.”

If you’re new to New Zealand, or know an engineer who is, there’s an Engineering New Zealand Special Interest Group for Immigrant Engineers. Find out more at sigie.org.nz

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Shorts

51

ay in the life

New Fellow Andrew Delugar is a Project Director in offshore Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) at KBR, a large company providing solutions in the energy, technology and government support areas. Andrew says his job enables him to “play with some amazing toys” – offshore platforms and subsea equipment. He is Chair of Engineering New Zealand’s United Kingdom Branch, which holds regular committee meetings, technical talks and social events. When not working or travelling for work, Andrew plays in the local brass band and spends time with his wife and three children.

05:30 Wake up, have breakfast and watch the business news briefing. Always interesting to get the midday reports from the Asia Pacific region.

06:00 Cycle to work, approximately 5km away, then get ready for the day.

06:45 Start work, usually checking the latest mail and planning ahead for the day.

08:00 Short, daily team meeting in the “collaboration area” to ensure good communication and provide performance updates on the tasks we need to complete.

09:00 Design review meetings where engineering skills and experience are used to help solve problems. These can involve layout challenges in the tight and constrained offshore platform environment, or integration of different parts of the design.

Andrew Delugar FEngNZ Based in: Leatherhead, Surrey, England Role: Project Director, KBR Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), University of Auckland, 1995

11:00 We work in an integrated team with our client; however, there are also regular catch ups with our client representative to ensure a good alignment of objectives, and that we’re performing as expected. Also, to discuss risks and opportunities.

12:00 Lunchtime – run, tennis or yoga which I vary through the week.

Some days work spills over, but I do try to get some activity in for wellbeing, and to keep energised and creative.

13:00 We typically hold interactive workshops involving specialists from different disciplines. I’m currently working on a concept development of a large gas field for BP in West Africa. We use challenge workshops to ensure we fully understand business drivers and can provide optimum engineering and design solutions to meet these.

15:00 I use the afternoon for relationship building and 1:1 meetings with my team members, and with engineers working on their career development.

16:00 I work through daily mail and on actions that I need to complete. Before heading home, I look at the plans for tomorrow and try to spend some time exploring opportunities – for example to do things more efficiently, or to motivate the team through milestone achievement celebrations.

18:00 Head home on the bike, and in the summer months do an extra loop through the Surrey hills on my way.

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EG 7/2019

The secret life of engineers … people building vehicles from scratch are rare regardless of gender.

Photo: Scott Sneddon/DIY Photography

Eva Hakansson Role: Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering, the University of Auckland Based in: Auckland Education: Bachelor of Business, Mälardalen University, Sweden 2005; Bachelor in Environmental Science, Mälardalen University, Sweden 2005; Master of Engineering (Mechanical), University of Denver, 2013; PhD (Mechanical Engineering), University of Denver, 2016

Shorts

Auckland-based mechanical engineering lecturer Eva Hakansson became the world’s fastest female motorcycle rider at 434kph. She builds her electric streamliner motorcycles from scratch and spends most of her spare time on race-related activities.

How did you get into racing?

It’s a “genetic disease” – my father was a champion Swedish motorcycle rider/builder in the 1960s.

How did your upbringing contribute to your achievements?

Everyone in my family is an engineer.

My mother jokingly claims the “statute of limitations” has expired on her mechanical engineering degree.

She has taken up 3D printing in her retirement, so that might still be considered engineering.

What’s your biggest project right now?

We’re building a new, much more powerful, electric motorcycle, the Green Envy, that will have over 1000 HP. The goal is the overall motorcycle land speed record, currently at 605kph. It will be crowd funded and I am hoping to start a movement to kick the butt of internal combustion, which has held the speed record for more than 100 years.

Are there any parallels between engineering and racing?

Land speed racing, and building the vehicle, is primarily engineering – design, analysis, materials science, project management.

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How do those closest to you support your passion?

My husband, Bill Dubé, is my racing “addiction enabler”. We encourage each other. He, and his electric drag bike, the KillaCycle are a fixture in electric vehicle (EV) racing. We met when I requested permission to publish a photo of the KillaCycle in a small book I published on EVs.

What is the main question you get asked by your students?

How to get started with hands-on work, as they understand the joy and value in building things. I tell them to start with a small project that fits within their time and resources. There is no greater satisfaction than building something with your own hands that works, and a small project is a gateway drug into large projects.

What’s your ultimate goal with racing?

To be the fastest. Also, to demonstrate the capabilities and desirability of EVs and encourage STEM education in children, particularly girls.

How do you overcome the claustrophobia and discomfort of the machine?

I have (mostly) overcome the claustrophobia of being strapped into the extremely tight confines of the streamliner motorcycle. The physical discomfort of the heat is still very much there. I wear a thick Nomex flame suit that covers me, and track temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius.

What’s the most innovative technology you’ve used when building a bike?

I use surprisingly conventional technology, just cleverly packaged! The heart of the vehicle is the battery pack.

The most innovative thing is probably my own effort to “re-invent the wheel”. The Green Envy is being built for 650+kph, and there are no suitable tyres for that kind of speed and size of vehicle. I’ve been working on an idea for a nonpneumatic wheel with rubber grip for a few years, and ran these new wheels – dubbed KiWieels – in Australia earlier this year with great results.

What percentage of other people you meet who are building their own bikes are female?

There are quite a few very talented female riders but woefully few female builders or fabricators. There are definitely female riders that know how to spin a wrench, but people building vehicles from scratch are rare regardless of gender.

What achievement means the most to you?

I’m amazed how much my husband and I have accomplished on a shoestring budget. From a racing perspective, our most successful race was at Lake Gairdner salts flats in South Australia in March. We only set a small Australian speed record at 347kph but performed some very successful testing of the KiWieels. It was a huge expedition and the remote outback location makes logistics challenging and expensive. Although an EV is simple in concept, there’s a lot of work – cleaning (the salt gets in everywhere and turns rock hard if not immediately removed), charging, repairs, upgrades, adjustments – and a whole lot of waiting while 200 people share the same track. We’re amazed we pulled it off and can’t wait to get back again next year.

Find out more at greenenvyracing.com

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Shorts

55

C

–Suite

Peter Amos FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) Based in: Wellington Role: Managing Director and Principal Engineer, Damwatch Engineering Education: Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), University of Canterbury, 1984; MBA, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia, 2002 Who has had the most influence on your career to date?

I have been fortunate to work with a number of outstanding engineers, geologists and business leaders who all shared information and expertise generously. Their passion for the sector was infectious. One of my longest and strongest influences would be Murray Gillon DistFEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ), an early boss at the Ministry of Works. Several years later I re-joined him after he founded Damwatch.

What role has been most pivotal to your success?

In my earlier years I worked in a larger consulting firm, giving me insight into the factors that drive organisational success. My involvement in international work provided an understanding of the commercial aspects and risks of international business.

Why did you decide to specialise in dams?

By accident really. I was employed by the Ministry of Works not long after graduation to work on bridges in Gisborne, but was

instead sent to Alexandra to work on the Clyde Dam project. Then I was offered a role in the hydropower dam design office in Wellington and I jumped at the chance.

Dams are fascinating structures. The engineering is challenging and each dam is different and requires a blend of many of the fundamentals of civil engineering, geotechnical, structural and hydraulics.

Also, the physical locations are stunning.

Over my career, the emphasis has shifted from building new dams to keeping these very large structures operating safely for a sustainable future.

What’s at the forefront of your mind every day?

Building the business to be sustainable in the long term, ensuring clients are getting quality service and advice, and keeping the team happy.

How did you build the company’s international reputation?

On specialist skills, supported by strong relationships that have taken time to develop. We’ve been involved in projects in Asia, North America, Africa and Australia.

Outside New Zealand you’re a small fish in a very big pond and it’s always challenging to be seen, heard and taken seriously.

We started by leveraging our contacts to develop relationships. Every meeting is a credibility check. We try to work with a local partner if possible and this has a big influence on success. Respecting local stakeholders and partners is important, as is showing them you’re in for the long term.

What’s key in maintaining this reputation?

Being technically capable, honest and providing solutions that suit the situation.

Maintaining our reputation comes through honest delivery of quality work and strengthening our relationships with clients and partners. The best recommendations come from existing clients and stakeholders who have experienced successful projects. As a small firm, we also make use of a wide network of expert international colleagues to strengthen our project teams.

What’s your biggest focus over the next five years?

Developing our people. It’s really difficult to find experienced people with dam engineering expertise in New Zealand.

This is a world-wide problem, especially with few dam projects on which to train young engineers.

What advice do you have for engineers aiming for the C-Suite?

Having the right attitude creates the right culture – people will do great things if they have a supportive work environment.

This is hard to develop and quick to destroy. As a manager, you need to be approachable, empathetic and supportive at a personal level, while understanding what makes the organisation tick technically and commercially. Being humble enough to recognise your own strengths and weaknesses will show you where to develop and where to seek support from others.

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EG 7/2019

edside table

New Fellow Annette Sweeney’s been in consulting since graduating and loves the pace, flexibility and variety of a small team environment. She works across the environmental engineering and planning disciplines in the water sector, with the company focusing on rural and provincial communities. Highlight projects include the Waimakariri Flood Protection Project for Environment Canterbury, a review of schools’ infrastructure following the Canterbury earthquakes and working alongside Hastings District Council after the Havelock North drinking water contamination event.

What’s on your bedside table?

Bedside lamp, kind of weird Dr Seussstyle vase, a stack of books (half-read, to read or re-read), Dermalogica sleep cream, ChapStick, my phone (alarm clock – should really get a proper alarm clock and relegate the phone from the bedside table), photos of some of my latest adventures (to remind me of fun times with friends and family – at the moment it’s photos from a mountain biking event with my brother and sisterin-law, and tramping Stewart Island over summer with a fantastic group of friends), sometimes my cat!

Annette Sweeney FEngNZ CPEng IntPE(NZ) Based in: Manawatu Role: Principal Environmental Engineer, Managing Director, Good Earth Matters Qualifications: Bachelor of Engineering (Natural Resources), University of Canterbury, 1995; Master of Science (Resource Management), Lincoln University, 1997

Let’s focus on those books, why did you choose them?

New Zealand’s Rivers: An Environmental History, by Catherine Knight. Catherine writes fantastic books that showcase our natural and social history, highlighting how far we’ve come, and how much work is left to do. It’s interesting reading about engineering projects such as flood schemes and power generation from a different perspective.

Exhausted to Energized, by Dr Libby Weaver, to learn about food as fuel and energy.

Busy as F*ck, by Karen Nimmo. I’m yet to read this one, but I bought it after reading a review. I’m really interested in learning how we can all be less busy and stressed, but more balanced, productive and engaged with the people, and world, around us.

At work, we’ve been talking about being “match fit” for our roles and these books all feed in to that.

What are the top books you would recommend to other engineers?

Quiet by Susan Cain. This book champions the introvert in an extrovert world, explaining their strengths, backed up by solid research and examples. It dispels the myth that you need to be an extrovert to lead and have an impact.

Trusted Advisor by David Maister – a modern-day “bible” with excellent examples, case studies and practical advice, explaining what it really means to be a trusted consultant, beyond technical expertise.

Shorts

The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson.

A historical account of the Broad Street cholera outbreak in London in 1854. It reads like a whodunnit but is a terrific account of how we began to understand water-borne diseases. What really struck me was how the “mystery” was solved with a combination of technical expertise, grassroots community knowledge and innovatively presenting information to decision makers.

What work-related books are on your mustread list?

Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth – I heard Kate speak at a conference and was totally inspired.

The Speed of Trust by Steven Covey; Water 4.0 by David Sedlak and anything from Bridget Williams Books – great publications on issues relevant to Aotearoa.

What do you read for fun?

Chick lit (love a good Marian Keyes, Liane Moriarty, Lauren Weisberger); autobiographies of people I admire; Jenny Pattrick is a favourite author – great New Zealand historical fiction set in familiar places and The Chronicles of Narnia never gets old!

Speed read Ebook/paper copy? I always have lots of books on the go, and like to delve into books I’ve previously read.

Library/own? I often re-read favourite books and like lending them out.

Bookmark/turn down page? Both.

Generally, “bookmark” is fashioned out of something on hand – a scrap of paper, a hair clip.

R

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eview

Solve for Happy: Engineer your path to joy

By Mo Gawdat How are you feeling today? It’s winter. And there’s still the daily grind: get up, go to work, pay bills, cook dinner, do the washing… then throw in various stresses and unforeseen circumstances – redundancy, illness, death of a loved one. Sometimes it can be hard to be happy, when life gets in the way.

So, if someone told you there was a mathematical solution for happiness, would you try it?

Author and entrepreneur Mo Gawdat is the former Chief Business Officer at Google [X], Google’s semi-secret R&D facility and organisation, now known as X Development. He believes happiness is a basic human desire but that we’re often looking for it in the wrong places.

As an engineer, he’s taken an analytical approach to happiness. He’s broken it down into components, then found a code he believes people can apply to their lives to deliver happiness in the face of adversities, big and small.

He’s had to put his own theories to the test after losing his 21-year-old son as a result of medical error during surgery. Mo says happiness starts with a conscious choice, and that we can feel pain but choose not to suffer. He talks about how to manage “the little voice inside your head”, the illusions, blind spots and truths we all encounter and how using his Happiness Equation can change the way a person approaches life.

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59

Obituary Ronald McLeay FEngNZ (Life) 1928–2019 Ronald McLeay was born in Edendale, Southland, and spent his early life on farms. At age 14 he attended Southland Technical College, initially to become a fitter and turner. He went on to study engineering in Christchurch, graduating with a Bachelor of Engineering. He began work as an engineering assistant for the Timaru City Council, first on an extension of the town’s water supply, then on the Timaru Gas Works. When he joined an engineering firm in 1964, it became Royds, Sutherland & McLeay, providers of engineering services to numerous local authorities in the South Island. He became Managing Director and remained so through subsequent mergers.

Ron was particularly interested in water supply and irrigation systems for farmers and small rural communities, and in hydro-electric schemes. He co-presented a paper to the Second New Zealand Energy Conference in 1975, urging the government to provide financial support for small hydro-electric schemes. He was a delegate at two World Energy Conferences.

Ron was a past-President of ACENZ. In addition to consultancy work in retirement, he dedicated time to Rotary’s Koroipita Rotohomes project in Fiji.

He leaves behind his wife Isabel, their four children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and extended family.

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60

Engineering Genius

Honey, I shrunk the dog Model is 3D-printed full-colour in sandstone to a colour resolution of 600 × 540 dpi, creating a life-like figurine.

EG 7/2019

Have you ever told anyone you wish you could clone them? Well, now you can – sort of. Chemical process engineer and former IT management consultant Sabry Macher’s Wellington-based business 3Dfy.me offers a 12cm replica of your mother/partner/child/dog/boss or anyone you can’t get enough of, to keep on your desk or bedside table. The business offers full-body 3D-digitisation and printing services in New Zealand and Indonesia. In addition to shrinking and cloning pets and significant others, the company is moving into custom photogrammetry rig production (that’s the scanner), 3D-avatar production, animation for virtual reality and augmented reality, and video gaming. Here’s a dog that bravely agreed to go on a “little” adventure.

Subject enters the 360-degree photogrammetry rig with 154 camera sensors, three HD image projectors and 42 LED light sources.

All sensors fire at once to create 2.5 Gigapixel of subject image data in less than a second.

Digital sculpting artist touches up the model to remove imperfections and tests the geometry for any issues such as thin, breakable parts.

Number crunching creates a sparse, dense point cloud through surface feature triangulation then computation of a highly detailed 3D-mesh (model geometry) and colour projection layer.

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