SearchEarly Careers Webinar Series: An Introduction to XRF in Contaminated Land Investigations and the Principals of Pavement Design, is a two-hour webinar designed for early career professionals.
Taking place on Thursday 16th July between 11am – 1pm, this webinar is part of a series designed to support early career geotechnical and geoenvironmental professionals in developing practical knowledge and technical confidence.
Chaired by Harry McAllister, (Principal Geotechnical Consultant at TRC Companies), this webinar will examine XRF in Contaminated Land Investigations and the Principals of Pavement Design.
This virtual event will feature three presenters, including Mike Smith, who will introduce BS10177, which focuses on X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers to investigate contaminated land. Mike’s presentation will examine the standards purpose, scope and practical application. James Nicholas, (Senior Land Quality Consultant at Arup), will then present a real‑world case study demonstrating the use of XRF in the field.
The final presentation will be delivered by Tom Green, (Technical Manager (UK) – Pavements at Socotec), who will provide an introduction to the principles of pavement design, linking in‑situ testing and site investigation data to design outcomes.
The webinar will include two Q&A sessions, giving attendees the opportunity to put questions directly to the speakers and explore the topics in further detail.
While the webinar is tailored for early career engineers and consultants who are new to work in the construction industry, professionals at all career stages are very welcome to attend and contribute to the discussion.
PROGRAMME
11:00: Opening Address
Presented by Harry McAllister, Principal Geotechnical Consultant at TRC Companies
11:10: COMING SHORTLY – BS 10177 Soil and Soil-Like Materials Quality Assessment – Use on-Site of Handheld Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometers – Code of Practice
Presented by Mike Smith, Chair of BSI Committee EH/4 Soil Quality
11:40: Rapid Screening of Arsenic in Soils: A Case Study on the Application of XRF Technology
Presented by James Nicholas, Senior Land Quality Consultant at Arup
11:55: Q&A with Mike Smith and James Nicholas
12:10: Essential Pavement Design
Presented by Tom Green, Technical Manager (UK) – Pavements at SOCOTEC UK
12:40: Q&A with Tom Green
12:58: Closing Address
Presented by Harry McAllister, Principal Geotechnical Consultant at TRC Companies
TICKETS
This webinar is free for Members to attend and £50 (ex VAT) for Non-Members.
N.B. in order to obtain the AGS Member rate, please add the delegate place to your basket, select ‘proceed to checkout’, enter delegate details and under ‘billing details’, select your company from the AGS member company dropdown list. The rate at the end of the checkout page will then update to the AGS member rate.
PRESENTATIONS
COMING SHORTLY – BS 10177 Soil and Soil-Like Materials Quality Assessment – Use On-Site of Handheld Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometers – Code of Practice
Presented by Mike Smith, Chair of BSI committee EH/4 Soil Quality
X-ray florescence analysis can provide accurate and reliable information about the presence and concentration of elements in a wide range of materials including soils and soil-like materials. BS 10177 will provide guidance on how to use hand-held XRF equipment during investigations in accordance with BS 10175:2026 to provide data of sufficient quality if required for direct use in human health and other risk assessments. It will provide guidance on the design of investigations including quality assurance procedures and how to make reliable site-specific comparisons with laboratory data.
Rapid Screening of Arsenic in Soils: A Case Study on the Application of XRF Technology
Presented by James Nicholas, Senior Land Quality Consultant at Arup
This presentation outlines a case study demonstrating the application of handheld X‑ray fluorescence (XRF) for assessing arsenic contamination in soils. The study highlights how in situ XRF testing enabled rapid identification of contaminant spatial variability, with results available in real time to inform decision-making. The presentation focuses on the methodology and application of the technique and will cover key technical considerations including data reliability and comparisons with laboratory testing.
Essential Pavement Design
Presentation from Tom Green, Technical Manager (UK) – Pavements at SOCOTEC UK
This presentation introduces essential pavement design principles and the critical role of comprehensive investigation in both new construction and existing infrastructure assessment.
Successful pavement design requires careful consideration of traffic patterns, material properties, environmental factors, and drainage provisions, all founded on accurate understanding of ground conditions beneath.
Evaluating existing pavements for rehabilitation planning and network asset management is essential to ensure long pavement life and cost-effective maintenance. The key assessment techniques covered include Ground Penetrating Radar, Falling Weight Deflectometer testing, coring and unbound materials sampling.
PLEASE NOTE
While our speakers are experts in their fields, they are not professional presenters by trade. As a result, they may not always exhibit the speaking confidence of professional presenters, and their slides might not be as refined.
Speakers
Principal Geotechnical Consultant at TRC Companies)
Harry has a degree in Geology from the University of Portsmouth and Master’s degree in Mining Geology and Geotechnics from the University of Exeter. He has over 8 years experience within the ground engineering sector as a geotechnical engineer with a focus on the redevelopment of brownfield sites for a variety of residential, commercial and industrial use. He has also gained significant experience on linear infrastructure projects across the UK and is an active member of the AGS Business Practice Working Group.
Chair of BSI Committee EH/4 Soil Quality
Mike Smith Chairs BSI’s committee on Soil quality (EH/4) and is active in ISO/TC 190 Soil quality and CEN/TC 444 Test methods for environmental characterization of solid matrices. He has been involved in standardization relating to soil quality for over forty years. In 1977, he became Secretary of the Interdepartmental Committee on Contaminated Land (ICRCL). From 1980 he headed the Building Research Establishment’s Contaminated Land Section, joining a private consultancy in 1985, and becoming a self-employed consultant in 1995.
Senior Land Quality Consultant at Arup
James is a senior land quality consultant in Arup’s London team with 10 years’ experience and a background in research chemistry. A Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management, he has led contaminated land input on major infrastructure projects including High Speed 2, Lower Thames Crossing, and significant residential developments across southern England with complex contaminated land requirements.
Technical Manager (UK) - Pavements at SOCOTEC UK
Tom Green is Pavement Technical Manager for SOCOTEC UK and has over twenty-five years of expertise in pavement and materials engineering. He is member of the Institute of Asphalt Technology and the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation; he currently serves as vice chairman of the Society of Chemical Industry’s construction materials committee. Mr Green’s extensive experience spans major pavement investigations projects including the M25, M3 and A66, as well as hundreds of smaller maintenance and improvement schemes. He also acts as technical lead for materials failure investigations and expert advisory work in civil court proceedings. He sits on several BSI committees and ADEPT materials engineering groups.
Price: £50.00
AGS Member: Free all prices exclude VAT
Price: £50.00
AGS Member: Free all prices exclude VAT