Article Instrumentation & Monitoring

Introduction to the AGS Instrumentation and Monitoring Working Group (I&MWG)

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Background
In March last year an international Instrumentation and Monitoring (I&M) Conference in London concluded with a Ground Engineering Round Table debate intended to identify matters within the I&M sector that needed attention.

It became apparent that there were key areas of concern about the need for education, training, and qualifications.

Taking an active part in the Round Table debate was Jonathan Gammon, Non-Executive Director and Advisor at I&M specialists Geotechnical Observations Limited and a Past-Chairman of AGS.

Jonathan believed that AGS was well-placed to take forward the matters discussed and subsequently submitted to AGS a proposal for the formation of an Instrumentation and Monitoring Working Group (I&MWG). AGS’s Executive approved the proposal towards the end of 2019 and invited Jonathan to be its Leader.

The role of I&M
“It’s easy for those of us directly involved in I&M to understand the importance of I&M” Jonathan recognises “but I hope the following diagram – my “GeoWheel©” – illustrates just how important it is:

The GeoWheel© is a means of:
• showing how ground engineering can be divided into distinct activities and how these activities interact,
• introducing Clients to the scope and range of services available to them,
• showing the nature, ownership, and progression of reports that are generated during a project’s lifecycle, and
• identifying key areas of “know-how” required of staff seeking professional qualifications such as Incorporated Engineer (IEng), Chartered Engineer (CEng), and Chartered Geologist (CGeol)

The four activities beyond the rim of the GeoWheel© (e.g. Project Management), hold steady the dynamics of the GeoWheel©.

The “R&D” activity that features at the hub of the GeoWheel© is short-hand for a range of activities such as Advanced Numerical Modelling Physical Modelling, Innovation, and the like … as well as Research & Development.

I&M lies at the hub of the GeoWheel© – indeed, forms its axle – and is therefore critical to both the rotation and the stability of the diverse activities around the GeoWheel© and those neighbouring activities at the hub itself.

I&M relates not only to geotechnical engineering and engineering geology but also to tunnelling, environmental engineering (including contaminated land and environmental monitoring), and structural engineering.”
It is important to note that the GeoWheel© does not identify the necessity to consider I&M on a Whole-Life basis, taking in long-term as well as baseline requirements. These may extend well beyond construction or implementation and include asset management, decommissioning, and demolition, as appropriate.

The Aims of the I&MWG
The importance of I&M, the need for it to be placed on the education curriculum, the need for formal programmes of training, and for there to be recognised qualifications for all those involved in I&M are the key drivers of the Aims of the I&MWG:
• To promote geotechnical, structural, and environmental instrumentation and monitoring (I&M) to the geotechnical, geoenvironmental, and wider ground engineering community.
• To raise awareness to clients, asset owners, their professional advisors, and related parties, of the need for baseline (i.e. pre-implementation/construction), project implementation, and post-implementation I&M for all types of projects and asset management.
• To be a focal point for the education and training of those engaged, or seeking to be engaged, in I&M including, but not limited to: the design and manufacture of instruments and related software and research and development, the design of and specification of I&M, the procurement of I&M, the installation of instruments, and the interpretation and presentation of I&M and related software.
• To identify and define an appropriate data format to effect the transfer of I&M data for interpretation, analysis, and presentation.

These Aims are contained in the “Terms of Reference and Modus Operandi” document as a necessary feature of the proposal to form this new Working Group.

The document then sets down how these Aims are to be achieved through the Group’s Activities, by:
a) promoting the activities of the I&MWG to the AGS Membership and to the wider industry.
b) maintaining a watching brief on I&M activities of the wider national and international engineering and related communities, and reporting these to the membership.
c) organising and running I&MWG initiatives and events on behalf of AGS.
d) being involved closely in the drafting and reviewing of national and international standards, codes of practice and other definitive guidance.
e) being represented on national and international Technical Committees, and the like, in addition to d), above.
f) being pro-active at all levels of education and technical and professional training.
g) establishing and promoting recognised qualifications for all those engaged in I&M work.
h) striving to become a leading national authority on I&M matters affecting the AGS Membership and the wider industry.

Promotion of the I&MWG within AGS and the Founding Members of the I&MWG
Existing Members of AGS were contacted to identify individuals who could be the Founding Members of the I&MWG. “My ambition was initially to establish what I saw as a “critical mass” of at least ten members forming the I&MWG”, reports Jonathan.

The Founding Members of the I&MWG are:
Jonathan Gammon Geotechnical Observations Limited [I&MWG Leader]
Neil Atkinson Arcadis
Paul Bailie Arup
Katharine Barker Campbell Reith
Tom Birch Geotechnics
Philip Child Bentley Systems
Chris Crosby Bridgeway Consulting
Emma Leivers Geotechnical Engineering
Mario Markos Miletic Fugro
Rachel Monteith BuroHappold Engineering
Andrew Ridley Geotechnical Observations Limited
Alice Shrubshall BuroHappold Engineering

“In time, and as we work our way through our planned activities, the size of the Group will grow, probably to a maximum of 20 members”.

Promotion of the I&MWG beyond current AGS Members
Some companies and organisations who are actively involved with I&M, including public and private sector Client organisations and institutions such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), are not Members of AGS.

The I&MWG has also been brought to the attention of a wider audience as a result of articles published by Ground Engineering on its website www.geplus.co.uk “This is a welcome opportunity to thank Michaila Hancock at GE, in particular, for her articles about I&M and the I&MWG.” Jonathan adds.

First Meeting of the I&MWG and Current Status of Aims and Activities
As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, the first meeting of the I&MWG took place online on Friday 24 April 2020.

With reference to the Aims and related activities:
a) Action relating to promotion of the Group has already been described in this article. Although the cancellation of the AGS Members Conference in April prevented an introduction to the I&MWG taking place at that time, this article is intended to make up for that lost opportunity.
b) Concerning wider national and international communities, contacts have already been established with various organisations and individuals. These include leading I&M practitioner John Dunnicliff, author of the world-famous book “Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring Field Performance”, who asks the I&MWG to acknowledge “the importance of human factors in geotechnical and structural monitoring programs”. A proposal to form a parallel I&MWG at AGS in Hong Kong was surprisingly unsuccessful although AGS(HK) have identified a point of contact with their existing Working Groups. A favourable response has been received from the British Tunnelling Society to contribute to revisions to their “Tunnelling Specification” and “Monitoring Underground Construction” documents.
c) A one-day AGS seminar (“Critical Links in Ground Engineering”), was planned by AGS at the time the I&MWG was formed. Scheduled initially for 15 July, a postponed date for this event in November is currently being sought, at which time it is likely to take the form of a webinar (c/o Caroline Kratz at AGS).
d) Regarding standards and the like, AGS’s revision of the “Yellow Book” – the UK Specification for Ground Investigation – will now include input from the I&MWG. BSI’s BS5930:2015+A1:2020 “Code of Practice for Ground Investigations” has just been published and includes a section on I&M.
e) Relating to Technical Committees, I&MWG member Andrew Ridley is Chairman of the ISSMGE’s Technical Committee TC220 “Field Measurement in Geomechanics” and is a member of the ISO’s Technical Committee ISO/TC182/WG2 “Monitoring in Geotechnical Engineering”. Andrew is also Chairman of the Organising Committee for the 12th FMGM Symposium to be held in early September 2022 at Imperial College, London.
f) g), and h). The I&MWG has already been represented at training events [f)] including a British Drilling Association Seminar and it plans to extend its engagement with education and technical and professional training and the establishment of recognised qualifications as soon as possible.

The I&MWG will be contributing to an AGS initiative relating to Procurement as influenced by the Institution of Civil Engineer’s “Project 13” and encompassing related issues such as Specifications and NEC4 (and its application, for example, to Ground Investigation).

Matters such as data format and management will be tackled in conjunction with AGS’s Data Management Working Group and there are other examples of where an ability to engage directly with another AGS Working Group will be to the I&MWG’s advantage.

And now there is a new matter needing the I&MWG’s attention: The impact of COVID-19 on I&M in the future.

Contact for the I&MWG
To contact or register interest in the I&MWG, please email ags@ags.org.uk

Article

BS 10176:2020 TAKING SOIL SAMPLES FOR DETERMINATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs) – SPECIFICATION

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This new standard is intended to raise the reliability of sampling soils for determination of VOCs in the UK, by introducing methods that have been common use in countries such as Australia and the United States for over twenty years. It has been known for decades that the methods commonly used in the UK do not provide reliable results and can lead to loss of VOCs during sampling, and consequentially underestimation of potential risks to humans and other receptors.

The primary purpose of the draft standard is to provide risk assessors and managers with data that is as representative as possible of conditions in the field, in relation to volatile elements that might otherwise be lost in the sampling and analytical processes. In this context, it is the limits of detection of concentrations in the field that are of primary importance, rather than the limits of detection in the laboratory, although of course the latter can also be a major influence on the former.

The introduction of the new standard will have a significant impact on how companies carry out sampling for VOCs and require close cooperation between those carrying out field work and analytical laboratories.

BS 10175:2011 + A2:2017 states in Clause 8.3.2 that when collecting samples for determination of volatile compounds the sampling technique employed should minimise the loss of volatiles. It is noted that a methodology for the collection of soil samples to minimize loss of volatiles is given in BS ISO 18512: 2007 (this refers to methanol immersion). The new standard should make it easier to comply with this recommendation.

BS 10176 will be a standard specification which means that its requirements must be closely followed to claim compliance. It thus differs from other standards such as BS 10175 and the BS ISO 18400 series which provide guidance and permit, and indeed rely on, the user using their judgement when applying them.

The new standard specifies sampling procedures for application in the field.

Analytical procedures are outside of the scope of the standard and the standard makes clear that it is the responsibility of laboratories to adopt analytical procedures that will provide accurate analytical results for samples as presented to them.

Laboratories are required by BS 10176 to provide pre-prepared sample containers complying with the specification provided in the standard. These are to be used in the field in strict accordance with the procedures described in the standard. Samples must be transported to the analytical laboratory in strict accordance with the prescribed method.

Preparation of the New Standard

Approval for the production of the standard was given by BSI committee EH/4 in October 2017. The decision was “advertised” in an -mail dated 31 October 2017 widely distributed to the contaminated land community by Mike Smith, the Vice-Chair of EH/4. Inter alia, the e-mail invited applications to join the Drafting Panel. The Drafting Panel began its work in May 2018 under the leadership of Geraint Williams. The Draft for Public comment (DPC) was circulated in July 2019.

The draft standard was prepared drawing on existing published guidance and standards, and the personal experience of the members of the Drafting Panel and others. It was recognised and anticipated that there were points of detail that laboratories, consultants and others might query. However, none of the comments submitted via the regular BSI process, suggested that there was anything fundamentally wrong with the standard and all such comments were readily dealt with following the usual BSI comment review process.

As mentioned in the Introduction to the standard, the use of methanol immersion to preserve samples containing VOCs is already required or recommended in a number of British Standards. The procedures specified in the standard amplify those in BS EN ISO 15009, BS EN ISO 16558-1, BS ISO 18512 and BS EN ISO 22155 for the application of the methanol immersion method. The specification also introduces procedures for application of the sodium hydrogen sulfate (sodium bisulfate) solution immersion method.

The inclusion of methanol immersion in these existing standards is an indication that it is internationally recognised as a desirable methodology for certain purposes and as noted in the standard, there are also descriptions of the procedure in standards and guidance in the USA and other countries. In addition, a number of major UK consultancies already make use of such methods on a regular basis and there is reference to it being used in the UK at least twenty years ago. It is not a novel procedure and it was consequently considered reasonable to assume that at least some UK laboratories are already familiar with the process.

The use of immersion in sodium hydrogen sulfate solution is not so well known in the UK but it is a standard procedure in the USA and other countries.

The procedures described in the existing BS ISO standards are not very precise and so it was deemed desirable to produce a more detailed specification that would help to ensure consistency of application and would be amenable to auditing (by UKAS etc. or clients as part of QA/QC) if required. Although the specification is of necessity prescriptive, it does recognise the need for flexibility to permit application in a variety of situations. Detailed procedures can always be deviated from provided what has actually been undertaken and the reasons for the deviation are properly justified and recorded.

Feedback to BSI on experiences of application of the new standard will be important to its successful application and help to ensure that it can be updated as necessary in due course. Feedback and queries should be sent to the Jessy Mathew, the Manager of BSI committee EH/4 (jessy.mathew@bsigroup.com )

References:
BS 10175:2011 + A2:2017 Investigation of potentially contaminated sites – Code of practice
BS EN ISO 15009 Gas chromatographic determination of the content of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons, naphthalene and volatile halogenated hydrocarbons – Purge-and-trap method with thermal desorption;
BS EN SO 16558-1 Risk–based petroleum hydrocarbons Determination of aliphatic and aromatic fractions of volatile petroleum hydrocarbons using gas chromatography (static headspace method);
BS ISO 18512 Soil quality – Guidance on long and short term storage of soil samples;
BS EN ISO 22155 Gas chromatographic determination of volatile aromatic and halogenated hydrocarbons and selected ethers – Static headspace method

Article provided by Mike Smith

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AGS Awards 2020

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Below are the list of recipients of this year’s AGS Awards. We would like to thank all Working Group participants for their hard work over the last year in raising standards across the industry and increasing the profile of the AGS on the whole.

AGS Safety WG Award
Madeleine Bardsley
Madeleine has been a stalwart of the SWG for a number of years and her experience and knowledge of working on contamination sites has been invaluable in producing and reviewing a wide range of publications and guidance documents. Madeleine is a regular attendee at our quarterly meetings and is always keen to be fully involved in the lively and frank discussions.

AGS Safety WG Award
Steve Everton
Steve is a very active member of the SWG and has been a committee member for several years. Steve has been recently involved in providing further input into the updated asbestos risk assessment working in collaboration with the CLWG. Lately, Steve has been instrumental in our current view of the safety of trial pitting from a working at height perspective and is currently working on analysing the questionnaire shared throughout our industry with future magazine articles. Steve also delivered a thought provoking presentation at the recent “Safety in Mind” conference on the subject of trial pitting.

AGS Safety WG Commendation
Roseanna Bloxham
Rosey is a relatively new member of the SWG committee, but has quickly established herself as a key member of the team. Rosey has contributed and worked on new and current safety guidance. Notably, Rosey delivered an excellent workshop using Lego at the recent “Safety in Mind” conference with a follow-up article in the recent e-magazine.

AGS Business Practice WG Award
David Hutchinson
Although David is the newest member of the Business Practice Working Group, joining in 2019, he has already proved to be a very valuable member of the team. He has been prolific in providing analysis key to the endeavours of the group and has produced several documents in a very timely manner for review and publishing. We thank him very much for his continued willing and cheerful assistance to the AGS overall and to the Business Practice Working Group in particular.

AGS Business Practice WG Award
Neil Parry
It goes without saying that Neil, as Past Chair and a long-standing AGS contributor, has provided a great deal of value to the Association over the years and his dedication to the AGS cause has been consistent and diligent since 2007. Neil has previously led the Business Practice Working Group and remains an active member, contributing greatly to AGS governance and marketing and providing valuable insight at meetings.

AGS Business Practice WG Commendation
Ken Marsh
For unfailing support and diligence in participation to Business Practice activities for many years in addition to his responsibilities as AGS Treasurer. Ken has provided invaluable advice and input to the strategy of the AGS through Business Practice contribution.

AGS Loss Prevention WG Award
Jo Strange
This is to reflect Jo’s long standing and active contribution to the LPWG over more than 10 years. Jo has been involved in the research and preparation of the Loss Prevention Guidance, Newsletter articles and some Loss Prevention Alerts. Jo has always been generous with her time and always helpful in reviewing and commenting upon many and various documents published by the LPWG. Her comments are always kind, useful and improve the advice. In particular, Jo was a great Chair of the Loss Prevention conference earlier this year and is repeating her contribution in Manchester this coming January. On the basis of all of this contribution, I would very much like to recognise Jo’s significant contribution to the LPWG with an AGS Award.

AGS Data Management WG Award
Roger Chandler
Roger Chandler joined the AGS Data Management Group in 1999. The group has proposed him for this Award in recognition of his tireless work on behalf of the AGS at conferences and elsewhere in promoting use of the AGS ‘Electronic Transfer of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Data’ format (data transfer format).

Over the last 20 years he also has been very active in promoting the AGS Format throughout the world, including Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, but especially in the USA. In 2005, Roger was invited to join a group there which was tasked with creating a global geotechnical data exchange format. Their plan was to use AGS 3.1 as the basis for their XML format. Whilst DIGGSml now has a good following in the United States, the UK was unable to make a workable version for its users and in 2010 our paths diverged and AGS 4.0 was created. Roger has maintained his ties to the US project and gives us regular updates on its development.

In his new role as Director Geotechnical Information Management at Bentley Systems, he is no longer able to attend all our meetings, but we still hope to see him occasionally.

AGS Executive Award
Vivien Dent
Viv has led the Contaminated Land Working Group with vigour and enthusiasm and has always been an active member of the Executive Committee. Viv has been instrumental in helping the AGS to develop and deliver extremely high standard conferences and has persuaded high level speakers to be involved. She has also continually encouraged her working group to produce interesting and informative articles for the AGS Magazine helping to keep the members aware of the working group activities, issues and hot topics. She is a great ambassador for the AGS and clearly enjoys her work and long may this continue.

Article Loss Prevention

Q&A with Jo Strange

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Full Name: Jo Strange
Job Title: Technical Director
Company: Card Geotechnics Limited (CGL)

I am a chartered civil engineer and environmentalist with over thirty years of experience. I’ve worked for multi-disciplinary consultancies before joining specialist geotechnical and geo-environmental consultancy, CGL. I am responsible for delivery of mostly brownfield projects involving due diligence, audits, planning, management, design, specification, implementation and interpretation of site investigations, risk assessments and remediation. I occasionally take on Expert Witness projects also. I manage SHEQ across the company and supervise technical staff towards Chartership with the ICE and IES. I am a STEM ambassador and involved with the ICE as a Reviewer, on Standards Panel and author of their guidance on Contaminated Land.

Away from work, my passion is my horses, especially side saddle riding and Cleveland Bays.

What or who inspired you to join the geotechnical industry?
It happened a bit by accident. My MEng was in civil and environmental engineering from Liverpool University, when environmental engineering was still in its infancy. I joined Mouchel as a graduate and was duly dispatched to ‘the Grotto’ where the geotechnical team were based. At the time David Jones was developing contaminated land capabilities and I got involved through him on projects like Thurrock MSA. After a couple of years rotation around the various departments, designing shopping centres, (The Wellington Centre in Aldershot and The Peacocks in Woking all have a bit of me in them!), post tensioned bridges, grain conveyors, David invited me back to work on contaminated land projects and as they say…. the rest is history.

What does a typical day entail?
There isn’t really a typical day, as every day is different, with the numerous projects on the go at any one time and my various management roles. The day always starts with checking emails for what might have happened that requires an urgent response. Next, there will be project reports to write, check or review; technical queries to respond to, proposals to write, discussions with Clients, contractors, CGL project managers and engineers; internal / external or site meetings, planning of training and compliance audits and actions… and not forgetting finding time to catch up with the great bunch of people who work at CGL!

Are there any projects which you’re particularly proud to have been a part of?
All of then really, as I hope I give all my projects 100% to get the best answer, but if I have to pick, it would be the Blue Print industrial Estate in Portsmouth. This was an early project with BG Properties Gasworks. More recently, the ground investigation at the old New Scotland Yard which had some serious logistical challenges and currently the remediation of Royal Wharf with Ballymore which has transformed for the better that stretch of waterfront.

What are the most challenging aspects of your role?
Juggling time and energy to support staff and projects on the technical side whilst developing new works and delivering quality results and advice. Keeping a life/work balance is important.

What AGS Working Group(s) are you a Member of and what are your current focuses?
Loss Prevention Working Group; there are lots of things on the go, from looking at the impacts of contract clauses, poor wording in reports, disputes and events and trying to use a crystal ball to see what commercial issues may be arising in future.

What do you enjoy most about being an AGS Member?
Being part of a group and network of intelligent interesting professional people who are passionate enough about what they do to want to share their experience. It is also a great forum to exchange ideas and thoughts.

What do you find beneficial about being an AGS Member?
Following on from the previous answer, the library of information and guidance is amazing and it is easy to forget how comprehensive and accessible it is. Although, I haven’t used them very much, knowing that the ‘helplines’ are there and the knowledge/ experience of the people behind them, is re-assuring.

Why do you feel the AGS is important to the industry?
The industry has such a variety of skills and technologies that the AGS provides a central ‘hub’ and place of reference, where ideas, latest thinking and best practice can be collated and disseminated and provides a single point of contact enabling the ground engineering industry to present a coherent and consistent face to the construction and land management sectors.

What changes would you like to see implemented in the geotechnical industry?
Recognition of the value and importance of what ground engineering, (be it geotechnical or geoenvironmental), brings to construction projects. We so often see that the lowest price is the deciding factor, when high quality data and advice is what is needed to get the right and most economic answer first time.

John Burland was so right when he said you would pay for a ground investigation whether you have one or not, but the flexibility and benefits of having quality up front information, with some exceptions, doesn’t seem to be a message that gets much further than the ground engineering specialists.

News

AGS Video Competition – The Results

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Following on from our hugely successful photography competition, in winter 2019, the AGS launched a video competition to view the industry’s most creative clips.

A whole range of videos were submitted from members including recordings of rigs, ground improvement projects, geology models and concrete testing. The AGS Officers had the difficult task of reviewing each of the entries, and have shortlisted three outstanding clips:

1ST PLACE: In Situ Site Investigation, Rail Rig Time-Lapse Video

A time-lapse video which shows the simplicity of using CPTs on a railway using an RRV from the on-tracking process. Tests were completed either side of a bridge abutment to provide information about the ground material in order to rebuild a bridge.

2ND PLACE: Harrison Group Environmental Limited, Geology Model Video

A geology model representation of an investigated feature. The clip showed how data can be interpreted from geology “sticks” at each investigation location into triangulated surfaces. The resulting output helped to explain what occurred in the area and could be analysed further with tools such as section profiling.

3RD PLACE: Jones Bros and BWB Consulting, Sheet Piling and Ground Improvement Project

A short video showcasing sheet piling and ground improvement works on a geotechnically challenging project along a dual carriageway link road in Wigan.

Congratulations to In Situ Site Investigation who have won a Fortum and Masons Tanner Hamper worth £85. The hamper features an assortment of Fortnum’s classics, including sweet and savoury jars, a tea tin, biscuits and confectionery delights. Harrison Group Environmental Limited and Jones Bros & BWB Consulting, have each won a bottle of Champagne.

The AGS would like to thank all those who took the time to enter the video competition. The overall standard of entries was extremely high, and the judging panel found the task challenging in shortlisting the top three entries.

 

 

Article Loss Prevention

Useful guidance regarding COVID-19 from Beale & Co

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AGS Affiliate member, Beale & Co have produced several materials including guidance notes and updates in relation to COVID-19 to assist with legal and commercial risks. These materials can be accessed on Beale & Co’s website: https://beale-law.com/coronavirus-covid-19-hub.php

If you’re an AGS Member and are looking for legal advice, please contact Beale & Co on 020 7469 0400 and quote ‘AGS Helpline’ where the first 15 minutes of legal advice will be free of charge.

Article Report Contaminated Land

AGS Contaminated Land WG Update

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Vivien Dent, AGS Contaminated Land Working Group Leader, has provided an update from the Groups most recent meeting, which was held virtually on 28th April. Here is an overview on the top topics which are currently in discussion:

AGS GUIDE TO ASBESTOS

We’re currently in the final stages of reviewing the AGS Guide to Asbestos, and are close to completion. The guide will be published on the AGS website in due course.

GRADUATE KEY READING LIST

The Contaminated Land Working Group have decided to create a key reading document. This will be primarily aimed at graduates or those new to the industry, and will feature a reading list of key documents across all areas to educate and guide individuals who are new to the field.

We’re keen to engage with graduates and early career professionals, so this working group task is specific for this new generation of geo-environmentalists.

UKAS INSPECTION BODIES SURVEYING CONTAMINATED LAND FOR THE PRESENCE OF ASBESTOS

UKAS plans to establish a pilot programme for the development of ISO/IEC 17020:2012 accreditation for the inspection of land for the presence of asbestos.

The AGS CLWG have concerns that the scheme has not considered broader land contamination issues and that people who are unqualified will attempt to do the role of a contaminated land engineer. Whilst an asbestos surveyor might be qualified to look into asbestos, it’s unlikely that they’ll understand all documentation and the processes for all contaminants.

Naturally we don’t want there to be a situation where projects are required to have both an asbestos surveyor and a contaminated land surveyor. This would be an additional project expense and create additional work and expense for the client.

WORKING OUTSIDE OF THE AGS

The AGS Contaminated Land Working Group have many members who are involved in a range of different projects and working groups; SAGTA C4SL project, the National Brownfield Forum, SiLC, SoBRA and more. This enables us to share new information within the Group but also relay the position of the AGS CLWG outside of the organisation.

News Safety

AGS Guidance on Safe Ground Investigations in Light of COVID-19

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COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) which is commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, through close personal contact or touching an object or surface (fomite) that has the virus on it and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth without having first cleaned your hands.

The AGS Safety group has developed this guidance in anticipation of a general return to site to carry out geotechnical, contaminated land and other ground investigation activities.  It will be reviewed and revised in the coming weeks in line with government and industry advice.  Readers are encouraged to make comments, offer suggestions and send in photographs of site work that can be added to the document.

 Any suggestions for modifications to equipment need to have been fully risk assessed for any risks they introduce. For instance, screens fitted to rigs reduce the ability to hear each other and Perspex scratches very easily and also goes opaque quite rapidly, reducing visibility. Likewise lifting “extensions” can introduce additional manual handling risks.

 This guidance is based on UK Government and CLC advice. The Government issued generic guidance on 11 May 2020: Working safely during COVID-19 in construction and other outdoor work: Guidance for employers, employees and the self-employed.  Other restrictions and advice may apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland however this guidance is intended to apply throughout the UK.  The Construction Leadership Council (CLC), on 19 May 2020, issued Site Operating Procedures (SOP) version 4 based on this Government guidance.  The key premise of this guidance is to stick as close as possible to the CLC v4 guidance as possible noting the CLC reminder to comply with the latest Government advice on Coronavirus (Covid-19) at all times.

The guidance can be downloaded here.

If you have any comments or suggestions for the guidance, please email ags@ags.org.uk.

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AGS Members vs COVID-19

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In the face of adversity, it is uplifting to hear that during these unusual times created by the COVID-19 constraints many AGS members have adopted new and innovative ways to continue their work. For some members, the reality is the need to adapt to survive but for most it is the adeptness to change behaviour and attitude. Whatever the reason, it is a true sign of how our industry remains flexible and resilient and why it will emerge from this

Members have made widespread changes to how their normally office-based workers can continue to play an active part in the company activities or just simply carry out their normal work activities. In response to the ‘Stay Home Stay Safe Protect the NHS’ guidelines, many have set up home offices which have included some innovative woodwork solutions to create desk space or just a take-over of the family dining table. Some have decided to spice it up by moving around the house each day. We hear about daily and weekly virtual meetings and the words ‘Teams’ and ‘Zoom’ have now become part of everyday language. We are now used to seeing our colleagues with headsets on. Oh! and the long hair.

The site-based activities have seen the largest disruption, change of processes and attitude. Whilst some sites have secured everything and literally closed the gates others have developed new working methods to keep them active. New policies and procedures have been developed with enhanced social distancing, hygiene, security, isolation, travel and transport aspects to cover COVID-19 requirements. Access to sites other than the critical workers have been reduced or banned. Site meetings have been taking place in the compound and we have all seen images of everybody standing 2m apart or walking around the sites 2m apart. Strange images which highlight what a truly unusual time this is.

We have also seen collaboration, not a common sight in our industry, which has resulted in innovative solutions and significant changes in working practices and behaviour. Other controls have also been implemented such as exclusion zones and new manual handling aids. Many of these changes could lead to a better and safer way of working well after COVID-19 has been supressed.

Training has also been greatly affected by the travel restrictions and social distancing requirements which rapidly made face to face training impossible. Although the delivery of the training has been affected the need is still there with members contacting the industry training providers on a daily basis for remote or on-line accessible courses. In response, the industry training specialists have started to deliver remote training. Equipe and LQM are now delivering remote training with live trainers for their Non-Licensed Work with Asbestos in Soils courses. Equipe are also due to launch their GEO Academy which will be a state of the art on-demand learning platform for geotechnical professionals and site operatives.

So is the industry laughing in the face of adversity or merely smiling. Well I’ll take a smile at this time as I know this will help us focus on the positives of which there are many. With a positive attitude, the industry will not only survive but be in a better place when we eventually return to ‘normal’ times.

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

News

AGS Magazine: May 2020

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Tags: Featured

The Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are pleased to announce the May 2020 issue of their publication; AGS Magazine. To view the magazine click here.

This free, publication focuses on geotechnics, engineering geology and geoenvironmental engineering as well as the work and achievements of the AGS.

There are a number of excellent articles in this month’s issue including;
FIDIC Emerald Book and Geotechnical Baseline Reports – Page 4
20 Years of SiLC – Page 6
AGS Members versus COVID-19 – Page 9
The Geotechnical Asset Owners Forum – Page 12
We’re going on a bear hunt… Safe access onto GI sites – Page 14
Q&A with Mark Beastall of SOCOTEC – Page 22

Advertising opportunities are available within future issues of the publication. To view rates and opportunities please view our media pack by clicking HERE.

If you have a news story, article, case study or event which you’d like to tell our editorial team about please email ags@ags.org.uk. Articles should act as opinion pieces and not directly advertise a company. Please note that the publication of editorial and advertising content is subject to the discretion of the editorial board.

Article Report Geotechnical

AGS Geotechnical Working Group Update

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Tags: Featured

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

1. What are the top three issues in your Working Group at present?
• Issue 1: Improving soil and rock sampling quality for use in design
• Issue 2: Consideration of embodied carbon in design decision making
• Issue 3: Skill set of newly graduated entrants into the industry, reduction in numbers coming into UK universities studying geo-science subjects

2. What is the status of these issues within your Working Group?
• Issue 1: Sub-group producing a counter piece to article in last month’s AGS magazine
• Issue 2: Organisation of conference for 2021
• Issue 3: Drafting of poll for AGS members, engagement with key universities and STEM organisations

3. Why are these issues important to the AGS?
Delivery of technical excellence for clients and reduction in risk to clients and stakeholders. Contribution to UK Net zero carbon agenda, helping AGS members with carbon consideration for clients

4. What impact do these issues have on Members of the AGS?

Additional cost due to re-work, risk of PI related disputes with clients

5. What should the AGS do about these issues?

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

Article

Q&A with Mark Beastall

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Tags: Featured

Full Name: Mark Beastall
Job Title: Operations Manager
Company: SOCOTEC UK

I have enjoyed being part of the Industry for 33 years, working my way up from a 16 year old Trainee Laboratory Technician through to my current role coming full circle to the Laboratory I started out at.

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

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

What or who inspired you to join the geotechnical industry?

I fell into the Industry by accident after joining Soil Mechanics as a school leaver for a job I expected to last me through the summer prior to starting College in September to study Hotel Management and Catering. Little did I expect to be there for 15 year’s

I think that having my first working experience in an enjoyable environment and undertaking a technical role which was very different to anything I had known and in a unique sector was what led me to continue in the field.

What does a typical day entail?

As my current role is very varied I feel fortunate that no two days are the same. Looking after budgets and the financial performance of two divisions and responsibility of a small team in the North East as well as Doncaster Lab and Field and Reporting up to Directors occupies a significant part of my days.

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

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

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

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

What are the most challenging aspects of your role?

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

There always has been and continues to be a lack of appreciation of how Geotech Laboratories function and the length of time some of the tests can take.

Another frustration with many Lab Managers is sample volumes and sample quality. We face a balance of having to obtain results from inadequate / inappropriate samples with insufficient volumes for testing.

With regards staff it is a common theme that a lot of Laboratories employ Technicians who have generally fallen into the industry rather than it being the path they planned to take. This comes with challenges such as motivation, retention and career expectations for what for many is very little above living wage.

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

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

Current topics that we are working on are;

Assisting in the reissue of the “Yellow Book”
Input into the CIRIA document for “Asbestos in Soils”
Articles for the quality of samples for both Analytical and Geotechnical Labs
A review and reissue of “An introduction to Geotechnical testing for routine construction projects”

What do you enjoy most about being an AGS Member?

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

What do you find beneficial about being an AGS Member?

Regular updates from all the participating groups, however the LWG does lack participants. We are regularly trying to rally round our colleagues in the industry to up the attendee numbers yet it’s generally the same faces that we see at our quarterly meetings.

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

Until you start to participate in the meetings people don’t understand the good work and the huge amount of effort that the people within the individual groups do for the good of our industry outside of their day to day roles.

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

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

I think that the industry is very stagnant and slow to change or to put on paper what changes do happen or adopt improved techniques.
The current drive of the AGS is to change this and I do see that changes will happen in the next couple of years.
In particular giving labs and the technicians within labs some formalised qualification and worth to ensure we can keep hold of the people and the invested time that labs have put into training and developing individuals.