Engineering: turning ideas into reality - Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee Contents


Memorandum 151

Submission from the Ground Forum

1.  THE GROUND FORUM

  The Ground Forum brings together Learned Societies and Trade Associations representing most construction related geo-engineering disciplines. The Learned Societies undertake the dissemination of information and oversee professional qualifications; while Trade Associations represent the commercial interests of both consultants and contractors in the sector. The Ground Forum is therefore a single voice which draws together all construction related geo-engineering interests of both companies and individuals.

2.  SUMMARY

    -  For the purposes of this response, Geo-Engineering has been taken as synonymous with Ground Engineering, which is the terminology used in:

    -  Ground Forum's submission to the Home Office (UKBA) Migration Advisory Committee; and

    -  the Register of Ground Engineering Professionals which is being developed by Members of the Ground Forum for launch in 2009.

  It is acknowledged that Ground Engineering is a specific sub-set of the broader subject of Geo-Engineering.

    -  Geo-engineering literally underpins all man-made structures but the fact that it is usually hidden from view means that it is often overlooked and undervalued.

    -  Geo-Engineering makes a huge positive contribution to climate change related actions via:

    -  efficient use of resources and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,

    -  mitigation of the impacts of climate change, and

    -  regeneration.

    -  The sector has not been well served by public funding for R&D and there is an urgent need for more independent, publically funded research that can be made available to the whole industry.

    -  The basic educational requirement to be a geo-engineer is a first degree in geology or civil engineering followed by an MSc, usually in geotechnical engineering or engineering geology. The shortage of MSc graduates is a serious problem and the industry has experienced severe and growing skill shortages for the last 10 years. The progressive withdrawal of NERC and EPSRC funding for post graduate MSc study has had a major impact.

    -  Because of its largely hidden nature, both Government and other industry professionals undervalue the role and contribution of geo-engineering. Consequently there is need for greater regulation to ensure that best use is made of geo-engineering skills and resources, and better recognition of the contribution it makes to the built environment.

3.  DEFINITION

  Ground Engineering is a specific sub-set of the broader discipline of Geo-Engineering, which encompasses all engineering activities associated with natural geological, hydrological and climatological systems. Ground Engineering has three major, but related divisions:

    -  Geotechnical Engineering (a specialist branch of civil engineering);

    -  Engineering Geology (the application of geology to ground engineering); and

    -  Geoenvironmental Engineering (the identification and remediation of contaminated land).

4.  THE CURRENT AND POTENTIAL ROLES OF ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERS IN GEO-ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE

  4.1  It is simplistic, but true, that everything rests on or in the ground and therefore geo-engineering literally underpins all man made structures. Unlike other construction materials, however, the ground is variable between sites and its properties change according in response to climatic changes. The engineering properties of the ground therefore require specific investigation and must be designed for on a site by site basis.

  4.2  Geo-engineering professionals are required on a wider range of construction projects than any other construction profession. They are involved with all civil (and military) engineering works and all buildings, and are also essential for works in the natural environment such as slope and cliff stabilisation, where professions such as architects are not required, and, at the other end of the scale, with many domestic subsidence claims. This broad demand for ground engineering skills has been a major factor in the skills shortage affecting the industry (see paragraph 6).

  4.3  Geo-engineering involves the investigation of ground conditions (eg geology, geotechnical properties, ground water and previous land use) and predicting how the ground will respond to specific natural and engineering changes, thereby enabling safe design and construction of foundations and other ground related structures (eg dams, tunnels, flood defence embankments, etc). The sector's roles in combating climate change, therefore, are threefold:

    -  ensuring efficient use of resources and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including pursuance of the recently launched Strategy for Sustainable Construction;

    -  mitigation of the impact of climate change; and

    -  regeneration of previously used sites.

  4.4  Examples of how Geo-Engineering roles (ground investigation, design and construction) contribute to solutions for each of these areas are given below.

  4.4.1  Solutions which make more efficient use of resources and thereby reduce production of greenhouse gas emissions:

    -  designs and construction techniques which reduce natural material usage;

    -  foundations for wind farms and marine current/tidal turbines;

    -  energy transmission, including undersea transmission of energy from wind farms and marine current/tidal turbines, pylons, and tunnels;

    -  hydro-electric schemes;

    -  carbon storage/sequestration (eg: installing pipelines to transfer captured carbon to suitable gas/oil fields);

    -  foundation design for nuclear power stations;

    -  underground storage of nuclear waste;

    -  design, construction and monitoring of reservoirs for water;

    -  heating from ground source heat pumps. (Note: These commonly comprise of horizontal and vertical trenches containing liquid filled tubes, which utilise the ambient ground temperature via a heat exchanger, to provide heat in winter or cooling in summer);

    -  heating from "energy piles". (Note: These also use ground source heat pumps but have tubes installed in the foundation piles of the building);

    -  deep geothermal energy ("hot rocks");

    -  re-use of existing piled foundations for subsequent developments on previously used sites (reduces concrete and steel use);

    -  evaluation of the carbon impact of available foundation systems;

    -  choice of foundation solution based on energy efficiency (based on above research);

    -  development of new carbon efficient foundation solutions;

    -  landfill management and the identification, disposal, and treatment of waste; and

    -  use of recycled materials and by products of other processes, including recycled aggregate, glass and pulverised fly ash (pfa).

  4.4.2  Solutions which mitigate the impacts of climate change:

    -  repair and redesign of rail and highway embankments which are being degraded because of changes in precipitation, increased temperatures, and changes in vegetation;

    -  coastal management;

    -  upgrading/raising of the Thames Barrier;

    -  raising of embankments along the Thames to counter changes in sea level;

    -  control of inland flooding and flood relief schemes;

    -  control of subsidence in domestic housing and other buildings;

    -  increased water storage (surface and underground reservoirs); and

    -  design and monitoring of slope stability to reduce landslides and the effects of coastal erosion.

  4.4.3  Regeneration:

    -  identification, evaluation and remediation of contaminated land, thereby minimizing use of greenfield sites;

    -  remediation and redevelopment of brownfield sites;

    -  environmental impact studies and remediation/mitigation;

    -  ground improvement to bring marginal land to a point where it can be used for the built environment; and

    -  improved transport and utilities-particularly those involving tunnelling.

5.  NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH ACTIVITY, AND RESEARCH FUNDING, RELATING TO GEO-ENGINEERING, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, AND INTERFACE WITH, THIS FIELD AND RESEARCH CONDUCTED TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

  5.1  UK research activity in Geo-engineering is now almost exclusively conducted in universities following the (regrettable) demise of geotechnical research at the former Government research establishments-the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL).

  5.2  In the past, these Government funded bodies provided an independent focus which industry could tap into and partner with to undertake research into improving practice, often practical and over a number of years. The bodies provided pools of researchers who developed expertise and were able to develop practical streams of both blue sky research and research into specific applied topics of direct relevance to industry. They had huge industry support, including practical and `in kind' support and their geotechnical research was world renowned.

  5.3  The research done by the BRE on the re-use of foundations[14] is an excellent example of the need for public research. The re-use of existing foundations has obvious sustainability benefits. However, to be acceptable to industry (and to clients in particular) an industry-wide standard developed by a reputable independent body was essential. Furthermore, public funding for the research was indisputably necessary, since it would be unrealistic to expect geotechnical contractors/consultants to fund research that might ultimately reduce their work opportunities.

  5.4  These publically funded facilities gave industry a means of contributing for the benefit of industry as a whole and permitted research to be undertaken that had no commercial benefit or where the benefit was to the whole sector. They were also a means for Government to put resources into independent R&D. EPSRC research grants continue to be available, but these require projects to have specific objectives and outcomes which often impose unhelpful restrictions, (eg the rejection of projects because they are linked to a single industrial partner and therefore are assumed to be for the commercial benefit only of that partner; or restrictions on the way the results are reported which make them difficult to disseminate.

  5.5  Although academics might argue otherwise, from the perspective of geo-engineering consultants and contractors, blue-sky research has virtually ceased because of the withdrawal of Government funding. Research has undoubtedly been undertaken into the science of climate change, but geo-engineering practitioners have received little guidance about how this might be translated into practical solutions. There is a need for a much closer partnership between academia, industry and Government. Leaving innovation to individual companies, usually in partnership with academics, makes it difficult to share knowledge that should be in the public domain and available to the whole sector.

  5.6  A significant proportion of funding of university research is geared around three year PhDs. This results in a lack of continuity and limits the scale of the issue that can be addressed.

6.  THE PROVISION OF UNIVERSITY COURSES AND OTHER FORMS OF TRAINING RELEVANT TO GEO-ENGINEERING IN THE UK

  6.1  Most professional Geo-engineers have first degrees in civil engineering, geology or one of the varieties of applied geology, and a Masters degree. Geotechnical PhDs are seldom required outside academic institutions, whereas PhDs relevant to contaminated land are useful in industry.

  6.2  Civil engineering courses for students aspiring to become Chartered Engineers are now four year MEng degrees. Both three year and four year degrees are available for geologists. However, Geo-engineering is a specialism and none of the four year courses are considered adequate for Geo-engineering, because they do not focus on the specialist higher level skills.

  6.3  A recent survey by GF has shown that the availability of post graduate MSc courses for Geo-engineers in the UK is acceptable but many are under threat because of a shortage of students. At the same time, and for many years, industry has experienced a severe shortage of MSc graduates. This is generally attributed to:

    -  high levels of student debt that make further study financially unviable;

    -  progressive reduction of funding for MSc's through EPSRC and NERC bursaries;

    -  the advent of four year MEng degrees that do not offer sufficient specialisation for geo-engineers, but make it less likely that graduates will undertake further study in order to obtain a second Masters degree;

    -  the availability of employment (because of the existing skill shortages) for civil engineering graduates without a geo-engineering MSc-even though the industry is totally united in the belief that this is not satisfactory; and

    -  the lack of substantial financial reward for those who obtain a geo-engineering MSc (ie in comparison to law or medicine where additional qualifications are perceived to lead to substantial financial benefit).

  6.4  Geo-engineers have been on the Government Shortage Occupation List for work permit purposes since 2005 and continue to be so under the new regime. This has been very beneficial and much appreciated by the industry. In order to survive, the industry has also had to find alternative training solutions (in-house training; short courses, up-skilling etc). Additionally, industry has increasingly felt that even apparently well qualified graduates lack basic skills and understanding of the fundamental principles that were once regarded as normal.

  6.5  Margins in Geo-engineering, as in the rest of construction, are low and training budgets compete with budgets for research and innovation, improvements in health and safety, and the myriad of third party accreditation schemes for quality assurance, investors in people, environmental management, etc which are expected from quality companies and demanded by clients.

  6.6  There is a perception in the industry that offering financial support to allow staff to undertake post graduate MSc study does not necessarily result in more MSc qualified staff. Although a new graduate can be bound to remain with the sponsoring company for a short period, companies who chose to put their "sponsorship" money into higher salaries and staff benefits are able to attract staff from those companies that sponsor study. Small companies (many consultancies have less than 4 geo-engineers) anyway find the cost of sponsorship to be prohibitive.

7.  THE STATUS OF GEO-ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES IN GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRY AND ACADEMIA

  We find some ambiguity in the word "status" and therefore offer two observations:

  7.1  The perception of Geo-engineering technologies in government, industry and academia: Generally the output of Geo-engineering is below ground and hidden from view, and therefore taken for granted, not only by the general public but also by clients and other construction professionals such as architects and structural engineers.

  7.1.1  Much of past Government support for Geo-engineering (eg research funding and degree funding) has been progressively reduced and withdrawn, indicating a lack of understanding about the fundamental contribution made by geo-engineering and a failure to appreciate that its specialised nature requires MSc qualifications.

  7.1.2  The status of engineering in the UK is not helped by the fact that the term "engineer" can be, and is, used by everyone from car mechanics to designers of nuclear power stations. The problem for Geo-engineering is even more difficult because personnel are split between geology, civil engineering, structural engineering and even chemistry. A system of licensing, similar to that in the USA would greatly enhance the profession. A voluntary registration system will be introduced for Ground Engineering Professionals in the next 12 months. Government support for this initiative, particularly in the planning system and Building Regulations, would be helpful.

  7.1.3  Early involvement of Geo-engineers in the project team can result in value engineering that substantially reduces the risks and often the cost of the geotechnical elements-but such early involvement rarely happens. The geo-engineering sector faces serious and on-going difficulty to convince other (non geo) engineers of the need for proper ground investigation before the project begins. Problems due to unexpected ground conditions are the largest single source of cost over-runs, and designs based on insufficient knowledge of soil conditions must necessarily be conservative, and therefore more expensive. Despite this, structural engineers in particular, frequently fail to appreciate the value of proper site investigation and commission least cost investigations, often to inadequate specifications. In Scotland, structural engineers are now required to sign-off building designs, including design of the foundations of which they may have no specialist expertise; this is potentially dangerous.

  7.1.4  Geo-engineering is often considered a minority interest in university civil engineering departments. Many Geo-engineering MSc courses are run with only one or two permanent staff members, and all are under pressure to be financially viable. Although a few universities have direct and successful links with particular companies for R&D purposes, this the exception rather than the rule.

  7.1.5  In the past, the UK has led the world in geo-engineering expertise. As a result the UK enjoyed a large pool of experts and was able to export knowledge and consultancy services throughout the world. However, it has been estimated that 50% of UK geotechnical engineers could retire in the next 10 years. Skill shortages due to a lack of new entrants, deficiencies in the knowledge base of new graduates (see Para 6.4 above) and a shortage of MSc graduates (see Para 6.3 above) mean that this knowledge and expertise is being lost, with concomitant knock on effects for the reputation and export earning potential of the sector. There is an urgent need to re-establish and to nurture geo-engineering expertise; most professional bodies within the sector have initiatives to promote their professions in schools and universities, however these often rely on volunteers and are therefore in need of significant extra resources.

  7.2  Current status of Geo-engineering technologies:

  7.2.1  Within the Geo-engineering industry there is a constant drive towards greater efficiency and cost effectiveness. In recent years this has included:

    -  considerable and continuing improvements in instrumentation and monitoring data (eg ground movement, material behaviour, construction processes);

    -  the development of new technologies such as ground source heat pumps, energy piles, marine and tidal energy generation; and

    -  materials development including the increased use of polymers, geo-textiles, and recycled or recovered materials.

  7.2.2  There is much that Government could do to improve the use and effectiveness of geo-engineering:

    -  Government failure to resolve the issues surrounding Soil Guideline Values (as put forward in the Way Forward Report (Defra, Clan 6/06) is holding back the ability of the industry to move forward confidently in the area of the remediation and development of contaminated land.

    -  The autonomy of Area Planning Officers and Environment Agency Officers (who have regulatory powers) creates inconsistencies and a confusion about requirements and standards that cannot be clarified or overridden by reference to a central authority.

    -  A requirement for adequate site investigation should be mandatory for detailed planning approval.

    -  Support for the Register of Ground Engineers, once it is launched, will support the identification of "Ground Engineering" as a specialist discipline, improve the visibility of the profession, and help to ensure that ground engineering is carried out by those qualified to do so.

    -  Better funding, via the British Standards Institution, for the development of standards in this sector.

8.  GEO-ENGINEERING AND ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE ENGINEERING PROFESSION

  8.1  There is a particular difficulty for Geo-engineering in that people must first be recruited to civil engineering and then to Geo-engineering. Despite this, larger companies are working regularly with local schools to interest more school children in civil engineering and in earth science in particular. However, the majority of the effort comes from volunteers and skills shortages put pressure on the amount of voluntary activity that can be expected from industry.

  8.2  The Ground Forum itself sponsors ICE InSite, a magazine published three times a year and sent, free of charge, to all secondary schools and colleges in order to promote careers in civil engineering. Articles about ground engineering are contributed regularly.

  8.3  The Ground Forum notes with enthusiasm some excellent television programmes that will undoubtedly help to popularise and promote civil engineering, including the Geo-engineering sector.

9.  THE ROLE OF ENGINEERS IN INFORMING POLICY-MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC REGARDING THE POTENTIAL COSTS, BENEFITS AND RESEARCH STATUS OF DIFFERENT GEO-ENGINEERING SCHEMES

  9.1  The Ground Forum and it Members inform policy makers of Geo-engineering issues through the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and direct communication with government via the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee and through responses to consultation documents.

  9.2  It is probably true to say that the Construction Industry as a whole does not sufficiently promote successful projects to the public and the objections of protestors and those that oppose planning applications often give a negative image. The Olympics provide an opportunity to promote the industry and its role in regeneration and energy efficiency. This is not yet being seized with sufficient vigour and sadly, even when if it is, the role of Geo-engineering is unlikely to feature strongly.

October 2008







14   Summarised in Reuse of Foundations for Urban Sites: A Best Practice Handbook BRE Books 2006. Back


 
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