Search Results: 'BTS'

Compressibe Corners
20 December, 2018
Following reader requests, Alex Conacher visits the VIP-Polymers manufacturing base near Cambridge, UK to learn why a Cast-in gasket’s corners needs to be compressible, not ‘soft’, no matter what specifications currently say

Telling tales
22 November, 2018
Every few months I have a meeting with the magazine’s Editorial Advisory Board, in which I ask their advice, plan future issues and weather some constructive criticism (this editorial will be reviewed at about 11.30am on 18 January 2019 – not that I am feeling self-conscious).

UK prepares for fourth National Tunnelling Day
05 November, 2018
Great Britain – The National Tunnelling Day will take place once again this December. This year it will fall on Thursday 6 December, two days after Saint Barbara’s Day.

Collaboration, communication, competence
08 October, 2018
Bob Ibell, former chair of London Bridge Associates and the British Tunnelling Society, delivered his Harding Lecture in June of this year. The lecture is given by an eminent speaker in the UK, usually every two years, in honour of Sir Harold Harding, the founding chair of the BTS. Alex Conacher produced this account of the talk, which reflected on 50 years in the industry and makes suggestions about where it should be going

Tunnellers wanted
21 September, 2018
Alex Conacher interviews Ivor Thomas, tunnel manager for Bam Nuttall, who has spent the past couple of months transitioning from vice chair to chair of the BTS. He will lead the society until 2020

Steering the ship
21 September, 2018
Alex Conacher speaks with Mark Leggett of Mott MacDonald as he takes the immediate past chair position at the British Tunnelling Society and looks back on his two years at the helm

Risk management in major projects
05 September, 2018
Four speakers from across the tunnelling industry gave their perspectives on the management of risk in tunnelling and major infrastructure projects at the October 19 British Tunnelling Society meeting. Bill Grose introduced the topic and set the scene with lessons from history, Kevin Province spoke about catastrophic events and some observations on best practice, Nigel Legge discussed causes of tunnelling failures and methods of risk management, and Patrick Barney gave the perspective of the insurance industry. This report was prepared by Martyn Noak of CH2M

Results driven
05 September, 2018
A survey earlier in the year found a majority in support of updating the International Tunnelling Insurance Group’s code, T&T reports

Initial Findings from the ITIG survey
03 July, 2018
International – In February 2018 the International Tunnelling Insurance Group (ITIG) launched a survey with the aim of reviewing the penetration and effectiveness of the Code around the world. The survey sought feedback on the application and experience of the Code (or other risk management approaches) and was targeted at all relevant parties (clients, designers, contractors and insurers) with the support of the relevant professional bodies (ITA, BTS and IMIA). The purpose of this note is to provide a summary of the initial findings from the survey and an indication of the proposed next steps.

Survey course
22 June, 2018
Paola De Pascali talked with Balfour Beatty tunnelling manager and past BTS chair Roger Bridge about the Tunnel Survey course, the first of its kind in the UK

Leeds University seminar on geo-risk
30 May, 2018
Great Britain – The University of Leeds hosted a seminar on geo-risk, rock behaviour and underground space last month. Presented by Chrysothemis Paraskevopoulou, Leeds University and Mark Diederichs, Queens University (Canada), the day-long event was also supported by the BTS Young Members.

Finsbury park square works
16 May, 2018
The November BTS talk describes the square works for Finsbury Park and was presented by three speakers; Farid Acha, lead tunnel engineer for London Underground; John Elliot, director of underground infrastructure for Golder, and Menelaos Lydakis, chartered engineer and project manager of Spencer Group. The talk gives an insight into the scheme design of the project, detailed design and how it was finally implemented during the construction of the scheme. This report was prepared by Rosa Diez of Mott MacDonald

Chidlom Cable Tunnel project accepts TBM
10 May, 2018
Thailand – Factory acceptance for the Chidlom Cable Tunnel’s TBM took place in April. The 4.27m-diameter Terratec machine will bore the tunnel for a new high voltage cable tunnel in Bangkok.

First female Harding Prize winner
30 April, 2018
Great Britain – After 32 years the Harding prize has been awarded to a female young tunneller. “I am also proud to be the first woman to win since 1986, which is actually the year I was born,” said Leah Jacobs, who works for London Bridge Associates. Jacobs won the competition bringing her paper on “Changing the safety Culture” based on her contribution to the Waterview Connection project in New Zealand.

BTS Tunnel Design and Construction Course 2018
08 March, 2018
Great Britain – The British Tunnelling Society’s annual design and construction course is set to return to the University of Warwick this July. Held in the first week of the month, the course aims to cover all the major aspects of an underground project’s life and will contain worked examples and workshop sessions to allow improved interaction between delegates and speakers. It is aimed at the wide range of professional services that support the tunnelling industry, including clients, tunnel operators and members of the financial and insurance sectors that may have a vested interest in tunnelling enterprises, as well as young tunnel design and construction on engineers.

Teach a lesson
07 February, 2018
A free resource to promote and educate tunnelling engineers of the future. Paola De Pascali speaks with Gerard Quigg, past chair of the BTSYM’s Schools and Universities committee to understand how the Teaching Pack works.

Risk management in major projects
06 February, 2018
On the 19th of October, four speakers from across the tunnelling industry gave their perspective on the management of risk in tunnelling and major infrastructure projects.

Review of the Tunnel Code of Practice
01 February, 2018
International - A questionnaire has been put together to collect input for a review of the Tunnel Code of Practice for Risk Management. Interested parties can participate through the following link:

HSE to assume ‘no comment is assent’ on exposure limits
25 January, 2018
International - All European countries are being faced with implementing lower exposure limits for a number of hazardous substances in August this year. The two substances of most interest to tunnellers are nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen dioxide found in diesel engine exhaust and blasting fume.

BTSYM Conference 2018
24 January, 2018
Great Britain - Booking for the BTS Young Members Conference is now open. The conference is for people under the age of 35 and is scheduled for Friday 16 March.