September 2022

AN INTRODUCTION TO
CONE PENETRATION
TESTING
From CPT experts at In Situ Site Investigation and Insitu Testing

Image Credit: In Situ Site Investigation

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BROWNFIELD AND THE GEOETCHNICAL DATA

LOLER & DRILLING BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN CONFERENCE
MACHINES The opportunities and Full information on the
Clarity provided by the AGS risks posed by developing forcoming AGS event to be
Safety Working Group brownfield sites held in December

Chair’s Foreword
Welcome to the September
issue of the AGS Magazine.
I trust you will find it as
informative as always.
As ever, the AGS is committed
to promoting improvements
in our industry and in this
magazine edition we feature
two important aspects of
exploratory work in the sector.
We address the issue of the
application of LOLER to drilling
plant and we explore the
benefits of Cone Penetration
Testing and how to best
analyse and apply the results.
Our voluntary working groups
continue to address matters
of environmental protection
and, following the passing of
the Environment Act last year,
in this magazine we highlight
the new SOBRA guidance on
accounting for climate change
effects in controlled water risk
assessments, and examine
those risks and opportunities
affecting biodiversity when
considering brownfield re-
development.
You may wonder what makes
our working group leaders
tick – well Alex Dent, leader
of the Geotechnical Working
Group, shares his industry
2 Magazine
experience and insights in our
Q&A session. The Geotechnical
Working Group has in fact
put together our next free
webinar in November, which
promises to provide interesting
discussion on Direct Strain
Pressuremeters. Read on for
information on other forth-
coming events and how to view
webinars you may have missed
in this busy world.
I hope to see you soon.
We are always on the lookout
for additional, informative
content for the magazine, so
if you have a case study or
technical article that you think
the wider geotechnical and
geoenvironmental public would
find beneficial, please do get in
touch.
We would be interested in your
feedback on the magazine
and our future plans. Please
contact ags@ags.org.uk if you
have any comments.
Sally Hudson
AGS Chair
ABOUT THE AGS
The Association of Geotechnical and
Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS)
is a not-for-profit trade association
established to improve the profile
and quality of geotechnical and
geoenvironmental engineering.
The membership comprises UK
organisations and individuals
having a common interest in the
business of ground investigation,
geotechnics, geoenvironmental
engineering, engineering geology,
geochemistry, hydrogeology, and
other related disciplines.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Sally Hudson, AGS Chair
Caroline Kratz, Forum Court
Associates (FCA)
Katie Kennedy, FCA
Julian Lovell, Equipe Group
Calum Spires, Equipe Group
David Entwisle, BGS
Chris Vincett, Hydrock
Lauren Hunt, Arcadis
Adam Latimer, Ian Farmer
Associates
Dimitris Xirouchakis, Structural
Soils
Emma Anderson,
HaskoningDHV UK
Daniele Fornelli, Geotechnical
Observations
EDITORIAL STORY
If you have a news story or
event which you’d like to tell
our editorial team about, please
contact the AGS on 020 8658
8212 or ags@ags.org.uk. Please
note that articles should act as
opinion pieces and not directly
advertise a company. The AGS
is under no obligation to feature
articles or events received.
CONTACT US
AGS
Forum Court, Office 2FF,
Saphir House, 5 Jubilee Way,
Faversham, Kent, ME13 8GD
 ags@ags.org.uk
 020 8658 8212
 Association of Geotechnical
& Geoenvironmental Specialists
 @agsgeotech
www.ags.org.uk
 Inside this month’s issue

FEATURE
PAGE 14  The relationship between LOLER and
drilling machines
COVER STORY The HSE requires industry bodies, such as the AGS
PAGE 16  and BDA, to provide guidance to their own sectors
to help ensure legal compliance and encourage
CPT experts at In Situ safety improvements. This article examines how
Site Investigation and
elements of LOLER are applicable to the drilling
Insitu Testing provide
an overview of Cone machines in operation in the geotechnical and
Penetration Testing geoenvironmental industries.

NEW SOBRA CLIMATE CHANGE GUIDANCE MORE INSIDE

PAGE 24 
PAGE 4 
The climate change effects on Controlled Waters Risk
Assessments of Land Contamination News in Short:
Incl. upcoming AGS Events
BROWNFIELD AND BIODIVERSITY NET GAIN
PAGE 30  PAGE 8 
The opportunities and risks posed by developing AGS Webinars
brownfield sites Upcoming & on-demand
Q&A: ALEX DENT PAGE 40 
PAGE 38 
Standards Update
The AGS Magazine conducts a Q & A with Alex Dent,
August 2022
Associate Director at WSP UK Ltd.

September 2022 3
 News in Short
This year’s AGS Awards took place during the
AGS Annual Conference at the Warwickshire
Event Centre on 6th July 2022.

A select number of AGS Working Group

Members, who were nominated by their
Working Group Leaders, were awarded to thank
them for their contribution and dedication to the
AGS over the past year.

AGS Business Practice Working Group AGS Geotechnical Working Group

David Hutchinson (award) Peter Reading (award)
Stephen West (commendation)
AGS Safety Working Group
Jon Rayner (award) Services to the Association
Julian Lovell (award) Jackie Bland (award)

AGS Instrumentation & Monitoring Working AGS Data Management Working Group
Group Asitha Senanayake (award)
Katharine Barker (award)
AGS Contaminated Land Working Group
Steve Walthall (award)
Geraint Williams (award)
Andrew Ridley (commendation)
Andy O’Dea (award)

The top three AGS publications in the last month

1. AGS Guidance on Waste Classification for Soils - A Practitioners Guide
2. AGS Guidance on the Description of Anthropogenic Materials – A Practitioners’
Guide
3. AGS Client Guide for Ground Investigation Activities - Rotary Drilling
To download the publications for free; click here.

4 Magazine
 ∙ Thomas Cragg (Director, Cambridge
AGS Live and Virtual Insitu Ltd)

Events 2022 ∙ Yasmin Byrne (Senior Engineer,

Cambridge Insitu Ltd)
∙ Ross Thompson (Associate Director at
A Guide to Pressuremeter Testing: From
WSP UK)
Site to Design (webinar)
The Geotechnical Data Conference 2022
Î Date: 10th November 2022
(live event)
Î Location: Online
Î Date: Thursday 1st December
Î Fee: FOC
Î Location: The Burlington Hotel, Birmingham
Î Sponsorship: Headline and Associate
Î Fee: £145 for AGS members and £215 for
packages available
non-members. Prices exclude VAT. Click
Î Speakers include: here to register.

∙ Emma Cronin (Senior Geotechnical Î Sponsorship: Packages can be viewed HERE.

Engineer at SOCOTEC)
Î Full details to be released in due course
∙ Alex Dent (Associate Director at WSP)

Breaking Ground Podcasts:

New Episodes Now Live
Breaking Ground, a podcast collaboration between
Ground Engineering Magazine and the Ground
Forum, have released two new episodes which are
available for free listening:
Î George Tuckwell & Richard Pidcock on
Geophysics
Î Yuli Doulala-Rigby on Geosynthetics, Product
Types & Applications
Hosted by Steve Hadley, Breaking Ground covers a
wide range of ground engineering related topics. Key themes include sustainability, design,
commerce, diversity, health and safety, welfare, construction techniques, education, and
industry challenges. Episodes also profile industry members careers within the context of
discussing industry issues, construction techniques and case studies.
Breaking Ground is available for free download on channels including Spotify, Apple Podcasts
and Google Podcasts. To listen to the podcast, click HERE.
For further information on the podcast or for podcast sponsorship opportunities please email
gforum@ground-forum.org.uk.

September 2022 5
The AGS is pleased to announce The
Geotechnical Data Conference 2022 will be
taking place on Thursday 1st December 2022 at
The Burlington Hotel in Birmingham City Centre.
The conference will present current
developments and investigates the future of
‘AGS Electronic Transfer of Geotechnical and
Geoenvironmental Data (AGS 4.1.1)’, a new open-
source Validator and formally releases AGSi the
AGS’ ground modelling transfer format. This will
include a review of the AGS Data Management
Working Group’s input into the new ‘UK
Specification for Ground Investigation, Edition 3’
(Yellow Book) and the updated requirements for
data transfer/sharing.
We will be welcoming questions from attendees
(submitted in advance) on the overall AGS Data
Format ‘experience’, lessons learned, irritations,
suggested improvements for the future with
discussion from a panel of experts.
There will also be unique insight from major
infrastructure asset owners on their vision
of the importance and use of data in large
organisations both now and in the future.
SPEAKERS
National Highways Geotechnical Data
Improvements: Better Use of AGS Data
Verity Wadesmith, Principal Geotechnical
Engineering at Mott MacDonald
National Highways have been long time
supporters of the AGS format with functionality
available for the storage and display of AGS
data within the Geotechnical and Drainage
Management Service (GDMS). Currently
hosting over 800 AGS files, National Highways
wants to ensure that these are referenced and
re-used as effectively as possible, and that new
6 Magazine
SPONSORED BY
data coming into the system is of consistent
high quality. Improving quality and access to
AGS data adds significant value to preliminary
ground modelling and limits unnecessary
duplication of ground investigations. Saving
time, money, disruption to road users and
exposure of the supply chain to unnecessary
risk on the network. This presentation will
summarise the work National Highways have
done to improve the quality and access to the
AGS data that they host and showcase the
potential benefits to the wider industry.
Working with AGS data in Mathematica
notebooks
Ian Williams, Director at GeoConsult Limited
and Ground Investigation Limited
The AGS data transfer format was introduced in
1992. Thirty years later, using AGS data to its full
potential in geotechnical and geoenvironmental
practice remains challenging. Mathematica
notebooks provide an elegant solution.
Combining word processing with powerful
computational and visualisation capabilities,
Mathematica provides a flexible, cohesive
environment for working with AGS data and
presenting outputs.
This short presentation can only scratch the
surface of what’s possible. After summarising
some key principles of Mathematica and the
process for importing AGS data into a notebook,
it will conclude with several examples showing
just a few of the tasks that can be performed on
the data and outputs that can be generated.
Tickets are priced at £145 for AGS Members and
£215 for non-members. Members of the Data
Management Working Group and Students can
attend the conference for £75. Prices exclude
VAT.
To register your place, please click here.
DIAMOND SPONSOR* (AGS Member Rate:
£1250 / Non-Member Rate: £1600)
• Catering sponsor with logo on menu
• Two – three page company Q&A article in AGS
magazine (over 5,400 subscribers)**
• Full page advert in AGS Magazine (worth £400)**
• Entry for three delegates into the event
• A designated area to exhibit company initiatives,
research and software. This exhibition space can also
showcase marketing materials, literature and banners
• Company logo on the event PowerPoint
presentation holding slide
• Company logo and overview on the event programme
• Company overview on the AGS website
• Three announcements of your company’s involvement
on the AGS Twitter page (over 3280 followers)
• Three announcements of your company’s
involvement on the AGS’ LinkedIn page (over 5970
followers)
*one package available
**terms and conditions apply
EMERALD SPONSOR (AGS Member Rate:
£1000/ Non-Member Rate: £1250)
• Entry for three delegates into the event
• A designated area to exhibit company initiatives,
research and software. This exhibition space can also
showcase marketing materials, literature and banners
• ½ page advert in AGS magazine (worth £250, over
5,450 subscribers)
• Company logo on the event PowerPoint
presentation holding slide
• Company logo and overview on the event programme
• Company overview on the AGS website
• Two announcements of your company’s involvement
on the AGS Twitter page (over 3280 followers)
• Two announcements of your company’s
involvement on the AGS’ LinkedIn page (over 5970
followers)
*Limited packages available
SPONSORSHIP
The AGS has a range of sponsorship packages
available for this event, each offering a varying
level of exposure. Sponsorship packages start
from just £500 and provide an affordable way
to reach a worldwide audience across the AGS
Magazine, our database of over 4500 delegates,
our social media channels and of course, during
the event itself.
GOLD SPONSOR (AGS Member Rate: £800 /
Non-Member Rate: £1100)
• Entry for two delegates into the event
• A designated area to exhibit company initiatives,
research and software. This exhibition space can
also showcase marketing materials, literature and
banners
• Company logo on the event PowerPoint
presentation holding slide
• Company logo and overview on the event
programmeCompany overview on the AGS website
• ½ page advert in AGS magazine (worth £250, over
5,450 subscribers)
• Two announcements of your company’s
involvement on the AGS Twitter page (over 3280
followers)
• Two announcements of your company’s
involvement on the AGS’ LinkedIn page (over 5970
followers)
*Limited packages available
ASSOCIATE SPONSOR (AGS Member Rate:
£500 Non-Member Rate: £650)
• Entry for one delegate into the event
• Company directory in AGS magazine
• Company logo on event PowerPoint Presentation
holding slide
• Company logo on the event programme
• Company overview on the AGS website
• Announcement of your company’s involvement on
the AGS Twitter page (over 3,280 followers)
• Announcement of your company’s involvement on
the AGS’ LinkedIn page (over 5970 followers)
If you’d like to confirm your support please contact
Caroline Kratz on ags@ags.org.uk before Friday 14th
October. Please note that packages are limited and are
offered on a first come, first served basis.
September 2022 7
AG S NEWS &
UPCOMING
W E BI NAR EVENTS

The AGS is pleased to announce a free webinar will be taking place on the topic; A Guide to Direct
Strain Pressuremeters: From Site Survey to Engineering Parameters, on Thursday 10th November
2022 at 11am.
Event Overview
A sheet of paper has a thickness of about 0.1 millimetres. Direct strain pressuremeters can reliably
measure changes in displacements more than 100 times smaller than this, about the wavelength
of infra-red light.
In a practical sense, this level of resolution allows the shear stress/shear strain response of the
ground to be determined for shear strains of less than 0.01% to over 25%. This permits a high
precision assessment of ground conditions ranging from competent rocks to very soft soils.
A direct strain pressuremeter is an instrumented downhole tool measuring pressure and
displacement, allowing for calculation of engineering parameters including stiffness, strength and
in situ stress.
This discussion will include:
Î An introduction to direct strain pressuremeters such as those manufactured and used by
Cambridge Insitu,
Î A summary of the different types of pressuremeter and how they are deployed in different
situations,
Î An explanation of how testing is carried out,
Î An outline of the theory in which the data analysis is based,
Î An overview of how the analysis is undertaken in a real world context,
Î Survey design and recommendations for efficient testing regimes,
Î Applications for pressuremeter data.
This free webinar, co-Chaired by Alex Dent and Emma Cronin, will introduce the guide and why it
has been written. It will be aimed at both consultants and geotechnical contractors, with a focus on
pressuremeter testing in soil, but also acknowledging the technique as conducted in rock.

8 Magazine
Image credit: Cambridge Insitu Ltd

Presentations
‘A guide to direct strain pressuremeters, from site survey to engineering parameters‘, presented
by Thomas Cragg (Director, Cambridge Insitu Ltd) and Yasmin Byrne (Senior Engineer, Cambridge
Insitu Ltd) and featuring:
Î An introduction to direct strain pressuremeters such as those manufactured and used by
Cambridge Insitu.
Î A summary of the different types of pressuremeter and how they are deployed in different
situations.
Î An explanation of how testing is carried out.
Î An outline of the theory in which the data analysis is based.
‘Consultant’s view on pressuremeter testing in relation to foundation design‘, presented by Ross
Thompson (Associate Director, WSP UK Ltd.) and featuring:
A brief overview of how various pressuremeter derived parameters have been used in the design
of foundations, in particular the design of foundations for high rise developments. The talk will also
cover how pressuremeter testing has been used to optimise foundation design and a comparison
between other methods of testing.
Speakers include:
Î Emma Cronin (Senior Geotechnical Engineer at SOCOTEC)
Î Alex Dent (Associate Director at WSP)
Î Thomas Cragg (Director, Cambridge Insitu Ltd)
Î Yasmin Byrne (Senior Engineer, Cambridge Insitu Ltd)
Î Ross Thompson (Associate Director at WSP UK)

To register for the free webinar, please click HERE.

There are sponsorship packages available for this webinar which start at just £350. For further
information about sponsorship, click HERE or email ags@ags.org.uk.

September 2022 9
AG S NEWS &
UPCOMING
W E BI NAR EVENTS

AGS Webinar Replays - On Demand

The AGS currently has 15 webinar replays, available for on-demand viewing on www.ags.org.uk.
Webinar topics include our highly successful Sample Disturbance: What is it?, The New Yellow
Book – UK Specification for Ground Investigation, Improving Company Performance through
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, AGS 4.1, AGSi, the Standard Penetration Test and much more.
To view our entire back catalogue, click HERE, or take a look at some of our topics below:

The New Yellow Book – UK

Specification for Ground
Investigation
Cost: FOC
Webinar Overview: This webinar replay
sets the context for the revision and
explains the changes made and reasons
behind them.
Speakers: Speakers include Julian
Lovell (Immediate Past AGS Chair and
Managing Director at Equipe Group),
Matthew Baldwin (Independent
Consultant) and Stewart Jarvis
(Associate Director, Ground Engineering,
Arup).

10 Magazine
Sustainability in the Delivery of Brownfield Regeneration: Sustainable Management
of Soils
Cost: £25 for AGS members or £30 for non-AGS members
Webinar Overview: This webinar discusses the new Code of Practice for the Sustainable Use of
Soils and its implications to development, legal perspective on the liabilities imposed on developers
and consultants under the revised Duty of Care and tips and experience so as to better assist
practitioners in the classification of soils.
Speakers: Speakers include Ian Bishop (Managing Director at One Touch Data), Nick Willenbrock
(Manager - Definition of Waste: Development Industry Code of Practice at CL:AIRE), Anna Willetts
(Partner at Gunnercooke LLP), Will Fardon (Technical Director at Chemtech Environmental) and
Chris Swainston (Principal Environmental Consultant at Soils Limited).

Sustainability in the Delivery of Brownfield Regeneration: Sustainable Remediation

Solutions
Cost: £25 for AGS members or £30 for non-AGS members
Webinar Overview: This webinar discusses The Environment Act, the now mandatory 10%
biodiversity net gain (BNG) target for developments in England and Sustainable Management
Practices.
Speakers: Speakers include Alexander Lee (Technical Director, Environment at WSP), Jill Crawford
(Senior Associate Solicitor in the Planning and Environment Team at Irwin Mitchell), Jon Davies
(Director at RSK Biocensus / RSK Wilding) and Nicola Harries (Technical Director at CL:AIRE).

The Development of a Degree Apprenticeship in Geoscience

Cost: FOC
Webinar Overview: This webinar replay aims to inform about the decline in students enrolling in
geoscience courses at university and update on the progress with the Degree Apprenticeship in
Geoscience
Speakers: Speakers include Sally Hudson (AGS Chair and Regional Director at Coffey Geotechnics
Limited, A Tetra Tech Company), Dr Nick Koor (Reader in Geological Engineering, University of
Portsmouth (School of the Environment, Geography and Geoscience)) and Paul Roberts (Regional
Director at AECOM).

Sample Disturbance: What is it?

Cost: FOC
Webinar Overview: This webinar replay aims to stimulate a discussion and start a process whereby
we can begin to decide on factors which might build to be a disturbance classification.
Speakers: Speakers include Sally Hudson (AGS Chair and Regional Manager & Associate at Coffey
Geotechnics Limited, A Tetra Tech Company), David Norbury (Director at David Norbury Ltd), John
J M Powell (Technical Adviser at Geolabs Limited) and Tom Lunne (Expert Adviser at Norwegian
Geotechnical Institute).
Please note: Speaker information correct at the time of the webinars.

September 2022 11
Since our first webinar in July 2020, our virtual event programme has been a huge success
with 5,000+ delegates registering to attend from countries across the globe. We frequently
have attendees from USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, Italy and UAE to name but a few, and
sponsorship provides a fantastic opportunity to put your company and its initiatives in front of a
worldwide audience.
The AGS has both Headline and Associate sponsorship packages available for all webinars in 2022.
Packages are limited, however, bespoke packages can be developed with companies (subject to
space) to suit all budgets.
Please see package details below:

HEADLINE SPONSOR ASSOCIATE SPONSOR

*one package available per webinar
Price: £800 (members) or £1,100 (non-
members)
Î Company website link or pop-up
promotion to feature during the live
webinar
Î Large logo on sponsor slide during the
webinar
Î Company mention during webinar opening
and closing address
Î Logo and overview in the event program
Î Company Q&A feature in AGS Magazine
(5,440 subscribers)
Î Full page advert in AGS Magazine (worth
£400)
Î Two complementary event registrations
(worth up to £180)
Î Company logo and overview featured on
the webinar registration page
Î Logo featured on promotional marketing
emails
Î Company logo and overview on the AGS’
Twitter page (3,208 followers)
Î Company logo and overview on the AGS’
LinkedIn page (5,730 followers)
Î Company logo featured on replay email
campaigns
Î Company inclusion in a follow up article in
AGS Magazine (5,440 subscribers)
*10 packages available per webinar
Price: £350 (members) or £650 (non-
members)
Î Logo on sponsor slide during the webinar
Î Logo and overview in the event program
Î Company mention during webinar opening
& closing address
Î Logo featured in promotional marketing
emails
Î Company directory insert in AGS Magazine,
worth £50 (5,440 subscribers)
Î One complementary webinar registration
(worth up to £90)
Î Company logo and overview on the AGS’
Twitter page (3,208 followers)
Î Company logo and overview on the AGS’
LinkedIn page (5,730 followers)
Î Company mention in a follow up article in
AGS Magazine (5,440 subscribers)
Î Company overview on the AGS website
Î Company logo featured on replay email
campaigns
All prices exclude VAT.
If your company would like to support any
AGS webinars or if you’d like any further
information on the events, please contact
Caroline Kratz on ags@ags.org.uk.

12 Magazine
September 2022 13
The relationship between
LOLER and drilling machines
Article contributed by
AGS Safety Working Group and BDA Safety
Sub-committee
T
he Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) requires industry bodies, such
as the Association of Geotechnical
and Geoenvironmental Specialists (AGS)
and British Drilling Association (BDA) (who
represent the majority of the land drilling
sector), to provide guidance to their own
sectors through documented standards of
good practice and guidance to help ensure
legal compliance and encourage safety
improvements.
The relationship between drilling machines
and the Lifting Operations and Lifting
Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) has been
regularly contested as the primary use of a
drilling machine is not to lift, thus precluding
a drilling machine from the scope of LOLER.
However, the components forming, and added
to the mechanism in order to create a borehole,
are the same as those used by machines for
lifting. It is, therefore, prudent that the drilling
industry implements robust examination and
certification requirements to ensure the safe
operation of the drilling machine.
Current AGS and BDA guidance documents,
combined with the BDA audit, require that the
maintenance and inspection requirements of
drilling machines should be undertaken to the
same standard, with regards to competence,
thoroughness, and recording, as that required
14 Magazine
for components legislated for by LOLER.
Following consultation with the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE), and subsequently
underpinned by the release of L113 Safe use of
lifting Equipment, (HSE 2014), the land drilling
sector represented by the AGS and BDA:
Î mirrored the requirements of LOLER, where
it could be applied,
Î reinforced the Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) in its
entirety.
Why has the drilling industry chosen to
mirror elements of LOLER?
The mechanism for progressing a borehole is
either, rotational, resonance or percussion, or
a combination. It is reasonable to conclude that
a drilling machine is not designed “for” lifting
or lowering loads but for creating boreholes;
confirming that a drilling machine cannot
be tested against LOLER as it fails at the first
hurdle.
To explain why aspects of LOLER 1998 are
adopted; an understanding of the failure modes
that are aligned between machines designed
for lifting and machines designed for drilling
must be considered. Both types primarily use
either or a combination of steel wire ropes,
sheaves, and winches. Additional components
are used on both types, to connect auxiliary
items to enable the activity to take place.
Therefore, both types of machines will
have similar failure characteristics caused
by overloading, under rating, damage
and deterioration due to use or working
environment. Where failure modes are aligned
it is obvious that mitigation of failure should
also be aligned.
Which elements of LOLER 1998 are
applied to drilling machines?
LOLER prescribes (regulation 9, 10 & 11), and the
AGS and BDA supports, a regime of inspection
with two significant, prerequisites which are:
1. A specific regime for inspection; annual
thorough examination of the drilling
machines and six- monthly thorough
examination of accessories, and
2. A legal onus emphasising that the
competent person (for examination), “must
be sufficiently independent and impartial to
allow objective decisions to be made”.
Where specific tooling, used by drilling
machines, to enable the lifting process does
not currently conform to LOLER inspection
or examination, the manufacturer should be
consulted to obtain the Safe Working Load
(SWL) in order that the equipment can be
added to an inspection regime.
Examination certification shall mirror Schedule
1 of LOLER and contain the following particulars:
Î Name and address of the company for
whom the examination was made,
Î Address of the premises at which the
thorough examination was made,
Î Sufficient identification of the drilling
machine, its winches, ropes and lifting
accessories including, where known, their
date of manufacture,
Î The date of the last thorough examination,
Î The safe working load (SWL) of the drilling
machine, its winches, its accessories, and
the Factor of Safety (FOS) applied to each,
Î The type of examination i.e., six monthly
examination or annual examination or
if after the occurrence of exceptional
circumstances,
Î Identification of any part that had a defect,
which is or could become a danger to
persons, detailing the description of the
defect,
Î Any repair, renewal or alteration required
to remedy a defect found to be a danger to
persons,
Î Any defect, which is not yet but could
become a danger to persons, the time
by which it could become such a danger,
along with details of any repair, renewal or
alteration required to remedy it,
Î The latest date by which the next thorough
examination must be carried out,
Î Where the thorough examination included
testing; the particulars of any test
undertaken,
Î Name and competency qualifications of the
person making the report,
Î Name and address of the examiner’s
company / employer,
Î Name and address of the person signing or
authenticating the report on behalf of its
author,
Î Date of the thorough examination.
What is the legal standing of AGS & BDA
guidance?
Following good practice is not a legal
requirement in itself, but should an
organisation choose not to follow good
practice, and something goes wrong, that
organisation may well be found liable of a tort
of negligence under the Health and Safety at
Work Act, 1974 and face a financial penalty and
or a custodial sentence for it's Directors.
Essentially, the AGS and BDA has combined
the constant application of PUWER and the
two elements of LOLER to provide further
documented good practice to follow for the
drilling industry and thereby continue to
improve drilling machine safety.
More information regarding the Application
of PUWER and LOLER to Land Drilling can be
obtained from the AGS website.
September 2022 15
Photo Credit: In Situ Site Investigation Ltd

Introduction to Cone
Penetration Testing

Article contributed by
Darren Ward – Managing Director, In Situ Site
Investigation Ltd
Luisa Dhimitri – Geotechnical Engineer,
In Situ Site Investigation Ltd
John Holt - Pressuremeter Testing Manager -
Senior Geologist, Insitu Testing

C
one Penetration Testing (CPT) or
Piezocone (Cone Penetration with pore
water pressure measurement (CPTU))
have seen a significant increase in use over the
last 20 years. It has grown from a rarely used
test to forming a significant element of most
ground investigations carried out today. The
publication of documents such as Eurocode 7
and the ISO standard has helped push the use
of CPTs as a reliable and important method of
gaining quality repeatable in situ data from the
ground for design purposes.
Developments in the cone technology allowing
equipment to be more robust has also helped,
along with the ever-increasing number of
sensors that can be added to a CPT to make the
test even more powerful.
Test Procedure
The test procedure is clearly defined in the
British Standard, BS EN ISO 22476-1. In its
simplest form, a cone is pushed into the ground
at a standard penetration rate. The cone is
connected by an umbilical cable that feeds the
data to a data logger and logging computer,
which displays these results in real time on
screen. The cone is pushed in using a series of
1-metre-long rods by a set of hydraulic rams
inside the CPT rig.

16 Magazine
 fast rate of two centimetres per
second. This enables between 100
to 150 metres of testing in a shift,
depending on ground conditions.

It is also vitally important to fully

understand the limitations of CPTs.
A standard CPT rod is only 36mm
in diameter and most rigs will push
between 10-20 tonnes, so care has to
be taken not to damage or break the
equipment. A good understanding of
the probable ground conditions is vital
when deciding if CPTs will give you the
required outcome on your site.

CPT Equipment
Cones

Cone technology has seen major

developments over the past 20 years.
The standard CPT cone now measures
pore pressure and is referred to as a
piezocone. The pore pressure element
can also be mounted in one of three
positions, depending on ground
conditions and the purpose of the test.
Over recent years, the importance of
temperature affecting the electronics
inside the cone has been recognised
There are several checks and this has led to better

“
and some preparation of the temperature compensation.
When compared
cone that needs to be done
before commencement of to traditional drilling Cones have also moved
from being analogue to
the test which is outlined techniques, the test
digital, which has allowed
in the British Standard in is carried out at a for many more sensors to be
more detail. These include relatively fast rate of added to a standard CPT to
things such as checking
two centimetres per gain additional data. These
the dimensions of the
second. include magnetometers
cone, checking zero values,
for detecting unexploded
being aware of temperature
ordnance and pile lengths;
differences and saturating the piezo element of
sensors that measure the natural gamma
the cone.
radiation in the soil which can assist in solution
When compared to traditional drilling feature investigations and the seismic cone
techniques, the test is carried out at a relatively which can measure shear wave velocities


September 2022 17
Table 1. List of some of the different cones and modules commonly used.

Cone Type Additional Sensor/s Application

Seismic Normally 2 sets of geophones with a 0.5m Direct measurement of Shear wave
Cone or 1m separation velocity and Pressure wave velocity
Spall video camera mounted in the side of Visual confirmation of the soil and
Video Cone
the cone. can be used to find contamination.
Resistivity Resistivity sensor to measure direct
Contamination investigation.
Cone resistivity/conductivity.
Soil Moisture Resistivity and dielectric constant sensors For the measurement of soil moisture
Cone which combined can derive soil moisture. content.
Full flow penetrometer in shape of a ball More accurate measurement of tip
Ball Cone
that replaces a standard conical tip. resistance in very soft soils.
Full flow penetrometer in the shape of a
More accurate measurement of tip
Tbar Cone circular bar perpendicular to the cone that
resistance in very soft soils.
replaces a standard conical tip.
Gamma Cone Naturally occurring gamma sensor Solution feature investigation
Has a filter on the side of the cone from
Hydraulic Measurement of hydraulic
which water is injected into the ground
Profiling Tool conductivity.
and pressure is recorded.

down hole. A more detailed list is provided in penetrating the ground to measure hydraulic
Table 1. conductivity. There are also specialist cones
for working in very soft soils. These can be
There has also been a specially calibrated CPT cones
significant development or modified cones such as the
in the application of
environmental cones that
are capable of measuring
“ only thing a CPT
Cones are not the ball cone and T-Bar.

Cones are not the only thing

most types of contamination.
Two common examples of
environmental cones are the
membrane interface probe
and the optical imaging
probe. These are used to
rapidly map contamination
plumes over large areas. A
more detailed list of these
cones are provided in Table 1.
rig can push into the
ground! There are
specially modified
vanes that can be
used to measure shear
strength directly
and driven sampling
systems.
a CPT rig can push into the
ground! There are specially
modified vanes that can
be used to measure shear
strength directly and driven
sampling systems. The
CPT rig can also be used for
installing instrumentation
such as piezometers and
inclinometers.

Other cone types that are regularly Rigs

used are the soil moisture probe, video cone
CPT rigs come in all shapes and sizes
with a camera mounted on the side that
depending on what is needed for each
records an image and the hydraulic profiling
particular project. The larger the rig the more
tool which pumps out water as the cone is
reaction weight it will have to push the cone


18 Magazine
September 2022 19
in the ground. However, it is not always the
case that you need a large rig to achieve the
required depths in a certain ground condition.
You also don’t always have the space for a large
CPT rig so smaller ones may need be deployed
instead.
taken for the potential to damage underground
services, if used. The major advantage of these
rigs is that they can be used to access difficult
to reach locations and they are often used on
Jack up platforms and pontoons for carrying
out work over water.

Rigs are often divided into wheeled and There are even smaller rigs which are hand
tracked versions and these portable that are often used
can come in different sizes.
You can also get rigs that “ Smaller CPT rigs
such as crawlers
in basements. These are
bolted to the concrete slab
have both wheels and tracks can be between one in the building which then
on them, known as track- provides the reaction force
and a half and three
trucks. A good thing about for the test. These can be
the larger rigs is that they tonnes. These rigs powered by an electric
provide comfortable places typically come with power pack which enables
for work not only for the some sort of anchoring emission free testing inside
CPT operator but also the system to provide extra a building with no need for
supervising engineer. fume extraction.
reaction force for the
Smaller CPT rigs such as test. Furthermore, there are rigs
crawlers can be between that have been specially
one and a half and three tonnes. adapted for work in certain
These rigs typically come with some sort of environments. The rail environment is a good
anchoring system to provide extra reaction example where rigs have been modified to fit
force for the test. The use of the anchors can on rail vehicles to enable testing to be carried
slow down the overall operation and reduce out from the track.
the amount of testing that can be completed
Offshore is also a major area for CPTs and
in a shift and consideration also needs to be

20 Magazine
it is this industry that funded a lot of cone
development research during the 1970s and
80s. The speed of the CPT and the quality
of data that we get from it makes it ideal for
work in marine environments. Rigs have been
developed that are fully submersible which
can be lowered to the seabed to carry out
tests. Projects in this sector are commonly for
pipeline routes and foundations for wind farms.
Data Processing
While performing a piezocone test, the
measured data is automatically converted from
millivolts to engineering units. The results
of cone resistance qc, sleeve friction fs, and
porewater pressure u2 are shown graphically
on the computer screen, giving real time
access to the interested parties. Inclination and
penetration rate are also monitored; although
they are not used directly in soil classification
and geotechnical parameters derivation, they
assist in the process of quality checking the
data.
Data processing starts with generating the
corrected cone resistance, qt and friction ratio,
Rf through very simple calculations which
involve measured results only. At this phase
of data processing, Soil Behaviour Type (SBT)
can be plotted on one of the charts available
based on qc / qt and Rf to give a name to the
soils encountered during penetration. To
derive more soil properties, it is nearly always
necessary to have information on groundwater
conditions, GWL and density/unit weight, γ to
establish total and effective vertical stresses,
σv0 and σ’v, to derive pore pressure ratio, Bq and
other normalized parameters, Qt and FR, which
can be used to classify soils based on more
advanced SBT charts, like Robertson 2016,
which interpret soils strictly based on their
behaviour (contractive or dilative, drained or
undrained) instead of giving the geological
descriptions (sand, silt or clay).
Furthermore, data processing continues with
the derivation of geotechnical parameters
based on many correlations published in
literature linking the measured CPT/U
data to the required soil properties. These
correlations are incorporated into various
software packages making it a very easy

September 2022 21
Table 2. List of possible parameters to derive from correlations available in the literature

Parameters Symbol Unit especially when you perform a

Relative Density Dr % dissipation test by suspending
the penetration at the required
Undrained Shear Strength su kPa
depth and waiting for the excess
Water Content wc %
pore water pressure to dissipate.
SPT number N60 -
This provides us with valuable
Shear Wave Velocity vs m/s
geotechnical information such
Unit weight γ kN/m3 as ground water level at that
Small Strain Shear Modulus G0 MPa position in that moment if the
Small Strain Youngs Modulus E0 MPa dissipation test is left to run to
Constrained Modulus M MPa equilibrium, drainage conditions
Coefficient of volume change mv m2/MN and consolidation parameters.
Compression Index Cc - Furthermore, measured or
Overconsolidation Ratio OCR - derived parameters from CPTs
Friction Angle φ ° can be used to perform bearing
Effective Cohesion c’ kPa capacity analysis for shallow
Sensitivity St - and deep foundations.
Coefficient of Lateral Earth Pressure K0 - CPTU based methods to assess
Rigidity Index Ir - the liquefaction potential (the
Hydraulic Conductivity k (kh and kv) m/s phenomenon that turns solid
ground into a liquid-like state)
electronic process to plot the results on soil
of soils are straightforward to determine the
behaviour type charts and to generate all
cyclic resistance ratio (CRR). They have proven
possible soils properties. However, the use
to be very successful in tailings materials and
of software to process CPTU results into
regions prone to earthquakes. In addition,
geotechnical information should be done with
CPTUs are widely used as a quality check
care. Although these packages perform the
for ground improvement projects where
mathematical calculations correctly, they are
cone resistance, QC pre and post ground
often used with too little basic information,
improvement application helps the designers
experience and/ or knowledge (Powell &
to make real time decisions. In areas where the
Dhimitri, 2022). A list of soil properties that
geology is Chalk, cone penetration tests are
can be derived from CPTU measured data is
becoming a cost-effective method to identify
presented in Table 2.
chalk and solution features, especially by
Use of CPTs in Geotechnical Practice taking measurements of the gamma radiation
while penetrating the soils.
CPTUs are a powerful tool not only for soil
characterisation, but also to give extensive Reference
information on soil properties and their
Powell, J. J. M., Dhimitri L. “Watch out for the
behaviour in situ. Over the years, they have
use of global correlations and “black box”
proven to be very successful to provide
interpretation of CPTU data [taylorfrancis.
information regarding the design parameters
com]”. 5th International Symposium on Cone
in difficult soil conditions. The use of CPTU
Penetration Testing (CPT’22), 8-10 June 2022,
tests is worthwhile in settlement evaluation,
Bologna, Italy. CRC Press. p. 651-656

22 Magazine
 Association of Geotechnical &
Geoenvironmental Specialists
WHY BECOME AN AGS MEMBER?
Enhance your status in the industry. Make a statement about
quality and good practice. Participate in the AGS Working Groups
and help shape the industry and set the standards.

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MEMBERS CAN
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MEMBERS CAN
PARTICIPATE IN AGS
WORKING GROUPS:
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For further information on the AGS and details on how to become ■ Contaminated Land
a member visit www.ags.org.uk ■ Safety
■ Business Practice
Established in 1988, the Association of Geotechnical and ■ Loss Prevention
Geoenvironmental Specialists is a not-for-profit trade ■ Data Management
association which represents over 140 leading companies ■ Executive Committee
specialising in site investigation, geotechnics, geoenvironmental ■ Geotechnical
engineering, engineering geology, geochemistry, hydrogeology, ■ Instrumentation and
and other related disciplines. Monitoring

September 2022 23
Photo Credit: Mark Caldon
New SoBRA Guidance on the Incorp
Future Climate Change Effects into C
Waters Risk Assessments of Land C
Article contributed by
Dr. Emma Hipkins, Helen McMillan, and Isla
Smail on behalf of the wider SoBRA Climate
Change and Controlled Waters sub-group.
I
n May 2021 a SoBRA sub-committee was
established to develop guidance to help
practitioners in the land contamination
sector to account for climate change effects
in controlled water risk assessments (CWRA)
in a robust and consistent manner. The sub-
committee has representatives from geo-
environmental consultancy and UK regulatory
bodies (a full list of contributors is provided
at the end of this article). The full guidance
entitled “Guidance on assessing risk to
controlled waters from UK land contamination
under conditions of future climate change”
(V.1.0, dated August 2022), will soon be
available for download from the SoBRA
website1.
Climate change is expected to alter the
frequency and distribution of rainfall, increase
atmospheric temperatures, and increase the
24 Magazine
frequency and severity of extreme weather
events, leading to longer periods of drought and
more extreme rainfall events with associated
rising groundwater and surface water levels
causing flooding and coastal inundation.
Furthermore, long-term changes in climate
are forecast with the Meteorological Office
projecting that by 2070, on average across the
UK, summers will be between 0.9 and 5.4 °C
warmer, and winters will be between 0.7 and
4.2 °C warmer2. Precipitation is also expected
to be affected, with a -47% to +2% UK average
change during the summer months, and a -1%
to +35% change during winter months3. The
projected pattern of rainfall across the UK
is not uniform and will continue to vary on
seasonal and regional scales into the future –
see information provided by the Met Office4 for
seasonal and regional variations.
Changes in recharge rates, and to a lesser
extent atmospheric temperature, can be
important factors in determining the outcome
of CWRAs5 being completed to assess the
impacts to receptors from contaminant
 assessments. Within the recently published
BS213656 there is a requirement to consider
and identify ‘possible foreseeable events’
within CSMs that could affect contaminant
impacts or create new exposure pathways,
e.g. flooding, rising groundwater or seawater
levels and extreme weather, which all go hand
in hand with climate change. The absence of
published UK guidance has resulted in variable
ways of inclusion of climate change effects

poration of into CWRA, or, more usually, the influence of

climate change being ignored entirely.

Controlled Effect of Future Climate Change on

Contamination
sources. Climate change could, therefore, alter
the risk posed to controlled waters (including
to groundwater resources, surface water
bodies, marine bodies, and groundwater-
dependent terrestrial ecosystems), and the
required management of these risks.
The need to incorporate the predicted effects
of future climate change into qualitative
and quantitative risk
Controlled Waters Risk Assessments
All CWRA are underpinned by a conceptual
site model (CSM), which synthesises the key
physical, chemical, and biological processes
that characterise the system, and establishes
any potential Source-Pathway-Receptor
linkages (i.e. no linkage, no risk).
Future climate change could foreseeably affect
any given CSM. For example, an increase in
precipitation could lead to increased recharge
resulting in rising groundwater levels; source
(e.g. soil) erosion; or overland flow. It can
further be seen how these scenarios could
affect the pathways from source
to receptors e.g. unsaturated

“
assessments have been
recognised but rarely
implemented in practice.
This need is set out within
the Environment Agency’s
2010 “Managing and reducing
land contamination: guiding
principles (GPLC2) FAQ 8”, and
within the National Planning
Policy Framework (NPPF) for
England and Wales and LCRM.
It is understood that the
National Planning Framework
4 and WAT-PS-10 in Scotland
will also in future include the need to consider waters .7
The need to
incorporate the
predicted effects of
future climate change
into qualitative and
quantitative risk
assessments has
been recognised but
rarely implemented in
practice.
zone thickness, hydraulic
gradients and dilution
factors, or the introduction
of new pathways e.g. from
overland flow, or previously
unsaturated drains/culverts
acting as new preferential
pathways (see Figure 1). As
a result of the change in
pathway, the number and
type of receptors may also
be affected, all of which
could change the calculated
‘risk’ posed to controlled

climate change within land contamination risk



September 2022 25
Figure 1 – Indicative CSM considerations
based on a climatic shift to ‘wetter’ weather.

By way of another example, an increase in In line with industry standards (e.g. LCRM8),
extended periods of hot dry the SoBRA guidance recognises

“
weather or drought i.e. as that any change to a CSM
In line with
predicted for the summer (due to future climate
months, could result in industry standards change effects) must be
reduced overland flow; falling [...], the SoBRA guidance determined by a suitably
groundwater levels which recognises that any qualified and experienced
could, for example, change change to a CSM [...] professional, using
the pathway length by evidence-based reasoning.
must be determined
increasing the unsaturated The risk assessment
zone thickness or increase by a suitably qualified process should only
dependency of baseflow and experienced progress to higher tiers
to rivers; source drying professional, using (i.e. generic quantitative
increasing the risk of wind evidence-based and detailed quantitative)
erosion/dust generation, if the risk cannot be
reasoning...
and the development of determined ‘acceptable’ at
desiccation cracks creating the preliminary stage. The
preferential vertical flow paths; changes in SoBRA guidance supports practitioners in
water demand e.g. through the installation of doing this by setting out “What-if” scenarios
new abstraction wells or enhanced drawdown. for source, pathway, receptor CSM components
All of which could again alter the calculated that could be affected by climate change, in
‘risk’ posed to controlled waters (see Figure 2). order to guide evidence-based reasoning. This

26 Magazine
Figure 2 – Indicative CSM considerations
based on a climatic shift to ‘drier’ weather.

is in line with the approach detailed in BS21365. end of the century. The projections consider
average effects and do not necessarily include
Adequacy of Available Datasets the effects of extreme events.
The current best The Enhanced Future Flows

“
source of information
The current and Groundwater10 (eFLaG)
for understanding
best source of Project, which is based on
future meteorological UKCP18 meteorological
(e.g. temperature and information for
data, is the most up to
precipitation) and sea level understanding future date source of information
rise projections is the Met meteorological [...] detailing projections to
Office UK Climate Projection
and sea level rise recharge and river flows.
(CP) 189 dataset. This dataset
projections is the Met This may be a more useful
was primarily developed data source in relation to
to inform water resource Office UK Climate
understanding changes to
management and flood risk Projection (CP) 18 the hydrogeological CSM
assessment and as such dataset... in relation to future climate
the data modelled under change.
the worst case high emissions
scenario (RCP 8.5) is the most comprehensive, The choice of data set used to understand
particularly when considering effects at the future climate change influences on the CSM
local scale. Projections are available until the is ultimately the responsibility of the risk


September 2022 27
assessor and should be suitably justified
with uncertainties and limitations clearly
stated. As the effects of climate change vary
seasonally and spatially across the UK, careful
consideration should be given to the site
setting when choosing the appropriate climate
model output for use in risk assessment.
Adequacy of Available Modelling Tools
Commercial modelling tools used in the higher
tiers of risk assessment e.g. the Remedial
Targets Methodology worksheet (‘P20’)11, and
ConSim12, currently assume environmental
conditions remain constant, however, the
effects of future climate change are projected
to vary over time, and so, therefore, will the
established pollutant linkages.
This poses a challenge for practitioners with
tools ill-equipped to model changes to the
values of parameters over time. Although
distributed flow models exist (e.g. MODFLOW
and FEFLOW), in addition to compartmental
modelling environments (e.g. ConSim), the
data requirements, time, and computational
and staff resources required to develop and run
these models is unlikely to be proportionate
to most routine land contamination risk
assessments.
It is, therefore, evident that further tools need
to be developed (or current tools adapted) to
model the transient effects of future climate
change. However, until such time, the SoBRA
guidance recommends that existing tools are
employed, except where risks are borderline
acceptable (in which case an existing
transient modelling approach may be most
appropriate). The SoBRA guidance sets out
recommendations for how this can be achieved
using commercially available tools.
SoBRA Sub-Committee Members
David Drury (Golder Associates / WSP);
Emma Evans (Arcadis); Emma Hipkins (Golder
Associates / WSP); Emma Khadun (The LK
28 Magazine
Group); Helen McMillan (RSK Geosciences); Isla
Smail (The Scottish Environment Protection
Agency); James Wilson (Atkins); Jesse
Davies (Ramboll); Jonathon Atkinson (The
Environment Agency); Katie Gamlin (WSP);
Leon Warrington (Hydrock); Roisin Lindsay
(WSP); Sarah Poulton (Natural Resources
Wales); and Suzanne Blackman (Mott
MacDonald).
We would also like to thank Simon Cole
(SoBRA chair) and the wider SoBRA Executive
Committee for their support and contributions
in making this guidance possible.
References
1. https://sobra.org.uk/
2. UK Climate Projections: Headline Findings. July 2021
(available at https://www.metoffice.gov.uk). Values
presented are based on Met Office high emissions
projections (RCP8.5) for 10% and 90% probability
levels.
3. Where a negative value denotes a reduction in
precipitation.
4. UKCP18 Climate Change Over Land (available at
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk).
5. Controlled waters is a term used in legislation in
England and Wales. Its equivalent in Scotland is the
water environment. It is understood that Northern
Ireland use both terms. Throughout this article the
term ‘controlled waters’ is used to refer to regulated
groundwater and surface water throughout the UK.
6. BS EN ISO 21365:2020 Soil quality – conceptual site
models for potentially contaminated sites
7. Changes to a Conceptual Site Model can also be
envisaged because of increases in the frequency
and duration of extreme cold weather events,
changes to wind intensity and duration, pluvial or
groundwater flooding, marine inundation, and river
or coastal erosion.
8. Land Contamination Risk Management Guidance.
Available at https://www.gov.uk/government/
publications/land-contamination-risk-
management-lcrm
9. https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/
approach/collaboration/ukcp
10. https://www.ceh.ac.uk/our-science/projects/
eflag-enhanced-future-flows-and-groundwater
11. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/
remedial-targets-worksheet-v22a-user-manual
12. http://www.consim.co.uk/
Plastic coreboxes are the future –
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September 2022 29
Photo Credit: Andy O'Dea, Cognition
Land and Water

Brownfield and
Biodiversity Net Gain –
opportunities and risks
Article contributed by Development are essential to the best practice
Hannah Williams (Principal Ecologist, BNG) & application of the Metric to avoid biodiversity
Harriett Ricketts (Natural Capital Specialist) - being considered as a numbers game. We
WSP will also discuss the opportunities and risks
presented by BNG and its delivery to the

B
iodiversity net gain (BNG) is an development of brownfield land.
approach to development that aims
Across the UK, the BNG approach is known
to leave biodiversity in a measurably
and associated with policy and legislation to
better state than before. BNG is both an
different degrees. In England, the Environment
outcome and a process. The approach to
Act 2021 has made the BNG approach
BNG consists of ten guiding principles as
a mandatory requirement of planning
outlined in the Good Practice Principles for
permission. This primary legislation requires
Development1 and in England, the application
all size developments, excluding permitted
of an excel-based tool, the Biodiversity Metric
development, to achieve a minimum of a 10%
3.1 Calculation Tool2 (hereafter ‘the Metric’),
net gain in biodiversity for at least 30 years,
as a proxy measure of biodiversity. In this
demonstrated through the Metric. It will
article, we will explore how the Principles for
come into effect between 2023 and 2025 and

30 Magazine
tie in with secondary legislation providing Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 stipulation for
further details of how the approach will work development to secure positive effects for
in practice. In the meantime, Local Planning biodiversity. In Wales, under the Planning
Authorities already expect Policy Edition 11, there is the

“
net gain to be achieved in requirement for development
In Wales, under
developments, as required to prevent biodiversity
by the National Planning
the Planning Policy losses or compensate for
Policy Framework (NPPF); Edition 11, there is losses where damage is
the difference being that the requirement for unavoidable4 and that any
the NPPF does not define a development to prevent development must provide a
percentage. net benefit for biodiversity.
biodiversity losses or
In Northern Ireland, Planning
In Scotland, Wales and compensate for losses Policy Statement 2: Natural
Northern Ireland, legislation where damage is Heritage 2013 states
for BNG does not yet exist. unavoidable... ‘planning policies of this
Current policy, however, statement must have regard
suggests the use of BNG as a valid to any strategy designated
and robust way to meet policy requirements. for the conservation of biodiversity…’ and
For example, in Scotland, the latest National ‘protection and/or enhancement’ of ‘natural
Planning Framework 43 must implement the heritage features and designated sites’ is


September 2022 31
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32 Magazine
Photo Credit: Andy O'Dea, Cognition
Land and Water
required5.
This article will focus on England, where policy
and legislation are most developed in BNG,
allowing for better exploration of implications
for brownfield land. However, many of the
principles of how the approach works, as well
as drawbacks and opportunities, could apply
elsewhere in the UK.
Initially, Natural England (NE), the relevant
non-departmental public body, considered
whether brownfield land should be excluded
from the Metric. However, following a recently
completed consultation6, the government
is proposing not to apply exemptions to
brownfield sites that meet set criteria.
They state that ‘an exemption based on an
appropriate combination of these criteria
would deliver little added benefit and would
greatly complicate the requirement’s scope for
developers and planning authorities alike....
furthermore, many brownfield sites offer
significant potential for achieving biodiversity
net gain as they often have a low pre-
development biodiversity value’7. Therefore,
brownfield developments are seen to offer
significant biodiversity value, especially in
urban environments.
The habitats found on brownfield land vary
from areas of remaining bare ground or
hard standing, to ruderal and ephemeral
vegetation, to grassland and scrub. Where a
combination of these habitats occurs within
a certain continuous area, they can fit the
description of Open Mosaic Habitats on
Previously Developed Land (OMH). The periodic
disturbance and abandonment of the land
replicates the ‘disturbance’ process found
in natural ecosystems. Disturbance is often
essential to ‘restart the clock’ of succession
(the process by which the structure and mix
of species and habitats in an area change over
time). Disturbance supports the creation of a
variety of habitats across a landscape, which in
turn supports species diversity. This is where
brownfield land can be valuable to biodiversity.
Brownfield land often falls into the category of
a biodiversity rich habitat or one that is very
poor for biodiversity. The type of species and
habitats found on brownfield land are often
rarer than those found in the countryside,

September 2022 33
Photo Credit: Andy O'Dea, Cognition
Land and Water
with evidence suggesting between 12% and
15% of all nationally rare and scarce insects
are recorded on these sites8. Whilst the
countryside is often viewed as more biodiverse,
many modern farming methods prevent the
establishment of diverse habitats and species.
Therefore, often brownfield land is more bio-
diverse than the farmed countryside.
Where brownfield land does not have OMH
and is classified as poor quality, it can offer
significant opportunities for habitat banking.
Habitat banks are habitats that are created
in advance of development i.e., banked for
later. When a development goes ahead, and
the habitat can’t be saved, the habitat bank
can be called upon to offset the habitat lost
providing the previous steps of the mitigation
hierarchy have been applied9. There are various
opportunities with brownfield land to provide
a bank. Where low scoring brownfield habitats
are present, such as with hardstanding,
34 Magazine
bare ground or certain ruderal, ephemeral,
grassland and scrub types, much can be done
to improve biodiversity. For example, taking
up the hardstanding to plant, planting up bare
ground, adding more native species variety to
existing grassland or scrubby areas or adding a
range of habitats instead of one.
As habitat banking is in its infancy, expert
advice is necessary before setting up a habitat
bank to ensure that the correct governance,
registration (with the LPA but likely also
with NE) and monitoring procedures are in
place to meet the Environment Act (2021)
requirements. Currently, there is no regulation
around habitat banking; regulation is expected
between 2023 and 2025 when BNG will become
mandatory.
When brownfield land has low scoring habitats
of condition and distinctiveness, they can
be used to contribute toward a development
project to achieve net gain, as they can be
 intense management regimes homogenises
sites, decreasing plant and animal diversity.
Where remediation is not considered,
brownfield sites are often neglected and result
in scrub encroachment, which can in some
cases reduce biodiversity.

High quality brownfield sites may be OMH,

which must be considered separately. As a
mosaic habitat it may include other habitats
of principle importance and is not easily
defined so its definition depends on meeting a
number of quality criteria. It can be made up of
a wide range of habitats including grassland,
tall ruderal plant species, native and non-
native invasive species and early pioneer
communities and is particularly valuable to
rare and declining invertebrates10. They are
vital in ensuring high levels of biodiversity
in the UK, supporting pioneer species and
species that move between habitat patches,
and providing refuge for others. OMH is a
Habitat of Principle Importance under Section
41 of the Natural Environment and Rural
replaced with almost any other habitat and Communities Act 2006 due to its ability to
result in significant biodiversity improvements. support a rich assemblage of invertebrates. To
This is providing that they are not OMH or other qualify it needs to be at least 0.25ha, have more
priority habitats i.e., some ponds or native than one specified habitat type within the
woodland. For example, a mosaic, and meet other specific
site consisting of one hectare
area of bare ground provides
2 biodiversity units according
“ In the UK,
there is a focus
criteria including a known
history of disturbance at the
site11.
on the remediation
to the Metric. Should two-
thirds be lost to development of brownfield sites. Within the Metric,
and the remainder However, remediation OMH is assigned a high
‘distinctiveness’ level.
landscaped with native scrub, can decrease habitat
Distinctiveness is a term
2.21 units could be provided, diversity if it involves used in BNG to describe
making a 10% net gain.
intense management innate qualities of a
In the UK, there is a focus on instead of natural particular habitat type
the remediation of brownfield processes. and can range from very
sites. However, remediation low to very high. Due to
can decrease habitat diversity if the high distinctiveness of
it involves intense management instead of OMH, encountering a site with OMH can be
natural processes. The addition of nutrient rich problematic for the developer. Instead of losing
topsoil and seeding grass species that require and needing to replace 2 units/ha (as would be


September 2022 35

Photo Credit: Andy O'Dea, Cognition
Land and Water
the case for bare ground), losing OMH habitat
would result in the loss of at least 6 units/ha.
OMH must also be replaced with the same
habitat. Finally, OMH is considered to be of
medium difficulty to create in the ‘difficulty to
create’ risk factor of the Metric, meaning that
it will likely only be successfully created two-
thirds of the time. Thus, the Metric requires
1ha of lost OMH to be replaced with 1.9ha of the
same habitat of the same quality.
One of the aims of the Metric is to
disincentivise development on particularly
valuable habitats, which might occur with
OMH. However, though it is difficult to create,
other habitats in the Metric are considered
36 Magazine
harder to create. OMH may also be easier to
manage because the habitat is a result of
previous disturbance, more disturbance can
be used to ‘reset its clock’. This could be as
simple as clearing areas rotationally from time
to time. Also, this habitat is only considered to
require four years to reach moderate condition
in the ‘time to target’ risk factor of the Metric,
and ten years to reach time to target good
condition. However, the site would need to be
managed for 30 years under the Environment
Act. It should be noted that each site is unique
and there is no set time period in which OMH
will develop. This period is dependent on
various factors like the type of brownfield
site, proximity to other landscape features,
topology and climate. Furthermore, because
the distinctiveness of the habitats is high,
they produce high numbers of biodiversity
units relative to their area. Finally, these areas
punch above their weight in biodiversity
terms compared to other habitats and can be
particularly valuable in urban areas where
other greenspace is lacking. For these reasons,
OMH could be a good habitat to investigate
when setting up a habitat bank.
The government has identified that at least
300,000 new homes would need to be built in
order to meet the increasing housing supply
demands. It recently announced an initiative
to promote the development of derelict sites
into new homes under a new brownfield fund12.
Whilst this is viewed as a way to boost local
economies and home ownership, there is a
significant risk to biodiversity and ensuring
climate resilience within cities. Research
has shown that ex-landfill sites contain
assemblages of rarer birds, which could be
lost through new housing developments
(Macgregor et al., 2022)13.
There are several opportunities associated
with this type of habitat, including the multi-
functionality of these sites and the creation of
habitats from the start of the succession, thus
supporting more biodiverse pioneer species
than had previously occurred. Additionally,
naturally occurring OMHs, which develop
as a result, will enhance biodiversity in a
fragmented landscape through the creation
of habitat corridors, which will have an
overall significant beneficial impact on future
biodiversity.
In conclusion, brownfield sites, through the
presence of OMH, can have greater biodiversity
than that of countryside land and other land
within the UK, as shown through the Metric.
This increased biodiversity uplift in both
condition and distinctiveness occurs through
the development of OMH on brownfield land
that is in a poor condition. However, to realise
these benefits, further awareness is required
including the correct management regime
of these sites and to increase the public and
developers’ perception of the benefits of these
sites. OMH provides vital successional habitats
for a wide variety of species if the natural
ecosystem process is allowed to occur. These
habitats are Habitats of Principle Importance
and are key to enhancing biodiversity, climate
resilience and wider natural capital benefits.
These sites have commercial potential through
offering habitat credits (i.e., a unit of trade that
places monetary value on habitat preservation
or restoration) to both developers and Local
Planning Authorities via the creation of habitat
banks. However, allowing OMH to occur on
these sites is not considered in line with the
current government plans to build new homes
and boost the local economics.
References
1. CIEEM, CIRIA, IEMA (2016) ‘Biodiversity Net Gain:
Good practice principles for development https://
cieem.net/resource/biodiversity-net-gain-good-
practice-principles-for-development/ Biodiversity-
Net-Gain-Principles.pdf (cieem.net)
2. Natural England (2022), The Biodiversity Metric 3.1.
The Biodiversity Metric 3.1 - JP039 (naturalengland.
org.uk)
3. Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 [online]. Available at:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2019/13/
section/2/enacted
4. Welsh Government. Planning Policy Edition 11
[online]. Available at: https://gov.wales/sites/
default/files/publications/2021-02/planning-
policy-wales-edition-11_0.pdf
5. Department of the Environment (2013). Planning
Policy Statement 2 Natural Heritage [online].
Available at: https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/
publications/retained-planning-policy
6. Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs
(2022) ‘Consultation on Biodiversity Net Gain
Regulations and Implementations. https://consult.
defra.gov.uk/defra-net-gain-consultation-
team/consultation-on-biodiversity-net-gain-
regulations/ (accessed 01/08/222). Results
expected Autumn 2022.
7. Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs
(2022) ‘Consultation on Biodiversity Net Gain
Regulations and Implementations. https://consult.
defra.gov.uk/defra-net-gain-consultation-
team/consultation-on-biodiversity-net-gain-
regulations/ (accessed 01/08/222). Pg 26.
8. Lush.M., Kirby.P., & Shepherd.P. (2013) ‘Open Mosaic
habitat survey handbook’ Open Mosaic Habitat
Survey Handbook (buglife.org.uk) (accessed
29/07/22).
9. Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental
Management (2021) ‘Good Practice Requirements for
Delivering Biodiversity Net Gain (On-and Off-site)
10. https://www.nature.scot/sites/default/
files/2018-02/Priority%20Habitat%20
-%20Open%20Mosaic%20Habitats%20
On%20Previously%20Developed%20Land.
pdf#:~:text=The%20Open%20mosaic%20
habitats%20on%20previously%20developed%20
land,sites%20support%20good%20examples%20
of%20this%20priority%20habitat. (accessed
01/08/22)
11. Riding, A., Critchley, N., Wilson, L. and Parker, J. 2010.
Definition and mapping of open mosaic habitats
on previously developed land: Phase 1. Defra
Research Report WC0722. London, Department for
Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
12. Department for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities (2022). ‘Derelict sites to be transferred
into new homes as new brownfield sites opens’
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/derelict-
sites-to-be-transformed-into-new-homes-as-
new-brownfield-fund-opens (accessed 29/07/22).
13. Mcgregor.C., Bunting. M., Deutz.P., Bourn.N., Roy.D.,
Mayes.W. ‘Brownfield sites promote biodiversity at
a landscape scale. Science of the Total Environment,
Vol 804, Jan 2022, 150162.
14. Garnter.T., (2010) ‘Habitat Credit Trading’ PERC
Reports, Volume 28, No.1.
September 2022 37
 Q & A with...
Alex Dent
B.Sc. M.Sc. EurGeol C.Geol FGS
Job Title:
Associate Director
Company:
WSP UK Ltd
Brief Biography:
Alex has 25 years
experience in ground
engineering, covering a
wide variety of ground
conditions, market sectors,
geotechnical structures and
deliverables. He has worked
on UK and international
projects. Alex has extensive
experience in the design
of foundations, basements
and earthworks and in
the assessment of ground
movements and slopes. Alex
is also WSP’s Geotechncial
Net Zero lead and mentors
a number of junior team
members on their route to
chartership. Alex believes
that the best way to deliver
cost effective ‘joined up’
design solutions is through
close collaboration with
structural, civil engineering
and geo-environmental
colleagues.
38 Magazine
What or who inspired you
to join the geotechnical
industry?
Desperation! I graduated from a
B.Sc in Geology and Geophysics
(University of Durham) in
the mid 90s recession and
jobs in the oil and gas sector
were hard to come by. Out of
desperation I researched other
geological opportunities and
Engineering Geology came
up as an option. It sounded
like and interesting technical
challenge involving geology,
physics and maths. I also liked
the idea of an industry that
that provides direct benefit to
society.
What does a typical day
entail?
There is no such thing a
typical day! But broadly
speaking this week; Providing
technical advice for the
ground investigation on part
of HS2, reviewing settlement
monitoring data on another
project, resolving contactor
queries on a slope stabilisation
project, line management
duties, progressing WSPs Net 0
priorities and duties as an AGS
Committee member.
Are there any projects
which you’re particularly
proud to have been a part
of?
Geotechnical design for
the award-winning Proton
Beam Therapy Centre for
UCL Hospitals – at 24m, then
London’s deepest basement
with nearby tube tunnels,
Thames Water assets and
surrounding buildings all
requiring consideration.
Freetown, Sierra Leone. A
lovely locally based client team
and a project with great vision
and the potential to raise
people out of poverty.
What are the most
challenging aspects of
your role?
Clients, or perhaps more
correctly, their Project
Managers and QSs, nearly all
mistaking cost for value.
Clients should be educated to
‘invest’ in ground investigation
and ‘invest’ in design –
this could pay substantial
dividends over the project
lifecycle. But no: they would
sooner quibble over a handful
boreholes or ‘brow beat’ over
design fees etc.
Photo Credit: Equipe Group
The industry wide lack
of qualified and suitably
experienced engineers/
geologist, with resultant
resourcing issues is a
challenge. This challenge is
only going to get harder if the
numbers taking up geology
degrees continues to decrease.
The theories behind our
designs assume that soils are
homogenous and isotropic.
They aren’t. We only sample
(let alone test) as small fraction
of the ground we are modelling.
There are also a number of
factors that may influence a
given soil parameter, e.g. strain
magnitude. Modelling of the
ground is therefore a perpetual
joy and challenge.
What AGS Working
Group(s) are you a
Member of and what are
your current focuses?
I am the leader of the AGS
Geotechnical Working
Group (GWG). My focus is to
ensure that our meetings
are stimulating and provide
tangible results for the benefit
of the AGS membership. The
GWG are looking at a number
of matters relation to Net Zero
in geotechnical design, the
next generation of Eurcodes
and a number of other
interesting topics.
What do you enjoy most
about being an AGS
Member?
Sharing knowledge.
What do you find
beneficial about being an
AGS Member?
A sense of community; we
are all in this together. We are
facing the same challenges and
generating guidance to benefit
of each other.
Why do you feel the AGS is
important to the industry?
It provides some great
resources which are really
helpful for briefing and guiding
more junior team members. It
helps ensure that the quality of
work produced by its members
is of a suitable standard, and
hence drives up standards
for the whole industry, and
through the Ground Forum, it
gives us a collective voice.
What changes would you
like to see implemented in
the geotechnical industry?
A change in Client’s/
QS’s/Project Manager’s
attitude to geotechnical
engineering – Geotechnical
engineering is not a bolt
on to a Geoenvironmental
investigation required
to discharge a planning
application. When we write a
report it is meant to be read,
understood and its advice
considered - not ‘ticked’ as
done and then filed.
A chance to be ‘on the top
table’ and present the findings
of our reports and our design
solutions directly to clients.
This might help them better
understand the issues that
their projects face, the key
role we play in helping them
manage their risks, the value
geotechnical engineers
can bring to a project and
ultimately help them to ‘invest’
in what we do.
Some better quality logging
(and checking of logs prior
to issue) would be nice too
– how is it 25years in and I
still see logs with ‘stiff SAND’,
‘dense CLAY’, ‘very sandy very
gravelly CLAY/SILT with many
cobbles and boulders’ and the
like in factual reports?
September 2022 39
 Standards Update August 2022

RECENTLY PUBLIS

STANDARD SUBJECT / TEST SUP

BS ISO 11271:2022 Soil quality – Determination of redox potential – Field method Rep
BS EN ISO 17892- Geotechnical investigation and testing – Laboratory testing – Part 1: Rep
1:2014+A1:2022 Determination of water content
BS ISO 17924:2018 Soil quality — Assessment of human exposure from ingestion of soil and soil Corr
material — Procedure for the estimation of bioaccessibility/bioavailability of prod
metals in soil tech
PD CEN ISO/TS Geotechnical investigation and testing – Qualification criteria and assessment – New
24283-1:2022 Part 1: Qualified technician and qualified operative
CEN ISO TS Geotechnical investigation and testing – Qualification criteria and assessment – Part
24283-2 Part 2: Responsible expert 2011
PD CEN ISO/TS Geotechnical investigation and testing – Qualification criteria and assessment – Rep
24283-3:2022 Part 3: Qualified enterprise 224

SELECTED INTERNATIONAL & EUROPEAN “GE

STANDARD SUBJECT / TEST SUP

CEN prEN 1997-1 Eurocode 7 - Geotechnical design – General Rules Will

CEN prEN 1997-2 Eurocode 7 - Geotechnical design – Ground properties Will

CEN prEN 1997-3 Eurocode 7 - Geotechnical design – Geotechnical structures Will

EN ISO 18674-7 Geotechnical investigation and testing – Geotechnical monitoring by field New
instrumentation – Part 7: Measurement of strains: Strain gauges
ISO DIS 18674-8 Geotechnical investigation and testing – Geotechnical monitoring by field New
instrumentation – Part 8: Measurement of forces: Load cells
ISO FDIS 22476-1 Geotechnical investigation and testing – Field testing –Part 1: Electrical cone and BS I
piezocone penetration test
ISO DIS 22476-5 Geotechnical investigation and testing – Field testing –Part 5: Prebored -
pressuremeter test
ISO CD 22476-16 Geotechnical investigation and testing – Field testing –Part 16: Borehole shear -
test
ISO DIS 22477-2 Geotechnical investigation and testing – Testing of geotechnical structures – New
Part 2: Testing of piles: static tension load test
ISO FDIS 24057 Geotechnics - Array measurement of microtremors to estimate shear wave New
velocity profile

40 Magazine
SHED STANDARDS

PERSEDED/WILL SUPERSEDE STATUS PUB DATE

places BS ISO 11271:2002 Published Aug 2022

places BS EN ISO 17892-1:2014 Published Aug 2022

rected standard. The revised text has been Published July 2022
duced to incorporate a number of essential
hnical corrections
w standard Published July 2022

t 2 - ISO TS 22475-2:2006 (BS ISO 22475-2: Published Aug 2022

1)
places Part 3- ISO TS 22475-3:2007 (BS ISO Published July 2022
475-3: 2011)

EOTECHNICAL” STANDARDS – In preparation

PERSEDED/WILL SUPERSEDE STATUS PUB DATE

l partially replace BS EN 1997-1: 2004 + A1: 2013 Comment period for prEN ended 6 January 2023
2021
l replace BS EN 1997-2: 2007 Comment period for prEN ended 6 January 2023
2021
l partially replace BS EN 1997-1: 2004 Comment period for prEN ended 6 January 2023
2021
w standard Project initiated 2023

w standard ISO comment period ends 20 October 2022 2023

ISO 22476-1:2012 ISO comment period ends 29 August 2022 2022

Comment period ended 5 June 2022 2023

ISO comment period ends 27 September 2024

2022
w standard Comment period on DIS ended 5 June 2022 2023

w standard ISO comment period ends 22 September 2022/23

2022

September 2022 41
 SELECTED INTERNATIONAL & EUROPEAN STANDA

STANDARD SUBJECT / TEST SUP

ISO DIS 4974 Soil quality – Guidance on soil temperature measurement New
ISO NP 7303 Simplified method for oral bioaccessability of metal(oids) in soils New

(New project) Will

ISO CD 8529 Soil quality – Bioaccessibility of organic and inorganic pollutants from New
contaminated soil and soil-like material
Will
CEN prEN 17505 Soil and waste characterization – Temperature dependent differentiation of total New
carbon (TOC400, ROC, TIC900)
CEN FprEN 17516 Waste – Characterization of granular solids with potential for use as New
construction material – Compliance leaching test – Up-flow percolation test
Text
CEN
Cha
ISO DIS18400-301 Soil quality – Sampling – Sampling and on site semi-quantitative New
determinations of volatiles in field investigations
ISO DIS 22036 Soil treated biowaste and sludge – Determination of elements using inductively Inclu
coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)
ISO CD 24212 Soil quality - Remediation techniques applied at contaminated sites New

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ARDS ON SOIL & SITE ASSESSMENT - In preparation

PERSEDED/WILL SUPERSEDE STATUS PUB DATE

w standard Comment period ended 6 April 2022 2022/23

w standard Approve to proceed March 2022 2023

l complement BS ISO 17924 – see also NP 8529

w Standard BSI Comment period ends 23 September 2023
2022
l complement BS ISO 17924 – see also NP 7303
w standard Second enquiry completed 2023

w standard Proceeding to FDIS 2022

t will be identical to that in revised standard

N TS 16637-3 Construction products –
aracterization……upward percolation test
w standard Proceeding to FDIS 2023

udes merger of ISO TS 16965 & EN 16171 Comment period on DIS ended 6 August 2023
2022
w standard Proceeding to DIS 2024

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 Training Courses

Equipe Training: Specialist Geotechnical Courses

Equipe Training's specialist geotechnical training courses are delivered both in person at our
dedicated training facility just outside of Banbury, Oxfordshire, and also online via Zoom!
Available upcoming dates are provided below:
Î 14th September 2022 - Professor David Norbury’s Rock Description Workshop
Î 20th September 2022 - Professor David Norbury’s Soil Description Workshop
Î 26th October 2022 - Slope Stability Design (Online Course)
Î 27th October 2022 - Earthworks Design and Construction (Online Course)
Î 24th November 2022 - Basic Foundation Design
Places on these courses can be booked online here, or via contacting Equipe on +44 (0)1295 670990
or info@equipegroup.com

Equipe Training: Specialist Geotechnical Heath and Safety Courses

Equipe Training and their health and safety training partners RPA Safety Services and EB Safety
Solutions are delighted to announce their collection of specialist health and safety courses for the
geotechnical market have resumed being delivered in person, as well as being delivered online
where required.
These courses are approved and certified by the Institution of Occupational Safety and
Health (IOSH) and meet the requirements of UK Health and Safety regulations for working on
geotechnical and land drilling sites. Upcoming courses have limited numbers of places available in
order to maintain social distancing within the classroom environment. Upcoming dates include:

Î 13th October 2022 - IOSH Avoiding Danger from Underground Services

Î 25th - 27th October 2022 - IOSH Safe Supervision of Geotechnical Sites

Places on these courses can be booked online here, or via contacting Equipe on +44 (0)1295 670990
or info@equipegroup.com

44 Magazine
 How to become a Member of the AGS
AGS Members all share a commitment to quality in the geotechnical and geoenvironmental
industry. This has become widely recognised by clients, governmental bodies and other
associations that touch issues to do with the ground.
We welcome both companies and individuals who want to be recognised for their quality of
practice to join our growing membership of over 130 Members. We shape our industry, continually
improve practice and collaborate on issues that affect us all; from clients, all the way through to the
people who use the land and the buildings we help develop.
To become a Member of the AGS, please visit http://www.ags.org.uk/about/become-a-member
and submit your application online. Please note that all membership applications are reviewed by
the Membership Committee 6 weeks in advance of each quarterly Executive meeting.
The deadline for the next round of completed applications is Tuesday 18th October 2022

AGS Chemical and Legal Helplines

All Members of the Association of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Specialists are entitled to
free chemical and contractual advice through the use of Loss Prevention Committee Members,
Marquis & Lord and Beale & Co.
For advice on chemical safety and best practice, Marquis & Lord will provide 30 minutes of free
advice to all AGS Members.
Additionally, if you’re an AGS Member and are looking for legal advice, please contact Beale & Co
and quote ‘AGS Helpline’ where the first 15 minutes of legal advice will be free of charge.

CHEMICAL SAFETY HELPLINE LEGAL HELPLINE

Marquis & Lord (Please quote Beale & Co
Tel: +44 (0) 121 288 2386 ‘AGS Helpline’) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7469 0400
www.marquisandlord.com www.beale-law.com

Member Reporting Service for Industry Issues

If you have any queries regarding AGS Data Format, there is a discussion forum on the AGS Data
Format website, where queries can be posted and answered by the Data Format team.
If a Member has any issues with regard to Safety, Contaminated Land, Geotechnical,
Instrumentation & Monitoring or Laboratories which you think the industry should be aware of
please email ags@ags.org.uk, we will then forward your email to the relevant AGS Working Group.

Disclaimer
All articles in the AGS Magazine are the opinions of the authors and are not intended to be a complete or
comprehensive statement of the law, nor do they constitute legal or specialist advice. They are intended only
to highlight current issues from date of publication that may be of interest. Neither the writer(s), nor the AGS,
assumes any responsibility for any loss that may arise from accessing, or reliance on the material and all liability is
disclaimed accordingly. Professional advice should be taken before applying the content of the articles to particular
circumstances.

September 2022 45
 Advertising and Rates

An online advertising campaign within the AGS Magazine will help to build and increase industry
awareness of your company’s profile, initiatives and offerings.
The AGS can help build a package to suit your needs and budget; whether it’s a series of
adverts across multiple issues, a combination of event sponsorship and advertising, or a single
advertorial.
How to Advertise in the AGS Magazine
The AGS Magazine is a free email publication that looks at a range of topical issues, insights and
concerns, whilst publishing new guidance notes, working group activities and information on
upcoming industry seminars.
With 6 issues each year, our subscribers include industry professionals such as practitioners,
chartered specialists, senior decision makers and managing directors
To receive a media pack or to discuss advertising rates, please contact Caroline Kratz on 0208 658
8212 or email ags@ags.org.uk

Advert Sizes and Rates Advertising

Requirements
 FULL PAGE All adverts should be
W: 210mm sent in a PDF, PNG, JPEG,
H: 297mm TIFF, PSD (Photoshop)
RATE: £400 or EPS (Illustrator)
format.
 HALF PAGE
W: 210mm All advertising artwork
H: 145mm must be supplied in 114
RATE: £250 dpi resolution.

Artwork must be
 QUARTER PAGE
COMPANY NAME
ADDRESS
CONTACT NUMBER
delivered to the AGS
using the agreed
EMAIL

W: 105mm
LOGO

artwork specification
H: 145mm
size listed left.
RATE: £160

 DIRECTORY Artwork should be

Company name, address,
emailed to ags@ags.org.
contact number, email and uk no later than 10 days
one logo.
prior to publication.
RATE: £50

46 Magazine
 AGS Dates for Your Diary

A Guide to Pressuremeter Testing: From The Geotechnical Data Conference 2022

Site to Design (live event)
Î Date: 10th November 2022 Î Date: Thursday 1st December

Î Fee: FOC Î Location: The Burlington Hotel, Birmingham

Î Sponsorship: Headline and Associate Î Fee: £145 for AGS members and £215 for
packages available non-members. Prices exclude VAT. Click
here to register.
Î Speakers include:
Î Sponsorship: Packages can be viewed HERE.
∙ Emma Cronin (Senior Geotechnical
Engineer at SOCOTEC) Î Full details to be released in due course
∙ Alex Dent (Associate Director at WSP)
∙ Thomas Cragg (Director, Cambridge
Insitu Ltd)
∙ Yasmin Byrne (Senior Engineer,
Cambridge Insitu Ltd)
∙ Ross Thompson (Associate Director at
WSP UK)

September 2022 47