Events & Courses

This lecture, on 'Engineering geology and geomorphology in the design, operation and rehabilitation of quarries - forms and processes, models and cycles, roles and responsibilities', will highlight the applications of geology and geomorphology in the responsible extraction of the construction materials upon which civil engineering projects depend.

There is consensus that reliable ground models, based on a sound understanding of the geology, are vital for successful civil engineering projects. They are equally vital in quarrying and mining, and the approaches to site characterisation so clearly set out in previous Glossop lectures are equally relevant to ground professionals working with quarries. The lecture will highlight three important differences impacting on professional practice in this area. First, the lifecycle of a quarry from initial excavation to closure and final rehabilitation is considerably longer than the construction and commissioning phases of most civil engineering projects; there are distinctive models, process and work cycles, and roles and responsibilities relevant at each stage in the quarry lifecycle. Second, the inevitable outcome of surface mineral extraction is to make significant permanent and temporary changes to ground conditions in and around a site during a quarry’s life, often requiring many distinct (transient and dynamic) ground models to characterise the forms and processes (man induced and natural) and their evolution through the lifecycle. Third, in addition to understanding the ground conditions throughout the quarry lifecycle, some other issues must be thoroughly understood and taken into account in the planning and management of a quarry: the quality and quantity of recoverable material; the suitability of the recovered and processed material for its intended use; the viability of recovering and processing it; and the impacts on the natural environment and people.

Speaker

Ruth Allington, GWP Consultants LLP

Time

6pm for 6:30pm start