By ashleykaren
The British Geotechnical Association has rewarded its 2023 Case Histories Award to authors Martin Preene and Mike Chrimes for their two papers on groundwater lowering for the Kilsby Tunnel construction.
Richter technical director Martin Preene and former Institution of Civil Engineers director of engineering policy and innovation Mike Chrimes have titled the winning papers as “Groundwater lowering for construction of the Kilsby Tunnel – geological and geotechnical aspects” and “Groundwater lowering for construction of the Kilsby Tunnel – pumping and tunneling”.
They were issued in the Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Engineering History and Heritage.
The Kilsby Tunnel on the West Coast Main Line was built in the 1830s and faced intense difficulties when a 400m section encountered unstable “quicksand” conditions.
BGA, the British Geotechnical Association, accepted five entries for this year’s Case Histories Award. Its prizes sub-committee claimed they were all of a high standard, making the winner selection a difficult task.
The judges agreed that the winning pair of papers includes a thorough review of the Kilsby Tunnel geological conditions using contemporary and modern geological sources, containing a detailed historical review of the area’s geology.
The possible result of misunderstanding Quaternary geology is demonstrated along with a narration of how this project has influenced the discipline of geology.
The judges declared that of particular interest was the “back analysis” of project engineer Robert Stephenson’s observational dewatering method, using Darcy’s law and Terzaghi’s effective stress theory that was found decades after the Kilsby Tunnel was built through quicksand.
The BGA Case Histories Award was designed to encourage and recognize the significance of exemplary geotechnical knowledge and experience exchange in the performance of constructed works.
The award is delivered for an exceptional contribution to the knowledge and experience of the UK geotechnical engineering profession through the publication of a well-considered and researched case history or histories or the publication of recommended practices or design methodologies based on the evaluation of case histories that provide beneficial insights into the geotechnical aspects of constructed works.
Previous winners of the BGA Case Histories Award can be seen here.
