Services

Training and Development

I have a number of CPD (Continuing Professional Development) presentations that cover the more common aspects of asphalt and pavement design which I can provide at your premises.

I would also be happy to discuss preparing bespoke CPDs to suit your specific needs.

Alternatively, if you are a materials supplier or systems provider I would be very happy to discuss providing your CPD presentations to your clients on your behalf.

General Advice

The range of products and materials that many consultant engineers or scheme designers are likely to employ can make it challenging to be an expert in one particular product or material group.

With the increasing drive towards more sustainable and longer lasting highway materials and systems manufactures are continually developing new and innovative products making it even more difficult for designers to keep track of the options available to them. Additionally the wide range of specifications and codes of practice available, many of which are in the process of being updated can, similarly, be difficult to keep track of.

My genuine passion and interest in the industry and extensive contact list, coupled with my membership of several key professional bodies results in me being well placed to help and advise in this area.

Pavement Design

Generally speaking Highway Design Engineers are well served by the protocols set out in the Design Manual for Roads & Bridges (D.M.R.B.) which provides guidance on total pavement thicknesses. The DMRB is supported by a number of documents that provide guidance on material selection. However these methodologies have two major limitations: they are restricted to busier trunk roads with traffic levels above one million standard axles and the material options are confined to those stipulated in The Specification for Highway Works.

These issues provide a challenge to the Design Engineer working on more lightly trafficked pavements that are subjected to different vehicle movement patterns. There are several documents available that provide guidance for these other pavement constructions but being aware of these and selecting the most appropriate can be confusing. My career history means that I am well placed to assist in this process, helping the engineer select the most appropriate pavement build up to suit the scheme and his clients requirements.   

Areas of assistance include:

• Establishing pavement build up designs, including those for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).
• Advising on the selection of appropriate materials (both standard and proprietary) and highlighting the benefits & risks associated with each.
• Advising on the practicality or ‘buildability’ of the selected design.
• Some design requirements mean that the design engineer cannot always provide a perfect solution, I can assist in highlighting these sensitivities so that the end client is fully aware of the issues & limitations of his new pavement.
• Advising on the production of a set of standard build-ups that can be used for less complex applications.
• Sense checking designs and making sure that the selected materials are specified correctly, thus ensuring that the material chosen by the engineer is actually used on the scheme.

Site Visits / Inspections

Sometimes photographs and sketches are just not good enough to form a a good picture of the relevant issues facing a site or scheme. Allow me to be your eyes and ears on site!

Areas of assistance include:

• Pre-contract or design visits to identify potential areas of risk and provide suggestions to mitigate.
• Carry out supervision or monitoring visits to ensure everything is as it should be.
• Site investigation on failed surfaces: suggest causes, propose and manage assessment testing, suggest remedial action.

Liaison

In my previous roles as a Technical Manager and Specification Manager I have attended many scheme meetings arranged to explore and agree the best methods of achieving the desired goal. At first sight the drivers and influencers of the different parties (i.e designer, client, main contractor, sub-contractor and supplier) can appear to be unaligned; my experiences in interacting with these different parties and my independence makes me an ideal candidate to assist in developing a solution that suits everyone.

Areas of assitance include:

• Pre-contract or Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) meetings, methods of working, use of proprietary or innovative products or processes.
• Project planning, methodologies.
• Arbitration of material/workmanship issues. Provision of remediation proposals.

Product Development / Marketing

My experience developing a number of specialist asphalt products and advising marketing teams allows me to contribute to all aspects of the New Product Development and Marketing processes.

Areas of assistance include:

• Market opportunity: which customers, what are their drivers ?
• Competitor products.
• Identification of key features and benefits, unique selling points and how to validate them.
• Best practice guides: manufacture, testing, sales, installation.
• Assistance with the preparation of marketing collateral.
• Team leadership / co-ordination.