Construction sector activity As the end of my two-year term as NZGS Chair approaches it seems appropriate to return to the topic of my first Chair’s Corner where I discussed the pipeline of work for our sector. Back then (December 2019) the National Construction Pipeline…
Gavin Alexander passed away on 19th November 2020 after a battle with cancer. A highly respected engineer and trail motorcycle enthusiast, Gavin has left a significant legacy through his work with the New Zealand Geotechnical Society, Beca, and in his personal life. Engineering is fundamentally…
This paper was originally prepared for the Australian Geomechanics Society Vic symposium in 2020 and is reproduced by permission of AGS Abstract Climactic warming caused by the emissions of anthropogenic greenhouse gasses is occurring across the globe. These changes will increase the exposure of the built…
From the Chair Figure 1 – Gavin Alexander receiving his NZGS life membership, presented to honour the huge impact he had on the society Gavin Alexander I am very sorry to share with you that our former Chair and NZGS Life Member, Gavin Alexander, passed…
In December I wrote about how busy our geotechnical sector has been. That feels like a long time ago now, and much has changed for us all in the first half of this year. NZGS activities have been significantly affected by the COVID-19 lockdown and…
If the last six months have felt busy to you, you’re not the only one. Despite notable failures, overall the construction sector continues to grow strongly, and forecasts suggest this will continue for some time yet. The National Construction Pipeline Report (MBIE, 2019), anticipates continued…
Introduction There has not previously been a standard template in New Zealand for the specification and procurement of ground investigation work, and specifications varied significantly from project to project and between organisations. Long project specific specifications were unlikely to be fully read by tenderers (at least…
Abstract Until 2017 there was no standard template in New Zealand to assist in the specification and procurement of ground investigations, and so consequently specifications varied significantly from project to project and between organisations. This caused numerous problems: (1) Long project specific specifications were unlikely…
Abstract Acid Sulphate Soils have recently been encountered on projects in Whangarei and Auckland. These naturally occurring soils are rich in sulphide minerals that have the potential to cause changes in soil and water chemistry when they oxidise. This oxidation process occurs naturally but may…
