New Civil Engineer
Richard Bennett
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British weather - envy of Europe
1-Jan-2001
Britain's first offshore windfarm came on stream last month. Richard Bennett reports on how underwater foundations play a key role in the siting of this increasingly popular energy source. -
Disruptive influence
1-Jan-2001
Imminent changes to the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 are likely to help tip the balance towards trenchless technology by charging clients and their contractors for occupying road space. Richard Bennett weighs up the proposals. -
Down on the windfarm
14-Dec-2000
Britain's first offshore windfarm came on stream last week. Richard Bennett reports on how underwater foundations have played a key role. -
Engineering acrobatics
14-Dec-2000
A French-Canadian spectacular opens tonight - at a derelict London power station. Richard Bennett reports on the civil engineers who have run away to join the show. -
Fundamental ground revival
14-Dec-2000
Foundations in peaty ground are always a challenge. But when the site is also contaminated and in a floodplain over an aquifer then it calls for every trick in the book. Richard Bennett reports from Bury St Edmunds. -
Stepping over the marshes
14-Dec-2000
Crossing the west Thames marshes is a major challenge for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Richard Bennett reports on an innovative series of pile tests which could provide the solution. -
Grinding extends track life
1-Dec-2000
FAILURE OF the broken rail which caused the fatal train crash near Hatfield, UK could have been prevented if Railtrack had adopted a North American rail grinding technique, where it has been used since the 1970s. -
ESCAPE ROUTES
23-Nov-2000
Fire protection engineers this week called for a shake-up of tunnel fire regulations throughout Europe following the Kaprun blaze which killed 156 people. -
Losing street credibility
23-Nov-2000
The Government is planning to charge utilities for digging up the road. It may prove to be a difficult task. Richard Bennett reports. -
Street works scheme put to the test in central London
23-Nov-2000
CENTRAL LONDON is to pilot a scheme of co-ordinating street works from January. -
Fleming calls for civils involvement in flood planning
9-Nov-2000
ICE PRESIDENT George Fleming this week accused planners and surveyors of failing to understand the technical issues linked to flooding. -
Fleming calls for civils involvement in flood planning
9-Nov-2000
ICE PRESIDENT George Fleming this week accused planners and surveyors of failing to understand the technical issues linked to flooding. -
Highly prized
1-Nov-2000
The British-led consultants' team designing Hong Kong's Stonecutter bridge has plans for the world's longest cable stayed span. Richard Bennett reports -
Hinged joint soaks up quake energy
1-Nov-2000
AN IRANIAN engineer this week promised improved earthquake resistance for steel framed structures with a new energy absorbing beam connection. -
How broken rails fail
26-Oct-2000
RAILTRACK ADMITTED last week the cause of the rail break at Hatfield was 'gauge corner cracking' of the five year old rail. -
US rail grinding system could have prevented Hatfield crash
26-Oct-2000
FAILURE OF the broken rail which caused last week's fatal train crash near Hatfield could have been prevented if Railtrack had adopted a North American rail grinding technique. -
CTRL pile tests seek to stabilise marsh crossing
19-Oct-2000
FEARS OVER track stability on section 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link through the west Thames marshlands are behind a major pile testing programme which started last week. -
Putting down roots
19-Oct-2000
Despite recent events in Serbia, KFOR Royal Engineers are digging in for a long term commitment in Kosovo. Richard Bennett reports from Pristina. -
Piling restrictions force costly Hunger ford redesign
1-Oct-2000
PILING RESTRICTIONS resulting from fears of unexploded bombs have forced a major redesign on the Hungerford footbridge across the Thames in London, pushing construction costs up by two-thirds to about £50M. -
Saudi backing aids Cleveland Bridge move into US
28-Sep-2000
STEEL FABRICATOR Cleveland Bridge last week brought in a Saudi backer to help finance bids for four major bridges in the United States. -
Special treatment
28-Sep-2000
The largest sequencing batch reactor plant in Europe has been built as part of the £200M Humbercare sewage treatment scheme. Richard Bennett reports from Hull. -
Stairway to heaven
28-Sep-2000
On Scotland's first mountain railway the race is on to get site work finished before the snow comes next month. Richard Bennett reports from the highest construction site in the UK. -
Blowing in the wind
21-Sep-2000
Scotland's highest building is taking shape in Glasgow. Richard Bennett climbed to the top. -
Rubber road surface faces new test
21-Sep-2000
RENEWED CONFIDENCE in crumb rubber asphalt has led to a new East Sussex County Council trial which starts on the A271 at Battle next week. -
Innovative joint boosts quake resistance
14-Sep-2000
AN IRANIAN engineer this week promised improved earthquake resistance for steel framed structures with a new energy absorbing beam connection. -
Piling restrictions force Hungerford redesign
14-Sep-2000
PILING RESTRICTIONS have forced a major redesign on the Hungerford footbridge across the Thames in London, contributing to a £20M cost escalation, it emerged this week. -
Engineers flee economic crisis in Zimbabwe
7-Sep-2000
DEEPENING ECONOMIC crisis in Zimbabwe is forcing engineers to flee the country en masse. -
Tunnel investigation nears completion
7-Sep-2000
Recovery of the collapsed Humbercare sewerage tunnel is reaching a crucial stage. Richard Bennett reports. -
Made to measure
24-Aug-2000
One of the most complex building projects in Europe is taking shape at Harrods in London. Richard Bennett went shopping for the story. -
All hands on deck
10-Aug-2000
Major strengthening work is being carried out on the M2 Medway Bridge. Richard Bennett went to look at the view. -
Ground movement blamed for Yorkshire tunnel collapse
10-Aug-2000
UNEXPECTED GROUND movements around Yorkshire Water's £70M Humbercare sewerage tunnel have been revealed as the cause of its collapse last year. -
Job that came in from the cold
10-Aug-2000
An unusual concrete arch is nearing completion over the Staksund river in Sweden. Richard Bennett went to have a look. -
Rock turns up the volume
1-Aug-2000
The largest road tunnel in Sweden faces tough constraints on noise and vibration. Richard Bennett discovers how engineers are keeping the locals happy -
Steady as she grows
27-Jul-2000
This year's Civil Engineering Contractors File reveals that Nuttall achieved double digit growth in turnover and profit. Richard Bennett finds out how they did it. -
Carbon fibre dangers compare with asbestos
20-Jul-2000
CARBON FIBRE structures can pose health hazards of a similar scale to those caused by asbestos if the material is subjected to crash impact, explosion or fire damage, it was revealed this week. -
Hammersmith Bridge surface investigated
20-Jul-2000
DELAMINATED SURFACING on London's troubled Hammersmith Bridge is being investigated just six months after the entire carriageway was relaid. -
Laser treatment
13-Jul-2000
Building Research Establishment's state of the art laser system offers a fast and accurate way of assessing structural behaviour. -
Tracking down the problem
13-Jul-2000
Innovative trackbed evaluation techniques have identified the cause of deteriorating track quality on a busy freight line. Richard Bennett reports. -
Reporting back to base
1-Jul-2000
The largest GPS base station network used so far in the UK has been set up on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Richard Bennett reports -
Best Value in action: Liverpool
29-Jun-2000
LIVERPOOL CITY Council is blazing a trail for Best Value in housing maintenance. -
Kent tunnel shafts to be stabilised
29-Jun-2000
UNSTABLE SHAFTS in Railtrack's Strood railway tunnel in Kent will be filled and stabilised with lightweight concrete, it was revealed this week. -
Come on, feel the noise
22-Jun-2000
The largest road tunnel construction in Sweden faces tough constraints on noise and vibration. Richard Bennett discovers how engineers are keeping the locals happy. -
Hammersmith Bridge blast repairs to start
22-Jun-2000
MAJOR REPAIRS to the bomb damaged Hammersmith Bridge will begin this week in an attempt to reopen the crossing by the end of August. -
Sharing the spoils
22-Jun-2000
The CTRL/M2 corridor is designed to promote regeneration in North Kent and the Medway towns. Richard Bennett discovers how the road widening scheme and CTRL are sharing the same bed. -
Vibrators to check natural frequency
22-Jun-2000
TWO SHAKING machines have been brought in from building research body BRE to test the Millennium Bridge this week. BRE staff and Arup engineers will excite the bridge with the shaking machines to check its natural frequency, damping, and mode shapes, along with static stiffness. -
Truck suspension system causing 'serious damage'
15-Jun-2000
AIR SUSPENSION on trucks is causing serious damage to UK roads, Cambridge University researchers revealed last week. -
Watched over from above
15-Jun-2000
The largest GPS base station network ever used in the UK has been set up on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. Richard Bennett reports. -
Rules on Thaumasite can be relaxed, claims report
20-Apr-2000
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