Innovative solutions for better site characterisationIncreasing developer confidence, reducing likely costs, and improving development viability

Andrew Moore, Technical Director, Ground Risk & Remediation

Innovation

The Brief….

Innovative solutions for better site characterisation to increase developer confidence, reduce likely costs, and improve development viability

Determining the type and detail of data required to build a detailed conceptual site model (CSM) and more accurately assess contamination risks.

Exploiting data analysis techniques such as GIS, 3D modelling and statistics to add value to your data and facilitate more informed planning and design.

Contributing to development viability by:• effectively using geo-technical and environmental data alongside land

and property values • working in teams to mitigate site development constraints leading to

abnormal ground costs

What is Innovation?

a new method, idea, product, etc..

In our personal lives it may be:Cashless transactions (contactless cards/phone payment/paypal accounts)Smart Meters allowing control of expenditure);Gaming (bringing people far away back into an aspect of our lives)

Clearly, we see what is coming next:Artificial IntelligenceRoboticsAutomated Vehicles

High Level Benefits of Innovation

Creating opportunities to speak to potential clients and strengthen links with existing ones;Raising company profile; Awards;Improved branding and recruitment through positively differentiating a business from others;Firms with high level’s of Innovation spending are 13% more productive & exhibit faster growth;Incentives - R&D tax relief is 12% of the qualifying R&D expenditure;

But it’s not easy - The Innovation Curve

Key Driver for the software revolution is data storage cost

The real cost of data storage today is not in the storage technologies themselves but

• effort and knowledge required to manage it.

• stringent requirements for data life-cycle management,

• heightened country-specific compliance regulations for data-retention periods,

• increased demand for data retrievals related to e-discovery requests and other legal needs, and

• greater use of end-to-end encryption

So how do we Innovate?

Innovation isn’t just for the sake of doing something, we have to :Understand what we do and what should be done better;Introduce safer working practices without compromising on quality or the desired outcome;Scan the wider world to transfer thinking/ways of working/technology into our world for the good of it

A Reminder of what we do!

More Detailed Desk Appraisals

Phase 1 Assessment - Use the available tools

Phase 1 Assessment - Use the available tools

Datasets

The collection of data was a manual process:Library visitsNote takingPaper maps/files/reports/memoirs

Interpretation was done using:Light tablesTracing Paper against the windowPaper report review

Data Room c2000

Data Room todayNow it is automated, more precise and you ask the question and you get the representation you need.

WSP is currently using AI to scan historical paper reports for a site to identify themes and patterns and provide a fully searchable library available for interpretation.

Site Data Collection

An example : Chasing the Fully Digital Site Investigation Dream WSP set out over 5 years ago to:

Achieve high quality data acquisition, management and manipulation;

Create a fully digital geo-environmental project lifecycle

Create a single digital solution to assist in the automation of 95% of all our data from the field through to reporting.

Reduce data transcription errorsImprove consistency in reporting (nationally) across

regionally based teams

System Overview

A unified centralised database (held within gINT)

Based on AGS Designed to minimise

user interaction with raw data

Realtime link to database from the field

Laboratory scheduling directly from the logged data

OutputsGIS tools

Using ArcMapExploratory hole locationsContaminant concentrationsSpatial distributions and contoursGroundwater monitoringGeological ground modelsInstantaneous reporting linked back to database

Reporting ToolsQA/QC reportsSoil and water screeningFull laboratory data summariesGas reportsFactual Report tablesExcel Pivot Tables

Direct Lab SchedulingWorking with our lab to directly import sample details from our databaseUsing barcode scanners on tablets to identify samples without writing out labels or CoCDirect port of laboratory results into our database for detailed analysis

Minimising Bad Data

Use standard forms with dropdown menus / restricted entry fields

Reference back to database for location and installation information

Laboratory scheduling forms generated from logs

Avoid use of unprotected Excel spreadsheets

Automated Outputs

Understanding CSM uncertainty

The use of a GIS integrated with a central database allows for rapid generation of geospatial plots

When plots can be generated this quickly multiple contaminants can be rapidly compared to understand both data gaps and potential pathways on the site.

So where are we on the Innovation Curve?

Benefits and Costs Realised to Date

BenefitsLogs ready for review at

completion of exploratory location

Sample scheduling errors significantly reduced

Improved quality of investigation data

Reduced sample scheduling timeframes

More time spent on interpreting and understanding the data, less time spent formatting it into different tables

CostsSlightly longer duration of

field works, but only when logging time is the limiting factor to progress

Significant systems development time and costs

Significant investment in suppliers

Small requirement for systems training

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CASE STUDY: How GIS Influences Remedial Decisions

At a timber treatment site GIS was instrumental in understanding the relationship between different contaminant phases and has avoided soil and groundwater remediation entirely.

Pesticides in surface water discharge in excess of 15 years from their last use.The CSM predicted that an area of the site would be affected by free phase dissolving into groundwater or migrating through permeable bands to the ditches.

Organotins in soil, sediment groundwater and in the surface water, however…Dieldrin not found in groundwater but was found in all other phases

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CASE STUDY

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CASE STUDY

25

CASE STUDY

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CASE STUDY

The Gap between Investigation and Remediation

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Contaminated Land Management Framework (CLR11)– Large % of time spent

“assessing risk”.– Large budget (& time)

remediating sites.– But……Insufficient time

designing and planning cost effective and/or successful remediation programme.

Who does this piece?

Does this happen?

Conceptual Models should inform Effective Remediation

Effective Remediation requires the optimisation of the Conceptual Model.

This is an area where innovative techniques really help.Continuous MonitoringPilot StudiesBench TestsFate and Transport

Determining how much remediation is enough: defining “betterment” striking a balance between conservatism and realism justifying an acceptable level of risk to the regulator and other stakeholders determining any risk-associated liabilities.

Realistic expectations of remediation need to be set to :avoid Regulatory loss of confidence and provide clients with a clear path to exiting their environmental responsibilities.

Groundwater – How good is the information?

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

30.5

31.0

31.5

32.0

32.5

33.0

01/12/20

15

21/12/2015

10/0

1/2016

30/0

1/2016

19/02/20

16

10/0

3/2016

30/0

3/2016

Rai

nfal

l (m

m)

Gro

undw

ater

Lev

el (m

AO

D)

Gauge Readings

Stilling Well LoggerDataPBH6 Logger Data

PBH6 Dip

On Site Rainfall

Tonbridge Rainfall(daily)

Precision vs Accuracy…….

Surveying

Advances in accuracy and access

Better, safer Surveying3D Laser Scanning3D Modelling & VisualisationHD CCTV SurveysIndoor Mobile Mapping Measured Building SurveysScan to BIMStructural Deformation Monitoring

Previously difficult accessRemotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) SurveysSonar Surveys – Multi Beam

New PerspectivesSatellite Deformation MonitoringUAV Aerial LiDAR SurveysUAV Aerial Surveys & Inspections

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CASE STUDY – Laser Survey of Historical Lead Shaft

— View of shaft facing NE

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

Client Benefits

What should a modern Consultant deliver?

Less manual handling/human activity = More thinking time!

More innovative methods, techniques and ways of working will deliver:QualitySafety – for all concernedLegal requirementsOutput suitable for next phase Remediation/ ConstructionEffective Remediation with clear outcomes

If our work done well delivers reduction in development risk (cost & programme) then it is higher value work.

WARNING – Innovation is not a race to the bottom price. It is more than that.

Key Points to close

HIGHER QUALITY SITE DATA -Data collection can be streamlined and by avoiding manually transposing it between software systems you can significantly reduce error.

BETTER INTERPRETATION -Fast visual representation of real site data can highlight gaps in knowledge or change our understanding in the original Conceptual Site Model.

ADVANCE UNDERSTANDING – R&D can alter our understanding of risk and help to concentrate on what matters in the future.

SAFER - New techniques can be adopted to create a safer working environment for our site staff.

CLIENT AND PUBLIC CONFIDENCE – Quality and transparency can be assisted to ensure all stakeholders understand and appreciate our advice.

Thank YouSpecial thanks to ALS Laboratories, Ecologia, Envirocheck, Geoterra, Ambisense for their kind

contributions and advice.

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