Online CPD events go from strength to strength
- Tuesday July 20, 2021
By Jobert Fermilan CMgr FCMI IEng FIHE
The IHE North Western Branch goes from strength to strength, having hosted its ninth seminar since the branch was reestablished in December 2018. The events demonstrate the willingness of the members from the region to volunteer and commit their time to giving back to the institute and the industry in which they practice.
The most recent virtual seminar held on 15 June was focused on a health and safety related topic, providing an insight into the cost to the UK economy from hearing loss, which equates to over 25bn per year for what is largely considered a preventable injury. The event outlined how current methods are failing in this area, and how a new paradigm is shifting focus from cure to prevention.
Some of the other events held over the last seven months included:
• In November 2020, Tensar International Limited presented its award-winning Ground Coffee for Géotechniques in Highway Engineering, which comprised several vlogs giving a beginner’s guide to common geotechnical challenges often encountered in highway engineering from how a plate bearing test works, to what a reinforced soil retaining wall is, and how everyday items found in the garden and kitchen can help give an individual a simple visual representation of a more complex topic.
• In April 2021, Marshalls presented their Combined Kerb Drainage (CKD) Highway Drainage Design. The presentation provided an overview of hydraulic design principles in highways applications, a review of current standard BS EN 1433, Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, and the use of micro drainage software to select the most appropriate load classification. The importance of correct detailing of CKD is critical to the infrastructure and appropriate design examples, and case studies were shared as best practice on available self-cleansing products.
• In May, Highways England presented the first UK carbon neutral road improvement scheme supported by A E Yates Civil Engineering, Aggregate Industries and Amey, with this event involving a large number of attendees participating in the Q&A. It was safe to say, everyone was intrigued by how the scheme demonstrated development and design, through to delivery. The presentation went through a ‘cradle to grave’ analysis demonstrating the collaborative pre-planning phase of the scheme through the detailed design and onto construction. The presenters from Highways England highlighted some of the challenges they faced and how the project team solved the issues raised, and throughout emphasised the importance of it being classified as a carbon neutral scheme. This event proved to be the largest held in the North Western branch and IHE history on a virtual platform with 177 attendees online.
As well as a session on Sustainable Asphalt Repairs and Surfacing that was due to take place in June, the North Western branch has a further range of upcoming events planned which are listed here and will be held via the Teams online platform. Everyone is welcome to join to broaden your highways knowledge on specific topics.