TUCSS Monthly Seminar no. 260

Event details

TUCSS Monthly Seminar No. 260 – Thursday, 17 April 2025, 6.30 pm

Managing Tunnel Construction Risk

by Mr David Salisbury, Salisbury Tunnelling

Abstract

Tunnelling by its very nature is a high-risk industry. From the understanding of the ground conditions, often

using only very limited GI information; Procurement of major plant items like TBM’s, conveyors, rolling stock, drill jumbos; working in confined spaces with heavy plant in close proximity to personnel; tight programmes with little or no float; linear activities with little or no options for modifying methods, workfronts, or adding labour resources; onerous contract terms where the majority of the risk is placed on the contractor; bureaucratic legislation choking innovation; public perception and media ignorance adding to delays and poor decisions, the list goes on. Quantifying risks in such a way that they can be easily understood and managed by all parties (Client, Contractor, Workers, Consultant, Government, Insurers, stakeholders), and allocated to the party in the best position to own, quantify, manage and report those risks is the role of Risk Management. The presentation will look at how risks in tunnelling are perceived, quantified, mitigated and reduced by the various parties involved. It will explain the viewpoint of risk from the various parties involved. Review the use of risk registers, use and abuse of risk assessment software, flaws in the current perception, monitoring and reporting approach; the current legislation, documentation and industry trends; and conclude with some examples of how to, and not to, best manage project risk on large infrastructure projects.

Speaker

David has over 39 years post qualification experience in tunnel and heavy civil engineering design, construction and project management in the UK, Hong Kong Asia and advised on projects across all continents. His other experience includes design, construction and project management of heavy civil infrastructure including stations, industrial buildings, deep basements, caverns, earth retaining structures and airport Infrastructure; He has a wide experience in the field of TBM design, specification and manufacture; he currently acts as an independent consultant advising Clients, Insurers, Contractor and governments on tunnelling and civil engineering projects. After graduating in 1986 he took up his first full time role on the Channel Tunnel, this was followed by a further 7 years on site on smaller tunnel projects across the UK, Heathrow Express before moving to Hong Kong in 1995 where he worked in the past 30 years as a Contractor, Consultant, TBM manufacturer and Client. In 2019 David started his own business as an independent advisor to the heavy civils construction industry and the insurance market including preparation of engineering reports, claims review, peer review, tender preparation and assessment appointments. David is the secretary of the HKTS a Registered Professional Engineer and a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.

Time and Place

The presentation will take place electronically on Thursday, 17 April 2025 at 18:30 hrs. The presentation will take approximately 45 minutes, follow by 15 minutes of questions/discussion.

Invitation

This is the 260^th in a series of presentations by TUCSS and is open to current TUCSS Members only. Seats are on first-come-first-served basis and limited to 500 persons.

Registration

Individual Members are to sign up for the seminar via their TUCSS account on the TUCSS Website. The details on how to access the seminar will be sent to the members who has successfully signed up for the seminar, at a date nearer to the seminar. The deadline for registration is on Monday, 7 April 2025 or when total registered participants reaches 500 whichever comes earlier.

*TUCSS Corporate Members limited to 5 registrations only. For TUCSS Corporate members, please email us the following information (name, TUCSS Corporate membership number, company name, email address, PE/RE/RTO number if applicable).

Attendance Policy

For members who require certificate of attendance, please note of the attendance policy:

-        Login at the beginning of the seminar (link will be assessable at 18:15 hours)

-        Evidence of participation by video switched on throughout the seminar

-        Complete the quiz at the end of the seminar before logging out. The duration for the quiz is 15mins.

Certificate of Attendance will be uploaded to the member’s account after the compliance to the Attendance Policy is verified.

PDU/STU

Points have been applied and pending approval.

Speaker

David Salisbury

Salisbury Tunnelling