Ashford Engineering Consultants

Alan Audrey

James Bain CEng, FIMechE, FIMarEST

Jim is a mechanical engineer with over 40 years hydroelectric power experience. This experience was initially in the design and manufacture of hydro turbine plant leading to consultancy with an international company in the design and supervision of construction of several major international hydroelectric projects. Responsibilities have included Project Management and Engineering, Design and Resident Engineering. Conceptual design leading to the final design of the plant and the supervision of the plant installations and commissioning for projects throughout the world in Africa, Asia, South America, India, Sri Lanka and the UK. Rehabilitation Studies for several Power Authorities.

Full CV

Simon van Boesschoten BSc

Simon is a graduate in electro mechanical engineering specialising in welding techniques. He has broad experience in the preparation of tenders, pre-qualification, and coordination of microtunnelling and directional drilling projects, and has also been responsible for a large diameter Herrenknecht EPB working well below the water table. He started his career supervising the welding of thick plates on special structures, and followed up with a stint in the Army as a sergeant instructor with his own diving group. Since then he has been almost exclusively involved in tunnelling, with a distinct emphasis on small bore techniques.

Jack Burke

Jack is currently President of Jack Burke and Associates, consultants to surface and underground companies on methods and equipment for tunnelling and mining operations. He has extensive experience in locating and appraising new and used equipment and in reviewing projected projects and bids for Owners, Contractors and Engineering firms. He is technical contributing editor for World Tunnelling Magazine, London, England for whom he comments on the underground industry activities 4 times per year. Full technical articles written include projects in England, Australia, New Zealand, California, Riverside, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Massachusetts, Maryland, Detroit, Atlanta, Fort Worth Texas, Washington D.C. Las Vegas Nevada, Puerto Rico. He is also technical contributing editor for Tunnel Business Magazine North American Underground Projects. This involves updating three issues per year including all major tunnel projects currently underway in North America.

Peter Cheung BSc (Taiwan), MSc

Peter is a geotechnical engineer with 26 years experience in instrumentation, embankment and underground support design. He has a particular expertise in advanced 2D and 3D numerical modelling for major underground works, embankments and dams.

Full CV

Melton Claughton BSc, CEng, MICE, FICE.

Melton is a civil engineer with 23 years experience on major international dams, hydropower projects and associated works, from project identification, conceptual studies, detailed design, construction supervision through to safety inspections and condition surveys. He is also a member of the All Reservoirs Panel, UK Reservoirs Act, 1975 and has published and presented a number of technical papers. Dam projects have included major concrete (arch, gravity and buttress) and embankment (clay core, concrete faced rockfill) dams. Melton has worked on projects worldwide including the UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa, SE Asia and S America. Major international clients have recently included Stucky and Electrowatt JV. As recently as 2000 he was International Director for Knight Piésold (Pty) Ltd before which he was Water Resources Manager forGibb - Africa.

Jerry Conway BSc, MSc, CEng.

Jerry is a geotechnical engineer specialising in engineering geology, rock mechanics and underground construction, with twenty-six years project experience in transportation, hydropower, water supply, mining, and hazardous waste management. His areas of special expertise include ground investigation and site-characterisation; radioactive waste management; stability analysis, monitoring and support design for tunnels, underground excavations and slopes; TBM and roadheader performance assessment; and probabilistic modelling. He has provided expert opinion and evidence for contractual and insurance claims related to ground conditions, excavation stability and excavation system performance.

Full CV

Jasper Cook BSc, MSc, PhD.

Jasper is an engineering geologist with thirty years of proven experience in the field of applied geology, with particular reference to civil engineering projects and the transfer of appropriate technology. He has extensive experience in the design, supervision, management and interpretation of engineering geological and geotechnical projects in the UK, Middle East, Africa, SE Asia and Australia. He has wide practical knowledge of the application of geological and engineering geological techniques, from basic field mapping to sophisticated geotechnical testing. He is the author of papers on the subjects of ground investigation, tropically weathered soil-rock profiles and construction materials and was a member of the Geological Society (UK) Engineering Group Working Party on Tropical Residual Soils.

Full CV

James Dale BSc, MEng, CEng, MICE.

James has 30 years experience in the design and construction of engineering works including a total of 7 years spent overseas. His experience has been in the fields of ports, harbours, coastal, offshore, pipelines (land and submarine), underwater and water supply. He has specialised in design, supervision and project management in the maritime, river and coastal civil engineering and offshore industries. He has worked mainly in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, Middle East and South Asia. James is still a qualified HSE Commercial Inshore Air Diver and has previously been responsible for the overall management, marketing, proposals, engineering, diving, inspection and survey of many underwater projects.

Robert Davey BSc, CEng, MICE.

Bob Davey has been involved for over 30 years in a wide variety of work in agriculture, rural development, natural resources and civil engineering, at all levels of responsibility from Project Manager to Technical Specialist. For the last 23 years he has specialised in project management; irrigation and rural engineering, and rural, agricultural and agro-industrial development. He has extensive experience of irrigation and drainage, land and water conservation, rural and agricultural infrastructure, and community development. Earlier in his career he worked on the design and construction of housing, major roads, water resource development, and arterial land drainage. His work has covered all stages of the project cycle from project identification, promotion and financing, through feasibility studies, design and implementation, to operational management. Irrigation projects for which he has been responsible have ranged in size from major developments covering thousands of hectares, to small scale Community Irrigation Systems of a few hectares.

Daniel Fayolle

Daniel has worked in the power sector for the whole of his professional life and has thirty years experience in this area. He is qualified in both electrical and mechanical engineering and his experience covers a broad range of the power spectrum, including power system planning, hydropower generation, thermal power generation, more specifically biomass power and HV transmission. He has been a consultant in the field of power for major European consultancies for 12 years before working on his own and has been involved with all types of hydro turbines up to unit capacities of 350MW and in pumped storage schemes of up to 1332 MW capacity. In HV electrical engineering Daniel Fayolle has worked on transmission lines & substations up to 500 kV and on the design of long interconnector tie lines. Currently Daniel is Visiting Lecturer in hydropower on the MSc course of “l’Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires” in Saclay, France.

Full CV

Robert A Gibson BSc, PhD, MICE, CEng, Cert. Dip Accounting and Finance.

Bob is a civil engineer with specializing in hydraulics and hydropower. He has 25 years of experience in major project design and construction supervision for hydropower, water resources, tidal power and irrigation projects. He has experience in project management and as a design team leader. He has a particular expertise in power plant design, including the co-ordination of the various engineering disciplines involved in the design of power projects. Bob was formerly a senior lecturer and course tutor in hydraulics at graduate and undergraduate levels.

Full CV

Roger Gill BSc, MICE, CEng.

Roger is a civil engineer specializing in hydropower generation and river control works; Design of hydraulic structures, intakes, spillways, tunnels, penstocks, surface and underground power stations; Design of hydraulic gates and equipment; Extensive experience in the concept and design of civil engineering aspects of hydroelectric power schemes, reporting at all stages of development. He also has heavy civil engineering design experience; Infrastructure, roads, bridges, and housing.

Full CV

Maurice A W Gooderham HNC, CEng, MICE.

Maurice has over 40 years experience in civil engineering contracting and consultancy and prior to forming his own consultancy in 1992 specialising in all forms of tunnelling, shaft sinking and underground works. He occupied senior positions to director level in two major international contracting firms: Kinnear Moodie and Thyssen and as head of tunnelling for Howard Humphreys consulting engineers. He has held appointments as an independent Certifying Engineer and as the named Adjudicator on tunnelling works where the New Engineering Contracts were used. He is currently serving as a member of the Dispute Review Board for a major metro scheme, serving on a panel of experts for a Public Enquiry on a major civil engineering project and also as Conciliator for a dispute between the Contractor and the Employer.

Full CV

Derek Griffiths BA, LL.B, DipArb, MCIArb.

Derek is a construction specialist lawyer who has extensive experience of the formulation, negotiation, agreement and successful interpretation of the commercial, human - relations socio - economic and environmental aspects of major contracts with a view to keeping disputes to a minimum, and the analysis of disputes with a view to their successful resolution, either before or by various resolution processes, be they ADR, arbitration or litigation in a cost - effective manner.

Full CV

Colin Harris BSc, MSc, PhD.

Colin has 26 years varied experience as a geologist/geotechnical engineer in the oil service industry, and in underground transportation, water and hydropower projects. Colin was a geotechnical consultant on the Channel Tunnel, responsible for the collection and interpretation of all of the geotechnical data. He had a major part in the formulation and presentation of the contractor's claims on the Channel Tunnel and was also an Expert Witness for the contractor's claims for the Brighton & Hove Stormwater sewer and outfall. Most recently Colin was representing the client on a hydropower project involving 31km of tunnels. He is currently working as a Project Manager for a railway project.

Full CV

Dave Hindle BSc, MSc, CEng, FEANI, FIMM.

Dave has nearly 30 years experience in mining and civil engineering specialising in the investigation, design and supervision of all forms of underground construction. He has been responsible for a number of major projects in the UK and overseas. In mining he has been involved in the design and construction of large underground stopes, haulages, shafts and chambers. In tunnelling Dave has extensive experience in the investigation, design and implementation of large diameter hard rock and soft ground tunnelling and shaftsinking utilising drill and blast excavation, road headers, shields and TBM and the use of NATM for highways, railways, metros, canals, water/sewerage schemes and mines.

Full CV

Carlos Jorquera BSc (Chile), MSc, DIC, MIEE, MIEEE, CEng, EurIng.

Carlos is an electrical engineer and power systems analyist with 23 years experience in the design and construction supervision of power generation, distribution and transmission projects. He has developed computer software, inspected and witnessed the testing of electrical equipment, designed power systems to 500 kV for onshore and offshore installations, submarine cables, oil filled cables, undertaken design reviews and the installation and commissioning of SF6 switchgear.

Full CV

Robert Laver BSc. (Buenos Aires), Cert of Studies in Economics (Paris).

Robert has extensive experience in the analysis of public and private investment in developing countries. Projects have ranged from water resources, electricity supply, ports and transportation to industrial processes and tourism. He has undertaken market studies and demand forecasting, operational models, investment appraisal and cost benefit analysis, financial analysis and modelling, organisation structure, regulatory and institutional matters and private sector participation in infrastructure projects. Robert has provided advice as an Expert Witness on the valuation of assets in an international arbitration.

Full CV

John R. Linard B.Eng. (Civil) - Australia, M.ASCE.

Jack is a Civil Engineer with over 35 years of international experience, covering all aspects of hydroelectric and water resources projects, including studies, final designs, tender documents and construction. He has worked in over 20 countries in five continents, with geographical emphasis on Latin America and South-east Asia and technical emphasis on roller compacted concrete (RCC) dams in recent years. His project involvement has been as project manager / team leader, chief / specialist engineer and technical advisor. He was formerly head of the Dams and Powerhouses branch of SNC-Lavalin, Canada's largest consulting group.

Full CV

Bruno Marrai Dip. CEng. (Italy), MISE. CEng, EurIng.

Bruno is a civil and structural engineer with 35 years experience in the design of a wide variety of surface and underground structures; including buildings, underground support systems, prestressed and reinforced concrete linings for tunnels, shafts and caverns, steel penstocks and manifolds, heavy civil structures, bridges, chimneys, electric and radio masts. Bruno has a particular expertise in tunnel lining design, structure dynamics and numerical modelling for seismic sensitive and vibrating machinery. Bruno also benefits from being multilingual speaking English, Italian and French.

Full CV

Don Mason BSc, MSc, CEng, MICE. in the UK.

Don who has 22 years experience began work in offshore geotechnical engineering and foundation design for oil platforms and other offshore structures. He has also worked on a major Hydropower project and worked on secondment to Eurotunnel as the client's representative for one of the undersea running tunnels on the Channel Tunnel project. In 1990 he joined Sumitomo Electric, a Japanese manufacturer, as European Product Manager for the company's inflatable rubber dam. Working out of the company's London office, introduced the product to the European market with projects in Spain, Norway and Germany. He is now an independent specialist in inflatable rubber dams and spillway gates. Undertakes contracts for clients, consultants, contractors and rubber dam manufacturers peforming feasibility studies, preparing tender documents, providing technical advice, managing projects and supervising installation of rubber dams and spillway gates.

Peter Meenan B.Sc, C.Eng, MICE.

Peter's chief areas of experience lie in the Project Management, Design and Construction Supervision of civil/structural, marine and offshore engineering contracts including steel bridges and offshore structures. Experience has included quality assurance of welding; large diameter piling on and offshore and heavy reinforced concrete foundations; design and construction of major temporary works; offshore structure loadout operations and offshore construction/installation, including very heavy lifting operations; management of advanced F.E. numerical structural analysis projects and multi-disciplinary design teams; expert witness and independent opinions on engineering projects and problems. Peter has acted as project manager for the Engineering Design of major refurbishment of utilities systems in Brent Bravo and Delta CGS platforms for Shell UK Exploration & Production, as part of Brent LTFD Project. He has detailed experience and understanding of the oil storage and ballast water systems and pipe-work in the Utilities Shafts of CGS platforms and has been involved in the development of innovative solutions to the unusually difficult problems encountered in these aging installations.

Graeme Monro BSc, FICE, FCIWEM, ACIArb.

Graeme is a civil engineer who has over 34 years of experience in dams, tunnels, roads, weirs and general civil engineering construction. In particular, he is familiar with all facets of water supply engineering. The experience includes the preparation of feasibility studies; detailed design; preparation of contract documents; specification writing; tender procedures and bid evaluation; contract administration and management; claim analysis and assessment; construction supervision; project management; operation, maintenance and management of public water supplies and elements of training, both practical on-site training and office training; contract engineering for a major international contractor and most recently, setting up and managing the Contracts Branch for the Lesotho Highland Development Authority which is implementing the prestiguous Lesotho Highlands Water Project.

Full CV

Bill Morgan-Jones BSc MSc DUC FGS EurGeol.

Bill is a hydrogeologist specialising in groundwater modelling. He has fifteen years geological work experience both in the UK and overseas on diverse projects ranging from groundwater resources and groundwater contamination to mineral extraction, mining, civil engineering and radioactive waste disposal. He specialises in groundwater flow and solute transport modelling, mainly using MODFLOW and associated models. He has advanced skills in GIS, database construction and computer programming.

Full CV

David Morris

Peter Porter

Harold Sansom BSc, PhD.

Harold is a specialist in concrete QC and QA who has extensive experience in working abroad. Training and Advising local PLN Engineers in dam construction/ConcreteTechnology and all aspects of Civils works. Day to day work includes reading drawings and following up work progress on site. Laboratory testing, conc. and crusher plant, materials (Aggs, re-bar, formwork) inspections. Mix designs for all applications, computor analysis of strength results. Tunnel work includes shotcreting rock bolting, conc. lining and sampling. He has worked in the FIDIC system and with JIS standards.

Full CV

Rodney Shaw B.Sc, M.Sc, Ph.D, CEng, MICE.

Rodney has had nearly 30 years experience in geotechnical engineering and geology, most of this time assisting contractors working on major infrastructure projects. Assignments have included soft ground and rock tunnels, dams, hydropower and irrigation projects, highways, foundations, and many types of temporary works. Typically, these assignments involved the preparation of formal submissions, reporting on geotechnical problems, or otherwise strengthening the contractor's geotechnical capabilities. Rodney Shaw is based in Hong Kong. Since 1986 he has been the Principal of Berkeley Geotechnical Associates which has current or recent assignments in Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia, as well as Hong Kong.

Andrew Sheerman-Chase MSc DIC CEng MICE

Andrew has over 30 years experience in the design and construction of dams and reservoirs through out the world. He is an All Reservoirs Engineer under the UK Reservoirs Act and carries out safety inspections for a variety of major clients. Andrew has considerable geotechnical engineering experience on major mining and railway projects, and in landslip assessment. He has particular interest in problem soils from permafrost in Siberia to desert environments in Libya. He is a member of the British Dam Society and British Geotechnical Society.

Full CV

John Skelton BSc, CIM, CEng, MICE

John has 34 years of civil engineering experience. He has extensive experience in the management of international turnkey contracts for multinational development institutions, contractors and consultants. Management of multi-discipline projects for power, water, industrial and commercial developments. Subcontract control and co-ordination. Owner’s Representative for utility and commercial developments. Investment Feasibility Studies. Expert advice to Insurers. He has worked worldwide, but predominantly in the UK, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and the Middle and Far East. He now specialises in Investment Feasibility Studies and providing Project Management Services, acting as Owner's Representative, for those investment projects that proceed. At the forefront of PFI (Private Finance Initiative) and IPP (Independent Power Producer) projects, he has been responsible for a wide range of multi-disciplinary investment schemes on a truly worldwide basis including responsibility for FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) for a blue-chip international Client base.

Anthony Ivan Smith

Antony is an Australian has been involved in the mining and tunneling industry since 1962 when he first joined Union Carbide Nuclear Company's Research Center, Stirling Forest Tuxedo Park New York. In 1973 he was employed by Granite Construction on The Cross Town Interceptor in Austin Texas his first introduction to the Tunnel Boring Machine. Since that time Sandia National Laboratories, Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board, The Robbins Company, Atlas Copco Jarva Inc. and numerous contractors have employed his services. Presently he is Superintendente de Obra Proyecto Misicuni for Consorcio Astaldi-ICE, for a 19-km tunnel project at 3,715 meters in the Bolivian Andes. He has been involved with over 55 TBM bored tunnels worldwide, in the design of equipment and management of tunnel projects. He has numerous credits such as the development of the first computer control as well as the first variable frequency drive systems for raise borers and tunnel boring machines; the longest continuous underground concrete backfill at 3,250 feet: the highest utilization for a 6.5 meter TBM of 73.3% to name just a few. He has contributed numerous articles and papers on TBMs.

Mike Smith HND

Mike is a mining engineer with 35 years management experience in mining, underground construction, manufacturing, marketing, and publishing, together with associated publicity. He has managed mines of coal, copper and gypsum. He has also run mining equipment manufacturing and marketing concerns, and has launched two successful tunnelling magazines. For the last 15 years, he has worked closely with the world's largest manufacturers and contractors in the mining and tunnelling industries. During this time he has attended every significant conference and exhibition, and has undertaken assignments in 40 countries. Mike offers a full marketing service to the international tunnelling industry, including press release, newsletter and magazine production; professional web design; and internet publicity. All of these services are supported by the best database in the business and by www.tunnelbuilder.com, the gateway website for the tunnelling industry.

Full CV

Mike Summersgill MA, MSc, MBA, CEng, MICE, FCIWEM

Mike is a highly experienced Manager, having spent 25+ years in the environmental and civil engineering industries, both in the U.K. and overseas. As the General Manager of VHE Technology (retained as Technical Consultant), Mike was responsible for developing VHE's expertise in handling specialist contracts, using new and innovative remediation techniques in brownfield redevelopment. During this time he gained experience on pioneering new processes in site remediation (e.g. bioremediation, soil washing, encapsulation, waste reduction), and in creating alliances/partnerships with external bodies and Clients. Mike also acts (for CIWEM) as one of six national Technical Panel Assessors involved in examining persons for registration as Specialists in Land Condition.

Hans Tagwerker CEng (Austria).

Hans is experienced in the infrastructure related to energy production and distribution, transmission systems, municipal infrastructure, environmental impact assessment, resettlement and compensation programs. He has been a leader of multidisciplinary teams for preparation of master plans, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, tender and detailed design and implementation of large infrastructure projects and had acted as a Technical Adviser to utilities, International Financing Institutions, ministries and parastatal organisations as well as the private sector. He has substantial experience in procurement procedures and contract administration, legal frameworks and related jurisdiction, including experience as a technical witness in connection with amicable settlement procedures, adjudication and arbitration actions and the management of claims, based on rules of ICC, EU, FIDIC and Disputes Resolution Boards.

Full CV

Michael Thoms Bsc, PhD, MICE, MCIWEM.

Mike is a hydrologist and water resources engineer with 34 years experience in the investigation and planning of water development projects. He has experience of river basin hydrology in both arid and humid regions, flood control schemes, is a specialist in computer applications for hydrology and water resource analyses and has a particular expertise in the mathematical simulation of reservoirs and river systems. Mike has developed some 50 standard application programs, ranging from data transfer and processing to reservoir simulation.

Full CV

David Thorn

David has long experience in flooding, hydraulics, water resource planning and related hydrological skills. He has provided supervision and specialist inputs and has led multi-disciplinary teams on large studies and projects. Assignments have included economics, social and environmental issues, liaison with Government departments and other clients, and training of local staff. Technical work has included statistical analysis, flood estimates, catchment modelling, yield assessment and simulation. He has developed models for unsteady state flows in rivers, the planning and operation of water resource systems for maximum benefit or minimum cost with an emphasis on ease of use by relatively inexperienced staff. He has worked in the Philippines, southern Africa, Indonesia, Algeria, China, Malawi, Malaysia, Egypt and the UK, and is presently based in the UK.

Full CV

John Tolbutt BSc, FICE, FIStructE, CEng, FCIArb.

John who has 40 years experience specialises in project management and construction supervision for international consultants and contractors. He has extensive experience in the preparation of Contract documentation for F.I.D.I.C., I.C.E., I.B.R.D. and for the World Bank. Most recently he was involved in the project and construction management for Stewart Scott Int. in Zimbabwe of industrial, water and sewerage projects consisting of R.C. reservoirs and tanks, pump stations, pipelines, earthworks, mechanical and electrical works. He was Resident Engineer for Lesotho Highlands Consultants which involved 46 kms long conventional and bored tunnels and a 96.0 mt. high R.C. water intake tower and bridge. John has worked predominantly in Africa and the Middle East. He is also qualified in arbitration.

Giovanni Vazzola BSc, MSACPE, SAICE (South Africa)

Giovanni is a Civil Engineer who has worked on a wide vareity of projects in the dams, tunnels, hydro-electric, roads and bridges, water/ sewerage treatment and rehabilitation and related fields acting both as Project Manager and Technical Director. He has performed the full range of duties inclusive planning, estimating, claims, project layout, preparation of tender documents, evaluation of tenders, contract negotiations with clients and contractors, supervision of construction and commissioning. Giovanni also benefits from being multilingual speaking English, Italian, Spanish and French.

Full CV

Peter Wadsworth HNC

Peter has 30 years experience as mainly a highways engineer working predominantly for councils such as the Greater Manchester County Council for whom he was a MOSS design engineer. He now uses his considerable knowledge of MX/MOSS either with the client’s or his own MX licence to design highways, usually with immediate start. He has extensive experience of the design of junctions, re-surfacing and earthworks.

Mike Watson BSc, CEng, MICE, FICE

Mike has extensive experience working on rural and urban motorways and freeways, power stations, airfields (military and civil), industrial concrete projects, mining projects, township development projects, major road rehabilitation works. He has 26 years of experience with major Civil Engineering Construction Companies in England and South Africa in appointments progressing from graduate civil engineer under training to Site Agent to Contracts Manager to Director to Managing Director and 17 years experience self-employed as a contract and management consultant. Commissions included: Over 200 contract dispute actions involving Negotiation, Conciliation, Mediation, Arbitration and High Court, acting on behalf of Claimant or Respondent, or appointed as Conciliator, Mediator, Arbitrator or Expert Witness; winding up of +/-60 companies; completion of contracts for insolvent companies, negotiations in Europe and Israel for commercial arrangements for South African clients; management of companies and contracts; design and installation of management control systems; lecturing on contract and management techniques and contract dispute resolution. Mike is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).

George Zintilis BSc, PhD

George is a civil engineer who is currently involved in Safety & Security: HE and gas blast and ballistic assessment of existing structures and design of protection for existing and new structures against blast and ballistic threats for a number of confidential commercial clients in the UK and overseas (Details and references on application and subject to security clearance). Much of this work involves the design of Counter-Terrorist Measures for buildings and tunnels.He has been Supervising Engineer and Manager of the Specialist Studies Group at Bomel and worked for the Advanced Mechanics & Engineering Limited (Mott MacDonald Group) as Principal Engineer/Section Leader/QA and Training Manager. Earlier in his career he worked for WS Atkins Engineering Sciences as Principal Engineer/Group Leader.He has worked with clients such as the UK Health & Safety Executive, European Commission, UK MoD, major international oil companies and London Underground Limited.