Category Archives: foundations

2019 COURSE CALENDAR ISSUED

We are delighted to issue our new course calendar for 2019.  The new calendar can be downloaded from here in a list format, or from here in a year to view format.  Notable features of the calendar are:
  • The calendar is based on a new course list
  • All courses have been refreshed for 2019.
  • The technical courses are now offered at three levels: introductory (for those new to a topic); principles and practice (for those wanting to develop their understanding further); and practitioner courses (for those wanting to consolidate and extend their skills).
  • Several new courses have been introduced, including Level 3 courses on lime and cement stabilisation, and on interpreting SI data.
We have also widened our delivery locations to include Chester as well as our base in Chesterfield. If you are interested in any of the courses, just email us for more information or call to discuss your requirements.   As ever, discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course. Remember too that all courses can be run bespoke for your company if there are sufficient numbers – just call us to see what we could do for you.  

LATE OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 2018 COURSES

We have a selection of upcoming courses in late October and November, including: All these courses are running in Chesterfield.   Discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course.  Please call or email us to reserve your place on a course.  

NEWS SNIPPETS

As regular readers know, we have a section on CPD in most of our newsletters, with links to follow-up information.  As a new idea, we are going to start to capture also some broad news items that affect the industry and ourselves.  We found the following news snippets and links useful and we hope you agree. British Standards and Brexit  – This is a common topic on our courses so the recent statement from BSI that they will continue as a member of ISO, IEC, CEN and CENELEC is likely to be of interest to many.  They went on to state “UK stakeholders have overwhelmingly expressed their support for the UK to remain committed to the adoption of international and European standards as the national standard, used as today.”  More information on what this means can be found by using this link, and their February 2018 standards position statement can be read here. Planning Update – The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has recently been updated and on 1 October 2018 new Regulations will come into force regarding pre-commencement conditions.  A Quick Guide on the changes has been prepared by Lithos Consulting, who we thank for their permission to circulate their guide. BIM Update – The first two international standards relating to the organization of information about construction works are to published in late 2018.  They are BS EN ISO 19650–1 (concepts and principles) and BS EN ISO 19650-2 (information management in delivery).  These standards will supersede BS 1192 (principles) and PAS 1192 part 2 (capital/delivery phase) respectively. An update that should help answer some of the questions on the UK transition can be found here. Health Safety and Welfare – Though industry magazines regularly carry HSW news, we find it useful to keep an eye too on the latest HSE press releases.  There were numerous construction related posts just in July and August, which highlight that we as an industry need to keep emphasising and focusing on HSW throughout a project. If you want to register to receive our newsletter, just follow this link and enter a few details.  Rest assured we will protect your privacy.

PREPARING FOR PROFESSIONAL REVIEW IN SPRING 2019

Our programme of courses that were designed to help candidates prepare for their professional review in the Autumn 2018 session are now complete.  Now the focus moves on to supporting prospective candidates for the Spring 2019 session.  This includes the following courses:
  • The ICE Professional Review – Preparing for the Written Exercise on 22 November
  • The ICE Professional Review – Overview and Preparation on 4 December
  • Mock interview courses in early 2019 (dates TBC) 
If any course is of interest then please contact us for details and / or to make a booking.  Equally, if you want to know what other courses may assist you then feel free to contact us.

CPD IDEAS

We have a regular section on CPD in our newsletters, with links to follow-up information.  They are useful for anyone but are especially useful for graduates pursuing professional registration with the ICE.   In the latest newsletter (to be issued shortly) we provided two CPD ideas: NEC4 – The NEC form of contract was born out of the Latham and Egan reports.  It went on to become the form of contract recommended by the ICE, replacing the ICE 7th Conditions of Contract.  It emphasised a collaborative approach and provided a range of forms for different risk sharing approaches.  NEC3 has now been replaced by NEC4 and graduates sitting their review ought to be aware now of the main changes.  A good starting point may be found here. Sustainable Development – Some time ago, in 2008, Constructing Excellence “recognised the need for a ‘Plain English Guide to Sustainable Construction’ after a large number of comments from their membership about the lack of clear, concise information on the subject.”  They have produced a useful guide that we recommend graduates read as a starter.  There have been developments since of course, as covered in previous newsletters. If you want to see other CPD ideas, you can look back at previous newsletters by following this link.

SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2018 COURSES

Full details of all courses can be seen in our latest calendar.  Selected highlights include:
  • Pile Foundations – Principles and Practice on 20 September  LAST CALL
  • Introduction to Health and Safety Law – 9 October
  • Mentoring for Engineering Geologists on Geotechnical Engineering on 11 October
  • Slope Stability – Principles and Practice on 18 October
  • Earthworks – Principles and Practice on 25 October
All courses are running in Chesterfield unless stated otherwise on the calendar.  Discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course. Please call or email us to reserve your place on a course. Remember too that all courses can be run bespoke for your company if there are sufficient numbers – just call us to see what we could do for you.  

AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER 2018 COURSES

The summer is almost here, though with the heatwave it feels like it has been here a while!  We still have plenty of courses coming up, and in fact now is a good time to book your training for the Autumn.  Full details of all courses can be seen in our latest calendar.  Selected highlights include:
  • Contractual Awareness, on  2 August
  • The ICE Professional Review – Preparing for the Interview (maximum of 4 delegates), on numerous dates in August and early September
  • Slope Stability – Principles and Practice, on 13 September
  • Pile Foundations – Principles and Practice, on 20 September
  • Ground Investigation Design to EC7 – The Essentials (half day course), on 27 September
In addition to these standard day courses, we are running our Design Programme on Shallow Foundations and Settlements.  This programme of 6 evening  courses allows delegates to explore the subject matter in more depth than possible during a typical day course. All courses are running in Chesterfield unless stated otherwise on the calendar.  Discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course. Please call or email us to reserve your place on a course. Remember too that all courses can be run bespoke for your company if there are sufficient numbers – just call us to see what we could do for you.  

2018 REV 4 COURSE CALENDAR

As always, and driven by some unforeseen personal issues, we have undertaken a periodic review of our course calendar and made some small changes.  The new calendar can be downloaded from here. All courses are running in Chesterfield unless stated.  Discounts are available for group bookings or delegates attending more than one course. Please call or email us to reserve your place on a course. Remember too that all courses can be run bespoke for your company if there are sufficient numbers – just call us to see what we could do for you.  

ISTRUCTE TALK WELL RECEIVED

About 50 people turned out to hear our Dr Andy Goodwin speak about EC7 at the IStructE Regional Group meeting at University of Sheffield on 16 May 2018.  Entitled “EC7 is Just for Geotechnical Engineers – Isn’t It?”, the talk gave an overview of the drivers behind the ‘new’ code and the principal practical changes from a structural engineering perspective.  The talk seemed too go down well, and it attracted a lengthy Q&A session.   

ISTRUCTE TALK ON EC7

Just in case you haven’t seen the advertising put out by IStructE, you may wish to know that our Dr Andy Goodwin is giving a presentation to the Regional Group on 16 May 2018.  Entitled “EC7 is Just for Geotechnical Engineers – Isn’t It?”, the talk is aimed at de-mystifying EC7 to help structural engineers recognise its implications for them and aid its wider adoption going forward.  It is being held from 6pm in Lecture Theatre 3, The Diamond, 32 Leavygreave Road, Sheffield S3 7RD.  Further details can be found here.