Expert Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineers in Llandudno

Civil engineers in a changing world – 2nnWe have related in part 1 how engineers had to accept that they had to change, that is change ideas and change ways of doing things, that they needed advice from other scientific disciplines if they were to be successful in converting a wide range of mineral wastes into ‘green and pleasant land. One of the earliest lessons learned was that plants did not need topsoil to grow in but a soil-like material that was nutrient poor, free of toxic wastes, not over-compacted, and could retain moisture. Engineering consultants and engineering contractors had to adjust their thinking and admit newcomers like plant specialists, botanists even, into what had been an exclusively engineering world. Ivor was asked by one eminent engineer “What can we learn from these people”. Quite a lot was learned as it turned out, and this led to an improvement in the reputations of engineers who were viewed by many as wreckers of the environment. The idea of learning from nature and working with nature came about, and ‘low-cost’ methods were developed. Performance improved. Multidisciplined teams of engineers and landscape architects/botanists/ecologists began to appear in the 1970s. Landscape management plans that extended over a period of years became important. The message then spread into other civil engineering sectors such as highway construction where earthworks were a major element.nnThe unchecked erosion on the Horseshoe pass, the A542, was typical of how engineers managed highway construction in upland areas. This triggered a report for the Welsh Office by RML on the management of highway margins and in due course the CIRIA report on ‘The use of vegetation in civil engineering’. The appearance of the pass is now much different...