Biography

Colin is an expert in the design and construction of tunnels and underground space. He has 38 years’ experience in the tunnelling industry and has an intimate working knowledge of current best practice in both the design and construction of tunnels. This includes a detailed knowledge of all forms of temporary and permanent construction methodologies in use today.

He manages an active research and development programme and has been personally responsible for the introduction of many innovations which have been credited with improving the safety, efficiency and quality of many recent major projects. In 2011, he successfully led (on behalf of the British Tunnelling Society) the launch of the MSc in Tunnelling and Underground Space at Warwick University and he actively supports the course as a member of the Industrial Advisory Panel and champion of the construction methods module of the course.

In 2005, he was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and in 2015 he was further honoured with the appointment of Royal Academy Visiting Professor of Innovation and Tunnelling at the University of Warwick. In 2014 The UK Institution of Civil Engineers awarded him the John Mitchell Gold Medal in recognition of his significant contribution to tunnelling.

Until recently Colin was engineering director of one of the UK’s largest tunnelling firms and managing director of the in-house design consultancy business. In June 2017, he formed his own consultancy business and has been responsible for the management of a specialist underground engineering department, which has undertaken the detailed design of some of the largest underground projects in the UK.

In the last twenty years, most of his tunnelling projects have been of a design and build nature and he has managed the implementation of over £2.5bn of tunnelling work in this time.

The first nine years of Colin’s career were spent on site on a variety of soft ground and rock tunnelling projects. Since 1988 he has been responsible for the underground engineering activities and formed the consultancy in 2002. To promote a seamless interface between design and construction, he encourages regular contact between the design teams and the worksite and, where appropriate co-locate on site.

In addition to the management of permanent and temporary works design, Colin has been responsible for the introduction of formal risk management procedures. He is passionate about the integration of design with construction and has led a “Safe by Design” culture to improve safety and to promote efficiency through world class engineering.

Research Interests

• Tunnelling,
• Advanced Materials,
• Geotechnics,
• Procurement of major Infrastructure Projects,
• Risk management in Construction

Teaching Interests

Selected Publications

Projects and Grants