Chris Powell

Responsible for undertaking kinematic analysis using data gathered from pit wall discontinuities in three open pits. Software: DIPS, SURPAC

Responsible for interpretation and statistical analysis of geotechnical data arising from a targeted inclined diamond drill ground investigation through in situ rock to enable stable pit slope design.

Work included:
• rock core log validation
• analysis of rock type characteristics
• interpretation of discontinuity shear strength using Barton Bandis criterion.

Remediation of the failed sedimentation pond involved:

• Procuring engineering services to determine root cause of failure.
• Procuring adequate remedial design
• Managing earthwork remedial works undertaken by sub-contractor
• Procuring necessary materials HDPE, large diameter poly pipe etc
• Procuring specialist service providers to lay / weld HDPE liner and weld large diameter poly pipe
• Arranging for all necessary pipe connections to be in place

This project consisted of the development of approximately 10kms of new highway for a local town council.

During the project I delivered:
• Geotechnical assessment and interpretation of available ground investigation data
• Detailed design of several kilometres of reinforced earth embankment constructed over soils of marginal strength and with constrictive spatial constraints.
• Specification of testing related to construction of earthworks and compaction.

Software:… Show more

This project consisted of the development of approximately 10kms of new highway for a local town council.

During the project I delivered:
• Geotechnical assessment and interpretation of available ground investigation data
• Detailed design of several kilometres of reinforced earth embankment constructed over soils of marginal strength and with constrictive spatial constraints.
• Specification of testing related to construction of earthworks and compaction.

Software: SLIDE Show less

The approach embankments for a motorway overbridge and one of the concrete abutment solutions required remediation due to excessive movement.

As Project Manager I was responsible for developing a cost effective geotechnical stabilization solution and managing a multi-disciplinary team to provide necessary services to deliver the project.

A holistic management approach was required to deliver the project effectively.

Key environmental, social, site constraint and timescale… Show more

The approach embankments for a motorway overbridge and one of the concrete abutment solutions required remediation due to excessive movement.

As Project Manager I was responsible for developing a cost effective geotechnical stabilization solution and managing a multi-disciplinary team to provide necessary services to deliver the project.

A holistic management approach was required to deliver the project effectively.

Key environmental, social, site constraint and timescale issues needed to be overcome in order to reduce local impact caused by required closures during construction on the highly trafficked over bridge. Immediate residential areas and local businesses were among the affected community.

Besides PM duties, I interpreted failure mechanisms and developed detailed geotechnical design of the remedial solution which included an anchored sheet pile retaining wall and the use of lightweight PFA to replace in-situ material.

Software: SLIDE, WALLAP Show less

This greenfield project involved gathering of data and performing preliminary geotechnical design for foundations to several structures along a planned highway by-pass for the town of Corby.

I was responsible for:
• Planning and organising a ground investigation
• Site supervision during the ground investigation
• Data analysis and interpretation of geotechnical parameters
• Factual reporting
• Preliminary interpretative reporting recommending foundation solutions… Show more

This greenfield project involved gathering of data and performing preliminary geotechnical design for foundations to several structures along a planned highway by-pass for the town of Corby.

I was responsible for:
• Planning and organising a ground investigation
• Site supervision during the ground investigation
• Data analysis and interpretation of geotechnical parameters
• Factual reporting
• Preliminary interpretative reporting recommending foundation solutions for 3 over bridges and one box culvert and assessing stability and potential settlement of associated earthworks.

Recommended over bridge foundation solutions included piled and strip foundations. Show less

I performed field inspections of geotechnical assets along highways and motorways.

This involved physical assessment of earthwork conditions across an extensive highway network.

I collected various types of information relevant to slope stability and performance of existing earthworks and assigned risk ratings geared to trigger appropriate remedial actions as required.

Software: HAGDMS

This highway scheme was for a town by-pass. Significant geotechnical consideration was required due to a large relic landslip in a slope within the footprint of construction.

Responsible for quality assessment and site supervision during construction.

Long term stability of the relic landslip within Quaternary deposits was achieved by careful consideration of the ground water and pore pressure regime. An extensive array of VWP monitoring provided the data.

Deep drainage… Show more

This highway scheme was for a town by-pass. Significant geotechnical consideration was required due to a large relic landslip in a slope within the footprint of construction.

Responsible for quality assessment and site supervision during construction.

Long term stability of the relic landslip within Quaternary deposits was achieved by careful consideration of the ground water and pore pressure regime. An extensive array of VWP monitoring provided the data.

Deep drainage solutions were required beneath the footprint of a large embankment situated over the relic slip.

My responsibilities included:
• Preparation of monitoring data
• Participation in client meetings
• Providing review feedback on earthworks design and associated reporting
• Quality assessment /audits and site supervision during construction Show less

Provided ongoing geotechnical support / advice for open pit mining for 2 years (FIFO).

Select items of work performed:

• Developed / implemented practical methods to control and mitigate geotechnical risk effectively.
• Developed appropriate dewatering /depressurization strategies for pit walls.
• Designated and implemented monitoring instrumentation.
• Assessed monitoring data for an array of prisms and extensometers.
• Implemented a MSR slope stability radar… Show more

Provided ongoing geotechnical support / advice for open pit mining for 2 years (FIFO).

Select items of work performed:

• Developed / implemented practical methods to control and mitigate geotechnical risk effectively.
• Developed appropriate dewatering /depressurization strategies for pit walls.
• Designated and implemented monitoring instrumentation.
• Assessed monitoring data for an array of prisms and extensometers.
• Implemented a MSR slope stability radar, applied critical alarm thresholds and evaluated monitoring.
• Reviewed blast designs
• Provided practical recommendations to the Drill and Blast team which were acted on to alter blasting techniques to suit particular geological conditions and better achieve design batters / berms.
• Inspected pit walls and highlighted potential areas of hazard/risk.
• Developed effective batter cleaning procedures.
• Undertook geological mapping of pit faces.

Software: SURPAC, Reutech MSR, T4D Survey software, Rocscience software, Various proprietary software related to particular geotechnical instrumentation Show less

Supervised construction and implemented / maintained / monitored instrumentation for a 350m long 13m high earthen seawall critical for enabling mining to continue to greater depth in an open pit mine adjacent to the sea.

Construction occurred directly above a 20m thickness of very soft sediments using a carefully monitored, assessed and staged approach within an intertidal zone experiencing 11m variations.

Select items of work performed:

• Developed efficient quality… Show more

Supervised construction and implemented / maintained / monitored instrumentation for a 350m long 13m high earthen seawall critical for enabling mining to continue to greater depth in an open pit mine adjacent to the sea.

Construction occurred directly above a 20m thickness of very soft sediments using a carefully monitored, assessed and staged approach within an intertidal zone experiencing 11m variations.

Select items of work performed:

• Developed efficient quality control techniques and methodologies that saved the client time / effort.
• Developed innovative construction techniques that enabled construction and saved costs.
• Helped design / install / implement a large array of monitoring instrumentation including:

VWPs | Standpipes | Vertical and surface extensometers
Inclinometers (SAAs) | Settlement posts | Prisms

• Designated and Installed additional instrumentation devices as required.
• Deployed and maintained telemetry data logging system to provide remote access.
• Performed required maintenance related to instrumentation.


Software: SURPAC, Sigra data logger & telemetry, Survey software, Reutech MSR, Monitoring software Show less

This project was to undertake an assessment of available data and report on potential stability risks related to the pit slopes of Koolan Island's Main Pit.

Select items of work performed:

• Corrected diamond drill core deviation according to available down-hole survey data
• Validated diamond drill core log data
• Performed statistical assessment of data
• Assessed and interpreted laboratory test data
• Interpretation of RMR
• Prepared down-hole… Show more

This project was to undertake an assessment of available data and report on potential stability risks related to the pit slopes of Koolan Island's Main Pit.

Select items of work performed:

• Corrected diamond drill core deviation according to available down-hole survey data
• Validated diamond drill core log data
• Performed statistical assessment of data
• Assessed and interpreted laboratory test data
• Interpretation of RMR
• Prepared down-hole plots showing rock characteristics along drill hole trajectories
• Performed kinematic analysis using available data
• Prepared a report present and discuss findings

Software: DIPS, SURPAC, EXCEL Show less

Provided Project Management services to Mount Gibson Iron during the initial construction phase of their new Site Workshop Infrastructure. The project location was on a remote island in northern Western Australia.

Reporting to the Head of Infrastructure on site my responsibilities included:

• the safety and productivity of the earthworks sub-contractor
• management of an on site concrete production facility
• organizing major earthworks preparations
•… Show more

Provided Project Management services to Mount Gibson Iron during the initial construction phase of their new Site Workshop Infrastructure. The project location was on a remote island in northern Western Australia.

Reporting to the Head of Infrastructure on site my responsibilities included:

• the safety and productivity of the earthworks sub-contractor
• management of an on site concrete production facility
• organizing major earthworks preparations
• procurement of various materials and services
• liaising with design engineers and specialist concrete foundation contractors
• organizing excavations for concrete foundations
• planning and overseeing reinforced concrete foundation preparations and concrete pours
• planning and overseeing the installation and securing of structures on concrete foundations

Show less

Provided Project Management services to Mount Gibson Iron for their Main Pit Footwall Rehabilitation project to enable a recommencement of mining and adopting aggressive mining strategies safely.

The project involved installation of cable bolts, SDAs, rockfall mesh and fibre reinforced shotcrete over large areas of the pit face. Other features included 500kJ and 1000kJ rock catchment fences and two large ring-net and wire mesh reinforced debris flow barriers. Much of the work was done… Show more

Provided Project Management services to Mount Gibson Iron for their Main Pit Footwall Rehabilitation project to enable a recommencement of mining and adopting aggressive mining strategies safely.

The project involved installation of cable bolts, SDAs, rockfall mesh and fibre reinforced shotcrete over large areas of the pit face. Other features included 500kJ and 1000kJ rock catchment fences and two large ring-net and wire mesh reinforced debris flow barriers. Much of the work was done from barges floating on the existing pit lake.

Reporting to the Mining Manager, I was responsible for managing the safety and production of a team which included Rock Australia, Vertech and Stratacrete who were involved in implementing various geotechnical solutions.

Select items of work that I performed:
• produced detailed cost breakdown of ongoing activities
• produced budget forecasts for future work
• produced comprehensive project risk register
• informed upper management within the company of the elevated financial and geotechnical risks
involved in the project Show less

Provided Project Management services to Mount Gibson Iron during successful construction according to designers requirements of a 400m long Seawall project to enable expansion of the open pit mine to greater depths below sea level.

Construction occurred within an intertidal zone experiencing 11m variations. Bulk materials were sourced on the remote island and crushed / screened as required to conform with specifications.

Select list of work & actions undertaken:

• Managed… Show more

Provided Project Management services to Mount Gibson Iron during successful construction according to designers requirements of a 400m long Seawall project to enable expansion of the open pit mine to greater depths below sea level.

Construction occurred within an intertidal zone experiencing 11m variations. Bulk materials were sourced on the remote island and crushed / screened as required to conform with specifications.

Select list of work & actions undertaken:

• Managed and oversaw the safety and production of a $50K / day earthworks sub-contractor during the construction of the 400m long earthen dam acting as a seawall.

• Liaised with the geotechnical design team including site and office based personnel to ensure adequate quality controls were in place and updated as required and also ensure that any construction issues were resolved in accordance with designer recommendations.

• Improved productivity by developing:
- specific manageable tasks / preparations to facilitate work during short tidal windows.
- methods to alleviate repetitive damage to the work-site caused by daily tidal inundations.
- a systematic approach for accessing the workplace across wet / untrafficable terrain.

• Met daily with Mining Manager and produced weekly and monthly progress reporting. Show less

The project involved expansion of London’s major ring road from a dual 3 lane to a dual 4 lane motorway with limited additional land take.

During this 1 ½ year full time role my responsibilities included:

• Planning a large ground investigation
• Participating in solution optimization / innovations workshops
• Technical reporting
• Minor managerial roles
• Production of design drawings issued to the client
• Designating monitoring equipment and locations
•… Show more

The project involved expansion of London’s major ring road from a dual 3 lane to a dual 4 lane motorway with limited additional land take.

During this 1 ½ year full time role my responsibilities included:

• Planning a large ground investigation
• Participating in solution optimization / innovations workshops
• Technical reporting
• Minor managerial roles
• Production of design drawings issued to the client
• Designating monitoring equipment and locations
• Performing detailed design and undertaking stability modelling for multiple solutions including;
• >2km of sheet piled retaining walls to widen embankments including using King Pile layout
• >2kms of concrete gravity retaining walls used to replace the toe of existing cuttings
• Transitions to existing structures
• >2kms of geogrid reinforced earthworks for steepened embankments in order to limit land take
• Slope regrades
• Slope stability / global stability assessments
• Settlement assessments
• Use of recycled / manufactured lightweight materials (eg PFA, crushed glass, expanded clay)
• Earthwork drainage solutions where required

Special care/innovations were required around existing services and infrastructure such as bridges and gas mains.

Software: SLIDE, PLAXIS, WALLAP, AUTOCAD Show less

This project expanded a dual 3 lane motorway to a dual 4 lane motorway with limited additional land take.

My 1 ½ year involvement began in the preliminary design stage and continued through detailed design and into construction.

Early stage responsibilities included gathering and collating historic data from previous ground investigations, groundwater monitoring and laboratory testing for interpretation prior to design.

Further responsibilities included:
• Recommending… Show more

This project expanded a dual 3 lane motorway to a dual 4 lane motorway with limited additional land take.

My 1 ½ year involvement began in the preliminary design stage and continued through detailed design and into construction.

Early stage responsibilities included gathering and collating historic data from previous ground investigations, groundwater monitoring and laboratory testing for interpretation prior to design.

Further responsibilities included:
• Recommending additional ground investigation including testing and monitoring
• Producing factual and interpretative reports construction specifications
• Production of detailed design drawings
• Performing detailed design and undertaking stability modelling for solutions including:
• >3kms of soil nail strengthened earthworks to reinforce over-steepened cuttings
• Slope stability assessments
• Design of gabion walls
• Design of transition details of earthwork solutions to existing structures
• Providing advice related to drainage measures.

I also undertook site supervision during the construction stage.

Software: SLIDE, AUTOCAD Show less

Responsible for providing a geotechnical assessment related to proposed mine site infrastructure.

Responsibilities included:
• review and validation of available geotechnical logs
• assessment of field and laboratory data arising from a ground investigation
• interpretation of ground conditions / material parameters
• reporting
• provision of geotechnical recommendations to enable future work.

For this project I delivered a geotechnical assessment related to mine site infrastructure associated with the magnetite/ilmenite mine.

Work I undertook:

• assessed topography and potential surface water interaction with infrastructure
• assessed ground and groundwater conditions
• analysed and interpreted ground investigation and laboratory data
• recommended likely foundation solutions for various structures
• provided recommendations required to enable the… Show more

For this project I delivered a geotechnical assessment related to mine site infrastructure associated with the magnetite/ilmenite mine.

Work I undertook:

• assessed topography and potential surface water interaction with infrastructure
• assessed ground and groundwater conditions
• analysed and interpreted ground investigation and laboratory data
• recommended likely foundation solutions for various structures
• provided recommendations required to enable the next phase of work such as additional ground investigation etc.
• wrote the relevant section of the report presenting findings Show less