Panelists:

Keith Broughton, Underwriter – Underwater Marine, Beazley

Keith Broughton, a highly experienced underwriter who specializes in underwater systems including autonomous underwater vehicles and seabed-systems. Keith was a Royal Navy officer and mine clearance diver for a decade before entering the insurance sector, and is also an accomplished sailor and a qualified marine biologist. Keith joined Beazley in August 2016, after the acquisition of Leviathan by Beazley, to add a specialist subsea equipment underwriting element to the Marine Team.

Andrew Woollven, Managing Director, EODEX US

A former Royal Naval Warfare Commander and Mine Clearance Diving Specialist he has throughout his career been involved in EOD and underwater clearance operations all over the globe having held a number of high-profile assignments both in the UK and abroad, including sea command and command of UK military diving training. With a rich portfolio of achievements Andrew sits at the operational helm of a company that has been specifically formed to bring the very best military counter UXO processes for use within the commercial subsea sector with safety, environmental safeguarding and cost efficiency as central pillars of its delivery. He is a masters graduate of Kings College and a Member of the Institute of Explosive Engineers.

Andy Elvin, President, EODEX US

Andy brings a unique level of knowledge from 35 years as a Royal Navy Warfare Officer. With 30 years specialist experience in deep mine warfare, diving and explosive ordnance disposal, Andrew served a third of his career alongside, and embedded with various US Navy Commands. His final tour was as the Deputy US Mine Warfare Commander in Bahrain and Captain UK Mine Warfare. Dealing with all forms of military ordnance during conflict including ERW, MEC and UXOs, he has amassed a wealth of experience, operating with multi-national commercial, military and industrial organizations, from the Americas through Europe to the Middle and Far East.

Since 2010 the Imperial College Geotechnics Group has been arranging, along with the Society for Underwater Technology, a one day “Masterclass course” to be given on Offshore Geophysics and Geotechnical Engineering at Imperial College (Skempton Building).

This is a one-day short course hosted at Imperial College and will take place this year on Thursday 8th June 2023, from 10.00am-5.00pm, in Room 201, Skempton Building, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London.

We can offer online registration for currently enrolled geotechnical/geoscience MSc students who would like to join our one-day Masterclass on 8^th June.

The Society for Underwater Technology – OSIGp invite you to their:

Recent Advancements in Pile Design & Installation

Date: Thursday, 15 June 2023

Venue: The Melbourne Hotel – Karingal Room 2

Address: 33 Milligan St, Perth, Western Australia

Time: 5.30pm – 8.00pm   **Drinks & finger food provided**

1. New proposed ISO/API unified CPT-based Method for Axial Pile Capacity

Prof. Barry Lehane, Professor of Geotechnical Engineering, The University of Western Australia

Offshore foundation costs are motivating the offshore energy sector to find better design methods. This presentation summarizes an industry project leading to ISO-19901-4 (CPT-based) design methods for driven pile axial capacity. The basic mechanisms supporting the format of the expressions proposed for shaft friction and end bearing in sands and clays are described. It is shown how these expressions, which are calibrated against a database of the most reliable load tests reported in the literature, lead to better predictions of capacity of this database compared to other methods and also lead to good predictions for a separate database of load tests involving piles driven into deposits comprising interbedded layers of sand, silt and clay.

2. New CPT Design Method for Axial Capacity of Screw Piles in Sand

Eduardo Bittar, Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Arup

Screw piles are commonly used for low and medium-rise construction and are ideal when resistance to significant uplift loads is needed. Their ease of removal, low noise, and quick installation have led to increased use in solar farms and sparked interest in offshore wind applications, driving a need to improve design methods. This presentation offers a simple method to predict screw pile capacity and required installation torque using CPT data.

3. Avoiding Pile Free Fall in Offshore Design

Carl Erbrich, Technical Director, Fugro

Pile free-fall is a danger for offshore pile foundation design. It happens when a “hard layer” that can support the weight of a pile is followed by a “soft layer” that cannot. Once the pile goes through the hard layer, it drops uncontrollably until the soil can stop it. The talk will show that even soil without this stratigraphy can cause free-fall due to drainage, remoulding, and water entrapped. The talk will give an overview of relevant mechanics and risks involved in pile installation assessments currently not appreciated by the industry.

To view the flyer, click OSIGp FLYER – Recent Advances in Pile Design & Installation.

For further enquiries, please contact OSIGp directly by emailing:

Eduardo Bittar ([email protected])

Thank you to our event sponsors:

Human health and well-being, including sustainable and equitable economic development, are intrinsically connected to the world’s ocean. The ocean provides food, energy, medicine, and supports the livelihoods of over 3 billion people. It is also an essential ally in the fight against climate change and a source of significant cultural, aesthetic, and recreational values. From an economic point of view, the ocean is of monumental importance, with the ocean’s economic output predicted to reach US$3 trillion by 2030.

Despite this, we have only observed 5% of the deep ocean and directly mapped 24% of the ocean floor. You can’t manage what you don’t understand, and as a result, two closely related ocean initiatives have been launched within the past five years to radically improve our understanding of the world’s oceans. The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development is a multifaceted initiative focused on developing a common, global framework for ocean science. It aims to help reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and help countries create improved conditions for sustainable ocean development. A key enabler of the Ocean Decade is a wholly mapped ocean, and to this end, The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project was created to inspire the complete mapping of the world’s oceans by 2030 and compile all bathymetric data into the freely available GEBCO Ocean Map.

Success in these programs will require cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships, and a bottom-up approach. Stakeholders from government, academia, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and society at large will need to support, partner, and collaborate to achieve the overall goals and objectives of both initiatives. This webinar will provide an overview of the scope and objectives of both programs, describe their relationship, and provide insights on how / why members of the SUT community can get involved.

BOOK NOW via the SUT US website by clicking here

David Millar

Guidance Notes – Planning and Execution of Geophysical and Geotechnical Ground Investigations for Offshore Renewable Energy Developments

1700hrs Overview of Guidance Notes/SUT – Ørsted, 5 Howick Place, London

1815hrs Drinks reception at Windsor Castle Pub, 23 Francis St, London SW1P 1DN

This event is FREE but booking is essential.

The event is open to members and non-members of the Society for Underwater Technology and is aimed at all personnel involved in commissioning, undertaking, using and/or reviewing offshore site investigation projects for offshore renewables in the UK and worldwide.

• 1700hrs tea/coffee reception
• 1715hrs Brief introduction to SUT and the work of the Offshore Site Investigation & Geotechnics Special Interest Group
• 1720hrs Overview of the Guidance Notes and Q&A session
• 1815hrs Drinks reception at Windsor Castle Pub, kindly Sponsored by Arup