Working
Groups and Areas of Responsibility
In
early 2007, the Executive Committee unanimously
agreed to restructure its working groups and
subcommittees. This has allowed the various
areas of responsibility to be more clearly defined
and provides an improved level of focus to the
groups for achieving real objectives in 2007.
Areas
of responsibility such as membership and communication
have been reassigned from standing committees
to individuals within the Executive Committee
and the number of groups has been streamlined
from six to five as follows:
Working
Group on Geoenvironmental Engineering
The
Geoenvironmental Subcommittee works to raise
the profile of geoenvironmental engineering
in Hong Kong and provide an authoritative voice
on the investigation, remediation and design
approaches to contaminated land and landfills.
The group aims to improve awareness and understanding
of the implications of contaminated land and
landfills to industry and society and promote
the consideration of both geotechnical and geoenvironmental
issues in the assessment of land quality. Its
objectives include the following:
-
To
provide a set of good practice notes on the
investigation, assessment and remediation
of contaminated land in Hong Kong.
-
To
provide a forum for exchange of information
and experience on issues related to contaminated
land and landfills and to promote best ethical,
professional and social practices
-
To
provide formal responses to documents produced
by the Government of HKSAR and other parties,
as well as prepare Position Papers or comments
on current issues
-
To
organise Ground Forums And CPD courses covering
topical issues of concern.
-
To
provide a forum for discussion and development
of pertinent best practice for the investor
Ground
Investigation Group
This
group has a relatively long history in the association
and was responsible for the publication of the
initial series of GIGs or good practice notes
on ground investigation. These covered the planning
and procurement of ground investigations, contract
documentation and considerations for the design
of ground investigations. The group will continue
much in the same vein in 2007 and beyond with
the review of ground investigation practice
and the subsequent publication of further GIGs
and the holding of forums or seminars in areas
of ground investigation where the group considers
young geotechnical practitioners require training
and knowledge, where work practices need improvement
or where clients or supervisory staff would
take benefit from guidance. The group will review
new and developing areas of ground investigation
that may have not previously been covered in
the existing GIGs.
Working
Group on Tunnelling
The
association has for some time now held seminars
and forums related to tunnelling and this area
of geotechnical work appears set to continue
to be of great relevance to the development
of Hong Kong's infrastructure for the foreseeable
future. The tunnelling group was formally established
in 2007 and has set its medium-term objectives
as follows:
-
The
publication of a set of best practice guidelines
named Tunnelling Construction Guidelines (TCG's).
Likely topics for the first two TCG's include
TBM selection for varying ground conditions
and the sinking of vertical shafts (targeted
for July 2007). Other potential topics include
drill and blast tunnelling.
-
Organisation
of a technical seminar on tunnelling targeted
for early 2008.
Working
Group on Design for Safety
Designers
have an important role to play in ensuring safety
in foundation and geotechnical works, both in
terms of design and planning measures to eliminate
or mitigate risks and in ensuring designs are
robust. This newly formed group aims to explore
this relatively "fresh" area of geotechnical
engineering with the ultimate objective of improving
safety on construction projects in Hong Kong.
This will be achieved by raising awareness and
promoting discussion on safety issues through
ground forums and seminars and by promoting
best practice through appropriate publications.
Preliminary
objectives are defined as follows:
-
The
carrying out of a survey of consultants and
contractors on safety through design in terms
of perceptions and practices. This will provide
a useful tool for gauging the current situation
in Hong Kong and will provide a solid platform
for decision making by the group in the future.
-
The
holding of an evening ground forum with a
"balanced" collection of speakers
to promote dialogue and exchange experiences
and ideas on the subject.
-
The
holding of a daytime CPD seminar on the topic
to appeal to a wide audience of varying experience.
Working
Group on Sustainability in Geotechnics
There
is an increasing trend within society and the
industry to meet sustainable objectives for
the good of ourselves and future generations.
Sustainability should form the basis by which
we all operate and do business. The recently
formed group aims to review and consider the
issue of Sustainability within the Geotechnical
and Geoenvironmental Industry in Hong Kong and
seeks to promote sustainable ideas and further
the discussion on those ideas and concepts.
The principle objectives of the group are to:
-
Raise
the awareness of sustainability issues for
the industry.
-
Research
the current status of government policy and
approach to sustainability in HK and China.
-
Prepare
some guidance documents and inform our members
through the newsletter, seminars and articles.
-
Prepare
a questionnaire to send out to the industry
to gauge current sustainability trends and
approaches.
-
Consider
a seminar / CPD later in 2007 to cover sustainability
within the industry, local government and
developers.
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