Geoenvironmental Research Centre Canolfan Ymchwil Ddaearamgylcheddol Civil Engineering Education and Research in the Enlarged EU GeoEnvironmental

Geoenvironmental Research CentreGeoenvironmental Research CentreCanolfan Ymchwil DdaearamgylcheddolCanolfan Ymchwil Ddaearamgylcheddol

www.grc.cf.ac.ukwww.grc.cf.ac.uk

Civil Engineering Education and Research in the Enlarged EU

GeoEnvironmental Research in the Enlarged EU

by

Professor H R Thomas

Director, Geoenvironmental Research Centre

Head, Cardiff School of Engineering

19-21st April 2004 Brno, Czech Republic


http://www.grc.cf.ac.ukhttp://www.grc.cf.ac.uk

IntroductionIntroduction

Civil Engineering is a mature subject - in research terms.

Education and training of civil engineers is of paramount importance.

But it is not a topical subject for research.

Need to diversify.

Current “hot” areas are bioscience and medical.

Not one of the “sunrise” areas - but “sunset”.



ContextContext

Future research agenda is therefore uncertain.

Future probably multi-disiciplinary.

Future probably

“Sustainable development”.

My presentation

“Sustainable geoenvironment”.



What is GeoEnvironmental EngineeringWhat is GeoEnvironmental Engineering?? An emerging discipline based on a merger of environmental issues, with traditional geotechnical

engineering concepts

Development driven by a number of factors: Contaminated land Waste disposal Sustainability Protection of the geo-environment as a whole

Scientific Disciplines include: Geotechnical engineering Engineering Geology, Geochemistry Soil Science, Microbiology Plant Science



What is GeoEnvironmental EngineeringWhat is GeoEnvironmental Engineering??(Cont’d)(Cont’d)

NB New Discipline Important to Governments Multi-discipline in nature MAJOR Research Opportunities



Examples of Current ProjectsExamples of Current Projects

GeoEnvironmental Engineering Infrastructure Co-operation Network - (GeoEnvNet)

FP5 - Thematic Network. GeoEnvironmental Research Park (GRP)

European Structural Funds. Near Field Processes (NF-PRO)

FP6 - IP. Co-ordinated Action on Education and Training in RadioActive Waste

Disposal

(CETRAD)

FP6 - Co-ordinated action.



Geoenvironmental Research Centre, UK. Darmstadt University of Technology, Germany. Aspo Environmental Research Foundation, Sweden. Institute for Agrobio-technology, Austria. Warsaw Agricultural University, Poland. Universidad de Cantabria, Spain. University of Ancona, Italy. Ghent University, Belgium. Research, Education and Training Centre, Prague.

Politecnico di Torino, Italy.

GeoDelft, The Netherlands.

Ecole National Ponts et Chausses, France.

Geoenvironmental Engineering - Geoenvironmental Engineering - GeoEnvNetGeoEnvNet




GeoEnvNet is also collaborating with other partners in:

• Sweden.

• Norway. Czech Rep. Bulgaria. Greece. Turkey. Switzerland. Canada.




Core Network Function - Infrastructure Provision

Underground Research Laboratory. Geoenvironmental Laboratories. Centrifuge. High Performance Parallel computers. Grid communication. Sophisticated software e.g. COMPASS. Large scale field experiments e.g. Monitored landfills. Geoenvironmental Research Park.




Establishing and developing the network - Network now in the third year of its existence.

Regular (6 monthly) meetings and Workshops/Conferences have been held.

Study Panels - Five study panels formed.

The development of a "virtual" network - virtual network in operation.

Network activities:




Five study panel reports are being produced, covering the following areas:

Landfills.

"Underground" waste disposal.

Contaminated land.

Future research needs.

Training requirements for European research and industry.




Virtual Network - www.grc.cf.ac.uk/geoenvnet Website provides:

Administrative resource for the partners Chat forum Notice board Briefcase for document distribution.

The website allows the network to be accessible to the wider geoenvironmental community.

The virtual network was built, and is maintained, by GRC.



A £5.1M Objective 1 ERDF Project.

3 years duration from 2002 to 2004.

Aim of the proposal: Phase 1 - To create a Research Park, hence create

opportunities for existing SMEs. Phase 2 - Creating SMEs.

Contaminated Land.

Industrial Waste.

Geoenvironmental Research ParkGeoenvironmental Research Park



Geoenvironmental Research ParkGeoenvironmental Research Park

The Welsh Development Agency.

BP Chemicals Ltd.

TRL Limited.

Minton Treharne & Davies.

Trinity College, Carmarthen.

Hafren Group.

Excel Industries.

Aggregate Industries.

Envirogene (new)

GRC leads a consortium of partners:



OVERVIEW OVERVIEW

Projects completed

List of Target SMEs made and companies visited. Report produced on SME needs. Web site and initial publicity produced. Kidwelly optical lagoon - new technique researched and demonstrated. Neath Canal - new technique investigated and demonstrated. Grass seed mulching product demonstrated. Construction of 100m flood bund from waste materials demonstrated.



GRP ProjectsGRP Projects

Neath canal sediment




Mulching trials




Vegetated bund



GRP

EU Centres of Excellence

UK Research Links

International Research Links

UK Industrial Links

International Industrial Links

Support for existing SMEs

Creation of new SMEs



ConclusionsConclusions

Examples of current approaches given to demonstrate established procedures.

Clearly these already include partners from the new member states. I do not therefore envisage any major changes in the short term. In the future FP7 -

Look forward to partners from the new

countries leading projects

Especially partners from the Czech Republic. In the future - Cohesion Funds in the new EU

for new partners.



THANK YOU.

Být zavázán tebe.

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Geoenvironmental Research Centre Canolfan Ymchwil Ddaearamgylcheddol Civil Engineering Education and Research in the Enlarged EU GeoEnvironmental