CLIFFS launch meeting 26 October 2005, Holywell Park, Loughborough University BIOLOGICAL AND ENGINEERING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SLOPES (BIONICS) Stephanie Glendinning

BIONICS Overview of project Information/research needs addressed Information/research needs identified

BIONICS - BACKGROUND Earthworks slopes constitute major part of the infrastructure asset (£20B of a total £60B for highways alone) Failures cost significant £ (£50m for highway maintenance in 1988/9) Maintenance costs a fraction of emergency repairs (£emergency = 10 x maintenance)

Climate change predicts: Hotter, drier summers shrinkage, cracking, loss of vegetation Followed by: More intense periods of rainfall swelling, infiltration, increased water pressure, erosion, (flooding)

THE PROBLEM!

STAKEHOLDERS & FUNDING 11 industrial partners, including –Network Rail –Railway Safety and Standards Board –Metronet Rail SSL (London Underground) –Highways Agency –British Waterways 6 Universities £1.1m project; £900k from EPSRC through BKCC

Stakeholder Uncertainties and Information Needs Prediction, planning and preparation or What, when and how? Cost

AIMS OF BIONICS 1.Establish a world-class facility for engineering and biological research 2.Improve basic understanding of the effects of climate on slopes 3.Improve modelling capability to examine long- term impacts

ENGINEERING OVERVIEW Construct an embankment 90m long, 6m high, with climate control Simulate road and rail construction Monitor biological, hydrological and geotechnical conditions and their interaction Produce a database of performance data

EMBANKMENT DESIGN 5m 29 m 2 1 6m Plastic lining into draining channel 0.5m topsoil

RAINFALL SIMULATION

MODELLING OVERVIEW Produce a hybrid computer model for design and prediction Validate against data from: –The embankment –Centrifuge models and –Real slopes Develop a methodology to identify at risk sections of the infrastructure

INFORMATION/RESEARCH NEEDS ADDRESSED Test facility with known subsurface and history Climate control Up-to-date climate scenarios Modelling to look at long term, mechanisms, influence of soil type, construction method, age etc Cross-disciplinary academic collaboration Some Stakeholder-defined aims and deliverables

INFORMATION/RESEARCH NEEDS IDENTIFIED Stakeholder: Lack of information about the networks (historical and current) Lack of higher-level engagement Insufficient resources Research: Need to incorporate more complex soil models Need to be less guarded with research – more collaboration required

For more information…….