Construction of HS2 Phase One is underway and this presentation will describe some of the good geotechnical work that is being done on the project across earthworks, retaining structures and foundations. There will be a particular focus on some of the more innovative activities, including the application of lime stabilisation to bulk earthworks, fibre-optic embedded geogrids, the observational method and the reduction of carbon in construction.

Nick Sartain is the Head of Geotechnical Engineering at HS2 Ltd where he is responsible for the specification, integration and assurance of geotechnical workstreams on the project. He has more than 25 years of experience in geotechnical design including earthworks, foundations, slope engineering, seismic engineering and geotechnical risk assessment. Nick has published a number of technical papers on a variety of topics, was a principal author of the ICE’s Specification for Piling and Embedded Retaining Walls 3rd Edition and until recently was the deputy editor of the ICE’s Geotechnical Engineering Journal. He is Visiting Professor of Transport Infrastructure Engineering at Loughborough University