Daniel is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer at Pells Sullivan Meynink with eight years of experience delivering geotechnical design and construction solutions for complex, large-scale infrastructure projects across Australia and the UK. He currently leads multiple consulting packages spanning site investigations, earthworks, and foundation design. His most recent leadership roles include serving as the CPS Section Lead on Sydney Metro’s Eastern Tunnelling Package (ETP) and Western Sydney Airport’s Station Boxes and Tunnelling (WSASMSBT). Daniel’s technical expertise covers both primary and secondary tunnel designs, with a strong focus on advanced 2D and 3D numerical modelling for high-profile projects such as Cross River Rail (Brisbane), Rozelle Interchange, and Western Harbour Tunnel (Sydney). Prior to joining PSM, he worked at AtkinsRealis in London, where he contributed to significant infrastructure programs including the High Speed 2 and Thames Tideway Tunnel. 

Daniel holds a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering with First-Class Honours from University College London (UCL), which included an academic exchange year at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC).

Bridging Design and Construction for Mega Underground Projects: Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Construction Phase Services (CPS)

Construction Phase Services (CPS) play a crucial role in design verification to ensure geotechnical integrity in large-scale underground infrastructure projects. This paper presents key advancements and best practices developed through CPS experience on the Sydney Metro West Eastern Tunnelling Package (ETP) and Western Sydney Airport (WSA) projects, highlighting innovative methodologies that enhance efficiency, risk management, and project outcomes.

Digital excavation mapping has emerged as a powerful tool for capturing real-time lithological variations and defect characteristics with high precision. The use of scripted PDF-based mapping allows seamless integration of geotechnical data, which can be extracted and post-processed into stereonets, CAD, BIM, and GIS models, among others. This approach enables the collection, analysis, and visualization of vast geotechnical datasets, facilitating real-time decision-making and informing design changes and optimizations. LiDAR mapping further complements this process by generating high-resolution 3D models of excavation faces, overbreak zones, and shotcrete applications, providing a detailed understanding of ground conditions.

Innovative verification techniques, such as 360-degree camera inspections, have significantly improved the assessment of pile shaft and base cleanliness. This method can reduce the need for pile toe remediation, enhance documentation accuracy, and ensure compliance with design specifications. In anchor inspections, conventional methods relying on drill cuttings and rig resistance are now supplemented with endoscopic cameras, enabling direct defect characterization and improved rock class assessments.

Permit to Excavate (PTE) and Permit to Tunnel (PTT) meetings are critical for reinforcing the instrumentation and monitoring regime among contractors and surveyors. These meetings ensure the timely placement of optical targets for accurate baseline readings and facilitate early displacement detection. Furthermore, a detailed Geotechnical CPS Activity Plan is developed by systematically reviewing CPS hold points, design assumptions, and verification requirements, defining the scope and limitations of CPS, and proactively identifying potential construction challenges. Early CPS engagement meetings with contractors and subcontractors strengthen collaboration between design and construction teams, ultimately reducing design changes and construction delays.

By integrating innovative technologies, refining inspection methodologies, and enhancing collaboration, CPS tasks in tunneling projects can evolve beyond routine checks into essential components of geotechnical risk management and design optimization.

Jordan began his career in geotechnical engineering in early 2023, joining Fortify as an undergraduate engineer while completing his Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours) at UNSW. After graduating at the end of 2023, he moved into a full-time role as a Graduate Geotechnical Engineer at Fortify Geotech. Over the past 1.5 years, Jordan has built up practical experience across a range of geotechnical projects, with a focus on site investigations, preparing both factual and interpretive reports, and providing geotechnical advice. He’s continued to grow his understanding of soil mechanics and the engineering principles behind his work, while also learning how early investigations shape the later stages of a project. His role has included scoping and managing investigations for both new and existing developments, supporting clients during construction, and dealing with complex or less conventional site conditions—like the one he’ll be talking about in tonight’s presentation.

Remediation of a Failed, Load-bearing Rock Wall

This presentation showcases the process of tackling an unconventional project assignment as a young engineer. It delves into the challenging experience of managing the remediation of a failed, load-bearing rock wall beneath a residence in Illawong, NSW. Triggered by an extreme rainfall event in early 2022, a 33-tonne rock wedge dislodged from the existing exposed rock face, encroaching into a narrow (900mm wide) cavity under the upper floor of the residential dwelling. The resulting movement threatened the building’s structural integrity and disrupted stormwater drainage pathways above the failure location, which in turn led to significant water damage to the ground floor of the property. Although small-scale, the project presented a range of complex challenges, from the limited working width/access restrictions to the failed area to the constant risk of further instability in the rock face, coupled with the need to preserve adequate structural support to the upper floor of the house. The remediation strategy was developed in conjunction with the Contractor and Structural Engineer, relying on mostly hand-held equipment and small plant to operate on Site. The remediation was completed following a series of careful steps, which included the sequential removal of the unstable rock mass by strategically cutting into the rock wall, installing a rockfall mesh, to prevent further damage and arrest any further movement induced by the works, and reinforcing the cavity with rock bolts and shotcrete, whilst installing temporary props to support the upper portion of the dwelling. A series of Hold Points and site inspections were introduced into the construction sequence to safely manage the build and promote efficiency whilst minimising impacts on the dwelling. Despite a few hurdles, the project was completed successfully, ensuring the stability of the rock wall and preventing further damage to the property caused by the dislodged rock wedge.

The project uniquely combined a hands-on approach and a good understanding of fundamentals of geotechnical engineering with severe access constraints that dictated a construction sequence reliant on manual labour and small plant/equipment, whilst requiring a careful risk management procedure. This blend of complexity and simplicity provided a steep learning curve, enhancing my technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.

Warantorn Korkitsuntornsan is a geotechnical engineer at JK Geotechnics, where she coordinates field investigations and undertakes stability and seepage analyses for a range of development projects across New South Wales. She holds a Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Wollongong and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Technology Sydney. Warantorn has a strong interest in advanced numerical modelling, applying finite element methods to assess complex ground behaviour and support practical design outcomes. Her work focuses on delivering effective ground engineering solutions that are informed by both innovative analysis and real-world conditions.

Automated Numerical Modelling for Pipeline Assessment Near Excavation

Ensuring the structural integrity of pipelines near excavation sites is critical for compliance with Sydney Water’s Specialist Engineering Assessment (SEA) criteria. Excavation-induced ground movements can stress nearby pipelines, potentially leading to damage, service disruptions, and costly repairs. This study presents an automated numerical analysis framework integrating Python scripting with PLAXIS finite element modelling (FEM) to streamline pipeline assessments.

Traditional methods rely on manual model setup, execution, and interpretation, which are time-consuming, repetitive, and prone to human error. By automating these processes, the proposed approach enhances efficiency, reduces engineering effort and computational time, and lowers costs, making it a practical tool for routine geotechnical design. This automation approach is successfully used in our day-to-day projects, delivering more efficient designs while enabling the rapid evaluation of shoring configurations by systematically varying parameters such as pile diameter, spacing, embedment depth, and anchor prestress. This allows geotechnical practitioners to optimise excavation support systems while ensuring SEA compliance.

Beyond improving operational efficiency, this automation methodology also supports synthetic dataset generation for machine learning applications. By systematically varying input parameters and extracting key displacement data, it generates large datasets capturing pipeline responses under different excavation conditions.

These datasets can train predictive models, enhancing risk assessment and enabling AI-driven decision-support tools in geotechnical engineering.

A pilot study using this framework assessed pipeline displacement under different shoring systems, including cantilevered and anchored piled walls, across various ground conditions (stiff clay, very stiff clay, and hard clay).

The automated approach facilitated a systematic comparison of shoring system performance, supporting informed decision-making to ensure compliance with displacement criteria. This case study demonstrates that AI-driven automation transforms conventional geotechnical analysis into a scalable, cost-effective, and data-driven process, advancing industry practices through improved efficiency, intelligent decision-making, and AI-powered predictive modelling.

Geotechnical Engineer with over five years of specialised experience in rock mechanics, geotechnics, and tunneling. Expertise in both open-pit and underground mining projects, as well as tunneling projects. Proficient in rock mass characterisation, as well as advanced numerical modelling and design for both mining and tunneling projects. Played a key role in delivering successful pre-feasibility studies for mining geotechnical support in underground copper mining, particularly in sub-level and block caving methods, as well as in optimising the design for drill-blast tunnels. Academic background in Geology (Indonesia), with post-graduate studies in Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology from UNSW Sydney.

Assessing the Impact of Veins Characteristics and its Characterisation on Rock Mass Behaviour and Tunnel Support Design

In deep tunnel projects, accurate rock mass characterisation is crucial for ensuring safety, stability, and effective ground support design. Rock masses at great depths typically consist of massive rock with few open joints. Depending on geology, veined rock mass may be present, and the veins play a significant role in influencing the strength of the rock mass. Misidentifying and misinterpretation of veins as joints during core logging or underground mapping can lead to inaccurate assessments of the intact rock and overall rock mass strength. It can compromise excavation safety, design decisions, and the selection of appropriate ground support systems. In addition to this, it may lead to commercial risks associated with increased construction costs, and delayed excavation programme. This study examines the impact of vein characterisation and the influence of vein characteristics, particularly vein intensity; on rock mass behaviour during tunnel excavation under varying stress conditions. Using a 2D Distinct Element Model (UDEC) developed by ITASCA, the study analyses rock mass behaviour through numerical simulations. These models are first calibrated and validated with laboratory test data from both homogeneous and heterogeneous rock samples to obtain representative parameters. Once validated, sensitivity analyses are conducted by varying vein intensity and surrounding stress conditions in order to evaluate their impact on excavation behaviour. The case study focuses on a 6.4m x 5.5m excavation located 500 meters below the surface, which serves as a representative example of deep tunnels in veined rock masses. The results demonstrate that the presence and intensity of veins significantly affect excavation stability and ground support design. Veined rock masses lead to substantial variations in excavation behaviour, highlighting the importance of accurately identifying veins during core logging and underground mapping. The study also reveals that misinterpreting veins as joints can result in erroneous support system designs, which may pose safety risks or lead to costly project delays. Ultimately, this study highlights the importance of appropriate rock mass characterisation for optimising excavation designs and ensuring reliable, safe, and cost-effective ground support systems in veined rock masses.

Geoffrey is an experienced geotechnical and structural professional with over 20 years of work across Australia and South-East Asia. He specialises in ground and underground infrastructure, with a strong track record in the rail, tunnelling, bridge, water infrastructure, and commercial development sectors. His expertise spans the scoping, management, design, and interpretation of geotechnical investigations for a wide range of complex projects.

Nicholas Bedford is a Technical Director with Aurecon’s Ground and Underground Engineering team. He has 19 years of experience in a variety of road, rail, and water infrastructure projects and has led the analysis and design of ground structures including tunnels, caverns, shafts, and other civil structures. His most recent experience includes detailed design and construction phase services for tunnel ground support, waterproofing, drainage, and structural lining at NorthConnex as well as a review of all tunnel design packages and site surveillance across all tunnel sites as an Independent Certifier at Rozelle Interchange. Nicholas is currently Construction Phase Services Manager for the design joint venture at the Western Harbour Tunnel project.

Dr. Rohit Tiwari is a highly skilled Geotechnical and Civil Engineer with over 12 years of diverse experience across industry and academia in Australia, and overseas. He possesses proven expertise in geotechnical, rock, and material engineering, along with extensive experience in laboratory testing, instrumentation, and calibration. Dr. Rohit completed his doctoral and master degree from Unimelb and IIT Delhi respectively, and worked as a lecturer at UNSW from 2021-2025. His collaborations with industry leaders and government agencies have contributed to major geotechnical projects. Additionally, he has extensive experience in training and mentoring of engineering professionals.

Dr. Sujatha Manoj is a professional civil and geotechnical engineer with over 33 years’ experience working in Australia, Singapore, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and India. She is a Fellow of Engineers Australia, a Chartered Civil and Geotechnical Engineer and a Member of  International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering and ASCE. She is also a member of Standards Australia codal committee and is currently the Technical Director and Geotechnical Services Leader for Australia for Beca, who is one of Asia Pacific’s largest independent advisory, design and engineering consultancies.

She previously worked as Technical Director of Mott MacDonald in Sydney, Australia and in Singapore. Before joining Beca, she was a Discipline Lead on the 23Km Central and Western tunnelling packages of the 16-billion-dollar Sydney Metro West project, which is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Australia. She has previously held senior technical and managerial roles in international organizations, in Fugro as their UAE consulting manager and with Nakheel, in Dubai. Prior to this, she worked as Engineering Manager of Parsons in Abu Dhabi. She has started her career in India with ITD Cementation company in Mumbai and worked as Senior Manager and Deputy head of State level operations for CDM Smith. She is passionate about sustainable geotechnical designs and deep foundations; soft ground and underground engineering and ground improvement are few of her favorite topics.