Managing Geotechnical Risks on Major Projects

Fred Baynes

The somewhat dismaying typical failure rates for projects with a heavy geotechnical component, and the reasons for those failure rates, will be discussed. The sources of the geotechnical risks that often lead to failure will be described and related to factors as diverse as the ground conditions, technical and analytical approaches, management structures and project procurement strategies.

Case histories involving major civil, mining and oil and gas projects will be presented (anonymously) to illustrate the authors views, some lessons learnt and the techniques that can be used to try to avoid future failures on major projects.

Engineers Australia members participating in AGS technical sessions can record attendance on their personal CPD logs. Members should refer to Engineers Australia CPD policy for details on CPD types, requirements and auditing guidelines.