Michael Scott

Director Engineering Geology

Qualifications

  • BSc (Hons) Geology
  • MSc Engineering Geology
  • Chartered Geologist
  • Fellow Geologist Society

Specialisms / Skills

  • Engineering Geology

Michael is a leading geological expert and regularly acts as an expert witness both for projects in the United Kingdom and internationally.

After graduating in 1981, Mike worked for several years in the Oil Industry as a Logging Geologist and subsequently as a Senior Data Engineer.
In 1985/86 he gained an MSC in Engineering Geology from Leeds University. This included a research project on the stability of deep cuttings in Coal Measures Rocks in South Wales.
Mike joined Ove Arup & Partners in 1985, where he worked as a Project Engineer on site investigations for retail, commercial and domestic developments, including many in areas affected by abandoned coal and ironstone mining in South Wales. He also has considerable experience of investigating land reclamation sites, contaminated land and gas generation from old refuse sites.
Mike has also been the Project and Resident Engineer on several prestigious building jobs including a nine-storey development with two-storey basement in Central Cardiff.
Civils work includes the Chepstow inner relief road and Mike was the resident Geotechnical Engineer for the A55 Rhuallt Hill Improvement, which comprised a 27 m high rock cutting some 700 m long.
Mike has been project engineer for Welsh Office/DoE research projects, The Swansea-Llanelli Earth Science Mapping and Information Project and the Islwyn Shallow Mining Study.
Mike spent time overseas, where he was the Senior Resident Engineer in charge of the piling operations for the Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System (BERTS). Mike was also in Hong Kong where his responsibilities included supervision of the remedial works to the Ching Cheung landslide, a major landslide which covered an elevated highway, contract value £4m. Work in Hong Kong also included investigation, design and supervision of remedial works on four smaller landslides. Mike was also involved in the investigation of the foundation fraud at the Central Station Development, which comprised piles being constructed shorter than their design lengths.

Mike left Ove Arup in January 2000 to start his own geotechnical consultancy, spending the first year working on assessment of soil and rock slopes and retaining structures on the Dublin to Greystones railway in Southern Ireland. Mike ran the company for over 21 years, turning it into a nine strong company, with clients including, large multi-disciplinary Consultancies, Structural Engineers, Local Authorities, Central Government, AMP work, Contractors and Developers.

Mike sold GroundSolve to a MBO in November 2021, but continues to work as a part time consultant to the company. In addition, Mike started DisputeSolve Ltd in January 2021 in conjunction with his wife Debbie, with the firm specialising in expert and dispute resolution work for Engineering Geology and Civil Engineering in the construction industry.

Recent expert work undertaken includes:

Investigation into a large failed attenuation pond on an oil facility in Kuwait, with additional comments on the remedial measures proposed.
Expert report into the failure of several large diameter culverts, and settlement of a recently constructed Power Station in Saudi Arabia.
Reviewing recent settlement on underground works in central London caused by recent tunnelling.
Review of settlement of a recently constructed Gantry crane in Saudi Arabia, with recommendations for investigation and remedial works. The next phase of this project is commencing shortly.
Expert report into the construction and leaking of underground tunnels servicing Metro stations in Qatar.
Expert investigating the failure of a 55m high tailings dam in Israel, along with remedial measures and the construction of new settlement ponds.
Expert Witness for Boundary dispute involving rock slope stabilisation measures.
Expert Witness for dispute involving drilling of a deep water well.
Expert report for flooding of a mine during shaft sinking.
Providing expert advice for the settlement of a house due to soil shrinkage from a nearby Oak tree.
Expert witness and mediation for the failure of a dam on a historic estate in England.
Expert for the failure during construction of an anchored gabion wall in North Wales.
Mike has recently been involved in the mediation for damage to a property caused by nearby trees owned by a third party.
Expert for adjudication between Local Authority and Contractor following unnecessary demolition of four houses underlain by Coal Seam, where construction allegedly caused combustion of the coal seam and high gas readings in properties.
Expert report on a site flooded from old mine working in Swansea.
Mike is currently working on a large landslide and flooding on a hydroelectric scheme in Nepal.
New schemes include failure of a wall during underpinning during deepening of a basement in London, and an underpinning scheme in central London.
Potential foundation failure of a large Molten Salt tank in Dubai.

M. Scott and I. Statham, 1991
Subsidence and Drainage on Abandoned South Wales Mine Sites – Hazards and Engineering Solution. Land Reclamation. An End to Dereliction.

I. Statham and M. Scott 1992
An Analysis of Drill and Grout Contracts in the South Wales Coalfield. Grouting in the Ground Conference.

M. Scott, I. Statham, S. Power and L. Andrews 1995
Geographical Information systems: A tool for earth science mapping and information for further planning in the Loughor Estuary, in Atkins J, (ed) Burry Inlet and Loughor Estuary Symposium: State of the Estuary Part 1. West Glamorgan County Council. pp 97-108.

M.J. Scott, Sprayed Fibre Concrete, 1996
The Way Forward in Civil Engineering.

T. Gordon, M.J. Scott, I. Statham, 1996
The Identification of Bedding Shears and Their Implication for Road Cutting Design and Construction.

Scott MJ, Gordon T, Statham I, Nicholl D, 1996
The design, installation and Post Construction Performance of rock anchored slopes, A55 Expressway. Submitted for ICR Conference, March 1997.

Nicholl D & Scott MJ,
Aspects of Urban Geology at Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey, Urban Geology in Wales 2, Nov 2005

M.Scott,
Abenbury Road, Wrexham, Development of an old Brickworks, Urban Geology in Wales 2, Nov 2005

2000 – Present
Value engineering for new production facility for the construction of nuclear submarines in Barrow in Furness.
Pile design and settlement analysis for piles for the new A350 airbus wing facility in Broughton. Remedial measures and investigation of large subsidence features at Abu Dhabi international airport.
Investigation and design of coastal protection works at Clevely and Morecombe, including offshore structures.
Design of remedial works to numerous landslides around the UK.
Coronation Pit, Stewatley, Main London to Oxford railway line on embankment up to 20m high dividing two old clay pits. Proposed to fill one of the pits with water.
Investigation and analysis of the natural dam between the two pits using current American dam design codes. Slope stability and hydrogeology being the main issues.
aAs part of AMP 5, responsible for investigation and design of sustainable drainage (flood storage) including ponds and small earth embankments in Denbigh.
Involved in AMP 3-5 investigations and design for numerous CSO and deep shafts and tanks around North Wales and North West England.
Design of soil nail stabilisation work to listed 8m high retaining wall in Bristol. Design of soil nail remedial works to Railway Bridge in Doncaster and Road Bridge in Wales.
Investigation and grouting of mine workings for a major development in North Wales.
Interpretation of Historic ironstone and coal workings for the A465 Dowlais to Tredegar road widening, including detailed risk assessment.
Investigation and pile design for ten-storey hotel spanning old dock wall in Liverpool.
Investigation, reporting and remedial schemes for landslide at Beaumaris, Anglesey.
Investigation and reporting on shallow abandoned mine workings in Ewloe, North Wales, followed by site supervision and shaft capping.
Investigation and supervision of numerous housing developments in the North Wales area, including design and inspection of works.
Environmental review and investigation of 15 Hectares of contaminated land in Bromborough, Wirral.
Expert witness for a landslide in the Rhondda valley.
Investigation and reporting for Waste Water Treatment Plant to be constructed in a disused quarry in Lerwick, Shetland Islands. Involving stabilisation of 13m high blast damaged slopes and advice on contamination in the quarry due to previous use as a scrap yard.
Working on Irish Railways for eight months as part of a joint venture, investigating the condition of numerous soil and rock slopes and masonry retaining walls. Responsible for design, contract documents and supervision of the remedial works.
Several successful D & B bids for road schemes in Ireland and England.
Investigations and reporting of condition of flood protection bunds in North Wales.
Geotechnical investigation and risk assessment of gas generation for site with backfilled claypits and shallow mining in site in Wrexham.

1996 – 2000
Site Investigation and preliminary design for major shopping development in Newport including a 10m deep basement.
Desk study, Site Investigation and reporting for the Cwmbran Town Centre Redevelopment, including major retail stores and car parking.
Geotechnical engineer responsible for earthworks and lake design for the Llanelli Millennium Coastal Park.
Project Engineer for the Aberglasyn Pass scheme for the reopening of the Welsh Highland Railway. Work involved rock and scree slope stability assessment, risk analysis and subsequent preliminary design of remedial measures.
Geotechnical investigation and reporting for the Cardiff Millennium Centre.
Senior Resident Engineer for piling works on the Bangkok Elevated Road and Train System. Responsible for all QA/QC involved with constructing 2000 bored piles under bentonite to depths of 60m.

In charge of up to 50 site supervision staff of varying nationalities.

In charge of investigating pile defects at site in Hong Kong of large diameter piles up to 90m long, exposing the largest foundation fraud at the time.

Resident Engineer for remedial works to landslip on the Ching Cheung Road. Works involved soil nails up to 31m long, raking drains, drainage works and significant earthworks on a steep slope in Hong Kong.

1993 – 1996
Responsible for organising, design and supervision of a large earthworks scheme, approximate value £750,000, in advance of installing 2000 driven cast in-situ piles for large glassworks factory. Value of piling works £600,000.

Project Engineer for site investigation of old gasworks site and foundations design for retail development at Llanelli.

Project Engineer for prestigious new office development in Cardiff Bay. Works included 5m excavations below water for service yard and driven cast insitu piles.

Resident Engineer for installing drainage measures in old mine adit at Trebanos, partly beneath and old tip.

In charge of the day to day data gathering and interpretation for the production of the Swansea-Llanelli Earth Science maps, an area of 230km².

Preparation of numerous Environmental Site audits.

Investigation and remedial works to several houses that had undergone structural distress.

Project Engineer for major grouting contract and subsequent superstore development in Tredegar.

Project Engineer for investigation of structural distress to entire village adjacent to 200m deep opencast mine in West Wales.

Project Engineer for investigation, design and supervision of large diameter culvert through backfilled dock in Cardiff. Culvert installed below water table in running sands and building debris.

Supervision and recommendations for raising levels on floodplain with tipping from site won inert materials and subsequent development with large warehouses.

Visiting Checking Engineer, giving advice on underwater foundation excavations for Skye bridge and the approach rock cuttings.

Project manager for some 26 groundwater pumping tests for the NRA.

Visiting Resident Engineer for Crumlin Road scheme involving, rock cuttings, bridge and large retaining walls.

Investigation, design and supervision of minipiles beneath replacement floorslab at factory in Cardiff.

Several large investigations and recommendations for planning studies for major inward investment sites.

Site investigation, recommendations and site inspections for several developments in contaminated/filled land.

Investigation of debris flow landslip adjacent to housing in Rhondda Valley.

1986 – 1992
Preparation of Development Advice maps for Islwyn Borough with reference to shallow mineworkings in the Mynyddislwyn seam. These maps are currently being used as part of the planning process.

Resident Geotechnical Engineer for the A55 Rhuallt Hill Improvement in North Wales. A 27m high rock cutting, responsible for slope stability and all remedial works. Remedial works comprised monobar and multistrand anchors, rockbolts, fibre reinforced concrete and masonry.

Site investigation and recommendations for remedial measures on a contaminated old Ironworks site.

Site investigation, foundation design and site supervision for a 9-storey development in central Cardiff incorporating a 6m basement constructed by the top down technique. Foundations were large diameter (1.8m) bored piles into the underlying Mercia Mudstone with loads of between 10 to 16 MN.

Contract preparation and supervision of backfilling a drainage adit under Tredegar Town Centre and grouting adjacent mineworkings.

Visits to quarry in Jersey to identify and test materials potentially susceptible to alkali-silica reaction in construction of dam.

Investigation and reporting on several houses affected by subsidence.

Project Engineer for many site investigations for redevelopment and land reclamation within South Wales in areas affected by abandoned coal and ironstone mining. Responsible for contract preparation and site supervision of shaft capping and remedial grouting at Tondu Business Park

Spent six months as Resident Engineer for site investigation and a major bored piling contract in Plymouth, worth £500,000. Involved rock socketed piles into mudstone and cavernous limestone.

Supervision of rock anchor installation and guniting of a 20m high rock cutting on Chepstow Inner Relief Road. Condition survey and investigation of old large masonry retaining walls and recommendations for repair.

Supervision of remedial and drainage works to stabilise active landslips in the Taff and Rhondda Valleys.

Responsibility for site investigations and groundworks inspections for several multi-storey car parks in Cardiff. Organised and supervised two site investigations into methane generation and migration on old refuse tips for a proposed hospital and industrial unit.

Involved in numerous desk studies including old mineworkings, iron works and the City of Newport.

Responsible for a large site investigation and earthworks in disused gravel pits for a retail development, and subsequent pad testing. Supervision of a site investigation into a leaking flood embankment in Bangor-on-Dee.

1985 – 1986
M.Sc Engineering Geology at Leeds University, included a research dissertation on the “stability and behavioural analysis of cuttings in Coal measure rocks (Kilgetty Bypass)”.

1984 – 1985
Senior Data Engineer with Gearhart Geodata. Duties included analysis of samples and computer predictions of well problems and full end-of-well reports.

1982 – 1984
Logging Geologist with Gearhart Geodata. Duties involved cuttings descriptions and core descriptions as well as catching of samples. Selection of core points and monitoring of instruments.

1978 – 1981
University of Cardiff – BSC (Hons) in Geology. Undergraduate project involved geological mapping of the area around Seaton and Beer in Devon, including several large landslides.