Episodes

  • 47: Natalie Bews from Skelair

    47: Natalie Bews from Skelair
    May 13 2025
    In this episode of the Breaking Ground podcast, Steve Hadley and Ciaran Jennings are with Natalie Bews (Managing Director at Skelair International Ltd), discussing her journey in the geotechnical engineering sector. Natalie shares her early passion for geology, her career progression from an assistant geotechnical engineer to a business development role, and the importance of proactive marketing strategies in securing projects.

    Hadley hosts the episode together with Federation of Piling Specialists (UK) and European Federation of Foundation Contractors secretary Ciaran Jennings.
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    1 hr and 15 mins
  • 46: The Ground Forum Undergraduate Mentoring Program

    46: The Ground Forum Undergraduate Mentoring Program
    Mar 28 2025
    In this episode, Steve Hadley and Ciaran Jennings are discussing the journey into a Geotechnics career with some recent graduates from the Ground Forum undergraduate mentoring program discussing their journeys into the field of ground engineering. They share their educational backgrounds, experiences in the industry, and insights into the challenges and opportunities they face.

    Hadley hosts the episode together with Federation of Piling Specialists (UK) and European Federation of Foundation Contractors secretary Ciaran Jennings.
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    47 mins
  • 45: Pile Optimisation and Rig Instrumentation

    45: Pile Optimisation and Rig Instrumentation
    Nov 25 2024
    In this episode, Steve Hadley and Ciaran Jennings are discussing CFA piling, the potential of machine learning in the industry and the impact of regulations on pile design. They explore insights from a survey on AI's role in the piling industry and the future of automation in construction jobs.

    Our guests on this podcast are John Hopkins (Project Manager, Expanded Piling Ltd) and John Chick (Former FPS Chair and Technical Leader for Geotechnics, Sizewell C)

    Hadley hosts the episode together with Federation of Piling Specialists (UK) and European Federation of Foundation Contractors secretary Ciaran Jennings.
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • 44: The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3)

    44: The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining (IOM3)
    Aug 1 2024
    In this episode, Steve Hadley and Ciaran Jennings are discussing one of our Ground Forum members, the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, also known as IOM3. Specifically, they focus on the Ground Engineering Subgroup (GES) of IOM3.

    Our guests on this podcast are David Waring Senior Geotechnical Engineer at BP, Emily Wood who is Engineering Manager at BAM and Paul Skerry, the Director of Membership at IOM3.

    Hadley hosts the episode together with Federation of Piling Specialists (UK) and European Federation of Foundation Contractors secretary Ciaran Jennings.
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    54 mins
  • 43: Lime Stabilisation

    43: Lime Stabilisation
    Jun 6 2024
    In this episode, Steve Hadley and Ciaran Jennings chat with Dr Paul Beetham of Nottingham Trent University, a Chartered Civil Engineer specialising in geotechnical design and ground improvement.

    Hadley hosts the episode together with Federation of Piling Specialists (UK) and European Federation of Foundation Contractors secretary Ciaran Jennings.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • 42: Luisa Hendry - the Scottish Geologist

    42: Luisa Hendry - the Scottish Geologist
    Apr 26 2024
    In this episode, Steve Hadley and Ciaran Jennings chat with Luisa Hendry, who you might know from the world of social media as the Scottish Geologist.

    Hadley hosts the episode together with Federation of Piling Specialists (UK) and European Federation of Foundation Contractors secretary Ciaran Jennings.
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    47 mins
  • 41: Careers and Social Mobility

    41: Careers and Social Mobility
    Jan 30 2024
    In this episode, Steve Hadley and his guests discuss social mobility and pathways into the ground engineering industry.

    Hadley hosts the episode together with Federation of Piling Specialists (UK) and European Federation of Foundation Contractors secretary Ciaran Jennings.

    They are joined by Ramboll design engineer Palak Shukla, Atkins Réalis senior geotechnical engineer Tony Bowerman, and Mott MacDonald senior geotechnical engineer Natalie Wride.
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    57 mins
  • 40: Skevi Perdikou from Geofem

    40: Skevi Perdikou from Geofem
    Dec 18 2023
    In this episode Steve Hadley meets Skevi Perdikou from Geofem. The company is a leader in the application of remote sensing and visualisation technology for monitoring infrastructure and geotechnical assets. This is becoming an increasingly important tool to use along with traditional and complex geotechnical models when assessing events such as dam, slope and cliff failures. Listen to hear more about the science behind these methods and projects where it has been applied.
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    43 mins