wind prospect - civil engineering services capability - oct 2010

Civil Engineering

Services

Capability Statement

Wind Prospect

Sutton House

Dovenby Hall Estate

Cockermouth

Cumbria CA13 0PN

T: +44 (0) 1900 898100

www.windprospect.com

Wind Prospect – Civil Engineering Services October 2010


Civil Engineering Services Capability Statement 2

Contents WHY WIND PROSPECT? ....................................................................................................................... 3

SERVICES THROUGH THE WIND FARM LIFECYCLE ....................................................................................................... 3

CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES ........................................................................................................... 4

THE WAY WE WORK ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 WHY US? .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 OUR LOCATIONS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 4 WHAT WE DELIVER .................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Development ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Pre Construction ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5

Construction and Operations ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5

DEVELOPMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 6

ACCESS STUDIES AND ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................................................... 6 TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEYS AND WALKOVERS.................................................................................................................................. 6 SITE LAYOUT DESIGN ....................................................................................................................................................................... 7 PEAT AND GEOTECHNICAL RISK ASSESSMENTS ............................................................................................................................ 7

PRE CONSTRUCTION ............................................................................................................................ 8

GEOTECHNICAL INVESTIGATIONS .................................................................................................................................................. 8 FOUNDATIONS .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9 HIGHWAY MODIFICATION DESIGNS ............................................................................................................................................ 10 DETAILED SITE LAYOUT DESIGN ................................................................................................................................................... 10 SUB STATION AND COMPOUND DESIGN ................................................................................................................................... 11 ENVIRONMENTAL AND PLANNING CONSENTING .................................................................................................................... 11

CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS .............................................................................................. 12

FORMATION TESTING AND INSPECTION .................................................................................................................................... 12 AS BUILT SURVEYS .......................................................................................................................................................................... 12 FOUNDATION INSPECTIONS ......................................................................................................................................................... 13 REMEDIAL WORKS DESIGN AND FAILURE ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................. 13

OUR CLIENTS ........................................................................................................................................ 14

CASE STUDY EXAMPLES .................................................................................................................... 15

LONG PARK, SCOTTISH BORDERS ............................................................................................................................................... 16

Development Phase....................................................................................................................................................................................... 16

Pre Construction Phase ................................................................................................................................................................................ 16

Construction Phase ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 16

SOLUTIA CHEMICALS, NEWPORT, SOUTH WALES .................................................................................................................... 17

Development Phase....................................................................................................................................................................................... 17

Pre Construction Phase ................................................................................................................................................................................ 17


LANGLEY, TRIMDON, HIGH HEDLEY AND BROOMHILL, CO DURHAM .................................................................................. 18

Tendering Phase ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Design Phase ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 18


THE CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES TEAM .................................................................................... 19

CONTACT US ........................................................................................................................................ 20




WHY WIND PROSPECT?

Wind Prospect is an independent, global wind energy business which is

wholly owned by its directors and staff. The company was founded in

England in the early 90s and built the UK’s second commercial wind farm in

1992. The company now employs a team of over 200 professionals in some

24 offices across 10 countries in Europe, Africa, North America and the

Australasia region.

Our strength lies in the fact that whilst we continue to develop our own sites, we also use our

extensive ‘hands-on’ experience to offer a wide range of project services. We provide developers and

project owners with a variety of services throughout the lifecycle of a wind farm project.

SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE WIND FARM LIFECYCLE

Wind Prospect’s depth and breadth of experience enable the company to offer the most

comprehensive service possible to our clients. On numerous occasions Wind Prospect has acted on

behalf of a client for all stages of the acquisition or development, procurement, financing, construction

and operation of a wind farm. This involvement in all stages of the life cycle of the project enables

Wind Prospect to minimise the risks to the client, enabling them to achieve the highest return on their

investment. Wind Prospect offers the overall following services, the civil engineering team support

activities indicated in blue:

Feasibility studies for green and brown-field sites

Wind measurement campaigns

Wind data management

Wind resource analysis and energy yield assessment

Technical due diligence

Development services

Civil engineering services

Electrical Engineering Services

Pre construction & construction project management / owner’s engineer

RFP preparation & reviews

Contract negotiation – WTG & Balance of Plant

Construction monitoring / nank’s engineer

24/7 turbine monitoring and operations

Operational audits including performance analysis




CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES

Wind Prospect undertake a range of engineering services for

clients around the world. Our multi-disciplinary team combine

technical and project experience to offer a coordinated approach

to civil engineering design. Wind Prospect ensure that a project is

technically reliable, providing robust and environmentally design.

THE WAY WE WORK

Wind Prospect has a large international team with a local

presence and unrivalled practical experience. We are renowned

for delivering the details that helps clients to deliver projects,

managing risks, engineering challenges and allowing our expertise

to support a project to safe operation.

WHY US?

We have developed, designed, constructed and operated many

wind farms, making us experts in renewable energy projects. As a

result we are in the unique position to be able to deliver the

following to our clients:

Quick response times to queries and issues

Shorter project timescales with focussed effort

Professional and experienced staff

Flexible scope of works adapted to meet exact

project needs

OUR LOCATIONS

We are based across a wide number of Wind Prospect Group offices, however the nature of Wind

Prospect and flexibility we offer allows us to respond to requests to support clients across the world.

Recent work in Asia was supported by Engineers in Cumbria, and design work for our Canadian

projects was supported from our Dublin office; geography holds no restrictions.

United Kingdom Ireland Other Regional Group Offices

Cockermouth (Cumbria) Dublin Denver, Colorado, USA *

Durham Listowel, Co Kerry Adelaide, Australia

Edinburgh Newcastle, NSW, Australia




WHAT WE DELIVER

We can help to bring your projects to successful completion by acting in partnership with you and

your investors by providing a comprehensive services package tailored to meet the specific

requirements of your project.

Development

Access studies and analysis

Site layout design

Peat / geotechnical risk assessments

Topographic surveys

EIA chapters on construction

Construction assessments

Pre Construction

Geotechnical investigations

Foundation designs

Highway modification designs

Detailed site layout design and modelling

Sub station and compound design

Environmental and planning consenting

Construction and Operations

Formation testing and inspection

As built surveys

Foundation inspections

Remedial works design

Failure analysis

Asset surveys and inspections




Development

Access studies and analysis

The ability to access sites from the public infrastructure network forms a principal constraint on the

ability to develop a site. It can also limit the size of Turbines that can be considered. A detailed

assessment of the proposed sites’ surrounding infrastructure by qualified Engineers can identify the

preferred access route and quantify land take and the engineering requirements, such as bridge

strengthening, small bypasses and modification works early in the development process.

Using the latest in computer analysis software containing a wide range of up to date vehicle models,

Wind Prospect can provide swept path analysis plans, details and assessments and combine them with

topographic and video surveys to identify all necessary remedial works and potential constraints for

your development.

Other assessments of access routes can include:

Bridge capacity assessment

Consultation with all relevant governing bodies

Concept design of reinforcement works

Full topographic survey of any constraints

Culvert and bridge design

Full civil infrastructure detailed design

Video and photographic surveys

Topographic surveys and walkovers

We carry out a range of detailed walkovers and

topographic surveys, from GPS based surveys

to be used in earthworks modelling and terrain

analysis, to site construction walkovers to assist

with the development of site layouts and

construction constraints drawings. Our in-

house team of land surveyors, and engineers

allows us to mobilise to site, capturing

information as part of a small study or a wider

package of works.

Detailed field notes and information gathered

from the walkovers allows an understanding of the sites needs during later phases of a project and can

be used in conjunction with other ecology or habitat surveys to identify key constraints on a project,

and the needs of the development.




Site layout design

Detailed layout design during the development phase as a consequence of site walkovers and an

understanding of construction needs can limit the amount of work needed post consent to develop a

buildable layout. Consideration of current construction techniques, environmental or construction

constraints such as gradient, access and lifting techniques can allow a consented layout to be

developed to reflect that which is needed for the safe

construction and operation of the wind farm.

Principally we consider :

Utilities and services searches

Watercourses and environmental restrictions

Gradients and topography

Existing geological or earthworks features

Archaeology

We can produce a variety of formats for layout design, including most GIS formats, Google Earth

flyovers and rendered images.

Peat and geotechnical risk assessments

Geotechnical risk assessment, its’ analysis and recording the mitigation measures required to reduce

or mitigate the risks are at the core of present UK and Ireland best practice guidance.

The early identification of the risks can allow efficiencies in layout designs, meeting planning,

environmental and engineering requirements and allowing clients to fully understand the consequences

and risks to projects.

Typically a risk assessment process identifies:

Superficial and surface geology and the potential risks

Historic mining

Insitu strength and classification

Groundwater and hydrology regimes within the site

Severity and consequences of geotechnical failures

Mitigation measures needing to be adopted in design

construction and operational phases

On going and routine condition monitoring

Design and management of habitat enhancement works

Wind Prospect supported Scottish National Heritage and Forestry Commission Civil Engineering as a

contributing author on the “A Report into Good Practice in Design, Construction and Use of Floating Roads

on Peat with particular reference to Wind Farm Developments in Scotland”




Pre-construction


Geotechnical Investigations form a large part of our day to day workload, tailoring desk studies and

investigations to a projects needs. From initial reviews of the published site geology, to more detailed

intrusive investigations, we carry out our own investigations with the support of key suppliers we

know and trust. Our geotechnical engineers and technicians, design bespoke investigations depending

on the geology, site access, and previous history. We liase with statutory undertakers and consultees

to ensure the work is planning, actioned and completed safely.

Reporting and testing is tailored to suit the needs of onshore wind farms. Thus often requires detailed

knowledge of foundation and turbine design to understand the requirements demanded by the ground

conditions of the turbine certification, foundations and turbine suppliers.

Our suppliers in the UK include:

Geo-Environmental Sirius Geo Environmental

Drilling Sirius Drilling

Geophysics Terradat

Soils Laboratory Ian Farmer Associates

Chemical Laboratory Derwentside Environmental

Archaeology CFA Archaology

Since we began conducting geotechnical investigations in 2002, Wind Prospect have worked on some

of the most challenging projects, including :

Fens 1 and 2 (6 sites in Fenlands)

Eastman, Cumbria (brownfield)

Long Park (mountainous)

Craigengelt (mountainous)

Solutia, Newport (brownfield)

Winscales, Cumbria (mine workings)

Little Raith, Fife (mine workings)

Our project list is extensive; each study and

investigation is tailored to the projects individual

needs, identifying ground conditions and

geotechnical parameters needed for detailed design.




Foundations

Wind turbine foundations are the principal support

mechanism for the wind turbine generator. Foundation

selection, design and detailing which considers the

foundations requirements for the lifespan of the turbine is

key to the longevity of the project and for continuous

generation.

Foundations by their very nature are exposed to the

ground conditions present on the site and due to their

buried nature, careful monitoring is limited. Key selection

of the correct type of foundation, its design, specification

and detailing can make a crucial difference to a project.

Foundation types can include :

Gravity foundations

Piled foundations

Anchored foundations

Wind Prospect have designed over 90 wind turbine

foundations from small 300kW machines to the latest

3MW machines, providing robust, constructible

foundations which are unique and bespoke to the

generators and site conditions present.

The recent introduction of the Eurocodes, requires

foundations to consider geotechnical and structural

design alongside each other; combined with geotechnical investigations, in situ testing and other

assessments, Wind Prospect use the latest finite element analysis to undertake design in respect to

both requirements.

Wind Prospect are also working alongside turbine suppliers and equipment suppliers to provide

innovative foundation solutions such as ground anchored bases, and piled foundations. We are on the

working group for Vestas Foundations across northern Europe and are an approved foundation

designer for Repower UK.




Highway modification designs

We carry out the detailed design of highway modifications to the public road network, principally to

accommodate the construction and abnormal traffic placed on the roads as part of the construction of

the wind farm. Generally, modifications are designed to allow technical and legal agreements to be

reached between project parties, and statutory consultees. This also allows contractors to accurately

understand the construction needs and demands during tendering.

Detailed site layout design

Detailed infrastructure design during the preconstruction phase of a project allows:

The project owners to negotiate with contractors

with the full knowledge of proposed construction

details

The discharge planning conditions with statutory

consultees with working drawings and details

The agreement working areas and arrangements

with landowners and other project parties prior to

commencement on site

Implementation and management detailed

Environmental Management Plans

Finalise agreements and arrangements with other

licensing authorities (SEPA, EA, SNH etc) regarding

structures and culverts

Over the past 4 years, Wind Prospect have

conducted detailed site infrastructure design

using the latest computer modelling software

alongside GIS datasets, swept path analysis

software, and available terrain data.

We have conducted design on projects

located in Scotland, England, Australia and

even Thailand, using client supplied

information, or our own survey data. This

has allowed us a full assessment of

earthworks extents, gradients, and drainage

requirements.

This type of work allows us to conduct concept or preliminary assessments of potential routes to a

site and allows more strategic walkovers and surveys to be conducted.




Substation and compound design

We carry out the detailed design of sub stations and electrical compounds up to 133kV. Liaison with

network operations and detailed design of the buildings are generally required to complete the grid

connection works, ground works, and combined

with operational and safety requirements, the civil,

structural and architectural aspects of the buildings

to be clearly designed.

From the most complex of external compounds to

the simplest of trench details, our designs meet the

expected standards of each network operator.

Thus providing a safe and functional space for the

wind farms operations team and electrical

equipment.

Environmental and planning consenting

During the pre-construction phase of a project, it is generally necessary to incorporate planning

conditions and other environmental consent needs (such as water crossing licenses etc), into the site

layout designs and deliver to the client a fully consented project. More recently, we are working

towards an integrated Environmental Management Plan, allowing clear lines of responsibility and

reporting on Environmental Issues to be communicated to the project team.

Recent workloads included :

Env Agency / SEPA Consents and Licenses

Water abstraction licenses

Planning condition discharge

Environmental assessments

Environmental management plans

Construction method statements

Land management plans

Habitat management plans




Construction and Operations

Formation testing and inspection

We carryout detailed formation testing and

inspections associated with the natural formation

that the wind turbine is to be founded on to ensure

the formations meet with the expected design

parameters. Our geotechnical engineers ensure that

the drainage, soil exchange or engineering fill, all

meet with the requirements of the contract

specification. Where appropriate we will conduct in-

situ tests such as plate bearing or geophysics to

validate the results.

We provide geotechnical logs, certificates and test results for all inspected formations. We can also

provide additional calculations to validate specific geotechnical or geological conditions encountered

on site.

As built surveys

Our in-house resources of surveyors and

engineers can provide detailed ‘as built’ surveys of

the wind farm works, including borrow pit

estimates, updated lease plans and ‘as built’

drawings.

More recently we have assisted in establishing a

live level monitoring system linked to digital GPS

technology and GSM Modems to monitor ground

movements associated with a peat slide,

establishing a monitoring link for clients and wind

farm operators.

The use and application of technology extends from a simple land survey to the detailed volume

estimates of a borrow pit. We use the latest GPS technology to conduct our surveys in-house.




Foundation Inspections

During construction and operational phases, we

carryout detailed inspections of the foundations

to ensure that they continue to meet the safe

operational requirements of the wind farm.

More recently, inspections have been focused

on foundation movement and combined with

detailed reviews of calculations and ‘as built’

information. Assessments and inspections can

then be carried out to identify principal and

secondary faults and effects on the foundations.

From the simplest of inspections to a

monitoring programme associated with a

specific defect, we can undertake any inspection

required.

Remedial works design and failure analysis

In the past three years, we have supported a number

of projects across the world with detailed analysis and

assessments of foundation failures. With our

experience in design and construction, we can design

and assess foundations and structural failures of wind

turbine foundations for any number of contributors.

Recent experience on a project initially indicated

structural failure as the primary fault with the

foundation, however inspection of geotechnical

records, water monitoring and concrete testing

indicated a further more fundamental issue which was

present, and a site wide implementation of remedial

works was conducted on unaffected foundations.




OUR CLIENTS

Civil Engineering Services have contributed to over 2300MW of projects across the planet, from the

smallest package of work to assist a client, to overall investigation and design packages, our work has

been key to a number of projects. Our experienced staff develop relationships with Clients and act in

the interests of the project with openness and integrity.

Our current clients include:

EDF Energy Renewables Barclays Bank

EON Climate and Renewables Lloyds Group

Latium Renewables Natenco

Good Energies Enerco

Continental Wind Partners Wind Prospect Developments

AGL Wind Direct

Australia, 755.1MW

Canada, 39.2MW

England, 324.58MW

Ireland, 191.2MW

Nicaragua, 39.9MW

Romania, 347.5MW

Russia, 32MW

Scotland, 601.8 MW

Wales, 61.6MW




CASE STUDY EXAMPLES

Wind Prospect has conducted a wide range of services for a variety of clients all over the world. Our

involvement can range from initial site appraisals for constructability, to developing full detailed designs

for roads, drainage, foundations and highways works. The following case studies represent a number

of projects we have delivered for our various clients.

Long Park Wind Farm, Scottish Borders

Solutia Chemicals, Newport, Wales

Langley, Trimdon, High Hedley and Broomhill, Co Durham




Long Park, Scottish Borders

An early involvement in this 38MW project, allowed a

detailed and considered design to be consented and

constructed via planning appeal. From the initial site

walkovers in 2004 to the geotechnical inspections and

handovers in 2009, Civil Engineering Services have had an

involvement in all stages of this project.

Development phase

As part of the development process, Wind Prospect Civil

Engineering Services, conducted desk studies, walkovers

and concept designs for the Long Park project which

identified cost effective solutions to the access

arrangements. We held consultations with SEPA and

Highways Authority, to consider these opinions, and

formulated detailed proposals to be incorporated in the

development application.

Site walkovers

Access and transport studies

Site design

EIA contribution

Planning condition discharging

Grid connection route survey

Pre-construction phase

An extensive geotechnical investigation was conducted to

assist foundation and detailed site design. We worked

alongside our construction management teams, identifying

construction and commercial risks to the project. This

allowed detailed designs to be modified and considered

before construction commencement.


Detailed layout design

Sub station design

Foundation design

Highway modification design

Construction phase

Working with the Construction Management Teams, Civil

Engineering Services conducted a variety of inspections

and assessments of the work completed on site, and

provided handover information and approvals to the

Client and Lenders Engineer.

Formation inspections


Geotechnical inspections

Road and hard standing testing

As built surveys




Solutia Chemicals, Newport, South Wales

This Wind Direct project (4.6MW) supports the on-site generation

needs of Solutia Chemicals in Newport, South Wales. The Civil

Engineering Services team’s early involvement in this brown field site

development allowed early consideration to the requirements of the

site conditions in the design. This facilitated the construction needs

and requirements in the planning application.

Development phase

Desk studies identified historic uses of the brown field site that

required planning applications to consider the removal, remediation

and storage of contaminated materials. Access to the site’s was

constrained by the site business operations, and turbine locations

were required to consider future site developments and

construction of a new motorway adjacent to their locations.

Site walkovers

Access and transport

studies

Site design

EIA contribution

Geo-environmental studies

Pre-construction phase

A detailed geotechnical investigation identified specific areas of the

site with specialised clean up requirements. In addition detailed

infrastructure design and specific performance requirements

accommodated within the construction contracts and site owner

requirements. The design of the piled foundation was the first piled

Nordex N90 foundation on driven piles and full compliance against

Eurocodes was achieved.



Contaminated land design

Foundation design

Highway modification

design

Construction phase

During the construction, remediation supervision was conducted

alongside geotechnical and foundation certification for the Client and

the turbine supplier. A detailed project pack was issued identifying

contaminated and non contaminated materials left on site.



Remediation supervision

As built surveys




Langley, Trimdon, High Hedley and Broomhill, Co Durham

Civil Engineering Services supported Hanson Contracting under four

design and build contracts across Co Durham, where possible Civil

Engineering Services utilised designs across multiple projects

delivering efficiently and reduced construction costs.

From the initial tendering enquiries to ‘as built’ surveys, we

supported, the projects, providing technical support to the

contractors team.

Tendering phase

At tender phase, we provided the contractor with support in

respect to realistic foundation and ground improvement details and

techniques. We worked closely with the contractor to provide a

strategy for land management, earthworks and identifying temporary

areas for soil management.

Site walkovers

Concept tender designs

Consultee liaison

Geotechnical services

Land management strategy

Detailed design phase

During the detailed design phases, we carried out detailed

topography surveys to support our detailed earthworks design,

which balanced cut and fill operations with areas of the site, and

foundation excavations. Detailed sub-station layouts were agreed

with the network operators and clients to streamline construction

programmes.



Contaminated land design

Foundation design

Highway modification

design

Construction phase

During the construction, we supported the contractor in a number

of areas, providing insitu testing services, geotechnical and structural

inspections. We undertook the design of remedial work where

material failures occurred.



Remediation supervision

As built surveys




THE CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES TEAM

Our professional team provide civil, structural and geotechnical services to projects across the planet,

we have built a team which understands the needs and demands of projects in a variety of

environments, and approaching the tasks and projects with a hands on, professional approach.

The team is lead by Colin Aimers, (General Manager – Civil Engineering Services) who is an

experienced chartered civil and environmental engineer with a strong onshore wind construction and

design background. Since 2002, Colin has built a team of experts, bringing experience, enthusiasm and

technical knowledge together to deliver excellent quality on-shore wind projects.

Key members of the team include:

Bruce Allan – Group Director – As a founding director of the business and for many years the

only Civil Engineer in the company, Bruce leads the Construction, Engineering and Operations

business, assisting the team with words of encouragement and wisdom. Bruce has overall Health and

Safety responsibility for the Group at Board level.

James Hollender – Principal Engineer (UK) – James is a civil engineer, supporting the

development activities across the UK and managing a number of preconstruction design and

investigation projects. He also assists due diligence work in the UK and mentors graduate engineers.

Cormac Ó Dubhthaigh – Principal Engineer (Ireland) – Cormac is a structural engineer,

providing a range of engineering support to our Irish business and beyond. An experienced bridge

engineer, Cormac has worked around the world and his passion for structural engineering is reflected

in the detail he places on the design of every element.

Neil Bennett – Senior Project Engineer – Neil supervises and leads the CAD teams, providing

detailed design, surveying and modelling work associated with wind farm infrastructure. A good

communicator, with working knowledge of infrastructure design and modelling, Neil’s specialist field

includes the growing role of vehicle modelling and swept path analysis as well as ensuring our CAD

standards and techniques of work remain at the highest possible standard.

Charlotte Peacock – Geotechnical Engineer – One of our busy geotechnical engineers,

Charlotte has progressed from a degree in Physics to her recent MSc in Geotechnical Engineering,

Charlotte has practical working knowledge gained from conducting some of the most complex

geotechnical investigations in Scotland and has continued the challenge of conducted geotechnical

projects in a variety of environments.

We are a team, and each person on the team brings knowledge, character and

professionalism to the area of work they are contributing too.

wind prospect - civil engineering services capability - oct 2010

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