ANDREW MERRITT

Principal Geotechnical Engineer at PSM, Dr Andrew Merritt has over 17 years’ experience in research and consulting in geotechnical engineering. Andrew’s primary area of practice is geotechnics for tunnelling and underground construction, with experience in design and construction in soft ground and rock. He has been involved with all stages of several international tunnelling projects, including ground investigations and feasibility studies, tender and detailed designs, construction support, and expert witness roles.

Andrew completed his PhD at the University of Cambridge in 2004, working on laboratory and field-based research of soil conditioning for earth pressure balance tunnelling machines. He then worked for the Geotechnical Consulting Group based in London, UK, and gained experience on a wide range of international projects, before joining PSM in 2014.

Andrew has worked extensively on geotechnical aspects of several international tunnelling projects, including Crossrail in London, Rome Metro Line C, Miami Port Tunnel and the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement in Seattle. Projects in Australia include Sydney’s WestConnex Stage 1B and Stage 2, Northconnex and Sydney Metro City and Southwest, Melbourne Metro and the proposed Perth Freight Link tunnels. These projects have involved working in a wide range of challenging ground conditions to develop solutions for the design and construction of complex tunnels and underground structures in congested urban environments.

Andrew has extensive experience with site investigations and advanced geotechnical characterisation for large-scale infrastructure projects and urban developments. He also has experience with site characterisation and foundation design for offshore windfarms on several projects in Europe.

Andrew has published over 20 technical papers in international journals and conferences on a wide range of topics including earth pressure balance tunnelling, pipe jacking, geotechnical properties of various materials, geotechnical data management, analysis of deep excavations, and design and analysis of offshore pile foundations.

Andrew has presented papers at several international conferences and professional society meetings. He has served on editorial panels for technical journals including Geotechnique (2014 to 2016) and Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Geotechnical Engineering (2013). He has also sat on scientific committees for international conferences.

Andrew specialises in geotechnical aspects of tunnelling and underground construction and other large civil projects. Fields of special competence include:

• Tunnelling and underground construction in soil and rock
• Soil conditioning for earth pressure balance tunnelling
• Ground movement analysis and impact assessments
• Foundation design for onshore and offshore structures
• Geotechnical site investigation and characterisation
• Laboratory testing and physical modelling.