The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or the player below.

This month’s guests are WTW head of flood and water risk research Neil Gunn and WTW climate practice associate director Dulce Perez Romero.

They join rob to discuss where they sit in the civil engineering ecosystem when it comes to dam maintenance; working with asset owners on the risk of their dam fails and the liability should this happen.

The discussion touches on the history of dams, the status of dams in the world today, the increasing hazard of dam failure caused by climate change and some recent high profile failures.

They then get into the nitty gritty about how WTW assesses the risk of dam failure, how to prevent it – and how worried we should be about it.

Prior to the interview portion, host Rob Hakimian is joined by NCE senior reporter Thomas Johnson to discuss recent proposals for a £130bn high-speed Rail Loop around the UK and the political wrangling over the Hudson Tunnel in America.

The latest episode of the Engineers Collective is out now: listen in on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, your usual platform or the player below.

Joining host Rob Hakimian this month is ICE Fellow and member of the Panel for Historic Engineering William Day, who provides a fascinating history lesson on the Menai Suspension Bridge.

The iconic bridge, which crosses the Menai strait between mainland Wales and the Isle of Anglesey, just celebrated the 200th anniversary of its opening on 30 January 1826. William tells the podcast about the landmark’s history: its design by Thomas Telford, the dimensions of its various elements and how workers overcame difficulties to complete its construction between 1819 and 1826.

The discussion then moves on to the various modifications it has had in the two centuries since its opening that have kept it in operation today. William also relays some of his own experiences working on those maintenance regimes and the feeling of renewing such a historic structure.

Prior to the interview portion, Rob is joined by NCE senior reporter Thomas Johnson to discuss recent developments in the UK’s rail network including the resurrection of Northern Powerhouse Rail, ongoing developments with the Railways Bill and more.

This month we welcome Anglian Water’s delivery director for water Paul Lonsdale to discuss the pioneering work of the @one Alliance.

Formed of eight partner organisations – Anglian Water, Balfour Beatty, Barhale, Binnies, Mott MacDonald Bentley, MWH Treatment, Skanska and Sweco – the alliance has been running for 20 years and has set a template for collaboration and efficiency in major project delivery in the sector.

Lonsdale tells us how the amalgamation of so many organisations works in practice and what benefits come from having a range of expertise involved. We also discuss Anglian Water’s other alliances and why alliancing has become prevalent in the water sector.

In the introductory section, host Rob Hakimian is joined by senior reporter Thomas Johnson to discuss some recent site visits they have been on including to 3D printing facilities and National Grid’s new Tilbury to Gravesend power tunnel.