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BENOIT'S CORNER

This page is where you can find Benoît's papers and lectures.

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Biography

Dr Benoît Jones is the author of the first ever comprehensive textbook on Soft Ground Tunnel Design, which won the NCE's 'Outstanding Contribution to the Tunnelling Industry' award in 2022. He is a Chartered Civil Engineer and a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers. He has more than 22 years of tunnel design, construction and R&D experience, including 3 years of first-hand experience of managing tunnel construction. He set up and then ran the MSc in Tunnelling and Underground Space at the University of Warwick from 2011 to 2015. Since 2016 Benoît has been running Inbye Engineering full-time, offering technology and consulting to the tunnelling industry.

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Benoît graduated from the University of Bristol in 2000 with a First Class Honours degree in Civil Engineering with Study in Europe (Polytech’ Grenoble, France). He then joined Mott MacDonald as a Graduate Tunnel Engineer. Between 2002-2006 he undertook research for an EngD at the University of Southampton with Professor Chris Clayton as his supervisor, sponsored by Mott MacDonald and the EPSRC. After working on Crossrail MDC3, in late 2007 he went to work for Morgan Est (now Morgan Sindall) as Section Engineer on the King’s Cross Underground Station Redevelopment, then as Engineering Manager on the Stoke Newington to New River Head Thames Water Ring Main Extension Tunnel. In Autumn 2010 he joined OTB Engineering, a small consultancy specialising in tunnelling and geotechnics, working on temporary works designs for Tottenham Court Road Station Upgrade and for the Crossrail Eastern Running Tunnels (C305). He joined the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick in September 2011.

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During his time with Chris Clayton at the University of Southampton he sought to answer questions about how loads come onto tunnel linings, and how tunnel junctions behave and should be analysed. This included field measurements and laboratory tests involving pressure cells, and numerical experiments using FLAC3D. The work on stress measurements used field data obtained from pressure cells installed in the sprayed concrete lining of the Heathrow Express Terminal 4 station concourse tunnel and the Terminal 5 SWOT frontshunt tunnel. Data was collected over 9 months at T5 and for more than 18 years at T4. Laboratory testing and careful analysis of the pressure cell data revealed a new kind of temperature sensitivity, the ‘ground reaction temperature sensitivity’, as well as 'strain sensitivity'. The strain gauge data from T4 has also been used to back-calculate stresses using the rate of flow method. A suite of 3D numerical experiments simulating sequential tunnel junction construction with the ground modelled explicitly showed that most 2D approximations, wished-in-place analyses and Winkler spring models of shaft-tunnel junctions are both unconservative and incorrect.

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He has worked with a large variety of different people from very different backgrounds. As well as working long shifts at the tunnel face, he has learnt a great deal about people management, safety, risk and contracts. He has managed subcontracts for design, monitoring services, labour-only, priced work and M&E installations. He successfully managed the interfaces with Network Rail, London Underground, Tube Lines, Metronet, Network Rail (CTRL) and British Waterways, whose tunnels and stations were underpassed by the Thames Water Ring Main Extension tunnel over a period of just a few months. At the same time he improved methods of predicting subsurface ground settlements due to tunnelling after finding that existing methods were inadequate at the depths below ground surface (40-60m) encountered on the project.

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In 2011, Benoît came up with the idea for Strength Monitoring Using Thermal Imaging (SMUTI). After securing proof-of-concept funding, he applied for a patent, set up a spin-out company called Inbye Engineering and got PhD student Vish Ahuja to begin trials at Whitechapel Crossrail Station. These trials were very successful and led to a beta-trial at Bond Street Station Upgrade, where the site engineers were using the software and thermal imaging camera to monitor the strength gain of the shotcrete.

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Qualifications

  • CEng MICE, Chartered Engineer, Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers

  • FGS, Fellow of the Geological Society of London

  • EngD (2007), University of Southampton

  • MEng (2000), University of Bristol

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Affiliations

  • Chair of ITAtech Activity Group Low Carbon Concrete Linings, April 2022 - present

  • Technical Board member, hyperTunnel, November 2020 - present

  • BTS Technical Subcommittee, April 2020 - present

  • Tunnels & Tunnelling magazine Editorial Advisory Board member, April 2020 - present

  • BTS elected committee member and trustee, May 2018 - April 2021

  • Editorial Advisory Panel member, ICE Proceedings Geotechnical Engineering, 2011-2015

  • Organising committee member for BTS2013, BTS2014, BTS2016 and BTS2018 conferences

  • Scientific committee member for WTC2016 and WTC2018 conferences

  • Member of the British Tunnelling Society (BTS), British Geotechnical Association (BGA), Geological Society of London, Association Française des Tunnels et de l’Espace Souterrain (AFTES), International Tunnelling Association (ITA-AITES), International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the International Society of Rock Mechanics (ISRM)

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Awards

  • NCE Tunnelling Award (2022) - Outstanding Contribution to the Tunnelling Industry, awarded for textbook Soft Ground Tunnel Design.

  • ITA Award (2017) - Technical Product/Equipment Innovation of the Year, awarded for SMUTI.

  • ITA Austria Award (2016) for International Contribution to Strengthen the NATM, awarded for SMUTI.

  • NCE Tunnelling Award (2016) - Technology Innovation of the Year, awarded for SMUTI.

  • NCE Tunnelling Award (2016) - Technical Innovation of the Year, awarded for SMUTI.

  • ICE Telford Premium Award (2009) - Outstanding contribution to the civil engineering literature, awarded to paper "Evaluation of innovative sprayed-concrete-lined tunnelling".

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Invited lectures

  • 2nd August 2018 - HKIE Geotechnical Engineering Division/ICE Hong Kong Association/Hong Kong Tunnelling Society/IOM3 Hong Kong Branch joint evening lecture on "Strength Monitoring Using Thermal Imaging.

  • February 2016 - Lecture to the Cambridge University Geotechnical Society, Queens’ College, University of Cambridge, UK.

  • April 2014 - Lecture at East Midlands Geotechnical Group meeting “Smarter tunnel monitoring”, University of Nottingham, UK.

  • October 2013 - Presentation of paper “Strength monitoring using thermal imaging” at the BTS2013 conference, held at the QE2 Conference Centre, Westminster, London, UK.

  • November 2012 - ICE Biennial Geotechnical Engineering Lecture “Low-volume-loss tunnelling for London Ring Main Extension”, Telford Theatre, ICE, London, UK.

  • September 2010 - ICE Biennial Geotechnical Engineering Lecture “Evaluation of innovative sprayed-concrete-lined tunnelling”, Telford Theatre, ICE, London, UK.

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Papers

  • [64] Jones, B. D., Grand, C. & Clayton, C. R. I. (2023). Stresses in sprayed concrete tunnel linings at Heathrow Terminal 4. Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs - Geotech. Engrg, accepted and awaiting publication. Additional information. Supplementary information.

  • [63] Malone, J., Paraskevopoulou, C. & Jones, B. (2023). High temperature ground improvement. Proc. ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress (WTC 2023), 12th -18th May 2023, Athens, Greece (eds Anagnostou, G., Benardos, A. & Marinos, V. P.). London, UK: CRC Press.

  • [62] Jones, B. D., Murphy, E. & Astle, P. J. (2021). Design of large temporary works ship impact protection structures. Proc. Int. Symp. Geotechnical Aspects of Underground Construction in Soft Ground (eds Elshafie, M. Z. E. B., Viggiani, G. M. B. & Mair, R. J.), 27th-29th June 2022, Cambridge, UK, pp.69-73. London, UK: CRC Press.

  • [61] Jones, B. D., Murphy, E. & Astle, P. J. (2021). Design of large twin-wall cofferdams for ship impact. Proc. Int. Symp. Geotechnical Aspects of Underground Construction in Soft Ground (eds Elshafie, M. Z. E. B., Viggiani, G. M. B. & Mair, R. J.), 27th-29th June 2022, Cambridge, UK, pp.60-68. London, UK: CRC Press.

  • [60] Jones, B. D. & Clayton, C. R. I. (2021). Interpretation of tangential and radial pressure cells in and on sprayed concrete linings. Underground Space, in press.

  • [59] Jones, B. D. & Giardina, G. (2021). Building damage assessments using the simple beam method - Part 2. Tunnelling Journal, February/March 2021 issue, 30-33.

  • [58] Jones, B. D. & Giardina, G. (2020). Building damage assessments using the simple beam method - Part 1. Tunnelling Journal, December 2020/January 2021 issue, 36-41.

  • [57] Jones, B. D. (2020). Writing for Tunnelling Journal - a personal view. Tunnelling Journal, April/May issue, 44-47.

  • [56] Jones, B. D. (2018). A 20-year history of stress and strain in a shotcrete primary lining. Proceedings of the 8th Int. Symp. Sprayed Concrete – Modern use of wet mix sprayed concrete for underground support, Trondheim, Norway, 11th-14th June 2018.

  • [55] Jones, B. D., Runtemund, K. & Ahuja, V. (2017). European case studies of shotcrete strength monitoring using thermal imaging. Proceedings of the AFTES International Congress, Paris,13-15 November 2017.

  • [54] Jones, B. D., Davies, A. G. & Ahuja, V. (2017). Sprayed concrete strength monitoring using thermal imaging at Bond Street Station Upgrade. Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress – Surface Challenges – Underground Solutions, Bergen, Norway. Norsk Forening for Fjellsprengningsteknikk (Norwegian Tunnelling Society).

  • [53] Jones, B. D. (2017). Materials design for tunnel linings. Tunnelling Journal, June/July issue, 38-40.

  • [52] Weiher, H., Jones, B. & Runtemund, K. (2017). Early strength of shotcrete for tunnel advances – new monitoring approach using thermal imaging. fib Symposium 2017 – High Tech Concrete – Where Technology and Engineering Meet, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 12th-14th June 2017.

  • [51] Jones, B. D. (2017). Blow-out failures part 2: purely cohesive soils. Tunnelling Journal, April/May issue, 43-47.

  • [50] Jones, B. D. (2017). Blow-out failures part 1: frictional soils. Tunnelling Journal, February/March issue, 20-27.

  • [49] Jones, B. D. (2016). Overview of technology in today's tunnelling projects. Tunnelling Journal, December 2016/January 2017 issue, 26-29.

  • [48] Jones, B. D. (2016). Long-term settlements due to tunnelling. Tunnelling Journal, October/November issue, 29-32.

  • [47] Jones, B. D. (2016). Rotational stiffness of radial joints in segmental linings. Tunnelling Journal, September issue, 45-49.

  • [46] Jones, B. D. (2016). Fibre reinforced concrete tunnel linings - a review of new guidance. Tunnelling Journal, June/July issue, 21-24.

  • [45] Li, S., Jones, B. D., Thorpe, R. & Davis, M. (2016). An investigation into the thermal conductivity of hydrating sprayed concrete. Construction and Building Materials 124, 363-372.

  • [44] Ahuja, V. & Jones, B. D. (2016). Non-destructive approach for shotcrete lining strength monitoring. Proceedings of the World Tunnel Congress, San Francisco, 22nd - 28th April 2016. Englewood, Colorado, USA: SME.

  • [43] Yang, B., Utili, S. & Jones, B. D. (2016). Numerical analysis of TBM tunnelling in sand using a state parameter model. International Conference on Geomechanics, Geo-energy and Geo-resources - IC3G 2016, Theme 8, pp.43-50.

  • [42] Jones, B. D. (2016). Tunnel design guidance review. Tunnelling Journal, April/May issue, 32-34.

  • [41] Jones, B. D. (2016). Carbon reduction in tunnelling. Tunnelling Journal, February/March issue, 27-28.

  • [40] Jones. B. D. (2015). Tunnel junctions. Tunnelling Journal, December 2015/January 2016 issue, 37-39.

  • [39] Jones, B. D. (2015). Probabilistic methods. Tunnelling Journal, October/November issue, 26-29.

  • [38] Jones, B. D. (2015). Horizontal ground movements part 2. Tunnelling Journal, August/September issue, 21-23.

  • [37] Jones, B. D. (2015). Horizontal ground movements part 1. Tunnelling Journal, June/July issue, 40-43.

  • [36] Jones, B. D. & Haigh, S. K. (2015). Editorial. Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs Geotech. Engrg 168, No.3, June, 187-188.

  • [35] Jones, B. D. (2015). Segmental linings – longitudinal effects. Tunnelling Journal, April/May issue, 17-20.

  • [34] Jones, B. D. (2015). Segmental Lining Joints. Tunnelling Journal, February/March issue, 38-40.

  • [33] Jones, B. D. (2014). Case Studies. Tunnelling Journal, December/January issue 24-27.

  • [32] Jones, B. D. (2014). The Warwick MSc 3 Years On. Tunnelling Journal, October/November issue, 33-35

  • [31] Jones, B. D. (2014). Roundup of the 7th International Symposium on Sprayed Concrete. Tunnelling Journal, August/September issue, 25-29.

  • [30] Jones, B. D. (2014). A bluffer's guide to stability part 3. Tunnelling Journal, June/July issue, 28-31.

  • [29] Jones, B. D. (2014). Editorial. Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs Geotech. Engrg 167, No.3, June, 227-228.

  • [28] Jones, B. D., Li, S. & Ahuja, V. (2014). Early strength monitoring of shotcrete using thermal imaging. Proc. 7th International Symposium on Sprayed Concrete - Modern Use of Wet Mix Sprayed Concrete for Underground Support (eds Beck, T., Woldmo, O. & Engen, S.), Sandefjørd, Norway, 16-19 June 2014, pp.245-254. Norway: Tekna & Norsk Betongforening.

  • [27] Jones, B. D. (2014). A bluffer's guide to stability part 2. Tunnelling Journal, April/May issue, 28-32.

  • [26] Jones, B. D. (2014). A bluffer's guide to stability part 1. Tunnelling Journal, February/March issue, 26-28.

  • [25] Jones, B. D. (2013). Strength monitoring using thermal imaging. Tunnelling Journal, December/January issue, 40-43.

  • [24] Jones, B. D. (2013). Stresses from strains. Tunnelling Journal, October/November issue, 26-28.

  • [23] Jones, B. D. (2013). Critical infrastructure. Tunnelling Journal, August/September issue, 34-35.

  • [22] Jones, B. D. (2013). The most difficult question? Tunnelling Journal, June/July issue, 33-35.

  • [21] Jones, B. D. & Clayton, C. R. I. (2013). Guidelines for Gaussian curve fitting to settlement data. Underground – the Way to the Future, Proc. of the World Tunnel Congress (eds Anagnostou, G. & Ehrbar, H.), pp.645-652. London: CRC Press.

  • [20] Jones, B. D. (2013). The future is smart and sustainable. Tunnelling Journal, April/May issue, 49-50.

  • [19] Jones, B. D. (2013). Resilience. Tunnelling Journal, February/March issue, 27-28.

  • [18] Jones, B. D. (2012). Being analytical. Tunnelling Journal, December/January issue, 44-45.

  • [17] Jones, B. D. (2012). Competence. Tunnelling Journal, October/November issue, 30-31.

  • [16] Jones, B. D. (2012). Surface settlements due to deep tunnels in clay, ICE Research and Development Enabling Fund Grant 1021 - Funders' Report, 8th October 2012.

  • [15] Jones, B. D. & Lewis, W. J. (2012). Structural form of tunnel linings. Tunnelling Journal, August/September issue, 26-28.

  • [14] Jones, B. D. (2012). Waterproofing sprayed concrete tunnels. Tunnelling Journal, June/July issue, 35-36.

  • [13] Jones, B. D. (2012). A loaded question. Tunnelling Journal, April/May issue, 26-28.

  • [12] Jones, B. D. (2011). Underpassing of Angel Underground by London Ring Main Extension Tunnel. International Journal of Geoengineering Case Histories 2, No.2, 105-126.

  • [11] Jones, B. D. (2010). The secret life of a sprayed concrete tunnel. Concrete 44, Issue 09, October, 48-50.

  • [10] Jones, B. D. (2010). Low-volume-loss tunnelling for London Ring Main Extension. Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs Geotech. Engrg 163, GE3, June, 167-185. [Subject of the biennial ICE Geotechnical Engineering Lecture in 2012]

  • [9] Jones, B. D. (2008). King’s Cross London Underground Station Redevelopment. Tunel (journal of the Czech Tunnel Society), Issue 3/2008, 45-54.

  • [8] Jones, B. D., Thomas, A. H., Hsu, Y. S. & Hilar, M. (2008). Evaluation of innovative sprayed-concrete-lined tunnelling. Proc. Instn Civ. Engrs Geotech. Engrg 161, GE3, June, 137-149. [Winner of the ICE Telford Premium Award for outstanding contribution to the civil engineering literature in 2009 and subject of the biennial ICE Geotechnical Engineering Lecture in 2010]

  • [7] Jones, B. D. (2008). Dealing with stress. Going Underground, Issue 1 2008, 31.

  • [6] Jones, B. D. (2007). Design of SCL tunnels in soft ground using Eurocodes. EURO:TUN 2007, ECCOMAS Scientific Conference on Computational Methods in Tunnelling, August 27-29, Vienna, Austria. Vienna University of Technology.

  • [5] Jones, B. D. (2007). Sprayed concrete linings – time for some common sense. Going Underground, Issue 2 2007, 27.

  • [4] Jones, B. D. (2007). Stresses in sprayed concrete tunnel junctions. Eng.D. thesis, University of Southampton.

  • [3] Jones, B. D., Stärk, A. & Thomas, A. H. (2005). The importance of stress measurement in a holistic sprayed concrete tunnel design process. Proc. Int. Cong. Tunnelling for a Sustainable Europe, Chambéry, France, pp.433-440. Lyon: Spécifique JLP.

  • [2] Jones, B. D. (2005). Measurements of ground pressure on sprayed concrete tunnels using radial pressure cells. Proc. Underground Construction 2005, London, UK. London: Brintex.

  • [1] Jones, B. D., Thomas, A. H. & Clayton, C. R. I. (2004). Interpretation of pressure cells in sprayed concrete tunnel linings. Rock Engineering Theory and Practice, Proc. ISRM Regional Symp. Eurock 2004 & 53rd Geomechanics Colloquy (ed. Schubert, W.), Salzburg, Austria, pp.233-236. Essen: Verlag Glückauf GmbH.

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