Climate Adaptation Control Technologies for Urban Spaces (CACTUS)

Lead Research Organisation: Durham University
Department Name: Engineering

Abstract

Climate change is causing, and will continue to cause, more intense precipitation events and greater amplitude of warm and cold temperatures leading to severe flooding, extreme drying, freezing and thawing. This will affect many parts of the urban geo-infrastructure such as shallow foundations, retaining structures, buried utilities, road subbase and railway formations. The costs of damage due to shrink/swell movements on clay soils have resulted in economic losses of over £1.6 billion in the UK during drought years. The novelty of the proposed research is the development of "climate adaptation composite barrier systems" (comprising water holding layers and a capillary barrier) capable of limiting the impact of a changing environment on the geo-infrastructure and hence increasing their engineering sustainability and resilience. Environmental cyclic actions imposed on our infrastructure are governed by soil-plant-atmosphere interaction, which is a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical problem driven by the atmosphere and influenced by soil type, stress history, stress level, mineralogy, soil-water chemistry and vegetation. Understanding this complex problem requires systematic research and a coherent approach. This proposal describes systematic experimental and numerical modelling studies to understand the response of composite barrier systems, when subjected to extreme weather events and long-term climate changes, and to develop appropriate sustainable adaptation technologies to mitigate potential impacts on urban geo-infrastructure.

Planned Impact

The CACTUS project will demonstrate the following contributions to society and the economy:

1. It will demonstrate major economic impact in providing technologies that can reduce the costs to the UK economy of:

(i) Flooding. Flash flooding has become a highly significant economic and social problem in our cities. The project will demonstrate technologies to provide flash flood control measures by increasing the flood holding capacity of soils, thereby reducing runoff of rainwater. The clean-up costs of flooding in the UK in recent years have been £1-4 billion for each period of flooding, as identified in the Case for Support. The RIBA estimates that future clean-up costs will be in the order of £23 billion in 2050, in the absence of any appropriate measures.

(ii) Damage to infrastructure due to wetting/drying and freeze/thaw cycles. The project will enhance the resilience of infrastructure through barrier systems that will prevent water entry/egress to/from the sub-soil thus preventing the shrink/swell action that causes damage to buildings, roads, railway formations and buried services. Insurance claims due to shrink/swell movements on clay soils have resulted in economic losses in the UK of over £1.6 billion during drought years.

2. It will have social impact through assisting in "greening" the built environment by providing guidelines for civil engineers in adopting vegetation in urban spaces that will enhance the quality of life in UK cities.

3. It will provide contributions to public services and policy, by setting out clear advice on use of climate adaptation technologies that can adopted by town planners and local government.

4. It will provide economic opportunities for geotechnical design consultants and geotechnical contractors as a potentially novel product for climate adaptation that will have an international market.

To ensure impact within the construction industry, the project team will publish a definitive advice document with the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) (similar to CIRIA's SuDS Manual) giving clear design and construction protocols for climate adaptation technologies for urban spaces.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description DEFRA report on Flooding
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
URL https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmenvfru/170/170.pdf
 
Description Environmental Audit Committee; net zero and soil KEY ISSUES
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
URL https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/1316/pdf/
 
Description Post to Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology on SOIL AS AN ESSENTIAL NATIONAL ASSET
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Contribution to a national consultation/review
 
Description UKRI COVID extension grant
Amount £31,776 (GBP)
Organisation United Kingdom Research and Innovation 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2021 
End 09/2021
 
Title Climate Control Instrumented Column Cell for studying Climate Change Impacts on Materials 
Description The climate control column cell enables testing particlulate systems (soil, industrial wastes such as cement kiln dust) by taking them through cycles of wetting, drying, freezing and thawing and establishing important data on temperature profiles and displacements during the various seasonal climatic processes. 
Type Of Material Improvements to research infrastructure 
Year Produced 2020 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact The equipment has been used to study the behaviour of soils and industrial waste under variety of initial conditions (initially saturated-slurried and compacted) leading to publications: 1) 4th European Conference on Unsaturated Soils (E-UNSAT 2020): https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202019503036 2) 20th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Sydney, Australia: https://eprints.ncl.ac.uk/file_store/production/281280/424DB070-100D-4F71-AB56-472FC9D14107.pdf and 3) Geo-Resilience 2023 Conference, Cardiff, Wales, D.G. Toll & M.G. Winter (Eds), British Geotechnical Association, London. 2024: https://doi.org/10.53243/Geo-Resilience-2023-3-3 4) Key note and Invited Talks in several Workshops and Concerences (International Seminar Illinois, USA, 50th BGA Conference 2023, Preconference Workshop Indian Geotechnical Society 2021) 5) Establishing colloaboration with premier Institutions in India (IIT Guawahati, IIT Tirupati) 
URL https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202019503036
 
Description CACTUS Global Partnerships 
Organisation Indian Institute of Technology Mandi
Country India 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Funding from UKRI International Partnerships has allowed testing of the CACTUS Barrier concept for use in slope stabilisation
Collaborator Contribution IIT Mandi has been undertaking experimental testing of the barrier system, using soil from a local landslide site and using Water Treatment Residual from an Indian source
Impact IIT Mandi have demonstrated the prototype capillary water barrier system to the public during the IIT Mandi Foundation Day. A member of the Planning Commission of India, Dr V.K.Saraswat the apex body in the Indian Government observed the demonstration
Start Year 2021
 
Description Compressibility Behavior of Bentonites 
Organisation Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Country India 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Tripathy's expertise in colloid chemistry that applies to the volume change behaviour of clays allowed participating in this collboration with Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati India, that resulted in a publication of a peer reviewed Journal paper in Clays and Clay Minerals
Collaborator Contribution Discussion of the methology to be adopted and contribution in writing and reviewing the paper
Impact https://doi.org/10.1007/s42860-023-00227-7
Start Year 2022
 
Description Effect of underlying soil on the flow through cell web: Geosynthetic Limited, UK 
Organisation Geosynthetics Limited
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution Effect of underlying soil on the flow through cell web: Geosynthetic Limited, UK
Collaborator Contribution Effect of underlying soil on the flow through cell web: Geosynthetic Limited, UK
Impact Unknown
Start Year 2020
 
Description Field and laboratory studies on the effect of changing climatic conditions on the performance of pipelines buried in reactive soils: IIT Tirupati, India 
Organisation Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati
Country India 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Field and laboratory studies on the effect of changing climatic conditions on the performance of pipelines buried in reactive soils: IIT Tirupati, India
Collaborator Contribution Field and laboratory studies on the effect of changing climatic conditions on the performance of pipelines buried in reactive soils: IIT Tirupati, India
Impact Field and laboratory studies on the effect of changing climatic conditions on the performance of pipelines buried in reactive soils: IIT Tirupati, India
Start Year 2020
 
Description 13th April 2021 - Lecture "Understanding plant ecology, and why biodiversity is important for soils and bioengineering" 12th ALERT Olek Zienkiewicz School 2021: Looking into the rhizosphere: the interface between plant science and soil mechanics; Invited lecture 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact 13th April 2021 - Lecture "Understanding plant ecology, and why biodiversity is important for soils and bioengineering" 12th ALERT Olek Zienkiewicz School 2021: Looking into the rhizosphere: the interface between plant science and soil mechanics; Invited lecture
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description 21st - 25th June 2021 - Oral presentation "Plant-soil interactions can enhance climate adaptation control technologies for urban spaces"; Oral presentation "Power-law strength-diameter relation enhanced by drying in grass roots"; Poster "Root biomechanical properties and soil reinforcement of two contrasting Vetiver species: Chrysopogon zizanioides and Chrysopogon nemoralis" 5th international conference on Soil, Bio- and Eco-Engineering 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact 21st - 25th June 2021 - Oral presentation "Plant-soil interactions can enhance climate adaptation control technologies for urban spaces"; Oral presentation "Power-law strength-diameter relation enhanced by drying in grass roots"; Poster "Root biomechanical properties and soil reinforcement of two contrasting Vetiver species: Chrysopogon zizanioides and Chrysopogon nemoralis" 5th international conference on Soil, Bio- and Eco-Engineering
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description 29th April 2021 - Oral presentation "Plant-soil interactions can enhance earth barrier systems in urban spaces" General Assembly of The European Geosciences Union 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact 29th April 2021 - Oral presentation "Plant-soil interactions can enhance earth barrier systems in urban spaces" General Assembly of The European Geosciences Union
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description BGA Annual Conference 2020; Talk title: Response of soils to cyclic wet-dry and freeze-thaw processes 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Talk title: Response of soils to cyclic wet-dry and freeze-thaw processes
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.ice.org.uk/eventarchive/bga-17th-annual-conference-2020-webinar
 
Description Dissemination - EGU 2020 - A (small) step towards standardisation in rainfall simulation experiments 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Collaboration opportunities with research group in Portugal
Share research, raise awareness, learning, collaboration opportunities
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2020/EGU2020-18556.html
 
Description Dissemination - EGU 2020 - Harvesting Energy from Buried Infrastructure: current UKCRIC research 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact International Academics, Researchers and Students
Share research, raise awareness, learning, collaboration opportunities
Collaboration discussed with other researchers using our data, EPSRC funding proposal followed.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2020/EGU2020-19412.html
 
Description Dissemination - overview of NGIF facility via members magazine 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Northumberland and Newcastle Society
Share research, raise awareness, learning, collaboration opportunities
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.nandnsociety.org.uk/
 
Description Dissemination and virtual tour of NGIF at CIRIA online conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact CIRIA Delivering and monitoring blue-green infrastructure conference - industry/government experts.
Share research, raise awareness, learning, collaboration opportunities
"Collaboration opportunities being discussed with EA.
Case study contribution (CIRIA NFM guide)"
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://www.ciria.org/CIRIA/Navigation/Events/Event_Display.aspx?EventKey=E20236
 
Description E-UNSAT 2020 - Monitoring of thermo-hydrological behaviour in Green Infrastructure 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Share research, raise awareness, learning, collaboration opportunities
Collaboration discussed with other researchers using our data, EPSRC funding proposal followed.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://eprint.ncl.ac.uk/269333
 
Description ICE Presidential Visit 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact ICE members Raise awareness, collaboration opportunities, share research
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Industrial Stakeholders Meeting, Dundee 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Industrial Stakeholder Meeting with project partners: AECOM, ARUP, Geosynthetics Ltd, Royal Haskoning DHV, Northumbrian Water, Skanska, Transport Northern Ireland, National House Building Council, Welsh Local Government Association, Welsh Government Transport Dept, Construction Industry Research and Information Association.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Industrial Stakeholders Meeting, Durham 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Kick-off meeting with Project Partners: AECOM, ARUP, Geosynthetics Ltd, Royal Haskoning DHV, Northumbrian Water, Skanska, Transport NI, National House Building Council, Welsh Local Government Association, Welsh Government Transport Dept., Construction Industry Research and Information Association
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
 
Description International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) [TC106 Unsaturated Soils]; Pre-Conference Workshop of Indian Geotechnical Conference, 2021; Relevance of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics in Practice" 15 Dec 2021 [Virtual mode] 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The talk - "Coupled Thermo-Hydro-mechanical behaviour of unsaturated soil" was attended by more than 150 academics, postgrads, researchers and industry personnels. It covered the temperature effects on the behaviour of soils in various geoinfrastructure including underground disposal of nuclear waste. It sparked questions and discussion partcularly on the relevance of high temperature and its effect on engineering properties of soils.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
URL https://igc2021trichy.nitt.edu/img/workshop/TC106_ISSMGE_Worshop_on_unsaturated_soils_15_Dec_2021_V2...
 
Description International Webinar Series on Geoenvironmental Engineering, Sustainability, and Resiliency 2024 University of IIlinois Chicago US 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact About 125 postgraduate students, academic, professional practitioners attended this event. The talk covered the challenges ahead for geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineers in the changing climate. The talk focused on what researchers would be doing to explore and understand the impact of climate change on geoinfrstucture. The talk sparked a number of questions and discussion on the utilisation of industrial waste in engineered structures.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://gagel.lab.uic.edu/presentations/gee-webinars/
 
Description Invited seminar overseas 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Invited seminar delivered by Daniel Green and Ross Stirling on 2nd December at the Department of Civil Engineering, Institute of Engineering, University of Algarve. Dissemination of results and has led to invitation of the project team members to join the scientific committee of the 2nd Rainfall Simulator Workshop (May 2023).
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Oral presentation "Modifying soil hydraulic and mechanical properties with contrasting herbaceous plants"; Poster "Root growth and decomposition alter soil hydraulic properties" 22nd World Congress of Soil Science 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact 1st - 4th August 2022 - Oral presentation "Modifying soil hydraulic and mechanical properties with contrasting herbaceous plants"; Poster "Root growth and decomposition alter soil hydraulic properties" 22nd World Congress of Soil Science
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Seminar, Institute of Hazard Risk and Resilience, Durham University 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Public seminar delivered via Zoom on 24 January 2022
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
URL https://twitter.com/_IHRR/status/1485560643398864896?s=20&t=GKZdXMnzj5GQKPZ28TG6pw
 
Description Tour of NGIF 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Urban Observatories conference delegates
Share research, collaboration opportunities
Data scientists and cities researchers made aware of open access NGIF data
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Tour of NGIF 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Industrial collaborators (Corehaus Modular Housing)
Share research, raise awareness, learning, collaboration opportunities
EPSRC Responsive mode grant application submitted
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Tour of NGIF 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact Excelsior Academy and erasmus group from Holland
Learning, career development
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Tour of NGIF 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact MSc Hydrology/Hydrogeology and water management students
Learning, career development
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
URL https://twitter.com/NGIF_UK/status/1313529319000600577?s=20
 
Description Twitter - NGIF dissemination 
Form Of Engagement Activity Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact Share research, raise awareness, learning, collaboration opportunities
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018,2019,2020,2021
URL https://twitter.com/NGIF_UK/status/1194604384442834944
 
Description Virtual tour of NGIF 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact British Water - Surface Water Management Focus Group meeting
Share research, raise awareness, learning, collaboration opportunities
Innovate UK proposal under development
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020