Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES)

Profile

General | Teaching | CPD | Career | Professional Record | Research | Consultancy | Papers

General Information

Nick has over twenty years experience in the field of engineering geology & geotechnical engineering of which twelve years (1993 to 2005) was in Hong Kong. His broad experience base includes: landslide investigation and remedial works design, site characterisation, the design & construction of natural terrain hazard mitigation measures, geological hazard identification and mapping, applied engineering geophysics, design & construction of large earthworks / site formation contracts, design & construction of piling works and, deep basement design in the urban environment. Nick has authored and co-authored papers on the subjects of landslide investigation, natural terrain mitigation, geological hazard identification, rock slope stability for landfill engineering and engineering geophysics.

Nick joined the staff at the University of Portsmouth in September 2005. His wealth of practical experience compliments the applied earth science pathways at the University and is actively involved in research, consultancy and course development.

Teaching

I am currently Unit Coordinator for the following units:

• Level 2: Geotechnics (BGS235)
• Level 2: Ground Investigation Methods (2GS220)
• Level 3: Applications in Soil & Foundation Engineering (2GS371)
• M Level: Rock and Soil Mechanics (BGS403)
• M Level: Principles of Soil Behaviour (BGS401)
• M Level: Ground Investigation and Assessment (2GS420)
• M Level: Ground Engineering (2GS410)

I also contribute to the following units:

• Level 1: Geomaterial Science (2GS139)
• Level 3: Landslides & Slope Stability (BGS367)
• M Level: Landslide Hazard Anaylsis (2GS427)

I run the M-Level field trip to Hong Kong and have major contributions on field trips to Cromer (North Norfolk), Kent and the French Alps.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

I run the School's CPD programme which currently has four courses as follows:

• Description of Soil & Rock to the New European Standard (2 days)
• Introduction to Geology & Basic Field Geology (3 days)
• Introduction to Geological Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems (2 days)
• An Introduction to Landslides and Slope Stability (2 days).

Career History

September 2005 – Present
University of Portsmouth
Principal Lecturer in Engineering Geology & Geotechnics
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences

June 2003 – July 2005
Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd
Deep Bay Link Northern Section – Senior Resident Geotechnical Engineer

2001 – June 2003
WSP Hong Kong Ltd
Technical Director – Geotechnical Engineering

1998 – 2001
Scott Wilson Hong Kong Ltd
Resident Geotechnical Engineer for Tuen Mun New Town, Tsuen Wan Development and Tuen Mun Foothills Bypass.

1993 – 1998
Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Hong Kong SAR Government
District Geotechnical Engineer & Planning Engineering Geologist

1992 – 1993
Ove Arup and Partners (Bangkok)
Senior Resident Geotechnical Engineer,

1985 – 1992
Ove Arup and Partners (UK)
Geotechnical Engineer

1984 – 1985
Harry Stanger Ltd. (UK)
Soils Engineer

Professional Record

BSc, Portsmouth Polytechnic, Engineering Geology & Geotechnics, 1984

MSc, DIC, Imperial College – London University, Soil Mechanics, 1989

Post Graduate Diploma in Higher Education (2008)

Corporate Member of Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (Geotechnical Discipline), 1994

Fellow of the Geological Society of London

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2008)

Current Research

Principal researcher into the use of non-invasive geophysics for the investigation of man-made slopes and masonry retaining walls in Hong Kong. Research budget was £0.5M spent over a two year period. His work is been published as GEO Report No. 71(GEO – Geotechnical Engineering Office of the Hong Kong SAR Government) and he presented part of his work at the 1997 Hong Kong Institute of Engineers Geotechnical Seminar on Slope Engineering.

Research into the identification of geological hazards affecting slope stability, particularly with respect to clay-rich zones within the rock mass, using the concept of the "integrated approach" through detailed desk study and mapping in Chai Wan, Hong Kong Island. His work has been published as GEO Report No. 60.

I am currently actively involved in setting-up regional research networks as part of the climate impact forecasting for slopes (CLIFFS) which will feed into the UK Climate Impact Programme (UKCIP) which helps organizations assess how they might be affected by climate change, so they can prepare for its impacts.

Co-investigator for the (250,000 Euros) International NATO-Science for Peace project "Geo-Environmental Security of the Toktogul Hydroelectric Power Station Region, Central Asia". (Directors: D. Rust, A. Korjenkov; Co-directors: A. Tibaldi, M. Usmanova).

Consultancy

I carry out a wide range of Consultancy work mainly peer reviews or acting as an expert advisor. Current or recent examples include:

Expert advice to Miller International (loss adjusters) for a major motorway project in Eastern Europe.

Technical Review of a natural terrain hazard assessment & mitigation design at four sites in Hong Kong for Arup Hong Kong.

Recent Papers

1. Hobbs, P.R.N., Gibson, A.D., Koor, N.P., Rees, J., Price, M., Harrison, L.D., Jones, L.D., Terrington, R., Garcia-Bajo, M. & Culshaw, M.G. (in press) Improved modelling and communication of urban risks: Case studies from the United Kingdom and South-East Asia. Accepted as Euroengeo 2008, Proceedings from The city and its underground environment Conference. International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment, Madrid 2008.
2. Koor, N.P. (2007) Geotechnical construction risk management at the Foothills Bypass - Hong Kong. Proceedings of the Engineering Geology in Geotechnical Risk Management Conference. Geological Society of London 131-140.
3. Koor N.P. & Campbell S.D.G. (2005). Geological characterisation of the Lai Ping Road Landslide. GEO Report No 166. Civil Engineering and Development Department, Hong Kong SAR Government.
4. Koor N.P. & Cheung A. (2005). Double corrosion protection of long soil nails at Deep Bay Link – a case history. Safe and Green Slopes. The HKIE Geotechnical Division 25th Annual Seminar, 4 May 2005. 134-141.
5. Thorn M. & Koor N. P. (2002).  Debris flow mitigation works, Foothills Bypass, Tuen Mun. Proceedings of the Natural Terrain Conference – A Constraint to Development. Institution of Mining and Metallurgy – Hong Kong Branch. 143-150.
6. Koor N. P., Hadley D. & Hart J. R. (2001).  Foothills Bypass, Hong Kong – Design to Construction.  Proceedings of the Geotechnical Engineering Meeting Society’s Needs Conference.  The 14th Southeast Asian Geotechnical Conference. 813 – 818.
7. Koor N. P., Parry S. and Yin J. H. (2000).  The shear strength of infilled and slickensided discontinuities of some Hong Kong saprolites. Proceedings of the  Engineering Geology HK 2000 Conference.  Institution of Mining and Metallurgy – Hong Kong Branch.  187 – 192.
8. Bishop I. and Koor N. P. (2000).  Integrated geophysical and geotechnical investigations f old masonry retaining walls in Hong Kong.  The Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology.  33(4) 335 – 349.
9. Koor N. P., Campbell S. D. G., Sun H. W. and Ho K. K. S. (2000) Scarp morphology and development associated with a large retrogressive compound landslide at Lai Ping Road – Hong Kong.  Urban Geology Conference, University of Hong Kong.  77-88.