Highways England proposes several sustainable geotechnical repair techniques for slopes, of which planting live willow poles is considered the most sustainable. This method also effectively provides both short-term reinforcement and long-term stabilisation as root systems become established over time.

However, this practice is confined to a small number of locations where site-specific studies have been carried out. Cora identified that the principal reason this practice has not been more widely adopted is that the development of a generalised model of application is difficult, due to the variable engineering properties of natural materials. She aimed through her research to address this issue by undertaking a parametric study, simulating the interaction of dynamic hydrology and stability models. This was done to examine the potential of planting live willow poles on slopes as a long-term solution across the UK road network.

Cora is a recent Civil Engineering graduate from the University of Bristol. She enjoys carrying out research and completed two research projects during her time as an undergraduate student, investigating sustainable geotechnical solutions, particularly the use of vegetation. Her final year research project was highly regarded and won the Institution of Civil Engineering South West Emerging Engineers Award 2020. She is currently enjoying work as a graduate geotechnical engineer with Atkins, where she wishes to contribute towards building a better future for the engineering industry by encouraging the adoption of more sustainable practices.