This presentation describes various techniques for the management and control of groundwater during civil engineering projects that require the lowering of water table/ piezometric head to provide ground stability. The presentation contains practical case studies which illustrate the safety and cost benefits of a robust management and control system, together with describing the detrimental impact of poor groundwater control.

Dr Stephen Thomas is Founder Director of OGI Groundwater Specialists Ltd. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, an elected member of the Executive Committee of the British Geotechnical Association and an Honorary Fellow at the University of Durham. Starting his Civil Engineering career in 1976, he has completed over 300 geotechnical, water & groundwater projects delivered in the UK, Europe, Brazil, USA and the Middle East. Supported by 10 years of university education in Swansea, Durham and Oxford, Stephen delights in developing innovative solutions to overcome major engineering challenges. After three years working in the United States and six years at Oxford University, Stephen founded OGI in 1989 to provide specialists services in the field of groundwater and geotechnical engineering.