A key plank in first establishing, and then maintaining, our position at the forefront of coastal consultancy is our total commitment to innovation, technical excellence and research and development.
Whilst technical excellence and innovation are undertaken at a corporate level and are discussed in our corporate pages, within the coastal area we undertake our own targeted and important R & D, developing bespoke software tools, and applying innovative solutions to our clients’ projects.
We are involved in national and international research programmes. We work with government departments, private companies and centres of academic excellence.
Our approach is based upon:
- application of latest research findings
- use of latest technology
- development of new techniques and tools
- best practice from world wide experience
- identification and management of research consortia
- timely delivery within agreed budgets
In relation to coastal and estuary engineering and management, our research and development projects typically span four main areas:
- Coastal process and evolution – Halcrow has delivered some of the largest research projects in the UK relating to coastal processes and shoreline evolution. The knowledge gained has been carried through into local studies throughout the world.
- Software development for modelling and decision support – we have a specialist team consisting of IT professionals, civil engineers, scientists and mathematicians who combine skills in analysing requirements, software design, coding, testing, training, documentation and support. Software we have developed includes ISIS, DAWN, MDSF, MWAVE, SANDS, PORTAL.
- Procedural guidance and best practice – Halcrow provides guidance and best practice advice for engineering design and policy direction. A recent example of this is our leading role in the update of CIRIA’s Beach Management Manual. For coastal structures, we have provided design guidance for revetments, groynes, access issues, the use of rock and habitat enhancement. We have reviewed current practice and provided policy guidance on a range of issues, including Shoreline Management Plans, Catchment Flood Management Plans, and managed realignment.
- Flood and erosion risk analysis – Over the last 15 years, Halcrow has developed an enviable track record in risk based approaches to flooding and erosion problems in fluvial, estuarine and coastal environments. Our experience covers defence failure risk, national appraisals of assets, future changes in flooding and erosion risks, and the risk based prioritisation of flood defence expenditure.