The design and analysis of rock engineering projects in complex rock masses requires a careful consideration of the rockmass conditions and ground properties. Such cases are encountered in anisotropic rockmasses, stratified layered rocks, tectonised rocks, mixed ground conditions and soft rocks. Instabilities are generally either structurally or stress controlled, depending on the rock mass setting and in-situ stress conditions. Factors such as the scale effect and the quality of the rockmass should be carefully considered in slope design and underground excavations.

The lecture will present design approaches in difficult rock engineering problems demonstrated through case study examples from slope design and underground excavations in projects in Europe and Asia.

Dr Harry Saroglou is a Geotechnical Expert Advisor to Eiffage Kier Ferrovial BAM JV for High Speed 2. He is teaching in the School of Civil Engineering, NTUA, he is an Honorary Visiting Lecturer in School of Earth Sciences, University of Leeds and was a Lecturer in the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering in Imperial College, London. He has almost 25 years’ experience in Engineering Geology and Geotechnical Engineering and consulted for Civil Engineering (highways, railways, dams) and mining projects in Europe, Asia, Canada, Australia.

He has received prestigious awards from the International Association of Engineering Geology and the Environment (Richard Wolters, 2012), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (PIFI, 2016) and the Academy of Athens (2009). He is a member of the Editorial Board in Geotechnique Letters, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology (Geological Society of London) and Bulletin of Engineering Geology. His areas of expertise include ground interpretation, geotechnical design, slope stability, tunne ling, engineering geology in major infrastructure works, mitigation of geohazards.