Earthworks Tiger Team Project – Improving Innovation and Productivity in Earthworks

Summary

The Infrastructure Industry Innovation Partnership, i3P, has identified areas for efficiency improvements in the earthworks sector. These represent a potential 10-20% reduction in the UK’s annual spend on earthworks, which is currently between £1bn-£1.5bn.

Productivity in the UK’s construction sector has barely improved in the last 20 years. In 2020, i3P set up a Tiger Team to research the sector; the team has and highlighted 24 opportunities which, if implemented, have the potential to save the industry £100m–£300m per annum.  The recommendations could also see embodied carbon reduction and improved air quality.

A total of 28 organisations were involved in the research including the creators of some of Britain’s largest infrastructure projects – HS2, the Environment Agency, National Highways, EDF, Sellafield, Thames Tideway and the Northern Ireland Department of Infrastructure.

Among the opportunities identified to transform earthworks are proposals to:

• expedite the use and development of Connected and Autonomous Plant (CAP) which has the potential to significantly increase the productivity, accuracy and safety of earthworks;
• use state-of-the-art geotechnical testing technologies and real time performance indicators to improve earthworks placement quality and reduce programme delays;
• adopt digital technology to improve communication, accuracy, control and predictability of earthworks processes; and
• encourage the use of alternative plant fuel types (e.g. electrified, hydrogen and hybrid technologies), which have the potential to reduce CO2 emissions, improve air quality and extend operational working hours.

Change across the Earthworks sector will only be possible with the leadership, input and support of infrastructure clients and their supply chains.