A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross

Project Overview

Played a pivotal role in the delivery of the A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross infrastructure upgrade, operating initially as a Senior Engineer for PJ Davidson before being directly engaged by the principal contractor, Costain. This 18-month greenfield project required rigorous technical oversight to transition detailed design into physical execution. Responsibilities spanned from precision setting out of extensive linear infrastructure to advanced 3D machine control management, ensuring strict adherence to Highways England specifications. Demonstrated technical agility by actively identifying geometric design discrepancies, managing engineering queries (RFIs), and leading critical preparatory works to protect the project's critical path.

Execution & Key Deliverables

• •Directed the precise setting out and execution of substantial linear infrastructure, including 12 miles of Concrete Step Barrier, 6.7 miles of Surface Water Channel, and 5.1 miles of Slot Drain.
• •Leveraged advanced Leica 3D machine control systems, undertaking stringent calibration and validation to consistently achieve execution accuracies within <5mm tolerances.
• •Managed the generation, collation, and rigorous sign-off of digital quality records and Inspection and Test Plans (ITPs) to ensure comprehensive data integrity for project handover.
• •Established an auditable trail of evidence through meticulous site documentation, alignment with ISO 9001 standards, and strict adherence to quality assurance protocols.

Technical Challenges & Solutions

• •Conducted proactive constructability reviews, identifying and rectifying significant design inaccuracies prior to permanent works execution to prevent costly on-site rework.
• •Discovered and isolated critical geometric flaws in the provided design data, specifically identifying highway sections where the crossfall was incorrectly modelled with a 2.8% fall.
• •Engineered practical on-site solutions by recalculating structural geometry, subsequently adjusting the vertical alignment and height of the concrete central wall to satisfy intended drainage parameters.
• •Drafted and submitted detailed RFIs and technical proposals to validate adjusted construction methodologies, ensuring the core design intent translated safely and accurately to site execution.

Programme & Management

• •Directly contracted by Costain to lead critical preparatory works, specifically overseeing the stringent sub-base level tolerances essential for the central barrier's installation.
• •Aided in the generation and maintenance of 6-week lookahead planning documents and project programme updates, actively tracking the critical path.
• •Fostered continuous collaboration with site agents, commercial teams, and procurement to optimise resource allocation across multiple concurrent workfronts.
• •Mitigated programme delays by anticipating logistical hold-ups within a greenfield environment and enforcing structured, contractual validation of all site changes.