Role
Dr Paul Beetham teaches on the final year Geotechnical Design and second year Structural Engineering modules.
Career overview
Dr Paul Beetham is a Chartered Civil Engineer, specialist in geotechnical design and ground improvement. Paul has 17 years industry experience prior to joining NTU (in 2013) and has worked in various roles with consultants, contractors and manufacturers.
Research areas
Doctoral research (EngD) on lime stabilisation (2010-2014) developed knowledge of how the site relevant risk of sulphate swell can be determined and managed. Current research projects expand this through 1. Refinement of a novel swell test developed during the EngD and 2. Further investigation into ettringite formation and the much higher rates of sulphate swell that occur at site relevant temperatures (i.e. less than 10°C) when compared with laboratory temperatures of 20°C.
External activity
Past and ongoing collaborative research work into sulphate swell in lime stabilisation with the Independent Stabilisation Company. Work in conjunction with the Britpave Soil stabilisation task group to improve knowledge sharing between academia and practitioners of soil stabilisation.
Sponsors and collaborators
- Independent Stabilisation Company
- Opus International Consultants
- Britpave Soil Stabilisation Task Group
Publications
- Beetham, P., Dijkstra, T.A.D., Dixon, N., Fleming, P.R.F., Hutchison, R., Bateman, J..(2015) Lime stabilisation for earthworks: A UK perspective. Proc. Of the ICE: Ground Improvement, 168 (2) pp81-95
- Beetham, P., Dijkstra, T.A.D., Dixon, N.. Micro-chemical implications for lime stabilisation practice. In Compendium of Papers from the Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting, Washington DC. TRB, USA
- Beetham, P., Dijkstra, T.A.D., Dixon, N.. (2012) Nucleation centres in lime stabilised Soils. In proc. of IS-GI 2012: Int. symp. on ground improvement, Brussels, May 2012.
- Beetham, P., Hutchison, R.. (2009) Hazard mitigation of the Impact of a Progressive Tunnel Collapse. In proc. of SINOROCK2009: ISRM Int.Symp. Hong Kong, May 2009.
Lowe, R., Beetham, P.. (2009) Adaptive Risk Management of Stockpiles and Slopes in a UK Quarry. In proc. of SINOROCK2009: ISRM Int.Symp. Hong Kong, May 2009. - Beetham, P., Hutchison, R.. (2009) A Geophysical Investigation into a Deep Tunnel bore in Nottingham, UK, SAGEEP annual conference, Texas, US)
Beetham, P., Hutchison, R.. (2008) Mitigation of Catastrophic Collapse Failure of Roads Constructed on a Karstic Limestone Environment. In proc. of the 4th European conference on geosynthetics, Edinburgh. - Beetham, P. (2004) The Chemical Effects of Burning Tyres in Cement Kilns. In Proc. of 13th Extractive Industry Geologists conf., Leeds