Curriculum Vitae - Jim Benson

Jim Benson - Curriculum vitae

Qualifications

BEng (Civil), University of Canterbury, New Zealand (1988)

Chartered Engineer, UK - 466480 - (1994)

Registered Professional Engineer. Hong Kong - RP0409660 - Civil & Geotechnical (2006)

Registered Professional Engineer, Singapore - (PE 4266) Civil (2006)

Chartered Professional Engineer, New Zealand - 1154881 - (2017)

International Professional Engineer, New Zealand - 1154881 - (2017)

Professional memberships and affiliations

Fellow, the Institution of Civil Engineers (2006) - Member (1994), ICE Reviewer (2005 to 2020)

Fellow, Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (2010) - Member (1997) - Reviewer (2014 to 2020)

Member, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (2003); Reviewer (2014 to 2020)

Member, the Association of Project Managers (2006)

Member, Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (2008)

Member, Institute of Quarrying, Hong Kong (2009)

Tunnelling Society member - Britain, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand; Geological Society member - New Zealand, Hong Kong and Malaysia

Expertise

Multidiscipline engineering, Tunnelling, Underground works, Construction, Project Management, Expert Witness

Asian Business Strategy, Planning, Management and Development

Summary of competencies

Tunnelling and Underground Planning, Design, Project Management, Construction, Claims, Disputes and Expert Witness. Specialist optioneering and co-ordination of multi-discipline engineering projects, including: railways, structures, sewage and water treatment, reservoirs, pipelines, pumping, cement works, maritime, drainage, bridges and highways.

Specific design and planning experience of TBMs, tunnels, stations, shafts, caverns, cut and cover, pipe-jacking, and related structures in soft and hard ground. Detailed design of structures including, steel, concrete, water retaining structures, foundations, piles, frames, and bridges. Familiar with associated engineering codes, software and capabilities.

Jim was the Design Director on 901-Admiralty Station responsible for the tunnelling and cavern Engineer’s Design servicing 4No. new platforms in Hong Kong. Jim was also the Independent Checking Engineer on various Hong Kong MTR WIL, XRL, SIL, KTE packages, and DSD Lai Chi Kok and Stonecutters Island Tunnel projects in Hong Kong. Jim was the designated ‘Designer’ and led the successful Tender (based on an alternative tunnel design) and subsequent Detailed Designs for the Kowloon Southern Link (KDB200) and also the CLP - Castle Peak Cable tunnel. Jim was also the Tunnel Design Manager for 3.5km of rock and soft ground tunnels and stations on SDC100 – Tai Wai to Diamond Hill; and carried out the detailed design of the tunnel lining for the Route 8 (Previously Route 9) Nam Wan Tunnel at Tsing Yi in granite. Jim has been involved in the design and construction of 14No. Metro tunnelling projects and 13No. Stations in 4No. countries.

Project experience

Lombardi Australia - Snowy 2.0 - 2024 to 2025 - Tunnel Works Expert & Consultant’s Construction Site Team Representative for the 2.2 Gigawatt project – based 14/7 FIFO on site managing a team including geologists, tunnelling engineers, grouting specialist, structural engineers and a steel lining expert within the Design JV (Tractebel, Lombardi, Coffey). The works are based at 3 main sites - Lobs Hole, Tantangara and Marica. The construction includes 4No. TBMs plus drill and blast tunnels totalling 30km, shafts up to 250m deep, caverns up to 36m in span including an underground Powerhouse Complex, as well as intakes structures and surface works. Up to 17 concurrent tunnel faces managed 24/7 by SHL/FGJV/DJV. AUD 16bn.

WSP (New Zealand & Australia) - 2016 to 2024

Project Director responsible for a wide variety of infrastructure projects.

Project Manager then Project Director for approx. 300 WSP/Golder staff on the AUD 26bn Melbourne Northeast Link, central package, a 3 to 5 lane dual carriageway underground motorway approx. 20km in length from the Greensborough Highway in Watsonia to Bulleen Road with twin 15.6m dia. TBM tunnels under the river Yarra for 6km. Services included procuring and supervising the geological site investigations, as well as the design of critical cut and cover packages at Watsonia, Bulleen, Manningham, Vent Tunnels, SEM tunnels, and Lower Plenty Road. The geological conditions include Melbourne formation, with variable degrees of fracturing, and overlying alluvial deposits. Jim oversaw the site investigations (AUD 27m) and managed the technical design (AUD 26m), commercial/contractual responsibilities; and then Construction Phase Services (CPS).

Benson Consultancy (HK) Limited - June 2014 to 2016

Hong Kong - Dragages HK Limited - Liantang Tunnel - Contract 2 (HKD 8bn) - Temporary works and foundations - Specialist temporary works designs and drawings for TBM Segment storage area, Tower Crane foundations, Cable draw pits, Workshop area, Batching Plant and Silo foundations. Conveyor foundations, Tunnel Portal doors. Complex interfaces resolved via optioneering and optimising the best solutions with the client.

Philippines - FGEN - Puyo HEP - Owner's Engineer - Geotechnical Baseline Report and Tunnelling/Geotechnical consultancy advice.

Jacobs - Sinclair Knight Merz - May 2012 to June 2014, Role: Group Manager – Tunnelling

China – Chevron – Li Yu Tang tunnel – Flooded Gas Main tunnel refurbishment

Hong Kong – MTR-C1103-WSD steel lining design at tunnel interface

United Kingdom – Northern Line Ext. – Nine Elms Station (Expert Witness)

Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur – Tun Razak Exchange tunnelling optioneering

Singapore-T213 – Thomson Line – Caldecott Station & Siding Tunnels

Singapore T208 & T216 - Thomson Line – Springleaf & Stevens Stations

Australia – Sydney – F3 to M2 - Pennant Hills to Thornleigh Road tunnel

New Zealand – Metro Cost Comparison study, Auckland City Rail Link and Waitemata Harbour Tunnel, Auckland

New Zealand - Wellington - Mount Victoria Tunnel Duplication

Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation SMEC, ASIA Limited – 2008 to 2012, Role: Regional Manager - SMEC International - North Asia (Hong Kong, Macau, China, Mongolia, Taiwan, South Korea, North Korea, and Japan) Started with 5No. Staff in Hong Kong in 2008 and developed AUD 10m/yr revenue business with 70 staff, in North Asia by 2011. Responsible for all operations, commercial and technical aspects including staff from 18No. different nationalities in Hong Kong, Mongolia and China. Staff included Technical Directors, Engineers, Country Managers, Office Managers, Accountants, translators, administrative and technical staff.

Managing Director, SMEC Asia Ltd (Hong Kong and Macau)

Executive Director – SMEC Mongolia LLC (Founding Director)

Director – SMEC Beijing Ltd and SMEC Consulting Pte Ltd (Singapore)

Chairman – Engineering Consultants Contracting Ltd

Project Director – SMEC International - for the following:

Hong Kong MTR – ICE - C1002 Kwun Tong Ext. Yau Ma Tei to Whampoa Tunnels

Hong Kong MTR – ICE - C823A - XRL – Tai Kong Po to Tse Uk Tsuen Tunnels

Hong Kong MTR - ICE- 823B XRL – Shek Kong Stabling & Rescue Sidings

Hong Kong MTR – ICE - C810A&B XRL – West Kowloon Terminus Stn.

Hong Kong MTR – ICE - C902 – SIL – Nam Fung to Admiralty Tunnels

Hong Kong MTR – ICE - C824 and C826 - Express Rail Link – Guangzhou to Hong Kong

Hong Kong MTR - C821 – XRL – Shek Yam to Mei Lai Road Tunnels. Tender design.

Hong Kong MTR – ICE - C803A and 803D - XRL – Terminus Station

Hong Kong MTR- ICE - C705 WIL – Kennedy Town Station and Tunnels. Tender design.

Hong Kong MTR – ICE - C703 West Island Line – Sheung Wan tunnels

Hong Kong MTR- C901 South Island Line (East) - Admiralty Station & SCL. Detailed design.

Hong Kong MTR - C1106-SCL - Hung Hom Station and Tunnels. Condition surveys.

Hong Kong - DSD – ICE- Lai Chi Kok Drainage Tunnel

Mongolia - Zamyn Uud Regional Logistics Centre

Mongolia - 1500km Railway – Technical Advisor for 3000km railway development.

Mongolia - Ukhaa Khudag – Gashuun Sukhait 225km Rail Project. Detailed design.

Mongolia – International Finance Centre – Office Tower - 25 Floors - Ulaanbaatar.

Mongolia - Edelweiss Hotel – 27 Floors – 3,000 sqm/floor.

Singapore - LTA-C916 - Downtown Line - Beauty World Station & Tunnels

India - Highway Tunnel 3km under Rohtang Pass near Manali.

Mott Connell Ltd. (Hong Kong & Singapore) 2003-2008 – Associate

Hong Kong -Kowloon Southern Link, KDB200 - Austin Station and Tunnels. Detailed design.

Singapore - Gambas to Novena/May School Cable Tunnel. Feasibility study, preliminary design.

Hong Kong - Beacon Hill Tunnel refurbishment. Detailed design.

Hong Kong - HKU Centennial Campus. Tender design.

Hong Kong - CLP Castle Peak Cable Tunnel, Hong Kong. Detailed design.

Australia, Melbourne - Mitcham to Frankston Freeway (EastLink). Design Management and Detailed design.

Australia, Melbourne - Hobson’s Bay Main Sewer Relocation. Preliminary design.

Hong Kong - CLP Chi Ma Wan Cable Tunnel, Hong Kong. Detailed design.

Hong Kong – KCRC-SDC100, Tai Wai to Diamond Hill, Shatin to Central. Scheme design.

Charles Haswell & Partners Ltd (1992–2003)–Senior/Resident Engineer

Singapore - Link Sewers to the Deep Tunnel Sewerage Scheme. Detailed design.

Singapore - Tanah Merah Link Sewer, Singapore

Singapore - NEWater Project, Singapore. Detailed design.

Hong Kong – Highways Department - Route 9 Nam Wan Tunnel

UK - Channel Tunnel Rail Link Contract 361, London

UK - Padeswood Cement Works, Wales. Detailed design.

UK - Buxton Lime Industries Cement Works, Derbyshire. Detailed design.

UK – Scotland, Clinker Cooler Works, Dunbar. Resident Engineer.

Trinidad, West Indies - South Water Supply Project, Trinidad, West Indies. Design Co-ordinator.

UK - Hampton Ozonation WRW, London. Winning conceptual design.

UK - Ladybower and Ashopton Viaducts, Derbyshire. Detailed design.

UK - Wombourne Sewage Treatment Works, Wolverhampton. Detailed design.

UK - CrossRail redevelopment at Liverpool Street Station, London. Preliminary design.

UK – LUL - Northern Line tunnels, London Bridge. Construction advisor.

UK – LUL - Jubilee Line, & Heathrow Express Tunnels, London. Construction advisor.

UK – West Midlands, Tipton GAC Plant, Grafham Carbons Limited. Engineer’s Representative.

Robert West and Partners, London – UK (1989 to 1992) – Graduate Engineer/Resident Engineer – Structures, Bridges, Highways and Maritime

UK – Bascule Bridge and Lock Gates, London Docklands. Detailed design.

UK – Owlcotes Retail Development, Roads, Drainage, Leeds. Detailed design.

UK – Beacons & Channel for Trident submarines, Barrow-in-Furness. Detailed design.

UK – North York Moors, Footbridge, River Seven. Detailed design.

Papers: o Design considerations for small diameter tunnels in Singapore. (Singapore 2003)

o Impact of changing geological conditions for foundation design and construction in Tung Chung (Hong Kong 2014)

o Cost comparisons for metro tunnelling in 4No. major world cities (Brazil 2014)

Cross Passage design and construction on metro projects in major world cities (Melbourne 2020)