August 2021

“Rising Star” Natalie Wride is Shortlisted for Ground Engineering Awards, 2021

Natalie Wride

Congratulations to Natalie Wride of the Rendel Ground Engineering team, who has been shortlisted for the Ground Engineering Awards 2021 ‘Rising Star’ category.

The award is aimed at UK-based geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineers aged 30 and younger, who have demonstrated innovation, business skills and career achievements; significantly contributed to a project; or have shown superior technical ability via research. Entrants are judged on all-round skills - both academic and practical applications as well as their commitment to the field of geotechnical or geoenvironmental engineering.

Natalie joined Rendel in 2020, following a research sabbatical to complete a PhD at Warwick University. Her research examined cyclic loading of soft soils subjected to traffic loading and involved laboratory tests, examining cyclic triaxial testing and the effects of potential construction mitigation measures, determining their influence on soil strain response, and created a numerical tool, calibrated using the laboratory tests. She has since completed the two and three-dimensional analysis for two ventilation shafts on HS2 through the latter stages of scheme design and early detailed design.

At Rendel, Natalie’s role encompasses more responsibility as the Team Lead for the green tunnels and earthworks Category 3 check of Contracts C2 and C3 of HS2. She leads the green tunnels design check; is responsible for a multidisciplinary team of engineers; leads the two-dimensional soil-structure analysis of two cut and cover tunnels; and liaises with the client to agree actions and appropriate design resolutions.

Tony Paraskeva, Director of Ground Engineering at Rendel said,

“Natalie demonstrates the key qualities the award aims to honour and represent. Her strong academic background has enhanced her technical ability, her skills in justifying design decisions confidently and undertaking a leadership design role with responsibilities for team members. She exhibits the qualities that the future of engineering and the Rising Star Award should signify. All of us at Rendel are extremely proud of her being shortlisted for this award.”