Issue 65 – October 2010 – Page

The Clay Research Group

The
Clay Research
The Clay Research
Group Group

RESEARCH AREAS

Climate Change Š Data Analysis Š Electrical Resistivity Tomography

Time Domain Reflectometry Š BioSciences Š Ground Movement
Soil Testing Techniques Š Telemetry Š Numerical Modelling
Ground Remediation Techniques Š Risk Analysis
Mapping Š Software Analysis Tools

October 2010

Monthly Bulletin K
 Issue 65 – October 2010 – Page 1

The Clay Research Group

CONTENTS SIDCUP ROAD UPDATE
Sidcup Road Project Update This edition contains the output from the Sidcup Road
study. From a sample of 280 houses (reduced from the
Electrokinesis. initial sample and determined by the reported claim
‘Average’ Risk.
experience), 17 valid claims have been reported by
industry colleagues.
Natural Solutions
The project scope was to try to identify what
Penetrometers, Suctions and Moistures
combination of tree heights, distance from property
Is there a case for JMP Lite? and estimated root overlap zones presented the higher
risk without any knowledge of species. To be ‘sensible’
In the (Technical) News
the derived figure would have to have some
relationship to industry claims experience. Blighting
everything with a tree nearby would be of little use.
.

We then refer to our database of trees associated with

claims and from in excess of 32,000 records try to
understand variations between species.

The analysis has been undertaken recognising that the

Allan Tew has been keeping an eye on the extent of tree roots is of course unknown and there is a
properties that have received the InterTeq risk of imposing order where non-exists.
treatment, and no problems reported so far,
even though it has been a fairly dry year. Many Limited protection against this is provided by elastically
are being precise levelled and more data will be flexing the modelled diameter of the root zone and
available shortly. The approach is looked at in calibrating against claims experience which delivers
more detail in this newsletter. See Page 6. some comfort around the robustness of the approach.

UPDATES
Tony Boobier, Chair of the Insurance GIS Forum
touches on Solvency II and the need for insurers to
understand where risk lies in his latest update. He tells
us that this, combined with predictive analytics, is the
The Urban Tree Research Conference is being way forward.
held by the ICF on the 13th and 14th April,
2011 at the Clarendon Suite, Edgbaston, The Subsidence Forum have their training day at the
Birmingham, and we hope to be represented BRE on the 13th October, with the title “Innovation
by Margaret McQueen of OCA and Allan and Technology. Are they shaping progress?” Tickets
Tew, CRG. are £75 for members and £100 for non-members. Visit
their web site for details.

www.subsidenceforum.org.uk

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The Clay Research Group

SIDCUP ROAD PROJECT ROOT OVERLAP
This is the updated graphical ‘street scene’ of the From the sample of 280 addresses, 98 of the
addresses from our Sidcup Road study. The houses have no vegetation within influencing
sample below now contains 280 addresses, distance. 44 houses have an overlap <40% and
sequenced by house number, and includes 17 valid represent a higher than average risk. In that
claim records, indicated by the red dots. category, only 32 are in the height range of 8 –
12mtrs.

Of our 280 houses, we have identified 32 that

are rated a higher risk than their neighbours.
These contain the 17 claim notifications, we are
left with 15 still at a higher risk than their
counterparts.

What confidence can we have in the modelled

280 Houses root zone? If the modelled root radius was less,
then we would be missing houses in the lower
range. If the root zone radius was too high, then
The grey shaded area represents the percentage the model would classify too many houses as
modelled root overlap, and the green dots the tree being at risk.
height. Average tree height from the claim extract
is 10.86mtrs and average modelled root overlap, Another consideration is that the percentage of
25%. houses at risk correlates with industry claims
frequency over time. Put another way, “it feels
The 17 claims occurred over a period of around 20 right”.
years, delivering an average annual frequency of
(17/280)/20 = 0.003 suggesting this particular The matter is complicated by changes in soil
location to be a higher than average risk. mineralogy across the site, landscaping,
variations in soil salt content, available water,
tree physiology and of course, species. See
following page.

Although applying a ‘one size fits all’ appears to

be nonsense, it has been successful in identifying
claims and there is a statistical value to be
derived for the tree/property relationship. See
later in the newsletter for further analysis.

Our thanks to industry colleagues who have

Root overlap plot from the claim sample above, generously provided data. We now have a better
with the trendline reducing as the root overlap understanding of where risk lies and hopefully
zone increases. The slope of the line provides an the study might be extended to include an area
with mature planting and a different tree stock.
estimate of relative risk.

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The Clay Research Group

SPECIES
First we see that Oak trees are more dangerous further away
A refinement of considerable value would be to (simply we suspect because of frequency and the fact that
introduce species. The model has tried to identify risk having a larger root diameter than the ‘average’ deciduous
based on statistical metrics. Adding the species would be tree (as we have seen at Aldenham), it has the opportunity of
a considerable advance. reaching more houses.

From the point of view of the Tree Officer, the risk

model could direct them to a smaller selection of trees.
Instead of pruning every street tree (280 houses in our HEIGHT
study), they would be able to target a smaller sample (the
15 ‘at risk’).

DISTANCE
17.5 - 20m tree height

When we explore the sample with a height of 20mtrs and

examine the ‘distance from building’ value we can determine
the risk which appears to increase as it approaches 10mtrs.

HEIGHT

From the above (top) we can see that Oak trees are risky,
but riskier at certain distances and height ranges and at DISTANCE
variance with the conifer. Conifers are riskier when 10 – 12.5 tree height
closer to the building, in part because they are often
found planted close to buildings as a screen, but also
because they have a shallower root system.

Above (bottom image) we see that the Ash and

Sycamore have similar profiles, but different to the
Plane. Data for the Sycamore is shown above and it is very
different to the Oak as we would expect. Smaller trees can
Below we plot variations in distance from the damaged cause damage, but usually when planted closer to the house.
building for each height band to refine the model still Adding species would refine the models value yet further.
further.

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The Clay Research Group

ELECTROKINESIS AVERAGE RISK
The study commences shortly with a PhD The average value for subsidence claims in the UK
student appointed by Birmingham University when expressed as frequency has no resemblance to
and top-up funding from John Peterson of local values, as we see below. The area of the UK
Foundation Piling Ltd. closest to the average would probably be
somewhere near Devizes although we doubt many
Traditional treatments of this sort can produce practitioners would recognise the name.
ground shrinkage that can be greater than the
subsidence we are seeking to treat. Research will Bearing in mind that nearly 50% of claims occur in
start in the laboratory with the objective of 20% of postcodes, and recognising that there are
applying chemicals at the anode and cathode that postcodes in London with values around 6 times
minimise this shrinkage – hopefully removing it the national average whilst others have no claims at
altogether. all, the mid-way point – the one we use as a
reference – remains anonymous, which says
something about statistics.

The riskiest postcode is probably NW11 in terms of

frequency although SE codes must come a close
second.

If the laboratory results are encouraging we hope

to use the treatment on a small number of
claims, retaining the tree and stabilising the soil.

Installation will probably take one or two days

on site for the average project, and the
electrodes are left in place (unobtrusively) for
around one month whilst the treatment is
underway.

The current is equivalent to that generated by a

car battery and the treatment will be permanent.
The soil shrink/swell capacity will, based on past Left, the blue circle represents the postcodes with values nearest
experience, be permanently reduced and this can to the national average when considering subsidence claim
be evidenced by changes in the soil PI. frequencies. Right, the red circle is the centroid of one of the
riskiest areas in North London.

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The Clay Research Group

This leads us to consider a different approach. One
It’s Natural that supports the tree, rather than attacks it.
Reducing the production of hormones associated
with stress – desiccation, trimming, crown reduction
Evidence that natural solutions work best can – and instead offering a ‘soft solution’ could, in
be seen in the illustration below. Remarkably, theory at least, reduce tree root activity, growth and
the cell wall regulates movement of ions in the moisture uptake.
same way that electrokinesis works in the soil.

Hopefully, providing a ‘natural’ solution to the

problem of root induced subsidence has more
chance of success than trying to impose a ‘hard’
solution.

From a review of re-opened claims we see

several cases where root barriers have failed
several years on, not because roots have To put this anthropomorphically, if the tree is in a
penetrated them, or because they have suffered comfort zone, why bother to get out of the
structurally, but because roots have found their armchair?
way around them, causing subsidence at the
ends of the barrier. On the other hand, if the roots are already in a dry
The other cause of re- soil, struggling to survive and then the tree comes
opened claims is that the under attack by crown thinning, pruning, cutting
the tree wasn’t through its roots, it has little choice but to respond.
adequately dealt with –
i.e., removed. Trees are The Intervention Technique is hopefully working at
rarely managed and in several levels. It is delivering natural rehydration to
any event, there is a reduce stress in the tree and soil, replicating ‘normal’
growing body of years at times of drought. Because we are watering
evidence that even if one zone and not the entire root footprint, it is
they are trimmed from delivering a Partial Root Drying mechanism. By
time to time, their roots providing access to water it increases the xylem pH,
elongate as a natural which we hope triggers the production of ABA
response to ‘being under acting locally in the leaves. Access to water reduces
attack’. the production of stress hormones that cause root
extension – in part.

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The Clay Research Group

PENETROMETERS, SUCTIONS &
MOISTURES COMPARED
Not all of the results we see are as clear, but this
example shows the benefit of the penetrometer in
some instances. The investigations were undertaken in
postcode sector SE21 8 and the curve produced by
the penetrometer is matched by both the suctions and
moistures. Although there is evidence of desiccation,
detection using moistures rely on agreeing deficits of a
few percentage points, whereas the other two tests
deliver unambiguous evidence of root induced
desiccation.

Above, and this time from postcode SE6

4, we see a penetrometer plot from a
Poplar 9mtrs high, 10mtrs distant. The
large, deep bulge is characteristic of one
of these more ‘aggressive’ species.

Below and from another site is a

comparison where the penetrometer has
delivered a clearer picture of root activity
than either suctions or moisture.

The amplitude and depth of the characteristic ‘bulge’

match one another and a Eucalyptus tree is the cause.
We have no details about the size and proximity of
the tree unfortunately.

When used on a homogenous soil, the penetrometer

can yield excellent results and in some instances they
can render laboratory testing redundant.

This means that (a) the results can be made available

‘immediately’, saving weeks or even months in
extreme situations and (b) they are low cost when
compared with any other test.
The above stresses have been produced
In the alternative, if testing with the penetrometer by a Poplar tree, 18mtrs high, 16mtrs
reveals a soft, clearly non-desiccated soil, there is little from a building and again are
point in having further laboratory tests carried out. It characteristic of peripheral root activity
can either replace them in simple cases, or avoid from Poplars, Willows and Oak trees in a
abortive testing. dry year.

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The Clay Research Group

Issues with the JMP.
The editor’s very personal viewpoint.

It is important that anything that could influence the insurer’s opportunity to recover is
fully discussed, and that they (and their legal representatives) are party to the potential
effect of the JMP in the longer term.

1. Does the JMP obfuscate an “on the balance of probability” determination? It is an

approach favoured by the Courts in recent cases and we wonder if the JMP swings
the balance in favour of the defendant?

2. The Agreement allows the Defendant to set the level of evidence, which appears
perverse.

3. There are no agreed definitions of what constitutes desiccation or movement

sufficient to prove the tree is, or isn’t, the culprit. The agreement may leave us no
further forward. For example, what would happen if we have pronounced (whatever
that means - is it 10mm, or 35mm?) movement using precise levels, and no excess
suctions? Is a determination that the tree is involved based upon satisfying all of the
tests, or one? Precise levelling would remove doubt in most cases, supported by an
agreement of what constitutes movement associated with root induced clay
shrinkage as opposed to normal seasonal movement. This would simplify the JMP
proposals considerably, and could be used irrespective of tree value with guidance
from Giles Biddle and Tim Freeman.

4. Nuisance – whether a tree is valuable or not doesn’t change the fact it shouldn’t
cause a nuisance, and whilst CAVAT is currently being used to determine the level
of investigations, are we satisfied that it is not being developed as a political tool to
change the issue of liability by introducing a ‘for the public good’ argument?

5. Enforcement. What happens if sensible levels of evidence are contested, or the tree
officer doesn’t reply, or if there is disagreement about interpretation. What are the
penalties and who is to police the agreement?

6. Council’s are spending too much money on occasions, defending hopeless cases. We
can’t see how the JMP changes this. Is the agreement directed towards moving
things on, or building a framework to avoid liability and change the context
politically?

7. What do the lawyers think about the JMP? As they play an important role in
recovering insurers outlay, are they party to this? After all, theAgreement has a legal
framework. Any agreement that can reduce the opportunity to recover has
important implications for insurers.

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The Clay Research Group

Hyperspectral Sensing “Predicting Soil Swelling
Behaviour from Specific
Scientists have developed aIm, Jungho et al, Surface Area”
(2009) 'Hyperspectral remote sensing analysis of short
rotation woody crops grown with controlled nutrient and Yukselen-Aksoy et al
irrigation treatments', Geocarto International, 24:
4, 293 — 312 describe a technique that can not Proceedings of the ICE -
Geotechnical Engineering, Volume
only distinguish between crops, but also 163. August 2010
provide some idea of their stage of growth.
The following is an abstract from the ICE web site
describing a method of assessing the soils shrink-
swell potential …

“Some geotechnical index properties, such as the liquid limit,

plasticity index, clay content and cation exchange capacity,
have been used to predict the swelling potential of soils.

The methods used to determine swelling potential are time-

consuming. Researchers have been investigating other methods
The method measures reflected light and that can predict the swelling potential of soils readily and
identifies the chemical composition, biomass accurately. In this study the BET (Brunauer, Emmett and
and even species by referring to a library of Teller equation)-N2 adsorption, ethylene glycol monoethyl
characteristic signatures. ether (EGME) and methylene blue (MB) measured specific
surface areas (SSA) are correlated with the swell index and
modified free swell index of soils.

The SSA and swell index of 16 remoulded and 15

undisturbed soils consisting of a wide range of mineralogy
were determined. Results indicate that the correlation between
the SSA and the swelling behaviour of the clayey soils
examined is significant.

A linear relationship is observed between the swell index, C

s, and the MB SSA: the swell index of the soils increases as
the SSA increases. The correlation coefficient between the
SSA and the modified free swell index (MFSI) is 0·93,
indicating that the MB SSA does exert a significant
influence on the swelling behaviour of clayey soils. Based on
the test results obtained, a new swelling potential
The top graphs record biomass and chemical composition classification is proposed.”
and below the slope of the line identifies the species. The
same technology can be used to identify landslips, building The sample is too small to make an assessment and
material – apparently everything has a unique spectral particularly as the authors refer to a “wide range of
signature. mineralogy” but we shall see.