Research and development

An example of our R&D work is TRAIN, a train and traction power simulation package we developed to determine if new or upgraded rail systems will meet operation demands without compromising efficiency Research and development (R&D) has always been at the heart of Mott MacDonald’s activities.

As part of our long-running professional excellence programme we encourage, initiate and carry out our own R&D in fields as diverse as railway engineering, where we’ve developed state-of-the-art design and evaluation tools that have saved money for our customers, and health systems – where the Institute set up by our health consultancy HLSP contributes to international debate and policy on global health issues and development practice.

Further demonstrating our talent for R&D leading to practical, cost-saving innovation that meets real needs are:

• LA Treat TM, the successfully patented treatment jointly developed with BAC Corrosion Control Limited to arrest an accelerated form of low water corrosion on unprotected steel marine structures
• Stepsafe (for which a patent is pending), an award-winning modular method for building station platforms which we’ve developed with Laing Rail Projects and RMC Rail Products to save time and money, simplify construction and minimise track possessions
• a desalination process (for which a patent is pending) that increases output by 40% while reducing impact on the environment and offering low additional investment for customers.

Another example in the early stages is our proposal for a radical heating and cooling system that can be built into tunnels or the foundations of new buildings to provide efficient and sustainable air-conditioning – an approach sparked by work at the Technical University of Vienna.

Specific assignments for customers also form a core part of our R&D activities and the scope of our portfolio is as wide-ranging as our business itself. For BP Amoco for example we researched the behaviour of deep sea risers to increase the feasibility for developing new deepwater oil discoveries, while for the UK’s Department for International Development we’ve undertaken a series of research studies – under its Knowledge and Research programme – looking at how water resource management can be better focused on improving people’s livelihoods and the sustainability of their environment.

In all sectors of our business we frequently work in collaboration with universities and research bodies – such as the UK’s Imperial College and Construction Industry Research & Information Association (CIRIA) – drawing on our strong relationships to bring added benefits for our customers.

Thanks to our wealth of internationally renowned specialists, we’re frequently called upon by industrial organisations, professional bodies, trade associations and government departments to help in drafting codes and producing good practice documents. Staff are often appointed to posts on key committees and steering groups – among the latest are:

• RILEM Committee on Nanotechnology in Construction Materials – Graham Maden, who also chairs CIRIA’s steering group for Whole Life Infrastructure Asset Management across Industries, was invited onto this international committee in 2005
• the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) – Peter Lee was elected president in 2005 after chairing a number of ICID work bodies; he's also chairman of the International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage, hosted by FAO in Rome.
• Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS), UK – Alan Powderham was appointed in 2005 to this prestigious committee which is sponsored by the Institutions of Civil and Structural Engineers and the Health and Safety Executive
• CIRIA’s Construction Process Advisory Panel – David Rogers represents Mott MacDonald on this panel looking at a wide range of issues and topics