Alan Muir Wood
Encyclopedia
Sir Alan Marshall Muir Wood, MA, LLD, DEng
, FRS
, FREng
, FICE
(8 August 1921 – 1 February 2009) was a British
civil engineer
.
Muir Wood was born on 8 August 1921 at Hampstead
in London
. Muir Wood was educated at Abbotsholme School and later studied mechanical sciences at Peterhouse College, Cambridge University from 1940 and he graduated with a Master of Arts degree. Due to the Second World War Muir Wood joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) as a commissioned officer on the 5 October 1942. He reached the rank of Probationary Temporary Sub-Lieutenant
(Engineers) in the RNVR before transferring as Temporary Sub-Lieutenant (Engineers) to the Royal Navy
on 5 June 1944. Muir Wood was promoted to Temporary Lieutenant
(Engineers) on the 1 August 1945, with seniority of 5 April 1945.
After leaving the navy in 1946 Muir Wood worked for the Southern Railway
where he helped to design bridges and the remediation of landslips at Folkestone Warren, Kent. He then spent a period with the Docks and Inland Waterways Executive where he designed and organised the hydraulics laboratory. In 1952 he joined Halcrow
, the engineering consultancy, where he began work on the Channel Tunnel
, a project he would repeatedly return to over the next twenty years. He worked extensively with tunnels and his projects included the Clyde Tunnel
, the Potters Bar
rail tunnel, Heathrow Airport's cargo tunnel and the Jubilee Line Extension
. Muir Wood also worked on the design of South Africa
's 80 km long Orange–Fish River Tunnel
, the second-longest water supply tunnel in the world.
Muir Wood was the founding president of the International Tunnelling Association
in 1974 and served as honorary president until his death. He retired from Halcrow as the firm's senior partner on 1 May 1984 but continued to work as an expert witness and specialist consultant. He was closely involved with a campaign launched by New Civil Engineer
to rescue Isambard Kingdom Brunel
's Thames Tunnel
from a plan to shroud its lining with sprayed concrete
. Muir Wood was elected president of the Institution of Civil Engineers
(ICE) for the November 1977 to November 1978 session. He held a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Dundee
and an Engineering Doctorate
from Bristol University where he was also a visiting professor.
Muir Wood was a fellow of the Royal Society
, of the Royal Academy of Engineering
and of the ICE. He was also a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
. In 1981 he was appointed a fellow of Imperial College London
and of his alma mater
, Peterhouse. Muir Wood was appointed a Knight Bachelor
on 31 December 1981, the knighthood was conferred by Queen Elizabeth II on 23 March 1982. He died on 1 February 2009.
Engineering Doctorate
The Engineering Doctorate scheme is a British postgraduate education programme promoted by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council . The programme is undertaken over four years. Students conduct PhD-equivalent research and undertake taught business and technical courses whilst...
, FRS
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, FREng
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
, FICE
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
(8 August 1921 – 1 February 2009) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
.
Muir Wood was born on 8 August 1921 at Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Muir Wood was educated at Abbotsholme School and later studied mechanical sciences at Peterhouse College, Cambridge University from 1940 and he graduated with a Master of Arts degree. Due to the Second World War Muir Wood joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) as a commissioned officer on the 5 October 1942. He reached the rank of Probationary Temporary Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
(Engineers) in the RNVR before transferring as Temporary Sub-Lieutenant (Engineers) to the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
on 5 June 1944. Muir Wood was promoted to Temporary Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
(Engineers) on the 1 August 1945, with seniority of 5 April 1945.
After leaving the navy in 1946 Muir Wood worked for the Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
where he helped to design bridges and the remediation of landslips at Folkestone Warren, Kent. He then spent a period with the Docks and Inland Waterways Executive where he designed and organised the hydraulics laboratory. In 1952 he joined Halcrow
Halcrow Group Limited
Halcrow Group Limited is an engineering consultancy company, based in the United Kingdom.Halcrow is one of the UK's leading consultancies, with a pedigree stretching back to 1868. The UK-based consultancy specialises in the provision of planning, design and management services for infrastructure...
, the engineering consultancy, where he began work on the Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel
The Channel Tunnel is a undersea rail tunnel linking Folkestone, Kent in the United Kingdom with Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais near Calais in northern France beneath the English Channel at the Strait of Dover. At its lowest point, it is deep...
, a project he would repeatedly return to over the next twenty years. He worked extensively with tunnels and his projects included the Clyde Tunnel
Clyde Tunnel
The Clyde Tunnel is a crossing beneath the River Clyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Two parallel tunnel tubes connect the districts of Whiteinch to the north and Govan to the south in the west of the city.-History:...
, the Potters Bar
Potters Bar
Potters Bar is a town in the Hertsmere borough of Hertfordshire, England, located north of Central London. In 2001 it had a population of 21,618....
rail tunnel, Heathrow Airport's cargo tunnel and the Jubilee Line Extension
Jubilee Line Extension
The Jubilee Line Extension is the extension of the London Underground Jubilee line from to through south and east London. An eastward extension of the Jubilee line was first proposed in the 1970s and a modified route was constructed during the 1990s...
. Muir Wood also worked on the design of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
's 80 km long Orange–Fish River Tunnel
Orange–Fish River Tunnel
The Orange–Fish River Tunnel is an 82.8 km irrigation tunnel in South Africa which diverts water from the Orange River under the Suurberg mountain plateau to the Great Fish River and the semi-arid areas of Eastern Cape province....
, the second-longest water supply tunnel in the world.
Muir Wood was the founding president of the International Tunnelling Association
International Tunneling and Underground Space Association
The International Tunneling and Underground Space Association is an organization founded in 1974, comprising currently 55 member nations and 284 affiliate members, aiming to encourage the use of the subsurface for the benefit of public, environment and sustainable development, and to promote...
in 1974 and served as honorary president until his death. He retired from Halcrow as the firm's senior partner on 1 May 1984 but continued to work as an expert witness and specialist consultant. He was closely involved with a campaign launched by New Civil Engineer
New Civil Engineer
New Civil Engineer is the weekly magazine of the Institution of Civil Engineers, the UK chartered body that oversees the practice of civil engineering in the UK. It is published by EMAP who acquired the title and editorial control from the ICE in 1995...
to rescue Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
's Thames Tunnel
Thames Tunnel
The Thames Tunnel is an underwater tunnel, built beneath the River Thames in London, United Kingdom, connecting Rotherhithe and Wapping. It measures 35 feet wide by 20 feet high and is 1,300 feet long, running at a depth of 75 feet below the river's surface...
from a plan to shroud its lining with sprayed concrete
Shotcrete
Shotcrete is concrete conveyed through a hose and pneumatically projected at high velocity onto a surface, as a construction technique....
. Muir Wood was elected president of the Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Civil Engineers
Founded on 2 January 1818, the Institution of Civil Engineers is an independent professional association, based in central London, representing civil engineering. Like its early membership, the majority of its current members are British engineers, but it also has members in more than 150...
(ICE) for the November 1977 to November 1978 session. He held a Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
and an Engineering Doctorate
Engineering Doctorate
The Engineering Doctorate scheme is a British postgraduate education programme promoted by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council . The programme is undertaken over four years. Students conduct PhD-equivalent research and undertake taught business and technical courses whilst...
from Bristol University where he was also a visiting professor.
Muir Wood was a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal Academy of Engineering
-Overview: is the UK’s national academy of engineering. The Academy brings together the most successful and talented engineers from across the engineering sectors for a shared purpose: to advance and promote excellence in engineering....
and of the ICE. He was also a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences or Kungl. Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademien , founded in 1919 by King Gustaf V, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
. In 1981 he was appointed a fellow of Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
and of his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Peterhouse. Muir Wood was appointed a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
on 31 December 1981, the knighthood was conferred by Queen Elizabeth II on 23 March 1982. He died on 1 February 2009.