Editorial 2022

Abstract

It is a pleasure to continue working with the QJEGH as the new Chief Editor (Fig. 1), taking over from Jane Dottridge (Fig. 2), and I would like to thank Jane for her assistance in ensuring a smooth transition – not least in sharing thewriting of this first editorial. Over the last four years Jane has ensured that the journal continues to act as a showcase for issues, best practice and innovation across our professions while opening it up to a greater global market of both authors and readers. Having served on the Editorial Board since 2015 and as an Assistant Editor from 2018 to present, I also benefited from working alongside Eddie Bromhead, the previous Chief Editor. In line with the journal’s development plan, I have seen the Editorial Board diversify, grow in size and international reach, and the impact factor (IF) improve. I look forward to working with the Assistant Editors, Editorial Board Members and Geological Society Publishing House to continue to grow the reputation of the journal as a key outlet for industry−academia knowledge exchange, addressing global challenges through world leading research and practice in engineering geology and hydrogeology. We welcome Colin Serridge to the role of Assistant Editor (engineering geology). Colin is a Chartered Geologist with over 30 years’ experience in design, project management, training, mentoring and technical managerial roles, within the specialist ground improvement and geotechnical contracting industry, both within the UK and overseas, and has served on the Editorial Board since 2015. Despite the impact of the global pandemic over the last year, the journal Editorial Board has continued to meet online and 2021 has seen the publication of a series of high-quality thematic collections as well as research papers, case studies, review articles, technical notes, photographic features, discussion papers, editorial opinion and book reviews. This first issue of 2022 highlights the use of new digital technologies, data analyses and numerical modelling approaches alongside more traditional engineering geology and hydrogeology research, technical and case studies. The photographic feature throws new light on the origin and characteristics of the spectacular toppling failure, Southwell Topple, on the southeastern coastline of the Isle of Portland, on the south coast of England (Dykes and Bromhead 2021). I am particularly pleased, having worked alongside him inmy first academic post almost thirty years ago, to see Rory Mortimore’s article ‘Chalk: all we need is a fracture log!’ appear in this issue. This review of Chalk fracture logging, in the context of the broader geology needed to build conceptual ground models, provides guidance on the use of fracture log reports to highlight and illustrate special features and issues requiring discussion (Mortimore 2021). In November 2021 the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow highlighted the important role of geologists and hydrogeologists in helping to deliver the goals of the Paris Agreement – not only in decarbonization but also in adaption to andmitigation of the impacts of climate change.QJEGH supports these important agendas: through the publication of thematic collections of papers focusing, for example, on energy transition and informing adaptation such as the recently completed Thermal Hydrogeology and Impact of Climate Change on Engineered Slopes for Infrastructure; and more broadly through the publication of a range of types of papers that highlight important current research and practice. The current call for the Sustainability in Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology thematic collection supports the Geological Society’s Year of Sustainability, 2022. The QJEGH addresses the Geological Society’s new scientific theme, Geohazards, Geoengineering and Georesilience, as reflected in the journal’s 50th anniversary review papers e.g. Bromhead and Winter (2019) and Glossop Lecture collection e.g. Privett (2019). Current and future thematic collections focus on a variety of key aspects including the Role of Water in Destabilizing Slopes, Hydrogeology of Sandstone, Climate Change and Resilience in Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology in the Anthropocene. Whilst engineering geology and hydrogeology research and practice focuses predominantly on terrestrial and subterranean environments, there is a growing interest in the submarine environment. Increasing use of the seabed for transport and communications infrastructure as well as offshore renewable energy, together with technological advancements in marine survey, has focused work on submarine terrain analysis for engineering projects (Griffiths 2002, 2017, 2019) and