During the South African Institution of Civil Engineers (SAICE) Geotechnical Division Annual General Meeting and Awards function hosted on 06 November 2024 at the Bryanston Country Club in Sandton, Heather Davis, Director: Geotechnical, WSP in Africa received the SAICE Geotechnical Division Distinguished Service Award for her unwavering contributions to advancing geotechnical engineering in the local market.
The SAICE Geotechnical Division is a learned society for geotechnical engineering professionals – and the Geotechnical Division Distinguished Service Award is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the geotechnical engineering industry in South Africa.
“We are exceptionally proud of Heather and this well-deserved peer recognition in the industry. This award is a testament to Heather’s ongoing dedication in the fields of geotechnical engineering and engineering geology – and reflects our ongoing commitment to introducing excellence through management and technical skills to strengthen our mining footprint across Africa,” said Sean Doel, Managing Director: Earth & Environment at WSP in Africa.
Heather Davis, Director: Geotechnical, WSP in Africa, said: “I am honoured and grateful to receive this award and recognition for what has already been an extremely rewarding career filled with exciting and notable experiences. And as clients increasingly look to decarbonise, reduce their environmental impacts and meet their ESG commitments, I greatly look forward to the innovative solutions and positive impact and contributions our teams will continue to make in these fields.”
With over forty years of experience within the fields of geotechnical engineering and engineering geology, Heather is the Geotechnical Team Lead for WSP in Africa’s Mine Waste: Geotechnical & Material Services within its Earth & Environment business. Heather’s work spans across sub-Saharan Africa – including South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana, Malawi, and Angola – and a wide range of projects; from investigations for large projects such as coal fired power stations, hydroelectric power schemes, mine processing plants, major freeways and major pipelines to smaller scale projects for commercial developments and residential buildings. Heather has also been involved with forensic investigations completed for failed tailings facilities, structures and slopes, where she assumed responsibility for all facets of the geotechnical investigation including; site investigation planning, procurement, drilling supervision, fieldwork, in situ testing, analysis, reporting and supervision during construction, as well as contract documentation and administration management.
Heather also has extensive experience in dolomitic terrain and was involved in the drafting of SANS 1936 Parts 1 and 2 and subsequent revisions to the standard. She is also involved in the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) study and implication plan to have a specified category of registration for D4 level dolomite geo-professionals. Heather is recognised as a D4 specialist and has conducted dolomite assessments and D4 reviews for large facilities such as the Telkom site in Centurion, the Mispah tailings facility, residential complexes and individual units as well as linear dolomitic assessments for roads and pipelines.
Heather is a registered professional engineer, a fellow of the South African Institution of Civil Engineers and served as Treasurer of the Geotechnical Division from 2006 to 2020.
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