The Ground Investigation Podcast

In this episode of The Ground Investigation Podcast, Michael Taylor sits down with Dr. Ed Medley, a geological engineer, researcher, and storyteller with a 45-year career spanning mineral exploration, litigation, consulting, and academia. Known for his work on BIMROCKS (Block-In-Matrix Rocks), Ed shares some of the most unexpected, humorous, and insightful moments from his global career—including mapping toilet paper at a major San Francisco sinkhole failure.

Beyond the stories, Ed offers hard-earned wisdom on resilience, curiosity, and the ever-evolving geotechnical industry. Whether you’re an engineer, student, or just love a good geotechnical adventure, this episode is packed with insights.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The Wild Journey of Ed Medley

🔹 How he went from dishwasher on a Norwegian cargo ship to geotechnical expert
🔹 His early career in helicopter geophysics, blasting, and mineral exploration
🔹 The unexpected career pivots that shaped his geotechnical path

BIMROCKS & Engineering Chaos

🔹 What BIMROCKS are and why they’re so complex
🔹 Why engineers struggle to characterize mixed geological materials
🔹 How he created the term BIMROCKS to help engineers think differently

Legendary Geotechnical Stories

🔹 Mapping toilet paper to solve a massive sewer failure in San Francisco
🔹 Flying over the wilderness and facing bears during mineral exploration

Lessons from a Career in Chaos

🔹 Why Ed says: “Get fired. It’ll teach you something.”
🔹 The mantras that guided him through challenges:
✔ Nothing is simple.
✔ Nothing is what it seems.
✔ Nothing stays the same.
✔ Excellence is not convenient.
🔹 Why resilience, curiosity, and humility are essential for success

The Evolution of Geotechnical Engineering

🔹 How technology like AI, GIS, and LiDAR is changing site investigations
🔹 Why over-reliance on software is risky—"Computers make pretty pictures, but that doesn’t mean they’re right."
🔹 The globalization of geotechnical engineering and differences between UK, US, and Canadian practices.

Subscribe to the show to join our host, Michael Taylor, as he continues to explore the intricacies of running a business in the ground investigation industry, bringing geological experts to share their wisdom, insights, and plans for the future, and shedding light on what they believe will enhance the ground investigation industry moving forward. Don't forget to stay connected by visiting https://girec.co.uk/.