Arnold Dix

Last updated
Arnold Dix
Alma materMonash University
OccupationBarrister-Professor of engineering-Scientist-Emergency Rescue Disasters-Truck driver-Flower farmer-Humanitarian
SpouseDivina Dix
RelativesHelena Dix (sister) Colin Dix (Brother)
AwardsAlan Neyland Australasian Tunnelling Society bi-annual award (2011) NFPA -Distinguished Committee Service Award (2022)
Website https://arnolddix.com/

Arnold Dix (8 March 1964) is an author, lawyer (barrister), scientist, professor of engineering and author from Monbulk, Australia. He is also the president of the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association. [1]

Contents

In 2023, he was part of the Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operation of 41 workers in India who were trapped in Uttarkashi, India.

Early life

Dix's father emigrated from New Zealand where he a used-car salesman. His mother is a graduate of Emily McPherson College of Domestic Economy. His parents became publicans, causing the family to frequently move around Melbourne, Benalla and Jindabyne. [2] He is a graduate of Monash University where he complete a law degree and a science degree.

Career

Dix is a registered barrister at the High Court of Australia and a member of the Victorian bar. [3] [4] He is also former counsel to White & Case legal firm [5] and also a former partner of law firms Maddock Lonie & the law firm Chisholm and DLA Phillips Fox.

Dix is a visiting Professor of Engineering (tunnels) at the Tokyo City University. [6] He is also a former Professor of engineering at Queensland University of Technology and a former Professor of Population Health and Disasters at Western Sydney University. [7]

Dix is also the elected president of International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA), which is based in Geneva and is the peak advisory body on the underground to the United Nations. He provides expertise in the legal, environmental, political and ethical aspects of underground construction. He is also the founder of The ALARP Group. [8]

Dix has also been involved in improving the safety of bulk milk truck tankers. His work in this sector, has resulted to reduction in truck rollovers. In 2023, he was announced by the National Bulk Tanker Association (NBTA) as the keynote speaker for Bulk Tanker Day. [9] [10] [11]

Dix has also been involved in the investigation of disasters. He was the coroners investigator into the Burnley Tunnel disaster [12] . He also wrote an expert report for the Victorian coroner on the incident. [13]

Dix was also an independent investigator of the Lakanal House Tower Block Fire. He also investigated the Grenfell Tower fire. [14]

Dix is also a Guinness book of records verifier of extreme tunnelling having verified Qatar's record for most number of TBMs working concurrently in a singe project [15]

In 2020, Dix together with Lord Robert Mair and Peter Vickery QC, established Underground Works Chambers. [16] The company offers technical and regulatory solutions for challenges related to underground spaces. [17]

Dix sits on the on the National Fire Protection Association standards committees for Road (NFPA 502) and Rail (NFPA 130) Tunnels safety. [18] He also serves on PIARC for road Tunnel related matters.

Uttarakhand Tunnel Rescue

On 19 November 2023, Dix joined the Uttarakhand tunnel rescue operation. [19] Upon arrival, Dix promised to evacuate all 41 workers safely. Dix played a leading role in the operation that saved 41 workers who were trapped nearly 200ft below the surface. He worked together with five agencies ONGC, SJVNL, RVNL, NHIDCL, and THDCL, who had encountered difficulties completing the rescue mission. [20] [21]

Dix suggested that the team use soft mining techniques, to avoid disturbing the mountain and causing another avalanche which would put the workers at further risk. Rescuers had been using large earth drilling machines which caused vibrations that made the tunnel more unsafe. The large drills also broke down from hitting metal obstacles from the collapsed tunnel, forcing the rescue operation to be paused frequently. [22] Dix proposed much slower and gentle approaches that he considered safer. [23] The rescuers used a thin pipe to carry the trapped workers to safety. They finally excavated by hand to avoid disturbing the rock and causing further damage. [1]

Dix displayed faith during the rescue by setting a makeshift temple during the rescue, which gained attention on social media. During the rescue mission, Dix was seen praying at the temple of local deity Baba Bokh Naag ji. [24] [25] [26]

Personal Life

Dix has two siblings, Helena Dix and the late Colin Dix. He is married to Divina Dix. He has three children Sam, Hannah and Edward from his first marriage to Karen Beckmann. He has one stepchild, Trisha, from his current marriage. [2]

Awards and honor

Awards

In 2011, he was the recipient of the Alan Neyland Tunnelling Society award for tunnel fire safety excellence. [27]

In 2022, Dix was honored with a Committee Service Award by the National Fire Protection Association of the United States of America for his contribution to road and rail tunnel fire safety. [28]

Honor

Dix received recognition from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his work in the Uttarakhand tunnel rescue. [29]

Publications

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References

  1. 1 2 Amalaraj, Perkin. "Australian tunnel expert revealed as mastermind behind miracle rescue of 41 Indian miners who were trapped underground for 17 days - as full details of claustrophobic escape emerge". Daily Mail. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 Crowe, Alex (26 January 2024). "From Victoria's troublemaker to India's hero". The Age. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  3. ↑ Agarwal, Mehak (29 November 2023). "Meet Professor Arnold Dix, the Australian expert who turned savior in Uttarkashi tunnel rescue operation". Business Today. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  4. ↑ The Quint (22 November 2023). "Tunnel Expert Who Helped Rescue 41 Trapped Men in Uttarkashi: Who is Arnold Dix?". The Quint. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  5. ↑ The Economic Times (30 November 2023). "Engineer, geologist, lawyer: The many hats worn by Arnold Dix, the man behind the miraculous Uttarkashi rescue". The Economic Times. The Economic Times. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  6. ↑ The Hindu Bureau (23 November 2023). "Australia proud of professor assisting Silkyara rescue efforts: envoy". The Hindu. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  7. ↑ Abraham, Bobins (24 November 2023). "Who Is Arnold Dix, The Australian Underground Expert Involved In Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue?". India times. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "The ALARP Group | ALARP".
  9. ↑ alrta (May 2024). "Bulk Tanker Day keynote speaker announcement". alrta. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  10. ↑ Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (29 April 2024). "The 'Tunnel Guy' Digs In For Bulk Tanker Day". Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  11. ↑ Trailer (23 April 2024). "Arnold Dix named keynote speaker for Bulk Tanker Day". Trailer. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  12. ↑ Tunnelbuilder. "Burnley tunnel crash findings". Tunnelbuilder. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  13. ↑ Dix, Arnold. "THE FATAL BURNLEY TUNNEL CRASHES MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA" (PDF). uwchambers.com. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  14. ↑ Cafe, Rebecca (27 June 2017). "London fire: Fire safety risk inspections pointless, says expert". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  15. ↑ Staff Writer (27 September 2015). "Qatar Rail TBMs entered into Guinness Records". Construction Week. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  16. ↑ https://uwchambers.com/
  17. ↑ Times of India (29 November 2023). "How tunneling expert Arnold Dix played a crucial role in the successful rescue operation in Uttarkashi". Times of India. Times of India. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  18. ↑ National Fire Protection Association. "Technical Committee on Fixed Guideway Transit and Passenger Rail Systems (FKT-AAA) NFPA 130 First Draft Meeting (A2025)" (PDF). National Fire Protection Association. National Fire Protection Association. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  19. ↑ Clure, Elias (13 December 2023). "Arnold Dix, the 'nerdy' Aussie farmer behind the Indian tunnel rescue that saved 41 people". ABC News. abc.net. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  20. ↑ FP Explainers (24 November 2023). "Meet Arnold Dix, Aus expert roped in for Uttarkashi tunnel rescue". Firstpost. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  21. ↑ Dhar, Aniruddha. "'If national agencies hadn't cooperated...': Arnold Dix's 'perfect' remark on Uttarkashi tunnel rescue". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  22. ↑ AP (25 November 2023). "Digging to rescue 41 workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in India halted after machine breaks". AP. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  23. ↑ Baruah, Rishika; Srinivasan, Chandrashekar. "This Article is From Nov 29, 2023 "Advised Rat-Hole Mining After...": Tunnelling Expert Details Rescue Op". NDTV. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  24. ↑ HT News Desk. "'Miracle': Tunnelling expert Arnold Dix says he will visit temple because..." Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  25. ↑ The Statesman (29 November 2023). "'When science and technology meet faith': Tunneling expert Dix offers prayers at makeshift temple". The Statesman. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  26. ↑ Abraham, Bobins (29 November 2023). "Uttarkashi Tunnel Rescue: Australian Expert Arnold Dix Offers Prayers Before Baba Bokhnaag After Successful Evacuation". India Times. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  27. ↑ HT News Desk. "'Australian giving us master class': Here's why Mahindra lauds Uttarakhand rescuer Arnold Dix". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  28. ↑ Dhar, Aniruddha. "Who is Arnold Dix, underground expert roped in for Uttarkashi tunnel rescue?". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  29. ↑ ET Online (8 December 2023). "Arnold Dix, Uttarkashi tunnel rescuer honoured by Aussie PM; Albanese says '2 nations in his debt'". Economic Times. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  30. ↑ Ferkl, L; Dix, Arnold. "Risk Analysis – from the Garden of Eden to its seven most Deadly Sins" (PDF). uwchambers. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  31. ↑ Dix, Arnold (October 2012). "Cable-Certification-Crisis-or-Crossroads". Tunnelling Journal. 2012 (October/November).
  32. ↑ Dix, Arnold. "Tunnelling-Journal-Emergency-Cable-Cert-Withdrawal-3M-UL". Tunnelling Journal. 2012 (October/November).
  33. ↑ Burns, Penelope; Stevens, Gary; Sandy, Kate; Dix, Arnold (January 2013). "Human behaviour during an evacuation scenario in the Sydney Harbour Tunnel". Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 28 (1): 20-27. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  34. ↑ Dix, Arnold. "Doing the Best with the Resources Available: Tunnel Safety and Security in a Severely Resources Limited World" (PDF). uwchambers.com. uwchambers. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  35. ↑ Dix, Arnold. "SSE Generation Limited against Hochtief – the £130M Collapse at Loch Ness". Tunnelling Journal. 2017 (April/May).
  36. ↑ Dix, Arnold. "Glendoe Hydro Collapse Case on Appeal". Tunnelling Journal. 2018 (June/July).
  37. ↑ Dix, Arnold. "Rock Beats Paper" – The Renaissance of Fairness in Ground Risk Allocation – the new ITA/FIDIC Emerald Book". Tunnelling Journal. 2019 (September).
  38. ↑ Dix, Arnold (September 2020). "REGULATORY BASELINE REPORTING: THE CASE FOR QUANTIFYING EXPECTED REGULATORY COSTS AND DELAYS IN A BASELINE REPORT – LESSONS IN CROWN UNFAIRNESS FROM AUSTRALIA". International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET). 11 (9): 32-42. doi:10.34218/IJCIET.11.9.2020.003.
  39. ↑ Dix, Arnold. "Public Funds and Accountability - Keep Mega Underground Infrastructure Projects Free from Corruption". ITA Library. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  40. ↑ Dix, Arnold (January 2020). "THE RENAISSANCE OF FAIRNESS IN GROUND RISK ALLOCATION – THE NEW ITA/FIDIC EMERALD BOOK". International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET). 11 (1): 43-52. doi:10.34218/IJCIET.11.1.2020.006 . Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  41. ↑ Dix, Arnold (September 2020). "REGULATORY BASELINE REPORTING: THE CASE FOR QUANTIFYING EXPECTED REGULATORY COSTS AND DELAYS IN A BASELINE REPORT – LESSONS IN CROWN UNFAIRNESS FROM AUSTRALIA". International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET). 11 (9): 32-42. doi:10.34218/IJCIET.11.9.2020.003 . Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  42. ↑ Dix, Arnold (March 2020). "Air Cleaning Technologies for Tunnels – Honesty Is the Best Policy for Protecting Human Health". International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology. 11 (1): 318-328.
  43. ↑ Dix, Arnold (July 2020). "THE COST OF ADMINISTRATIVE FRICTIONAL TAXES IN MAJOR UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE". International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET). 11 (7): 81-93. doi:10.34218/IJCIET.11.7.2020.008 . Retrieved 10 September 2024.
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