A message from the AGS Chair on how COVID-19 impacts our offering to members
Posted:
Dear Members,
We are all adapting to our new routines living with the hazard and disruption associated with COVID-19. The government guidelines and our personal circumstances are changing daily. The AGS is committed to serving our members during these uncertain times. Our plan includes the following:
Continue offering technical sessions to the geotechnical community
We are currently sourcing a suitable online platform to use for presenting technical sessions. We have in the past successfully offered online presentations at a chapter level, and we are now shifting all presentations to this format. The good news that comes with this development is that live presentations can be made to a large number of people, all over Australia, at the same time. A second positive is that we can offer presentations by geotechnical colleagues in other parts of the world, speaking from their homes to ours. We already have some plans for talks in the next couple of months and will be in touch soon with details. Please keep an eye on the AGS website and our LinkedIn feed for updates.
Postpone courses/events to a later date
We had the popular Geotechnical Mapping Course and a Soil and Rock Logging Course scheduled in a number of cities over the next 3 months (April-June). These will be postponed. We will provide updates on the Geotechnical Mapping Courses scheduled for August and September in the coming weeks when we know if holding courses at this time will be possible. Some chapter symposia, including the Western Australia event planned for May, will also be postponed. Planning for all these events will proceed, with new dates to be advertised when possible.
Australian Geomechanics Journal
Preparation and publication of the Australian Geomechanics (AG) Journal will proceed as usual. If you would like to contribute any papers or news to the journal please do so at ScolacticaHQ. Perhaps now is a good time to write that AG paper you have been meaning to write for a while.
Online Content
The AGS website offers links to online content, such as previously recorded AGS technical presentations and links to international resources such as Rankine Lectures. We are working to add more content and more links to international society resources on the AGS website, to assist members to find useful technical resources to access at home. We will provide updates via LinkedIn and notices on the website. We also anticipate uploading recordings of some live-streamed webinar events that we plan to hold over the next few months. If you know of any interesting recordings or other resources that you would like to suggest sharing with other AGS members, please contact the AGS webmaster Tim Thompson.
Forward Planning
We are continuing with our plans for future events, so that once the COVID-19 crisis passes we are ready to offer our usual suite of courses, symposia, conferences and in-person technical sessions and social events. We ask you to look forward to 2021 and support the ICSMGE Conference by submitting abstracts and encouraging others to do so. We are planning a number of chapter events, including AGS 50th anniversary celebrations, that will happen as soon as practically possible.
Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the AGS
We had envisaged a very different 50th anniversary year to the one that is unfolding. While in-person celebrations may need to be postponed, we are still determined to celebrate the history of the AGS and the success that the society has undeniably become. The 50th anniversary commemorative book is almost ready for print and will be available for distribution as soon as circumstances allow.
We hope that while our offering to members and the wider geotechnical community has changed in format, we can still gather (online) to share technical knowledge, support our fellow geotechnical colleagues and look towards the future.
Thank you for your continuing support and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions for the AGS as we navigate these difficult times.
Best regards
Nina Levy National Chair of Australian Geomechanics Society
Call for Abstracts – 2020 AGS Sydney Golden Symposium
Posted:
Abstract Deadline extended
The Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) Sydney Chapter is holding its 24th annual Symposium on Friday 13 November 2020, on ‘Geotechnical Advances and Challenges in Urban Development’. This year Symposium is also called Golden Symposium due to its coincident with the 50th anniversary of Australian Geomechanics Society.
The symposium forms part of the continuing program of events organised by the AGS Sydney Chapter. It aims to keep the engineering industry informed of recent geotechnical advances in urban development, as well as the challenges and opportunities out there.
The symposium will showcase state-of-the-art practices, new research findings and case histories that demonstrate geotechnical advances and challenges in urban development. The organising committee invites papers on geotechnical aspects of urban development, underground structures, restoration of geotechnical structures, innovative and cost-efficient solutions, groundwater modelling and application of smart technologies. The symposium presents an opportunity for professional engineers, researchers, specialist contractors, regulators, educators and students to meet and share their knowledge and experiences in geotechnical engineering.
Suggested Topics
The following are some suggested topics for this symposium:
Underground Structures in Urban Areas – Geotechnical Design and Construction Aspects
Retrofitting, Rehabilitation and Restoration of Geotechnical Structures in Urban Areas
Cost Savings through Innovative Construction and Design
Dealing with Groundwater in Design
Applications of Smart Technologies in Geotechnical Engineering
Deep and Shallow Foundations in Urban Areas.
Papers that have been previously published will not be accepted for the symposium.
Important Dates & Submission
Abstracts must be submitted by 31 May 2020, with papers to be completed by 24 July 2020. All papers will be peer-reviewed and should be submitted in the Australian Geomechanics journal format (the details of which will be forwarded to authors at a later stage). The final version of the papers, after addressing any reviewers’ comments, must be submitted by 9 October 2020.
By submitting a paper for the symposium, the author(s) are giving permission for the AGS to publish the paper in the proceedings and other AGS national publications.
Abstract Format
One-page abstracts should be submitted in the following format:
Title of presentation (font type: Times New Roman Bold, font-size: 14, alignment: centre)
Authors’ full names (font type: Times New Roman Bold, font-size: 10, alignment: centre)
Authors’ full affiliation and address including position, name of company/university, email address and contact number (font type: Times New Roman Italic, font-size: 10, alignment: centre)
Underline the presenter’s name (only one presenter)
Abstract’s text, maximum 500 words (font type: Times New Roman, font style: regular, font-size: 10, alignment: left-justified)
Page layout with 20 mm margins (top, bottom, left and right)
In the covering email sent to the organising committee, the author(s) must confirm that the abstract and the proposed paper have not been previously published.
ICSMGE 2021 Call for Abstracts Extended
Posted:
The abstract submission process for the 20th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ICSMGE) 2021 is now open.
Abstracts will be accepted via the ISSMGE’s Member Societies websites. Please approach your Member Society for the opportunity to submit an abstract. If you would like to contact your Member Society please find the best contact here. Lists of accepted abstracts will be provided to the ICMSGE 2021 Conference Secretariat by each Member Society to finalise acceptance. Once accepted you will be directed to complete a submission link for the Conference.
Submission Guidelines for ICSMGE 2021
Abstracts must be written in English or in French.
Abstract submissions must include the abstract title, author(s)’ name(s), affiliations, theme, up to five keywords, and a presenting author biography (up to 150 words).
Abstract body including references should be in text only and should not exceed 250 words.
All abstracts should clearly state: Objectives, Methods and Conclusions.
Abstracts must be received by 31 May 2020 to the Conference.
The last few months have seen a massive disruption to our lives, due to direct and indirect effects of Covid-19. I hope that you have adjusted OK to working (and schooling) from home and other changes to your routine.
Whilst it is clear that while temporary closure of many industries may be starting to ease, the Australian economy will take time to recover. The AGS Executive appreciates that many AGS members may be receiving a reduced household income and that employers may be looking to take cost saving measures during this period. With this in mind, we have made the decision to offer our full individual membership a discount of approximately 25% on the annual AGS membership fees for the 2020-2021 financial year. The revised fees will be automatically applied and presented on your membership renewal notice, which will be distributed to you shortly from Engineers Australia. It is hoped that this reduction will contribute in a small way to ease any effect that the current disruptions are having on our valued members.
We are optimistic that the AGS will be in a position to re-commence in-person events in the near future, but in the meantime, our calendar of online (webinar style) events is available on the AGS website. There are several technical presentations scheduled for the next couple of months, with links provided on the specific event webpages for registration. These events are typically organised by AGS local chapters but are open for anyone who is interested to attend online (with a small number of exceptions that will be clearly noted).
Thank you for your continued support of the AGS. I look forward to seeing you in-person and continue to commemorate our 50th anniversary when conditions allow.
Best regards
Nina Levy (AGS National Chair)
Bright Spark Lecture Award
Posted:
To promote young members of the ISSMGE to play a major role in various international and regional conferences, the President of ISSMGE, Professor Charles Ng, created the Bright Spark Award for promising young geotechnical engineers/academics to deliver keynote and invited lectures at these conferences.
The Young Member Presidential Group (YMPG) and the ISSMGE wish to invite all ISSMGE member societies to nominate their most promising young geotechnical engineers as candidates to speak at a keynote session at the 20th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering in Sydney, Australia in September 2021. Two young engineers will be chosen. They will have the opportunity to present their work as the recipient of the ISSMGE Bright Spark Lecture Award.
The awardees will be invited to present a 30 minute keynote lecture at the conference and write an associated paper, which will be included in the conference proceedings. The Bright Spark Award will be presented to young geotechnical engineers who produce mature research containing major contributions to the intellectual community.
The Award criteria are as follows:
Age 36 or under on the last day of the conference (17 September 2021) Deadline of 1 June 2020 for nominations Limit of 3 nominees per member society Both English and French papers and lectures are welcome.
If you are interested in applying, please contact your ISSMGE Member Society. If you are not able to get in touch with your Member Society, please email: [email protected].
ISSMGE Circular — May 2020
Posted:
The May issue of the ISSMGE Circular, with details of seven full courses available through the ISSMGE “Virtual University” is now available online.
102nd IAEG Connector Newsletter
Posted:
Special Online IAEG Symposium on Asbestos, May 13-14, 2020 — The 102nd IAEG Connector Newsletter is available online.
International Symposium on Construction Resources and Environmentally Sustainable Technology (CREST 2020)
Posted:
The International Symposium on Construction Resources and Environmentally Sustainable Technology (CREST 2020), which was originally scheduled to be held during March 10-12, 2020 at Fukuoka, Japan, has been postponed until March 2021.
The organizing committee has decided to use this setback as an opportunity by providing chances to those, who could not submit papers previously, and, therefore, invite a new call for extended abstracts and full papers.
Landslides in Colombia postponed and Ecuador loses largest waterfall
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The latest issue of the IAEG Connector newsletter is available online.
AGS SA-NT Symposium 2020 Call For Abstracts
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The South Australia and Northern Territory Chapter of the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) is pleased to announce the 2020 AGS Seminar titled “Geotechnical aspects of renewable energy” which is to be held on 6 November 2020.
The symposium forms part of the continuing programme of events organised by the SA-NT Chapter of the AGS and aims to provide the engineering profession with a comprehensive introduction to the geotechnical aspects of renewable energy, including best practice techniques and recent developments.
South Australia has in current years seen an increased focus on the adoption of renewable energies to help reduce our contribution to climate change. This symposium will present overviews of current design practice, state-of-the-art practices, novel technologies and innovative solutions, and case studies demonstrating the application of advanced techniques and cost-effective solutions in the design and construction of geotechnical aspects for various renewable energy technologies.
The symposium will bring together professional engineers, researchers, specialist contractors, regulators, educators and students to share and discuss their experiences on the topic of geotechnical aspects of renewable energy and associated challenges and opportunities.
Topics
The following are some suggested topics for the symposium:
Planning and design of geotechnical investigations for renewable energy projects
Foundation and earthworks design and construction for solar farms, in particular, shrink-swell considerations
Foundation and earthworks design and construction for wind turbines
Geotechnical design and construction aspects of pumped hydro
Nominations
The SA-NT Chapter invites local, national and international practitioners to submit abstracts on a topic related to the design and construction of geotechnical aspects of renewable energy technologies. Abstracts are not to be more than 300 words and shall be prepared in accordance with the abstract submission guidelines outlined below. Complete abstracts should be sent to Marnel de Wet by Tuesday 9 June 2020 for consideration by the symposium organising committee.
Abstracts will be selected based on their quality and relevance to the theme and objectives of the seminar with the successful authors invited to submit a six-page paper for presentation at the seminar.
We encourage submissions from the geotechnical engineering professions as well as academia.
Cost
The cost of the symposium is to be confirmed. Presenters will enjoy free entry to the symposium with discounts for co-authors.
Important Dates & Submission
Abstracts are to be submitted by Tuesday 9 June 2020
Authors will be notified of acceptance of abstracts by Tuesday 16 June 2020
Full papers are to be submitted by Monday 21 September 2020
Final paper submission after addressing any reviewer’s comments by Monday 5 October 2020
Abstract Submission Format
Please submit a word document with the following information for abstract submission:
Author’s full name(s)
e.g. Bob, A. Smith, David, S. Smith (font type: Times New Roman, font style: regular, font size: 10) * Please underline the presenting author.
Author’s full affiliation
Position, name of company/ university, email address and contact number (font type: Times New Roman, font style: regular, font size: 10)
Title
Title of paper, maximum 100 characters (font type: Times New Roman, font style: bold, font size: 12)
Abstract
Abstract text, maximum 300 words (font type: Times New Roman, font style: regular, font size: 10)
Presenting author’s biography, maximum 150 words (font type: Times New Roman)
COVID-19
The COVID-19 situation globally is constantly changing. The SA-NT Chapter of the AGS are aware of the possibility that public gatherings and travel restrictions may extend past November 2020.
Please be advised that the symposium may be postponed until 2021 in the event that the above-outlined restrictions remain in place for November 2020, however the content of the event will not be impacted.
Further Information
For further information, please contact the Chair of the organising committee: Marnel de Wet 0435375006
Sponsorship
The organising committee is also seeking potential sponsors of the seminar. Interested parties should send through an EOI to Marnel de Wet by Friday 12 June 2020.
The SA-NT Chapter of the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) is pleased to announce the 2020 symposium titled “Geotechnical aspects of renewable energy” which is to be held on Friday 6 November 2020.
The Event
The symposium forms part of the continuing programme of events organised by the SA-NT Chapter of the AGS and aims to provide the engineering profession with a comprehensive introduction to the geotechnical aspects of renewable energy, including best practice techniques and recent developments.
The symposium will bring together professional engineers, researchers, specialist contractors, regulators, educators and students to share and discuss their experiences on the topics of the geotechnical aspects of renewable energy and associated challenges and opportunities.
The symposium will cover the following topics:
Planning and design of geotechnical investigations for renewable energy projects
Foundation and earthworks design and construction for solar farms, in particular, shrink-swell considerations
Foundation and earthworks design and construction for wind turbines
Geotechnical design and construction aspects of pumped hydro
COVID-19
The COVID-19 situation is constantly changing. The SA-NT Chapter of the AGS is aware of the possibility that public gatherings and travel restrictions may extend past November 2020.
Please be advised that the symposium may be postponed until 2021 in the event that the above-outlined restrictions remain in place for November 2020, however the content of the event will not be impacted.
Sponsorship & Exhibition
Without sponsorship, the committee of the AGS would be unable to provide you with these events at such competitive prices. We are therefore indebted to our sponsors and urge potential sponsors to consider supporting the event. There are three levels of sponsorship: Platinum; Gold; and Silver.
Platinum Sponsor $1,650 (inc GST)
Two free delegates
Opportunity to give a brief talk about their organisation
One full page of advertising space in the proceedings
Promotion of company logo on the day and with prior advertising of this event.
Gold Sponsor $1,100 (inc GST)
One free delegate
One full page of advertising space in the proceedings
Promotion of company logo on the day and with prior advertising of this event.
Silver Sponsor $550 (inc GST)
Half-page of advertising space in the proceedings
Promotion of company logo on the day and with prior advertising of this event.
Interested?
Interested parties are to complete the Order Form and return to Peter Robinson via [email protected] at the Australian Geomechanics Society Secretariat.
Notification and payment are required by Monday 28 September 2020. If you have any queries relating to sponsorship, please contact [email protected]
IAEG Connector News
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Awakening volcanoes in Iceland and Anak Krakatoa — the latest issue of the IAEG Connector newsletter is available online.
IAEG Connector Newsletter
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IAEG welcomes Costa Rica as its newest National Group! — The latest issue of the IAEG Connector E-News is available online.
ISSMGE Circular – April 2020
Posted:
The April issue of the ISSMGE Circular, with details of seven full courses available through the ISSMGE “Virtual University” is now available online.
