Society News
ISRM News Journal Volume 21, 2018 issue
The 2018 issue of the ISRM News Journal is available online.
ISSMGE News & Information Circular May 2019
The ISSMGE News & Information Circular for May 2019 is available online.
Along with a link to the ISSMGE Bulletin, there is a webinar on Unsaturated Soils, and a survey to assess the consistency of calculation models and design methods for a variety of geotechnical structures and, where possible, to compare the results with full-scale tests and reliability analyses.
4th International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics – Call for abstracts
The 4th International Conference on Transportation Geotechnics (4th ICTG) will be held in Chicago, Illinois, on August 30–September 2, 2020. This is the main conference event of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) Technical Committee (TC) 202 on Transportation Geotechnics and it is organized every four years. The primary focus of TC202 is to apply broad engineering to bridge the gap between Pavement/Railway Engineering and Geotechnical Engineering.
Abstracts submissions are now open, see the 4ICTG flyer for details.
The abstract and paper submission is through the ICTG2020 conference Web page:
http://www.conferences.illinois.edu/ICTG2020
The deadline for submission is June 16, 2019.
48th IAEG Connector newsletter
The 48th IAEG Connector newsletter is now online.
47th IAEG Connector
The 47th IAEG Connector newsletter is available now, online.
2019 SA-NT AGS Seminar, sponsorship opportunities
The SA-NT Chapter of the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) and the Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS) are pleased to announce the 2019 Seminar titled “Tunnelling under Adelaide”, which is to be held on Monday 28th October 2019.
The Seminar forms part of the continuing program of technical 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 tunnelling in soil in urban areas, including best practice techniques and recent developments.
The South Australian Government is currently considering the viability of tunnelling options for the two remaining sections of the strategic North-South Corridor between River Torrens to Anzac Highway and Anzac Highway to Darlington and plans to submit a business case that includes tunnel options to Infrastructure Australia for review. Design and construction of the remaining sections will be the biggest single infrastructure project in South Australia’s history.
The seminar will bring together professional engineers, researchers, specialist contractors, regulators, educators and students to share and discuss their experiences on the topic of the geotechnical aspects of the design and construction of TBM tunnels and their associated challenges and opportunities.
This seminar will present overviews of current design practice, state of-the-art practices, novel technologies and innovative solutions, and case studies demonstrating applications of advanced techniques and cost-effective solutions in the design and construction of TBM tunnels in clay, with a focus on the geotechnical challenges associated with the completion of the North-South Corridor between the River Torrens and Darlington.
The seminar will cover the following topics:
Planning and Investigation
- Contract models
- Risk management and Health & Safety
- Ground investigation strategy and techniques
- Tunnel alignment design
- Ground hazards
- 3-D geotechnical models and digital engineering
- Geotechnical Baseline Reports
Geotechnical Design
- Segmental and shotcrete lining design
- Tunnel induced ground movements and their impacts on existing infrastructure
- Instrumentation and monitoring
- Ground treatment
Excavation and Construction Methods
- TBM selection and performance
- Cross passage design and construction
- Shaft sinking
- Crossover structures
- TBM launch and reception pits
- Groundwater control
- The role of tunnel engineers during construction and the use of the observational method
Sponsorship and 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
$2,000 (excluding 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
$1,000 (excluding 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
$500 (excluding 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 on the following page and return to Peter Robinson via [email protected] at the Australian Geomechanics Society Secretariat.
Notification and payment are required by Friday 27 September 2019. If you have any queries relating to sponsorship, please contact [email protected].
2019 SA-NT AGS Seminar, call for abstracts
The South Australian-Northern Territories Chapter of the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) and the Australian Tunnelling Society (ATS) are pleased to announce the 2019 AGS Seminar titled “Tunnelling under Adelaide” which is to be held on Monday 28th October 2019.
The seminar 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 tunnelling in soil in urban areas, including best practice techniques and recent developments.
For more information see the Call For Abstracts flyer.
The Event
South Australia has seen significant investment in transport infrastructure in recent years. The development of a dedicated non-stop North-South Corridor for Adelaide is a direct result of a strategic objective to reduce Adelaide’s urban road congestion. The North-South Corridor is one of Adelaide’s most important transport corridors and is the major route for north and southbound traffic including freight vehicles running between Gawler and Old Noarlunga, a distance of some 78 km. Many of the associated projects involve complex geotechnical challenges.
The South Australian Government is currently considering the viability of tunnelling options for the two remaining sections of the strategic North-South Corridor between River Torrens to Anzac Highway and Anzac Highway to Darlington and plans to submit a business case that includes tunnel options to Infrastructure Australia for review. Design and construction of the remaining sections will be the biggest single infrastructure project in South Australia’s history.
This seminar will present overviews of current design practice, state-of-the-art practices, novel technologies and innovative solutions, and case studies demonstrating applications of advanced techniques and cost-effective solutions in the design and construction of TBM tunnels in clay, with a focus on the geotechnical challenges associated with the completion of the North-South Corridor between the River Torrens and Darlington.
The seminar will bring together professional engineers, researchers, specialist contractors, regulators, educators and students to share and discuss their experiences on the topic of the design and construction of TBM tunnels and their associated challenges and opportunities.
Topics
The following are some suggested topics for the Seminar:
Planning and Investigation
- Contract models
- Risk management and Health & Safety
- Ground investigation strategy and techniques
- Tunnel alignment design
- Ground hazards
- 3-D geotechnical models and digital engineering
- Geotechnical Baseline Reports
Geotechnical Design
- Segmental and shotcrete lining design
- Tunnel induced ground movements and their impacts on existing infrastructure
- Instrumentation and monitoring
- Ground treatment
Excavation and Construction Methods
- TBM selection and performance
- Cross passage design and construction
- Shaft sinking
- Crossover structures
- TBM launch and reception pits
- Groundwater control
- The role of tunnel engineers during construction and the use of the observational method
Nominations
The SA-NT Chapter of the AGS, in conjunction with the ATS, invites local, national and international practitioners to submit abstracts on a topic related to the design and construction of TBM tunnels in clay. Abstracts are not to be more than 300 words and shall be prepared in accordance with the abstract submission guidelines outlined below. Completed abstracts should be sent to Abbas Taheri by Monday 20 May 2019 for consideration by the seminar 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 and tunnelling professions as well as academia.
Cost
The cost of the seminar is to be confirmed. Presenters will enjoy free entry to the seminar with discounts for co-authors.
Important Dates & Submission
Abstracts are to be submitted by Monday 20 May 2019.
Authors will be notified of acceptance of abstracts by Monday 3 June 2019.
Full papers are to be submitted by Monday 19 August 2019.
Final paper submission after addressing any reviewer’s comments by Monday 16 September 2018.
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, font style: regular, font size: 10)
Further Information
For further information, please contact the Chair of the organising committee:
Abbas Taheri
The University of Adelaide
Phone: 0416 277 278
Email: [email protected]
IAEG Connector E-News
The recent IAEG Connector newsletter is online.
AGS members are encouraged to subscribe directly.
Call for Papers — Special Journal Issues (ASTM & MPDI)
Two special journal issues, sponsored by the Unsaturated Soils Committee of the Geo-Institute of the ASCE, have a call for papers.
Geotechnical Testing Journal (ASTM International)
Special issue on “Advances in Laboratory Experimentation for Unsaturated Soils,” (Guest Editors: Oliver-Denzil Taylor, Laureano Hoyos, John McCartney & William Likos).
Abstract submission deadline: March 30, 2019. (The first call for abstracts was sent out by the ASTM editorial staff a few weeks ago. If you need a brief extension, please contact the editorial office asap: [email protected].)
Geosciences (MPDI)
Special issue on “Behavior of Expansive Soils and Its Shrinkage Cracking,” (Guest Editors: Claudia Zapata, Idil Akin & Laureano Hoyos).
Paper submission deadline: June 30, 2019. (Accepted papers to be published free of charge. Paper format.)
ISSMGE News & Information Circular April 2019
The April 2019 ISSMGE News & Information Circular is now available online.
ISC’6 Abstract Submission Extended
Due to the technical problems, which occurred last weekend, we have decided to extend the submission deadline an additional 10 days. If you wish to submit an abstract for the conference, please visit the abstract submission page.
2019 Sydney Symposium – Sponsorship Opportunities
The Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) Sydney Chapter is holding its 23rd annual symposium on Friday 15 November 2019, on ‘Innovations in Geotechnical Construction and Design’.
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 innovations in geotechnical engineering design and construction, as well as the challenges and opportunities out there.
The Symposium will offer owners, suppliers, contractors, engineering geologists, civil, geotechnical consultants a unique opportunity to promote their products and services to a wide cross-section of the
industry, through sponsoring the Symposium.
2019 AGS Victoria Symposium – Call for abstracts
The Victorian chapter of the Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) is pleased to announce a
The event will be held in Melbourne and will bring together geotechnical and other civil engineering professionals to share and discuss their knowledge and experiences related to geotechnical characterisation and its
implications for design and construction.
The Event
Victoria’s construction industry is booming. Investment in both public infrastructure and commercial real estate is growing, and as our cities and infrastructure grow, so too does the need to develop parcels of land with challenging ground conditions. Economical and safe geotechnical design requires efficient and well thought through ground investigation and characterisation to identify and manage ground risks and opportunities.
This symposium will present overviews of current
The symposium will bring together professional engineers, researchers, specialist contractors, regulators, educators and students to share and discuss their experiences on the topic of ground characterisation. Best practices, case histories and innovative methods for assessing and characterising ground risk will be presented and discussed, with a particular emphasis on the
Suggested Topics
- Geotechnical site characterisation
- In-situ testing techniques and their interpretation
- Geophysical methods and remote sensing
- Laboratory testing, sampling and interpretation
- Ground exploration techniques – drilling, probing, excavation and in-situ testing techniques
- Liquefaction assessment
- Characterisation of non-standard soils such as; arid, collapsible, expansive soils, non-engineered fills, organics/peat soils,
sulfate /acid soils, soluble ground, residual soils - Groundwater / geo-environmental characterisation, testing, interpretation and its implications
- Application of statistical and
probabalistic techniques for geotechnical characterisation and design - Geotechnical characterisation and its effects on design and construction
- Managing ground risk in design and construction with an emphasis on geotechnical characterisation
Nominations
The Victorian Chapter of the AGS invites local and national practitioners, academics, contractors and other interested parties to submit abstracts on a topic related to geotechnical characterisation.
Abstracts should be not more than 300 words and prepared in accordance with the abstract submission guidelines outlined below. Completed abstracts should be sent to Ross Kristin at by 10 May 2019 for consideration by the organising committee.
Abstracts will be selected based on their quality and relevance to the topic of geotechnical characterisation with the successful author(s) invited to submit a six page paper for presentation at the
symposium. We encourage submissions from the geotechnical engineering profession as well as academia.
Cost
Presenters will enjoy free entry to the symposium with discounts for co-authors.
Important Dates & Submission
Abstract submission
Notification of accepted abstracts: 24 May 2019
Full paper submission: 30 August 2019
Paper acceptance notifications: 20 September 2019
Final paper submission & early bird registration deadline: 4 October 2019
Abstract Submission Format
Please submit a word document with the following information for abstract submission:
Authors’ full names
e.g. Bob A. Smith, David S. Smith (font type: Times New Roman, font style: regular, font size: 12) Please underline the presenting author.
Authors’ full affiliation
Position,
Title
Title of paper,
Abstract
Abstract text, maximum 300 words (font type: Times New Roman, font style: regular, font size: 12)
Further Information
For further information please contact the Co-Chair of the organising committee:
Ross
FSG Geotechnics & Foundations
Ground Floor, 1G Marine Parade
Abbotsford, VIC 3067
Phone: + 61 3 9417 4333
Email: [email protected]
Sponsorship
The organising committee is also looking for potential sponsors of the symposium, interested parties should send an Expression of Interest to Andrew Lochaden by 10 May 2019.
Flyer
PFSF/DFI 2020 conference – Call for abstracts
The PFSF and DFI combined resources to successfully produce their inaugural conference held in Melbourne in 2017. We are now inviting abstracts for the 2nd PFSF/DFI conference to be held in Sydney in March 2020. This follow-up conference is intended to promote all aspects of the deep foundations, retention and ground improvement works.
Call for Abstracts – 6th International Conference on Geotechnical and Geophysical Site Characterization
ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACT! EXTENDED DEADLINE MARCH 31, 2019
We are pleased to announce, that the Mitchell Lecture at ISC’6 will be given by Fernando Schnaid from Brazil.
We can also announce, that we will be providing an opportunity for young researchers to give a plenary presentation within the framework of ISSMGE’s Bright Spark lectures.
(details of the application process will be announced later)
Main themes:
- Equipment, Measuring Techniques, Sampling
- Mechanical Testing (CPT, SPT, DMT, PMT, VST, PLT)
- Geophysics in Geotechnical Engineering
- Site Characterization, Case Studies, Uncertainties
- In Situ Testing and Numerical Modelling
- Engineering Applications
- Problematic Soils (e.g. gravels,
volcanics , expansive, sensitive, intermediate, mine tailings) - Education
Authors may also apply for the Silvano Marchetti Award
The ISSMGE Technical Committee TC102 – Ground Property Characterization from In-Situ Tests in cooperation with the University of L’Aquila, Italy has instituted the Silvano Marchetti Award (SMA) in memory of Professor Silvano Marchetti (1943-2016). The award is funded entirely by Studio Prof. Marchetti, Italy.
Are we overdesigning? – ISSMGE survey on geotechnical design practice
Motivation
At the XVI Danube European Conference (Skopje Macedonia, June 2018), the question was raised “Are we overdesigning?”. Although the question originated from the Asian Region, it is valid internationally where different countries and users of various testing techniques or design codes tend to follow local practice for geotechnical design.
This survey is intended to assess the consistency of calculation models and design methods for a variety of geotechnical structures and, where possible, to compare the results with full-scale tests and reliability analyses.
Outline
The survey is based on two soil profiles, one in clay and the other in
Ten specimen problems have been proposed, namely concentrically and eccentrically loaded spread footings, axially and laterally loaded piles, slopes and retaining structures (see Annex C). The idea is to keep the problems easy to analyse and representative of every-day geotechnical structures.
Some problems require the prediction of performance of the geotechnical structure (prediction problems) while others call for the design of the structure as it would be constructed (design problems). The prediction problems are
You do not need to analyse all ten problems, although it would be appreciated if you did.
Please feel free to submit responses for only problems that are typical of the work you do on a day-to-day basis.
Instructions
- Analyse as many or as few problems as you wish. Partial solutions will also be accepted.
- Summarise the results on the reply sheets provided in Annex C.
- Please use the analysis methods and design codes that would typically be applied in a design office in your country. This is not a competition to see who can get the “right” answer. It is an assessment of the results given by design methods in common use.
- Please complete the “Details of Respondent” sheet and submit it with your reply sheets.
Also fill in your country and occupation in the space provided on each reply sheet. - Submit the result as a scanned .pdf document to [email protected].
- The closing date for submissions is Friday 2nd August 2019. Late submissions will be accepted but may not be included in the initial analysis of results for the Asian Regional Conference in October 2019.
Presentation of Results
The initial results of the survey will be presented at the Asian Regional Conference in Taipei, October 2019. A detailed analysis of the results will be presented at the ISSMGE International Conference in Sydney 2021.
2019 Sydney Symposium Call for Abstracts
The Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) Sydney Chapter is holding its 23rd annual symposium on Friday 15 November 2019, on ‘Innovations in Geotechnical Construction and Design’.
Download the Call For Abstracts flyer.
Overview
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 innovations in geotechnical engineering design and construction, 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 innovations in geotechnical design and construction. The organising committee invites papers on geotechnical aspects of transport infrastructure construction, site characterisation, numerical simulation, collapsed structures, reliability analysis and new insights into experiences, technologies and strategies.
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:
- Geotechnical innovations in construction and quality control of transport infrastructure
- New materials
- Advances in geotechnical site characterisation and ground modelling
- Advantages and limitations of numerical methods in geotechnical design
- Geotechnical lessons learnt from collapsed structures
- Applications of reliability analysis in geotechnical engineering and engineering geology
Papers that have been previously published will not be accepted for the symposium.
Important Dates & Submission
Abstracts must be submitted by 23 April 2019, with papers to be completed by 23 July 2019. 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 7 October 2019.
All abstracts and papers should be sent to [email protected].
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, author(s) must confirm that the abstract and the proposed paper have not been previously published.
Organising Committee
- Ali Parsa, JK Geotechnics (Organising Committee Coordinator)
- Sam Mirlatifi, John Holland (AGS-Sydney Chapter Chair/National Representative)
- Hadi Khabbaz, University of Technology Sydney
- Adrian
Hulskamp , JK Geotechnics - Cholachat Rujikiat-
kamjorn , University of Wollongong - AHM Kamruzzaman (Zaman), RMS
- Puvaneswary
Rajarathnam , AECOM - Tony Gourlay, Mott MacDonald
- Miren Barinaga, Bachy Soletanche
42nd IAEG Connector
The 42nd IAEG Connector newsletter is available online.
TC204 conference, Geotechnical Aspects of Underground Construction in Soft Ground
A call for papers has been issued by the Geotechnical Aspects of Underground Construction in Soft Ground conference organisers. More information can be found in the “Call for papers” flyer.
Technical Committee 204 (TC204) is one of the major technical committees of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) first established in 1989 as TC28. The committee has made major commitments towards collecting information concerning the geotechnical aspects of the design, construction and analysis of deep excavations, tunnels and large underground structures in the urban environment and hence it is has served as a major platform for practitioners as well as academics to exchange experience and knowledge over the years.
The first two days of the symposium will consist of technical sessions with presentations of General Reports and individual papers. The third day will be dedicated to the technical visit to the work sites of the new Thames Tideway Tunnel project – this is a major tunneling scheme currently being undertaken in London (https://www.tideway.london/) which will be under construction at the time of the conference. Delegates joining the technical visit will enjoy a memorable trip to the project on a privately chartered boat on the River Thames in the heart of London.
More information can be found on the conference website: is-cambridge2020.eng.cam.ac.uk