British Geotechnical Association’s Post

Congratulations to Principal Peter Somers, who was recently appointed Chair of the ASCE/SEI’s Seismic Rehabilitation Standards Committee. The Standard was first published in 2006 and updated in 2013, 2017, and, most recently, 2023. The next update will be published in 2029, with Peter at the helm. “I am deeply honored to have been appointed chair of the ASCE/SEI Seismic Retrofit of Existing Buildings Standards Committee for the next ASCE 41 development cycle. As a long-time user of the Standard and contributor to the development process, I am excited to lead the effort to produce the next state-of-the-practice technical standard for seismic evaluations and retrofits. “As our understanding of earthquake risks continues to improve, as the focus on creating resilient communities expands as a public policy goal, and as the reuse of existing buildings becomes an even more important part of sustainability in the built environment, ASCE 41 remains a critical component in preserving and improving the performance of existing buildings for this and future generations.” American Society of Civil Engineers SEI - Structural Engineering Institute #MKAwesome #civilengineering #structuralengineering #seismic #retrofit

The Geotechnical Engineering Office (GEO) has recently published two documents which are important to the enhancement of ELS practice and ground deformation control mechanism caused by geotechnical works: - GEO Publication No. 1/2023 and Technical Guidance Note No. 54. GEO Publication No. 1/2023 documented the experience in design and construction of deep excavations in Hong Kong since the publication of GCO Publication No. 1/90, including advances in design methods and modelling techniques, as well as the international practice of using the partial factor method for limit state design. The scope of this publication also covers the key aspects relating to the construction of excavation and lateral support (ELS) works, such as the introduction of modern equipment and digital construction. In addition, the Technical Guidance Note No. 54 (TGN 54) provides technical guidance on ground deformation control mechanisms for geotechnical works. The TGN 54 outlines a comprehensive control mechanism, including trigger levels and response actions, to ensure that the impact on nearby sensitive areas remains within acceptable limits for public safety. GEO Publication No. 1/2023 https://lnkd.in/gua4AMbZ TGN No. 54 https://lnkd.in/ggeu7jqz #hkie #hkiegd #geopublication #TGN #ELS #newguidelines #economicdesign

📣 Call for abstracts! 9th International Symposium on Geotechnical Safety and Risk - #ISGSR25, 24-27 August 2025, Oslo. The symposium is being organized by #NGI - Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, with support from #ISSMGE Technical Committees TC304, TC205 and TC309, and ASCE Geo Institute’s Technical Committee on Risk Assessment and Management. We are proposing a session, IS17, on "#Risk and safety in #offshore #geotechnical engineering". Topics in this session will include: (1) Advances in Offshore Geotechnical Modelling: constitutive models for special seabed; soil-structure interaction; seabed characterization and modelling considering special variations. (2) Risk Assessment and Management: quantitative risk analysis of offshore geotechnical engineering; reliability-based design of offshore structure; subsea geohazards assessment. (3) Innovations in safety measures: advanced monitoring and sensing technologies; subsea geohazards mitigation; human factors in offshore safety Session organizers: Wenjun Lu (Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen )， Haoyuan Liu (Beihang University, NGI) Deadline for abstract submission: June 30, 2024 Submit to  ISGSR-2025@ngi.no;  luwenjun@hit.edu.cn; or  liuhy6955@163.com For info check the webpage of the conference: https://www.isgsr2025.com/. Abstract template can be downloaded from: https://lnkd.in/dAtqVsah #ISGSR

2023-2024 Marquis Award Winner Certification for +15 yeras of Geotechnical Engineering services to the USACE and US Government. Two significant and great lessons I learned from working with the United States government and USACE: 1. No Pain, No Gain! 2. Honesty, is the best Policy.

Delving into the Depths of Engineering Innovation! Join us for an insightful series of expert lectures on "GEOTECH TALKS: NAVIGATING THE DEPTHS OF ENGINEERING INNOVATIONS", organised by Prof. Srijan, SoCE, SMVDU. Explore the forefront of geotechnical engineering and navigate towards groundbreaking solutions. #GeotechTalks #EngineeringInnovation #SMVDU"

EVENT REMINDER: The 2024 John Mitchell Lecture: Creating added value through Adaptive Design – A Seismic Perspective - When: 23 January 2024, 18:30 - 19.45 - Where: Telford Lecture Theatre, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA Details: Delivered by Dr. Barnali Ghosh, FICE of Mott MacDonald, this event is planned as an in-person event, and will also be webcast live. Synopsis: Building and infrastructure collapses and failures triggered by earthquakes kill, on average, about 20,000 people every year. Historically, seismic building codes and design specifications have established minimum requirements for life safety and prevention of collapse. In seismically active regions, earthquakes can be considered reoccurring events, with severity states between serviceability and ultimate levels. This lecture will introduce the concept of adaptive design for geotechnics and explore situations where such an approach can be used based on the best practice design aspects from seismic engineering. A new balance must be found when designing for future extreme events – between conventional efficient (non-conservative) singular design and added adaptive design elements to accommodate future seismic/ climatic events. This event is FREE to attend, but advance booking is required. A booking link will be available nearer to the event. The event will be followed by a drinks reception. To find out more, visit: https://lnkd.in/grzgQ2ja #BGA #geotechnics #event #lecture #geotechnicalengineering #johnmitchelllecture #registernow

EVENT REMINDER: The 2024 John Mitchell Lecture: Creating added value through Adaptive Design – A Seismic Perspective - When: 23 January 2024, 18:30 - 19.45 - Where: Telford Lecture Theatre, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA Details: Delivered by Dr. Barnali Ghosh, FICE of Mott MacDonald, this event is planned as an in-person event, and will also be webcast live. Synopsis: Building and infrastructure collapses and failures triggered by earthquakes kill, on average, about 20,000 people every year. Historically, seismic building codes and design specifications have established minimum requirements for life safety and prevention of collapse. In seismically active regions, earthquakes can be considered reoccurring events, with severity states between serviceability and ultimate levels. This lecture will introduce the concept of adaptive design for geotechnics and explore situations where such an approach can be used based on the best practice design aspects from seismic engineering. A new balance must be found when designing for future extreme events – between conventional efficient (non-conservative) singular design and added adaptive design elements to accommodate future seismic/ climatic events. This event is FREE to attend, but advance booking is required. A booking link will be available nearer to the event. The event will be followed by a drinks reception. To find out more, visit: https://lnkd.in/grzgQ2ja #BGA #geotechnics #event #lecture #geotechnicalengineering #johnmitchelllecture #registernow

EVENT REMINDER: The 2024 John Mitchell Lecture: Creating added value through Adaptive Design – A Seismic Perspective - When: 23 January 2024, 18:30 - 19.45 - Where: Telford Lecture Theatre, Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), One Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA Details: Delivered by Dr. Barnali Ghosh, FICE of Mott MacDonald, this event is planned as an in-person event, and will also be webcast live. Synopsis: Building and infrastructure collapses and failures triggered by earthquakes kill, on average, about 20,000 people every year. Historically, seismic building codes and design specifications have established minimum requirements for life safety and prevention of collapse. In seismically active regions, earthquakes can be considered reoccurring events, with severity states between serviceability and ultimate levels. This lecture will introduce the concept of adaptive design for geotechnics and explore situations where such an approach can be used based on the best practice design aspects from seismic engineering. A new balance must be found when designing for future extreme events – between conventional efficient (non-conservative) singular design and added adaptive design elements to accommodate future seismic/ climatic events. This event is FREE to attend, but advance booking is required. A booking link will be available nearer to the event. The event will be followed by a drinks reception. To find out more, visit: https://lnkd.in/grzgQ2ja #BGA #geotechnics #event #lecture #geotechnicalengineering #johnmitchelllecture #registernow

Call for Nominations for Joint Technical Committees (JTCs) of the Federation for International Geo-Engineering Societies... The Federation for International Geo-Engineering Societies (FedIGS), of which International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) is a member, is seeking nominations for the following Joint Technical Committees: JTC 1 – Natural Slopes and Landslides JTC 2 – Representation JTC 3 – Education and Training JTC 4 – Environment and Sustainability Details of each of the JTCs can be found here - https://lnkd.in/e-2DY8Y6 Interested BGA Members should make a submission by email to: bga@ice.org.uk. To find out more, visit: https://lnkd.in/e4jhNySB All nominations must be submitted to the BGA by no later than midnight on Wednesday, 24th January 2024. #BGA #callfornominations #geotechnics #slopes #landslides #eduction #training #environment #sustainability #representation #committees #soilmechanics #geotechnicalengineering #deadlinepending

ECSMGE 24 Conference, Portugal. As contractors, our industry has to deal with the reality of what happens when a theoretical design meets the ground. The ISSMGE (International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering) is keen to explore the challenges of the practical issues of construction compared to the academic understanding in its upcoming ECSMGE conference 26-30 August. To provide the practical understanding to this event, the EFFC has a number of our experts giving presentations on the state of the art of geotechnical practice. EFFC President Serge Borel shall be participating in a forum discussion on the Challenges of Underground Space in the Cities of the Future. A topic of increasing importance as planners seek to build down, rather than using undeveloped land that is needed for agriculture, leisure space or other uses. Karsten Beckhaus shall be speaking on the EFFC-DFI Tremie Guide and what the latest research is telling us about the behaviour of concrete in the ground. Ayelen Ottaviani of our Sustainability WG shall be presenting on 10 years of the Carbon Calculator and the future of the tool. Overall the Conference has six themes in its State of the Art lectures: ·      New Development on Structural Design ·      Geohazards ·      Risk Analysis and Safety Evaluation ·      Environment, Water and Energy ·      Future City World Vision There shall also be geotechnical site visits on Friday 30th August and an extensive range of workshops including Sustainable Practices in Environmental Geotechnics and one on the Second Generation of Eurocode 7. The EFFC is supporting the conference and we hope contractors are able to participate in order to educate the wider industry on our issues. The conference promises to inform contractors on what is driving developments in what we are required to do and what to expect in the future. Registration is open please visit https://lnkd.in/eG_zYZdH to sign up or find out more.