Renowned experts from around the world take the stage to share pioneering insights, address global geotechnical challenges, and present practical, forward-thinking solutions—offering attendees a deeper understanding of the innovations, trends, and research shaping the future of geotechnical engineering.
After obtaining his Ph.D. from the University of Wales, Swansea, UK Prof. Helmut F. Schweiger joined the Institute for Soil Mechanics, Foundation Engineering and Computational Geotechnics at the Graz University of Technology where he was initiating and leading the Computational Geotechnics Group for 25 years. Although now “formally” retired from University, he is still active in research and international committees. His main research interests are the development of multilaminate models for soils and the assessment of the influence of the constitutive model for solving practical problems, in particular deep excavations, deep foundations and tunnels. His research is reflected in more than 350 publications in International Journals and Conference Proceedings and invitations to keynote and plenary lectures at International Conferences on Soil Mechanics and Computational Geotechnics. He serves on a number of editorial boards of international journals, including Geotechnique (2004-2007, 2018-2020), Computers and Geotechnics and is Associate Editor of the International Journal of Geomechanics. In 2005 he received the “Excellent Contributions Award Regional” of the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics, the “Best Paper Award” of the Japanese Geotechnical Society and in 2010 the “George Stephenson Medal” of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, UK for a paper published in Geotechnique. He delivered the Szechy Lecture and the Suklje Lecture in 2018. Helmut is the current president of the Austrian Geotechnical Society and the Chairman of the upcoming 21 International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering to be held in Vienna in June 2026. Overview Over the last decades numerical methods have gained increasing importance in practical geotechnical engineering and have become a standard tool in geotechnical design, widely accepted by the geotechnical profession. However, there is still a significant gap between research (what can be done) and practice (what is done) and in many cases unnecessary simplifications are made in practice preventing exploitation of the full power of numerical analyses. One reason for this discrepancy is a lack of transfer of knowledge from research into practice but also a lack of theoretical background of numerical methods, constitutive modelling and modern soil mechanics. In this paper, after a short note on constitutive models, the application of advanced numerical models for solving practical geotechnical problems is shown whereas the examples have been chosen in such a way that different aspects are highlighted in each case. These examples should demonstrate that with little extra effort much more can be gained in understanding of a particular problem compared to an analysis introducing too many simplifications. Results from fibre-optic measurements for a pull-out test of a ground anchor in soft soil could be reproduced by employing advanced constitutive models, in particular for the grout, in the bonded length of the anchor. For this test a class-A prediction has been made and numerical results have then been compared with in-situ measurements. The back-analysis of a slow-moving landslide is presented next, where the rate of deformation is influenced by water level changes in a reservoir for a pumping power plant, creep of lacustrine sediments and environmental effects such as rainfall infiltration. Results from a back-analysis of a slope failure highlight the advantages of numerical methods over conventional limit equilibrium calculations. Finally some results of modelling cone penetration testing in structured soils are presented. It is shown that the increase of undrained shear strength due to vacuum consolidation can be quantified by comparing numerically obtained cone resistances before and after vacuum consolidation.
About the Presenter Jamie Standing is Professor of Ground Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London. His key research interests include laboratory testing of soils, unsaturated soil mechanics, full-scale field monitoring and instrumentation, and tunnelling and soil-structure interaction. He has more than 25 years’ experience of teaching at both undergraduate and post-graduate level, ranging from basic soil mechanics (seepage, consolidation, shear strength) to unsaturated soil mechanics and field monitoring and geotechnical processes. He is a chartered Civil Engineer, Fellow of the Geological Society, Associate of the Geotechnical Consulting Group and a member of three ISSMGE technical committees: TC204 (Underground Construction in Soft Ground); TC220 (Field Monitoring in Geotechnical Engineering) and TC301 (Preservation of Monuments and Historic Sites). He has always worked closely with industry and has run three major tunnelling research projects. From 2016 to 2021 he was a member of the International Board of Experts for Żelazny Most tailings dam. He has served on the BGA and BTS committees and been an editorial board member for Géotechnique and QJEGH. He has delivered numerous invited lectures and keynote addresses, including the Géotechnique lecture in 2009.
About the Presenter Trevor Green graduated with a BSc (Eng) in 2002 from the University of Witwatersrand. He started his career at Grinaker-LTA and joined ARQ Consulting the following year. While at ARQ, Trevor was privileged to have the opportunity to design foundations for several of the stadiums used for the Soccer World Cup and work extensively on the Gautrain Rapid Rail Link. In 2007, Trevor left ARQ to start Verdi Consulting Engineers (Verdicon). Verdicon quickly established itself as one of SA’s leading geotechnical consulting engineering firms. In 2017, Jones & Wagener (J&W) purchased Verdicon and appointed Trevor as Head of the Geotechnical Department, and later as a Director of J&W, as well as a Director of J&W International, UK, Ghana and Namibia. Trevor left J&W in 2025 and currently operates as an independent geotechnical engineer. Trevor’s key areas of expertise include geotechnical design and investigations, with a particular interest in forensic investigations, piling, lateral support, deep basements and retaining structures. Trevor is a Fellow of SAICE and a professionally registered engineer with ECSA. He is also actively involved in developing the profession through the Geotechnical Division, serving in the committee for almost 20-years and as Chairman in 2016 & 2017. Overview Characterising dolomitic conditions for sites has become better understood and more standardised since the publication and widespread use of SANS 1936. This may, however, provide a false level of confidence, as there remains significant uncertainty in respect to the actual dolomite conditions underlying a site. Unexpectedly variable or poor conditions can have a profound influence on the appropriateness of the design solution, and the successful construction of either foundations or remedial measures. Some recent high-profile projects have allowed an unusually detailed level of investigation for sites underlain by dolomite. This includes a mall development in Midrand and the remediation of several sinkholes along the R21. This presentation describes these interesting case studies, where the results of very comprehensive investigations could be compared to the actual geotechnical conditions encountered. Thus, providing a unique insight into the variance of dolomitic conditions, and some of our assumptions in terms of characterising sites during standard dolomite investigations.
About the presenter Basdaeu (Bazi) Dukhan, is a Principal Geotechnical Engineer at Bazi Dukhan Consulting Engineers, a firm formed in 2008, after working at large multidisciplinary firms such as BKS (now Aecom), GMKS, (now GOBA), Bosch Projects etc. With over 25 years’ experience in Geotechnical, civil and structural engineering, Bazi is currently involved as a Geotechnical Engineer for an International Contractor on portions of the EB Cloete interchange for SANRAL. Bazi holds a post graduate degree from the University of Pretoria and a Masters from the University of Cape Town. His passion for engineering lead him to win The Tubular Category Steel award for his role as the Geotechnical Engineer on the Dube Square Canopy Project, at the Dube Trade Port, Durban. Another milestone was the record retaining wall height reached at the Watercrest Mall Development, KZN, in which Bazi was the co-designer. Other projects include the Rebuild of Makro PMB and Builders Express Margate in which Bazi was the appointed Civil, Structural and Geotechnical Engineer. In his spare time, his hobbies include Art viz landscape painting, Martial Arts, reading and model railroading. He currently proudly holds his 1st Dan in Karate.
About the presenter Peter Day has spent the last 46 years as a consulting geotechnical engineer with Jones & Wagener. Although now retired, he continues to consult to the company. Peter has been actively involved in the geotechnical engineering profession both locally through the Geotechnical Division of SAICE and abroad through the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. He presented the ISSMGE Terzaghi Oration in Seoul in 2027 and the Vienna Terzaghi Lecture in 2024. Peter continues to be actively involved in the profession as Editor in Chief of the SAICE Journal and as an Extraordinary Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at Stellenbosch University where he teaches post graduate courses in practical foundation design and reliability based design. Overview The mention of “uncertainties” in geotechnical design will conjure up thoughts of parameter variability, model uncertainties and other aspects affecting the reliability of geotechnical designs. However, experience shows that the main reasons for uncertainty in foundation design lie elsewhere. This paper seeks to provide answers to some important questions such as what are the main reasons for geotechnical failures, how good are our design codes, are we applying the codes correctly and how can we improve our approach to foundation design? The key to reducing uncertainty is ensuring that we get the basics correct. This includes obtaining sufficient and relevant site investigation data, the correct use of appropriate methods of analysis, considering all possible modes of failure, and diligent checking and review of design outcomes.
About the presenter Christian Moormann is full professor and head of department of the Institute of Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Stuttgart, Germany. He earned his Diploma in civil engineering from the University of Hannover (Germany) and received his Ph.D. and Habilitation from the Technical University of Darmstadt (Germany). Prof Moormann has been involved in geotechnical research, consulting and education for about 30 years providing solutions to a wide range of geotechnical research projects and tasks, including physical and numerical modelling, resilience, renewable energy, underground structures and deep foundations. As authorised and certified court expert advisor and owner of Moormann Geotechnical Consult (MGC) he has been responsible for 1,000+ projects in civil, geotechnical and environmental engineering in more than 40 countries worldwide. He is a management group member of SC7 drafting the next generation of Eurocode 7 and led the project team for the new Part 3 ´Geotechnical Structures´. Since 2022 Prof. Moormann is serving as president of the German Geotechnical Society (DGGT). Overview In the field of geotechnical engineering, risks that materialise can have a significant impact on geotechnical structures and the surrounding built environment. Those risks arise not alone from variable and complex characteristics of the subsoil and groundwater, as well as from design and modelling of the soil-structure interaction, but also from the execution process. Hence, risk management must identify various sources of risk and conduct analyses to assess the probability and consequences of undesirable events. Risk control and mitigation measures should cover all stages of ground investigation, geotechnical interpretation, design and construction. These aspects will be demonstrated on the collapse of the Historical Archive of the city of Cologne, Germany. On March 3rd, 2009, the collapse of the archive and adjacent buildings occured during construction of the new North-South metro line. This incident caused significant damage to the city of Cologne, but also affected the underground construction sector in general. With a total damage sum of around 1.3 billion euros, it stands as the most severe accident on a German construction site to date. The investigation of the damage evidence was a technically challenging task that lasted more than twelve years. It involved numerous steps, including the construction of a 34 m deep investigation pit. Based on these experiences the consequences for the independent checking of design and execution, for the quality assurance of underground works and their supervision, but also the need for a risk prevention based on communication and partnership between all parties involved in the construction process will be reflected.