Conference Themes
The theme of the conference is “Innovative geotechnology to meet new challenges in the region and beyond”. Topics of the conference includes, but not limited to,
-Soil characteristics, Engineering geology and investigation
-Slope, Dam and embankments
-Shallow and deep foundations
-Soil dynamics and geotechnical earthquake engineering
-Geosynthetics and Ground improvement
-Geo-Energy and Geoenvironmental engineering
-Geotechnical reliability, risk assessment and management
-Offshore engineering
-Regional development and Sustainability (Green geotechnology)
-Climate change and Natural disasters
-AI and machine learning in Geotechnics
Keynote lectures
1: Keynote panel discussion:
Topic (to be announced)
2: Keynote lecture:
Soft Soil Improvement with PVD for Enhanced Performance of Transportation Infrastructure
Increasing transportation demand has forced new infrastructure to be built on weak subgrade soils such as estuarine or marine clays. The application of high-frequency cyclic loads due to vehicular movement during the operational (post-construction) stage of tracks presents a set of challenges, where a rapid accumulation of excess pore pressure (EPWP) during cyclic loading results in (i) cyclic undrained failure, (ii) mud pumping or subgrade fluidisation, (iii) differential settlements due to cyclically induced consolidation settlement. This keynote paper presents the use of prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) to enhance the performance of tracks. A series of laboratory experiments were carried out to investigate the cyclic response of remoulded soil specimens collected from a problematic track site near Wollongong city, NSW, Australia. The laboratory test results showed that beyond critical cyclic stress ratio (CSRc), there is an internal redistribution of moisture within the specimen which causes the top portion of the specimen to soften and fluidise. The role that geosynthetics play in controlling and preventing mud pumping is analysed by assessing the development of excess pore water pressure, the change in particle size distribution and the water content of subgrade soil. The experimental data shows that PVDs are effective in preventing the EPWP build-up to critical levels. PVDs provide shorter-radial drainage for EPWP to dissipate during cyclic loading, resulting in less EPWP accumulation. Moreover, the presence of PVDs results in soil behaving in a partially drained condition rather than an undrained condition, while geotextiles can provide adequate surficial drainage and effective confinement at the ballast/subgrade interface. Partially-drained cyclic models were developed adopting the modified Cam clay theory to predict the soil behaviour under cyclic loadings. The Sandgate Rail Grade Separation project case study presents a short-PVD design to minimise the associated settlement and lateral displacements due to heavy-haul train loadings.
3: Keynote lecture:
Topic : Development of the Jet Grouting Method: Evolutionary History, Mechanism Insights, Innovative Approaches, and Future Prospects: Mr. Junichi Yamazaki (Sanshin Corporation, Japan)
4: Keynote lecture:
Topic: To What Degree Can We Be Confident of Our Prediction?
5: Keynote lecture:
Topic : Hydraulic Fracturing in Earth Dam Monitoring by Dam Instruments.