Argentina will host a very international gathering of engineers in November when the XV Pan-American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (XV PCSMGE), the VIII South American Conference on Rock Mechanics, and the VI International Symposium on Deformational Characteristics of Geomaterials co-locate in Buenos Aires, 15 – 18 November 2015. To further boost the offerings, the International Geosynthetics Society’s (IGS) Argentinean Chapter has organized a pre-conference one-day short course on soil reinforcement with geosynthetics.
The short course, “Embankments on soft foundations, steep slopes, and very steep slopes (walls)” will feature Dr. Robert D. Holtz (University of Washington, USA). Holtz will serve as the lead, while additional instruction will be provided by Dr. Jorge Zornberg (The University of Texas at Austin, USA) and Dr. Ennio Palmeira (University of Brasilia, Brazil).
The special session was announced in IGS News Vol. 31 No. 2 and on the IGS Argentina website. The November 15 short course abstract notes:
“The use of geosynthetics for soil reinforcement enables civil engineers to design and construct embankments and other structures more economically and with greater safety than is possible with traditional designs and construction methods. Because geosynthetics are relatively new in the larger civil engineering field, the course will open with a brief description of their types and manufacture, as well as discussion of properties and tests required for the proper design, selection, and specification of reinforcement geosynthetics.”
The primary applications of note for this soil reinforcement course are:
- Embankments on soft foundations
- Steep reinforced slopes
- Very steep reinforced soil slopes (e.g., retaining walls and abutments)
Case histories will be prominently used to underscore the key points, and an emphasis will be placed on understanding material properties and how they can optimize the economics and performance of a design. Additional information will concern specification, CQA, and avoiding failure.
COST OF WORKSHOP
- Through 30 October 2015: Non Member USD $350, Member USD $300, Student USD $150
- On site: Non-Member USD $400, Member USD $350, Student USD $180
More information is available through IGS Argentina, secretario@igsargentina.com.ar, www.igsargentina.com.ar. See also http://conferencesba2015.com.ar/ and contact MCI Argentina.
