The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) has announced the speakers and topics for the plenary lectures being delivered at Geo-Frontiers 2011, a multi-disciplinary geotechnical engineering conference being held 13-16 March 2011 in Dallas, Texas. Organized in partnership with the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS), North American Geosynthetics Society (NAGS), the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Geo-Institute, and the Geosynthetic Institute (GSI), Geo-Frontiers 2011 marks the second time that these groups have coordinated with IFAI (hosts of the biennial Geosynthetics conference series). The last Geo-Frontiers was held in 2005 in Austin.
In addition to the lectures, Geo-Frontiers 2011 includes multiple short courses, 90 sessions across 10 technical tracks, student programs, networking events, awards programs, and the Geosynthetic Institute’s GRI-24 conference.
The 2011 plenary lectures are as follows:
H. Bolton Seed Lecture
Sunday, 13 March 2011
4:30 – 6:00 p.m.
Norbert Morgenstern, Ph.D., P.Eng., M.ASCE
- “Risk and Reward: Geotechnical Engineering and the Alberta Oil Sands” — This lecture is given annually by the recipient of the H. Bolton Seed Medal for outstanding contributions to teaching, research, or practice in geotechnical engineering. The lecture is sponsored by TenCate Geosynthetics.
Peck Lecture
Monday, 14 March 2011
8:00 – 9:45 a.m.
Antonio Bobet Sc.D., P.E., M.ASCE
- “Seismic Design of Underground Structures: Lessons from the Failure of the Daikai Station” — Delivered annually by a geotechnical engineer selected for outstanding contributions to the profession through the analysis and publication of case histories, the lecture is named in honor of Ralph B. Peck, Ph.D., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE. The lecture is sponsored by HUESKER inc.
Terzaghi Lecture
Tuesday, 15 March 2011
4:45 – 6:15 p.m.
Kenneth H. Stokoe II, Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
- “Seismic Measurments and Geotechnical Engineering” — For nearly 50 years, the Karl Terzaghi Lecture has been given by an individual honored for their exemplary contributions to the field of geotechnical engineering. The lecture is sponsored by Thrace/LINQ Inc.
Mercer Lecture
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Junichi Koseki, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo
- “Use of Geosynthetics to Improve Seismic Performance of Earth Structures” — The Mercer Lecture is a biennial lecture with the endorsement of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS). The aim of the lecture is to help promote co-operation of information exchange between the geotechnical engineering profession and the geosynthetics industry by giving an eminent practitioner the opportunity to undertake a lecture tour on the subject of Geosynthetics in Geotechnical Engineering. The lecture is sponsored by Thrace/LINQ Inc.
Learn more about Geo-Froniters 2011 at the event website: http://www.geofrontiers11.com
