Next GSE Event

Posted October 3, 2018

Event: October 12, 2018

GSE/CGS CCLT: Dr. Alex Sy, P.Eng.,FEIC, Vice President, Technical, Klohn Cripper Berger Ltd. - Lessons Learned from Geotechnical Failures

Location: Winspear Room, Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Lunch, 12:30pm Presentation

Cost: $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $10 Students
(At the door) $35 Members, $45 Non-Members, $15 Students

Despite advances in geotechnical engineering, failures do occasionally occur because of unknowns, uncertainties, inexperience, miscommunications, etc. However, failures do provide valuable lessons for the profession that can be learned to minimize future failures. This lecture will present three examples of geotechnical failures in British Columbia, in which the author was engaged to carry out forensic engineering...more>>

Upcoming Events

The 2018/2019 season of GSE events is being developed. Watch this page for further details regarding upcoming events. Suggestions for topics or speakers for this season can be sent to the Program Chair.

NEWS 2018

Posted April 19, 2018 (Updated May 2, 2018)

Event: May 23, 2018

GSE 2018 AGM: Dr. Gregory Baecher, University of Maryland - Geotechnical Risk Analysis and its History in Four Case Stories

Location: Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 5:30pm Registration, 6:00pm Dinner, 6:45pm AGM and Presentation

Cost: $40 Members, $50 Non-Members, $20 Students
An additional $5 will be charged for payments made at the door.

The quantitative analysis of risk in geotechnical engineering traces its roots to the early 1970s. Since then, the concept has evolved considerably. What began as a simple consideration of statistical variability in engineering parameters and models has evolved into a complex evaluation of the nature of uncertainty, the interplay of data and engineering judgment, and the tolerability of risk. Today, the evaluation of quantitative risk in so-called probabilistic risk assessments (PRA) has begun to drive geotechnical decisions in large projects...more>>

Posted March 28, 2018

Event: April 5, 2018

GSE/U of A: 16th Annual Applied Geotechnical Engineering Design Contest: Reinforced Soil Wall

Location: L2-040 and L2-020, NREF, University of Alberta

Time: 5:00pm Construction (L2-040); 6:00pm Testing (L2-020)

Cost: Free

Registration: Please email Vivian Gang to register (by April 3).

Walls will be constructed using only 5 sheets of Newsprint, 2 sheets of 15 cm x 30 cm geotextile, a box of 100 paper clips, and 20 popsicle sticks. The students have 1 hour to construct the wall. Prizes will be awarded for the Strongest Wall, the Best Prediction of Wall Strength, and for the Most Innovative Design. This year, there will be 29 students from the U of A and NAIT completing.

Posted January 18, 2018

Event: January 29, 2018

GSE: Mr. Pete Barlow, M.Sc., P.Eng., BGC Engineering - Reactivation of an Ancient Landslide Pipeline Rupture and Mitigation

Location: Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 5:30pm Registration, 6:00pm Dinner, 6:30pm Presentation

Cost: $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $10 Students
(At the door) $35 Members, $45 Non-Members, $15 Students

Land disturbance associated with the progressive expansion of a major pipeline and power corridor, and extensive timber harvesting triggered the reactivation of ground movement of a massive, ancient deep-seated landslide that threatened six major transmission pipelines, including a loss of containment in one of the pipelines...more>>

NEWS 2017

Posted October 24, 2017 (Updated November 10, 2017)

Event: November 23, 2017

GSE: Dr. Steve Pawley, Mr. Greg Hartman, and Mr. Dennis Chao, AER-AGS (Alberta Energy Regulator - Alberta Geological Survey) - Making Map 605 - using machine learning to model the spatial distribution of landslide susceptible terrain across the Alberta Plains and Shield regions.

Location: Papaschase Room, Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Dinner, 12:30pm Presentation

Cost: $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $10 Students
(At the door) $35 Members, $45 Non-Members, $15 Students

Landslides in western Canada are not restricted to the rugged, mountainous terrain of the Cordillera, but are commonplace on the adjacent Interior Plains. Within the plains, landslides are typically restricted to high-relief physiographic elements that embody moderate to steep slopes. Landslides on the plains are seldom as rapid or spectacular as those of mountainous regions; however, they can be no less disruptive to development as landslide-susceptible terrain can extend for significant distances following high-relief physiographic elements (e.g. river valleys). As such, there is the necessity to portray the landslide susceptibility of the Alberta Plains to facilitate high-level planning initiatives or educational objectives....more>>

Posted October 12, 2017

Event: October 23, 2017

GSE/CGS CCLT: Dr. Jean-Marie Konrad, P.Eng., Professor of Civil Engineering, Université Laval - Advances in Dam Design

Location: The Aurora Room, University of Alberta Lister Centre (11613 - 87 Avenue NW)

Time: 5:30pm Registration, 6:00pm Dinner, 6:30pm Presentation

Cost: $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $10 Students
(At the door) $35 Members, $45 Non-Members, $15 Students

Embankment dam performance and life span are closely related to the hydric, thermal and mechanical behaviour of materials used during its construction. The apparent simplicity of embankment dams hides complex and often poorly known behaviours resulting from thermo-hydro-mechanical coupling phenomena. Understanding the different behaviours as well as their interrelationships is of paramount importance to optimize the life cycle of these structures...more>>

Posted August 26, 2017 (updated September 19, 2017)

Event: September 28, 2017

GSE: Annual Fall Wine & Cheese Event

Location: Yellowhead Brewery (10229 - 105 Street NW)

Time: 5:30 Registration, 6:00pm Appetizers, 6:30pm Presentation

Cost: $10 Members/Non-Members, $5 Students
(Student cost includes membership for the year)

The Annual Wine and Cheese event is an opportunity to connect with students and colleagues in the local geotechnical community and to hear results of the latest research occurring at the U of A.

There will be a presentation from each of two U of A students: Mr. Kirk Scanlan (2017 Morgenstern Award receipent) and Ms. Haley Schafer (student selected for 2017 CGS Conference sponsorship).

Posted August 26, 2017

Event: September 19, 2017

GSE/CGS Colloquium: Dr. Jasmin Raymond, géo., Professeur, Titulaire - Assessment of the subsurface thermal conductivity for geothermal applications

Location: Woodvale Facility, Tournament Room, 4540-50 Street

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Lunch, 12:30pm Presentation

Cost: (In advance) $25 Members, $35 Non-Members, $10 Students
(At the door) $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $15 Students

The construction of green buildings using geothermal energy requires geo-scientists and engineers to evaluate the thermal state and properties of the ground. In situ assessment of the subsurface temperature and thermal conductivity is commonly performed to design the heating and cooling system of commercial buildings with ground-coupled heat pumps. Those two parameters have a high impact on the operating temperature of ground heat exchangers (GHEs), consequently affecting the length of boreholes needed to fulfill the energy needs and the savings provided by the system. The demand for such services has increased rapidly since the geothermal heat pump market in Canada grew by more than 35% from 2006 to 2009. A review of field methods used to measure the subsurface thermal conductivity in the scope of geothermal system design will be presented during the Canadian Geotechnical Colloquium...more>>

Posted October 24, 2016 (Updated May 5, 2017)

Event: May 18, 2017

GSE 2017 AGM: Dr. Del Fredlund - Application of Unsaturated Soil Mechanics in Engineering Practice

Location: La Cite Francophone (8627 - 91 St (rue Marie-Anne-Gaboury)

Time: 5:30pm Registration, 6:00pm Dinner, 6:45pm AGM and Presentation

Cost: $40 Members, $50 Non-Members, $20 Students
An additional $5 will be charged for payments made at the door.

Unsaturated soil mechanics has evolved over the past few decades from a research-oriented field of study to a commonly applied part of geotechnical engineering. The fundamental theories related to physical behaviour of unsaturated soils are, in general, accepted worldwide. The developed theories embrace: i.) flow through unsaturated soil systems, ii.) shear strength of unsaturated soils, and iii.) volume change and distortion of unsaturated soils; as well as the physical processes associated with heat flow and contaminant transport. Entire soil profiles are viewed and modeled as a single continuum of saturated-unsaturated soil...more>>

Posted March 16, 2017

Event: April 13, 2017

GSE/U of A: 15th Annual Applied Geotechnical Engineering Design Contest: Reinforced Soil Wall

Location: L2-040 and L2-020, NREF, University of Alberta

Time: 4:30pm Construction (L2-040); 6:00pm Testing (L2-020)

Cost: Free

Registration: Please email Vivian Gang to register.

Walls will be constructed using only 5 sheets of Newsprint, 2 sheets of 15 cm x 30 cm geotextile, a box of 100 paper clips, and 20 popsicle sticks. The students have 1 hour to construct the wall. Prizes will be awarded for the Strongest Wall, the Best Prediction of Wall Strength, and for the Most Innovative Design. This year, there will be 34 students from the U of A and NAIT completing!

Posted January 27, 2017 (Updated April 5, 2017)

Event: May 3, 2017

GSE 2017 Symposium: Dr. Kupper and Mr. Morris Maccagno - Hydrogeology

Location: Woodvale Facility, Millwoods Golf Course

Time: 8:00am - 5:00pm

Follow the link above the event page for more information and registration.

Posted February 27, 2017

Event: April 6, 2017

ACEC/SGG Geotechnical Conference: Dr. Dennis Becker - Limit States Design - Foundations

Location: Saskatoon, SK

Time: 8:00am - 5:00pm

The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies and the Saskatoon Geotechnical Group proudly present a one-day geotechnical conference on Limit States Design - Foundations by Dr. Dennis Becker. Register by following the link above.

Posted January 4, 2017 (Updated January 6, 2017)

Event: January 27, 2017

GSE: Dr. Xiaobo Wang, P.Eng., Thurber Engineering Ltd. - Geotechnical Investigation Design and Construction of ICE District Tower

Location: Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Lunch, 12:30pm Presentation

Cost: $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $10 Students
An additional $5 will be charged for payments made at the door.

As part of Edmonton ICE District development, three towers ranging from 40 to 66 storeys are being constructed on the south side of the Rogers Place arena. Geotechnical investigations for the tower development included drilling and coring of bore holes to more than 90 m in depth, in situ pressuremeter and seismic cone penetration testing, and laboratory testing to characterize the strength and stiffness of the overburden soils and underlying bedrock...more>>

NEWS 2016

Posted September 21, 2016 (Updated November 6, 2016)

Event: November 29, 2016

Dr. Derek Martin - The Evolution of a Dam Layout in Clay Shales

Location: Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Lunch, 12:30pm Presentation

Cost: $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $10 Students

Site C was initially designed by the beginning of the 1980s after an intensive investigation of the clay shale foundation. The design consisted of a main earthfill dam approximately 1,050 metres long and 60 metres high above the riverbed. The facility will have a generating capacity of approximately 1100 MW. The project is currently under construction. The findings from the original investigations will be reviewed, and the impact of bedding planes and stress release fractures on the design discussed...more>>

Posted November 1, 2016

Event: November 15, 2016

APEGA: Edmonton Branch Luncheon � Almita Piling

Location: Holiday Inn South (4485 Gateway Blvd)

Time: 11:30am - 1:30pm

Cost: $35 APEGA Members, $40 Non-Members, $20 Students

Almita Piling was brought into the River Valley Mechanized Access Funicular Project very early and asked to re-design the foundation with a helical pile solution, fabricate the piles and perform the installation of the piles. The presentation will provide a case study on a real project showing the design, construction, cost and schedule challenges that were overcome by using helical piles. For more information, and to register, follow the link above.

Posted September 21, 2016 (Updated September 26, 2016)

Event: October 14, 2016

GSE/CGS CCLT: Dr. Ross Boulanger, P.E., F.ASCE, University of California at Davis - Liquefaction and Spatial Variability [2016 Peck Lecture]

Location: Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Lunch, 12:30pm Presentation

Cost: $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $10 Students

The development and application of engineering procedures for evaluating soil liquefaction during earthquakes rely heavily on case histories and their interpretations. Our ability to correctly interpret and utilize case history observations requires a sound understanding of the underlying physics, as is often derived from a synthesis of experimental and theoretical findings. In this regard, understanding the effects of spatial variability on liquefaction phenomena is essential for facilitating interpretation of case histories and application of liquefaction evaluation procedures...more>>

Posted October 12, 2016

Dr. Stan Thomson - October 7, 2016

"It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Stan Thomson on October 7, 2016. He was predeceased by his wife, Doe and his son, Terry. He will be forever remembered by his children, Beth (Les), Kathy (Rob), Bruce (Farah), Heather (John); his daughter-in-law, Cindy; nine grandchildren; and eight great- grandchildren. After retiring from Civil Engineering at the U of A in 1985, he kept busy by volunteering at Avalon Jr. High School and creating beautiful woodworking items for markets, friends, and family. It is in these people and pieces his memory will live on. A Memorial Service will be held at South Side Memorial Chapel, 8310 - 104 Street, Edmonton on Friday, October 14 at 2:00 p.m." (Quoted from the Edmonton Journal obituary - click the link above for the original.)

Posted September 7, 2016 (Updated September 12, 2016)

Event: September 20, 2016

GSE: Annual Fall Wine & Cheese Event

Location: Papachase Room, Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 5:30 Registration, 6:00pm Appetizers, 6:30pm Presentation

Cost: $10 Members/Non-Members, $5 Students
(Student cost includes membership for the year)

The Annual Wine and Cheese event is an opportunity to connect with students and colleagues in the local geotechnical community and to hear results of the latest research occurring at the U of A.

There will be a presentation from each of two U of A students: Ms. Courtney Mulhall (2016 Morgenstern Award receipent) and Ms. Moira Guo (student selected for 2016 CGS Conference sponsorship).

Posted September 1, 2015 (Updated April 6, 2016)

Event: May 16 2016

GSE 2016 AGM: Dr. Norbert Morgenstern - The Mount Polley Tailings Storage Facility Breach

Location: The Westin

Time: 5:30pm Registration, 6:00pm Dinner, 6:45pm AGM and Presentation

Cost: $35 Members, $45 Non-Members, $10 Students

Download in iCalendar format

Register for this event by following the link above on or before May 13, 2016.

The Mount Polley tailings storage facility (TSF) in British Columbia breached in August 4, 2014. The loss of containment was sudden, providing no warning, and when the pond elevation was approximately 2.3 metres below crest elevation. Dr. Norbert R. Morgenstern, Chair of the panel, will discuss some of their findings related to the scope of the panel...more>>

2015 AGM Minutes

Posted February 23, 2016 (Updated April 6, 2016)

Event: May 4, 2016

GSE/CGS Cross Canada Lecture Tour: Dr. Antonio Gens, Technical University of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain - Stiff Clays and Mudstones: Fundamentals, Progressive Failure, and Underground Excavations

Location: Faculty Club, University of Alberta (11435 Saskatchewan Drive)

Time: 5:30pm Registration, 6:00pm Dinner, 6:30pm Presentation

Cost: $30 Members, $40 Non-Members, $10 Students

The paper examines some aspects of the engineering behaviour of argillaceous hard soils and weak rocks. After considering the wide variety of this class of materials, some common behaviour features are identified concerning compressibility, structure development, microfabric, anisotropy, effects of discontinuities and hydraulic properties. Those features are examined in the context of appropriate behaviour frameworks developed for this type of materials...more>>

Posted April 13, 2016

Event: April 28 - May 3, 2016

U of A: First Circular International Short Course on Permafrost Engineering - Effective Design and Construction in Permafrost Regions

Location: University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB

Cost: $,2700

More information regarding the course content and how to register is on the U of A website (click the link above).

Posted February 23, 2016 (Updated March 1, 2016)

Event: April 7, 2016

GSE 2016 Symposium: Debris Flow and Related Phenomena - Dr. Olrich Hungr and Dr. Matthias Jakob

Location: Woodvale Facility, Millwoods Golf Course (4540 - 50 Street)

Time: 7:30am Registration, Course 8:00am to 4:30pm

Cost: $250 Members ($300 after March 18), $300 Non-members ($350 after March 18), $130 Students

As many of our members routinely practice throughout the Canadian Cordillera and, more recently, specifically addressing the slope instabilities that occurred during the 2013 Alberta floods, your Geotechnical Society of Edmonton is proud to present a one-day Workshop on Debris Flow and Related Phenomena. This workshop will focus on the state of the art management of debris flow hazards. The workshop starts with discussions about the relevance of the phenomena, definitions and terminology and proceeding to the current understanding on the physics of debris flows generation, evolution and motion. The management of these hazards is then presented in three main sections: (1)VHazard Assessment - frequencies, volumes, runout, and hazard maps, (2) Risk Analysis - qualitative and quantitative analyses, risk to life, and risk evaluation criteria; and (3) Remedial Measures - prevention, stabilization, and containment.

The course will be presented by Dr. Olrich Hungr, Professor at University of British Columbia, and Dr. Matthais Jakob, a Senior Geoscientist with BGC Engineering, who are both highly experienced and world-renowned in the field of debris flows.

Posted September 1, 2015 (updated January 15, 2016)

Event: January 27, 2016

GSE: Mr. Craig Campbell, P.Eng., Thurber Engineering Ltd. - The New Royal Alberta Museum Building: What Lies Beneath - A Multilayered Remedial Approach

Location: Woodvale Facility, Millwoods Golf Course (4540 - 50 Street)

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Lunch, 12:20pm Presentation

Cost: $20 Members, $30 Non-Members, $5 Students

Download in iCalendar format

Register for this event by following the link above on or before January 25, 2016.

The New Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) Building is scheduled for completion in late 2016. This presentation provides an overview of the environmental assessment and remedial approach used for this challenging project...more>>