Review of the XVI European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering

Abstract

The XVI European Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ECSMGE) was held in Edinburgh in September 2015. It was hosted by the British Geotechnical Association, the UK member society of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. The UK has a long history of pioneering geotechnical engineering and is home to Géotechnique, the birthplace of critical-state soil mechanics and the venue for the prestigious Rankine lecture. This conference showcased geotechnical engineering in the UK, the rest of Europe and, indeed, many other parts of the world. This paper briefly outlines the history of this conference series and of UK geotechnical engineering. It also describes some key parts of the organisation of the conference and highlights some key data relating to the submission of abstracts and papers and the registration of delegates; it is hoped that this information will be of value to organisers of future such events. The summary review and selected highlights demonstrate the breadth, depth and quality of the papers presented at the conference and contained in the proceedings. It is to be hoped that these, along with the fond memories of the delegates, will provide a lasting legacy to the geotechnical engineering community in Europe and beyond.