The1stIranianConferenceonGeotechnicalEngineering,22-23October2013 UniversityofMohagheghArdabili,Ardabil,Iran OHN10111621341 An overall look on the history of Soil mechanics / Geotechnics Mahmood Vafaeian Retired Professorof Isfahan Universityof Technology [email protected] INTRODUCTION Asmost ofthegraduatedpersonsofSoil Mechanics/Geotechnicsbranches,andmany ofstudendsand graduatedinCivilEngineeringfield are interestedtoknowthebasicandsignificantsubjects oftheSoil Mechanicsanditsoverall historical development from thebeginninguptothepresent time,andthey are probablycurious to havealist ofthemostimportant subjectswhichcan beconsidered asthemaintopics for discussionsinthisfield,sothecontentofpresentarticlemay behelpfultoanswerthe mainquestions inthis regards. For thispurpose, thepresent article hasbeen arranged to showthe followingsubjects: a)thename ofthefoundersof different topicsand theories inGeomechanics /Soil Mechanics andFoundation Engineering b) aglance look throughInternationalSociety of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering,ISSMGE c) the names of therelatedJournals andsome of the relatedInternational Conferences d)the names ofRankineandTerzaghilecturersandmentioningthetitlesoftheirlectures.This partaimsto twotargets:mentionoingandregardingthe namesofthe mostfamousscientistsandresearchersinthisfield and the most considerable subjects relative tothis field. e)Finally,the titlesofthepaperspresented in17thICSMGEis overlookedandthenumberof papersandthe name ofthe author’s countries arehighlighted. 1- THE FOUNDERSOFTHEBASICFORMULAE(LAWS)IN SOIL MECHANICS WhenlookingthroughthehistoricalreviewofascientificandtechnologicalbranchsuchasSoilMechanics, it is logically suitable andalsonecessary to remindthe names ofthe persons who presentedandinitiatedthe basictheoriesorfundamentalformulae(thoughsimple)forthefisttime inthissubject. Forthispurpose,the followinglist can bepresented: CoulombC. A.(1736-1806); the shear strengthofsoil (1776) Smith(1769-1839); namedas thefather of Geology DarcyH. (1803-1858);permeability law (1856) RankineW.J. M. (1820- 1872); lateral soilpressure(1857) Atterberg (1846-1927); Classification of finesoils() Boussinesq (1842-1929);distribution of stressesinsoil () Bell (1847-1956); innovationof directsheartest () FelleniusW. (1876-1963); analysis for slope stability (1927) TerzaghiK.(1883-1963);effctivestress,cosolidationtheory,bearingcapacityofsoil,foundationdesign, landslidemechanism,cofferdamanalysis,hisfirstbookin1925namedas“Erbdaumechanik“inViennaas the birthof soil mechanics,…. DuringthetimeofTerzaghiandafterthat,incooperationwithhim -particularlybyhiscolleaguesandhis seniorstudentds-some valuablescientificand practicalreportsandarticlesrelatedtomany problemsinthe fieldofSoil Mechanics were presented whichcould helpthefast development ofthisbranch ofscience.For example,in1932threeofArthurCasagrande’spaperstitled:“studyontheAtterberglimitsoffinesoils”(in 1932),“Theseepageinsidethedams”(in1932)and“Thecharacteristicsofnon-cohesivesoilinfluencialon 1 The1stIranianConferenceonGeotechnicalEngineering,22-23October2013 UniversityofMohagheghArdabili,Ardabil,Iran thestabilityofslopsandembankments”(in 1937) werepublishedrespectivelyinthejournals:PublicRoads (Vol.13,N.8,pp121-136),JournalofNewEnglandWaterWorksAssociatedand J.ofBostonSocietyof Civil Engineer(Vol.23) Rapid developmentofsoil mechanicssubjectininternationalscaleaccompanying withTerzaghi’s personal andspecialinterestindevelopingdifferentviewsofthat,encouragedhimtopublishanotherfundamental bookin1943,named “TheoreticalSoilMechanics”whichcouldshowtheauthor’svastknowledgeatthat time,covering154referencesfromnearly130scientistsandresearchers.In1948,the“SoilMechanicsin EngineeringPractice”authoredbyK.TerzaghiandR.B.Peckandin 1960 “From TheorytoPractice”was published by John Wiley publisher. Duringthe5decadesafterpublishingthefirstbookbyTerzaghi(i.e.1925),thousandsofexperimental reportsandanalyticalmanuscriptshavebeenpresentedby hundredsofresearchers,so mostofproblemsand unknownmatters in this areahavebeen solvedandanswered. Itisobviousthatpresentingaclearandappropriatehistoryofthisbranchofengineeringcanonlybedoneby acooperation ofsomeexpertscientistsinthisfield, whichcertainlycoversa detailedandlongtextthatcan not be presentedinthepresentarticle,soit isreliabletohaveanotherindependenttext,thoughdifferent parts ofthatcanbe foundseparatelyinsomerelevantbooksandrelevantproceedings.It isworthwhileandalso neccessaryatthispointtomensionthatthespecialvolumeoftheProceedingof11thICSMFEin1985 (namedtheJubilee),containsadetailedandfundamentaltextaboutthehistoryofsoilmechanics.Thistext has beenpreparedbythreefamousscientistsatthattime:“J.Kerisel”,A. W.Skemton” and“R.B.Peck”that reviewed three durationsrespectively: i. e. before1700,between 1717 to 1927and 1927to 1985. 2- ISSMGE The International Society for Soil Mechanicsand Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) haditsorigins inthe FirstInternationalConferenceonSoilMechanicsandFoundationEngineeringheldinHarvardin1936, where a total of 206 delegates attended from20countries in that time. Theaimofthis International Society is thepromotionof internationalco-operationamongstengineers and scientistsfortheadvancementand disseminationofknowledgeinthefieldofgeotechnics,anditsengineeringandenvironmentalapplications. In ordertoensurethecontinuationofthis verysuccessfulinitiative,anExecutiveCommittee wassetupwith KarlTerzaghiasPresident andArthurCasagrandeasSecretary;buttheactivity ofISSMGEintervened becauseofthe 2nd World War,sotheSecondICSMFE wasnothelduntil1948inRotterdam.Againthis provedto bea greatsuccess,with596 delegates.BythetimeoftheThirdICSMFEinZurichin1953,the InternationalSocietyhad becomefirmlyestablished, with Terzaghias Presidentand DonaldTaylorasthe Secretary. In1957 A. W. SkemptonbecamePresident,andtheSecretariatmovedtothe UK.Since1965,the GeneralSecretarieshavebeenJ.K.T.L.Nash(1965-1981),J.B.Burland(1981)andR.H.G.Parry(1981- 1999).ThequadriennialICSMFEbecameanestablishedpatternfrom 1953andtheJubileeConferencewas heldinSanFranciscoin 1985,attracting 2000 delegates andguests. ThefirstRegionalConference wasthe Australa- AsianConferenceheldinAustraliain1952,andquadriennialRegionalConferenceshavealso becomeanestablishedpattern.In1981theSteeringCommitteewassetuptogiveabetterfocustothe rapidlyexpandingSociety.ItbecametheBoardin1985, whichmeetseveryyear,whiletheCouncilmeets everytwoyears.In 1997,theCouncilapprovedachangein nametotheInternationalSocietyfor Soil Mechanics and GeotechnicalEngineering to reflect more accurately the activities oftheSociety. ISSMGEhasexperienceda rapidgrowthinmembership,the32MemberSocietiesand2500individual membersin1957increasingto 50/11500in 1977and71/16500in1998. The growthin membershiphas been matched byincreasingactivities,largelythroughtheestablishmentofmanyactiveTechnicalCommittees and TaskForces. Presidents of ISSMGE 1936–1957K.Terzaghi (USA) 1957–1961A.W.Skempton(UK) 1961–1965A.Casagrande(USA) 1965–1969L.Bjerrum(Norway) 1969–1973R.B.Peck(USA) 1973–1977J.Kerisel (France) 2 The1stIranianConferenceonGeotechnicalEngineering,22-23October2013 UniversityofMohagheghArdabili,Ardabil,Iran 1977–1981M.Fukuoka(Japan) 1981–1985V.F.B.deMello(Brazil) 1985–1989B.B.Broms(Singapore) 1989–1994N.R.Morgenstern(Canada) 1994–1997M.Jamiolkowski (Italy) 1997–2001K.Ishihara(Japan) 2001-2005W.VanImpe(Belgium) 2005-2009P.S.SêcoePinto(Portugal) 2009-uptonow J.L.Briaud(USA) MEMBERSHIP ISSMGEhas86 MemberSocietiesworldwiderepresenting 18000individual members.These includepractising engineers, teachers,researchers,and equipmentdesigners and manufacturers. Benefitsofmembershipinclude: • possibility tosubmit papers tomany conferences andsymposia • lower conferenceregistrationfees • possibility of membership of oneof 30technical committees working on specific topics • access toworkof ISSMGEin variousfields of activity, including Communications, Education, Technology Transfer • opportunitiesto demonstrate leadership inTechnical Committee, conference and other activities • opportunitiestobuildlasting world-widerelationships • acleardemonstrationof interest and professionalismin thefieldofGeotechnics The Society alsohas23 corporate associates fromindustry. ADMINISTRATION The ISSMGE policy making body is theCouncil,consisting of two delegates(one voting) from each MemberSociety, which meets every two years. ThePresidentis elected for four years and is assisted by the BOARDwhichconsistsof the sixRegional Vice-Presidents,thePastPresident, threeappointedmembers,andtheSecretaryGeneralwho is responsible for theday-to-day conduct of theaffairsof the Society INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATIONS ISSMGEisanaffiliatedmemberoftheInternationalUnionofGeologicalSciences(IUGS) which is itself a member of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). Close relationshipsaremaintainedwithISSMGE sister societies,the International Societyfor RockMechanics (ISRM)andtheInternational AssociationforEngineeringGeology andthe Environment (IAEGE) via the Federation of the International Geo-engineering Societies(FedIGS). ThesocietyhasalsocooperationswithInternationalGeotextilesSociety(IGS)andwithNetlon Limitedinstitute. 3 The1stIranianConferenceonGeotechnicalEngineering,22-23October2013 UniversityofMohagheghArdabili,Ardabil,Iran CONFERENCES Quadriennial International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering Engineering(ICSMGE) Quadriennial International Congresson Evvironmental Geotechnical (ICEG) Fivequadriennial Regional Conferences Specialist International Conferences, Symposia and Workshops Regional YoungGeotechnicalEngineers'Conferences(YGEC)