14th Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference
The organising committee are delighted to welcome you to the 14th Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference which is being held at the Millenium Hotel, Rotorua from 2nd to 5th November 2022. This is the first ANZ YGP conference following the global Covid19 pandemic, and we can’t wait to reignite what has become a time honoured and traditional event for both the AGS and NZGS. Held every 2 years, the Young Geotechnical Professional Conference (YGPC) events are unique 3 day conferences facilitated by a joint initiative of Australian Geomechanics Society (AGS) and New Zealand Geotechnical Society.
The aim of the 14YGPC is to provide younger professionals both in industry and academia experience in technical paper preparation and conference presentation. We hope delegates not only gain technical knowledge but confidence in presenting, form new connections and enjoy the process. Presenting at this conference is the culmination of many months of paper preparation and peer review by senior professionals. Conference attendance is limited to only presenting authors with what is likely to be their first technical paper to their peers and a panel of senior industry professionals. It is important to note that 98 abstracts were received. Unfortunately, only 43 of them are accepted due to the limitation of the single-session conference and the desire to keep the audience small. The acceptance ratio is 44% and many of the rejected abstracts are very high quality.
We are pleased to have Nina Levy (Fugro & former AGS National Chair), Darren Paul (WSP Golder & former AGS National Chair), Phillip Robins (Beca & NZGS Past Chair) and Jen Smith (Tonkin and Taylor & NZGS Treasurer) as our senior industry mentoring panel. This panel not only has vast technical knowledge but also provides a direct link between the Young Professionals and both Trans-Tasman learned societies. We hope that delegates not only gain professional development but also learn more about the AGS and NZGS and the work they do to promote and advocate for our industry.
YGP events also include a field trip into the surrounding Rotorua region, and we are thrilled to have the assistance of Brad Scott (GNS New Zealand) to provide what will no doubt be an interesting, informative and entertaining commentary on the local geothermal and geological features of the area. No conference is complete without a number of social events to encourage interaction between the delegates, and this conference is no exception. We look forward to showcasing Rotorua during these events.
We wish to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Sponsors of this conference. Without their support and assistance this event could not occur and we thank each and every one of these organisations. We also thank the peer reviewers who gave their time and technical expertise to provide thorough and supportive reviews of the papers. Finally, I wish to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the organising committee and guidance of both AGS and NZGS national steering committees. Without their efforts and the support of their respective home organisations this conference would not be possible.
Welcome to Rotorua, relax and most importantly enjoy the events and happenings planned in the next few days. I hope the 14YGPC provides an enjoyable and informative event aimed at the development of future leaders in the geotechnical profession.
The papers published in these proceedings were peer-reviewed by senior geotechnical personnel and experts in the field of geotechnical engineering. The topics covered are quite varied and include: laboratory testing; field testing; geology; groundwater; earthworks; soil behaviour; constitutive modelling; ground improvement; earthquake; retaining structures; foundations; slope stability; tunnels and observational methods.
I would like to acknowledge the work done by the reviewers, for their fundamental contribution in ensuring the quality of the published papers. We also gratefully acknowledge the financial supports from both the AGS and NZGS, along with the various sponsors (for both financial and in kind support). All contributing organisations were absolutely essential for the successful co-ordination of this conference.
Helen Loach
14YGPC2022 Rotorua Organising Committee Chair / NZGS Young Geotechnical Professionals Representative