3rd Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference

Welcome to the Third Australia – New Zealand Young Geotechnical Professionals Conference, Melbourne, 1998. This conference is a continuation of the highly successful series of YGP events, which are a joint initiative of the Australian Geomechanics Society and the New Zealand Geotechnical Society. The Institute of Engineers, Australia, has assisted in the organisation of this event by providing seed capital and underwriting.

Rather than adopting any particular technical focus, the YGP conferences are designed to encourage the broader professional development of delegates through sharing in the knowledge and experience of senior professionals and peers. An important aim of these events is to foster communication and understanding amongst younger members of the geotechnical professions, and to encourage them to take an active role in the activities of their technical societies.

The success of this conference, as with all YGP events, is critically dependent upon the level of support offered by the geotechnical community. Without some financial commitment and considerable goodwill from the profession at large, events such as this simply could not take place. It gives me great pleasure to report that the level of support offered for this event from all quarters of the geotechnical community has been unquestioning and extensive. The conference has been generously sponsored and will be strongly attended. Delegates will be given the opportunity to visit one of Australia’s most ambitious construction projects, and will benefit from the participation of some of our region’s foremost researchers and practitioners. It is noteworthy that not a single senior person who was invited to be involved in the conference declined. Delegates can take great heart in the fact that their professional community has seen fit to invest heavily in this event and their futures.

Numerous people have played a role in bringing the conference to fruition. The support of all paper reviewers and sponsors is gratefully appreciated. Many thanks are due to past and present organising committee members: Grant Cameron, David Collings, Don Richardson and Jim Slatter; who have contributed considerable time and effort in the past twelve months or more. Thanks must also go to conference mentors, Assoc. Prof. Chris Haberfield and Mr Max Ervin, who provided valuable advice to the organising committee and will participate in event. The Transurban consortium and Transfield-Obayashi Joint Venture are facilitating a first-class site visit, for which we are very appreciative. Finally, the conference is indebted to all its senior participants, who have been so generously supportive; particularly keynote speakers Prof. Harry Poulos, Mr Charles Waterton, Mr Max Ervin, and Mr Bruce Hutchison. Prof. Ian Johnston and Mr Warren Pump have also contributed their time as session participants.

Having set the scene for the conference ahead, I would like to congratulate all delegates on being the nominated representative of their organisation for this event. I encourage you to make the most of conference sessions, and to participate as enthusiastically in a social sense as in the more formal aspects of the conference. Organising committee members and myself look forward to joining you in a productive and enjoyable three days.

Ben Collingwood.
Organising Committee Chairman