Behavioural mechanisms in geotechnical engineering

Overview

Geotechnical infrastructure must be fit for purpose and resilient to changes in environmental or service loading and patterns of use. It must also be affordable to build, maintain and in some cases adapt.

As some recent major projects have shown, achieving these goals together is a challenge. Unduly pessimistic load cases, over-cautious materials parameters and inappropriate assumed mechanisms of behaviour can all drive excessive conservatism and cost.

The lecture will illustrate and discuss, with reference to case studies, the use and value of observed performance and behavioural mechanisms in identifying suitable methods of analysis and materials parameters, to achieve resilience affordably.

This presentation is a slightly edited version of the 64th British Geotechnical Association Rankine Lecture, which Prof. William Powrie delivered at the Royal Geographical Society in March 2026. 

Programme