Geotechnical Engineering in the 21st Century

Geotechnical engineering was established as a formal discipline in the 1920s, with a focus on the large projects of the latter stages of the industrial revolution. In the intervening years since the 1920s, the field has expanded beyond that of the original concepts. While the growth of the discipline has been on a positive track to date, there are issues that need consideration for the future. First, improved lines of communication are needed between practitioners and academics. Second, many of the areas which would appear ripe for major development call for skills that are not being imparted to advanced students. Third, there is a need for an organized effort to influence the funding agencies to support needed research. Finally, there is not enough cooperation of groups involved in research, and too much duplication of specialized facilities in the research community. As civil engineers face these issues, geotechnical practicioners have problems with liability and insurance costs, drawing their attention away from development. The survival of a vigorous geotechnical profession into the 21st century will require a concerted effort of all parties to address our problems. Fortunately, the problems we face are solvable so long as care is taken in developing a sound approach to them.