Earth retaining structures (typically walls) have been used since ancient Egypt, to help manage flooding, irrigation, and controlled erosion. Until the early 20th century, these walls were quite simple and usually constructed based on experience without much engineering as we know it today. Engineers such as William Rankine, Karl Terzhagi, and Ralph Peck developed a more systematic approach to the design of earth retaining structures, allowing for a growing population to to build in areas that were previously unbuildable in more sustainable ways.
In recent years, a variety of new options have become available and these are possible due to the rapid advances in materials, equipment capabilities, observation instrumentation, and engineering knowledge.
Conference Objectives:
- To discuss innovations and advancements in earth retaining structure design practices and to identify gaps or points of interest in the existing codes.
- Bridge concerns between engineering and construction practices.
- Share best practices and lessons learned from past failures.
- Discuss advancements in instrumentation, equipment, techniques, and their integration into practice and numerical models.
- Develop ideas for implementing sustainable practices in earth retaining structures.
- Share recent advances, challenges, and areas of future research on the short-term and long-term behavior of earth retaining structures.
