The field of geoengineering is at a crossroads where the path to high-tech solutions meets the path to expanding applications of geotechnology. In this report, the term "geoengineering" includes all types of engineering that deal with Earth materials, such as geotechnical engineering, geological engineering, hydrological engineering, and Earth-related parts of petroleum engineering and mining engineering. The rapid expansion of nanotechnology, biotechnology, and information technology begs the question of how these new approaches might come to play in developing better solutions for geotechnological problems. This report presents a vision for the future of geotechnology aimed at National Science Foundation (NSF) program managers, the geological and geotechnical engineering community as a whole, and other interested parties, including Congress, federal and state agencies, industry, academia, and other stakeholders in geoengineering research. Some of the ideas may be close to reality whereas others may turn out to be elusive, but they all present possibilities to strive for and potential goals for the future. Geoengineers are poised to expand their roles and lead in finding solutions for modern Earth systems problems, such as global change, emissions-free energy supply, global water supply, and urban systems.

The geology of the Japanese Islands is enormously complicated because of the active tectonism that has taken place on the boundary between the Pacific and Eurasian plates. Geological formations there are intricately deformed and displaced by many active faults. Hence, in planning for and siting large construction projects, such as nuclear power stations, underground power stations, and the underground facility for High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW), more detailed investigations are necessary than in more stable parts of the world. Only then can assessments be made as to the long-term stability, hydrological characteristics and mechanical characteristics of geological conditions. This book offers recent research studies in engineering geology in Japan. It contains 27 papers of scope and importance sufficient to allow engineering geologists throughout the world to understand more of the present state of research and study in Japan. The title also includes a number of current topics in which Japanese engineering geologists have participated: the planning for and siting of large construction, such as nuclear power stations, underground power stations, and the underground facility for High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW); the construction project of highways and nuclear power stations and new energy developments such as those for geothermal energy; the countermeasures for natural hazards caused by earthquakes, landslides, and slope, and stone deterioration; and alteration because of weathering at and near the Earth's surface.

This book contains contributions to the 10th International Workshop on Bifurcation and Degradation in Geomaterials held in Hong Kong, May 28-30, 2014. This event marks the silver Jubilee anniversary of an international conference series dedicated to the research on localization, instability, degradation and failure of geomaterials since 1988 when its first workshop was organized in Germany. This volume of book collects the latest progresses and state-of-the-art research from top researchers around the world, and covers topics including multiscale modeling, experimental characterization and theoretical analysis of various instability and degradation phenomena in geomaterials as well as their relevance to contemporary issues in engineering practice. This book can be used as a useful reference for research students, academics and practicing engineers who are interested in the instability and degradation problems in geomechanics and geotechnical engineering.

Risk and reliability analysis is an area of growing importance in geotechnical engineering, where many variables have to be considered. Statistics, reliability modeling and engineering judgement are employed together to develop risk and decision analyses for civil engineering systems. The resulting engineering models are used to make probabilistic predictions, which are applied to geotechnical problems. Reliability & Statistics in Geotechnical Engineering comprehensively covers the subject of risk and reliability in both practical and research terms * Includes extensive use of case studies * Presents topics not covered elsewhere--spatial variability and stochastic properties of geological materials * No comparable texts available Practicing engineers will find this an essential resource as will graduates in geotechnical engineering programmes.

The Engineering Group of the Geological Society Working Party brought together experts in glacial and periglacial geomorphology, Quaternary history, engineering geology and geotechnical engineering to establish best practice when working in former glaciated and periglaciated environments. The Working Party addressed outdated terminology and reviewed the latest academic research to provide an up-to-date understanding of glaciated and periglaciated terrains. This transformative, state-of-the-art volume is the outcome of five years of deliberation and synthesis by the Working Party. This is an essential reference text for practitioners, students and academics working in these challenging ground conditions. The narrative style, and a comprehensive glossary and photo-catalogue of active and relict sediments, structures and landforms make this material relevant and accessible to a wide readership.

In November 2015, Buenos Aires, Argentina became the location of several important events for geo-professionals, with the simultaneous holding of the 15th Pan-American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (XV PCSMGE), the 8th South American Congress on Rock Mechanics (SCRM) and the 6th International Symposium on Deformation Characteristics of Geomaterials, as well as the 22nd Argentinean Congress of Geotechnical Engineering (CAMSIGXXII). This synergy brought together international experts, researchers, academics, professionals and geo-engineering companies in a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and discuss current and future practices in the areas of soil mechanics and rock mechanics, and their applications in civil, energy, environmental, and mining engineering. This book presents the invited lectures of the 15th Pan-American Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (XV PCSMGE) and the 8th South American Congress on Rock Mechanics (SCRM). It includes the Casagrande Lecture delivered by Luis Valenzuela and 21 Plenary, Keynote and Panelist Lectures from these two Buenos Aires conferences.