from ISSMGE Bulletin: Volume 6 Issue 6 (p.31)
REPORT TO ISSMGE FOUNDATION
REPORT OF 3AyGEC
After the recent 3rd African Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference in Cairo, Egypt, from 12th to 14th of November, 2012, four reports were submitted by participants whose conference attendances were supported by the ISSMGE Foundation. Their reports are presented here.
A SHORT REPORT ON 3AyGEC, CAIRO, EGYPT
by Kabari, Baribeop (Nigeria)
The 3rd African Young Geotechnical Engineers conference which took place in Cairo, Egypt, was the best of its kind. The three-day conference started with registration of the participants on the 11th of November, 2012, and ended after a breath-taking technical visit at a project site and an exciting trip to the historical site of the Pyramids in Giza on the 14th. The conference was flawlessly organised and relatively well attended.
On Day 1, the Chairperson, Professor Fatma Baligh who presided over the opening ceremonies presented a warm welcome address and quickly invited Professors Samuel U. Ejezie and Jean-Louis Briaud who take their turn. This remarkable start was followed by Paper sessions and tea and lunch breaks.
Paper session 1 titled, “Soil Behaviour, Properties & Correlation” was preceded by a thrilling Keynote Lecture which was delivered by the ISSMGE President. The President exposed the subject of Saturated soils with specific emphasis on Shrink-Swell Soils and the Design of Shallow Foundations. Quite a number of young geotechnical engineers followed suits by responding to questions following individual presentations. I participated fully in the paper session 1 by making a presentation on “Soil Properties Correlation for Shallow Foundation Design”.
Other paper sessions held on Day 1 and 2 assumed similar structure as paper session 1 and were also laced with motivating Keynote lectures by the VP Africa and Peter Day (former VP Africa), and also followed by awesome presentations by the young geotechnical engineers. Other distinguished professors from universities across Egypt also made tremendous impact through their contributions.
On Day 3 of the event a visit was made to the Multi Story Garage being constructed below El-Tahrir Square in Cairo. The project managers (ARAB Contractors) took us around the project site and explained different components of the drawings. Thereafter, we visited the historical Pyramids and the Sphinx in the Giza area.
The 3AyGEC has founded in me a deep-seated interest in geotechnical engineering research activities. I had the opportunity to engage in discussions with both young researchers and our enviable senior colleagues. It was a well organised conference and the best of its kind. I believe continual hosting of this event will always ignite the already existing passion in young engineers for research and practice of geotechnical engineering. This will lead to enhanced future activities of our dear profession especially in Africa and the entire globe.
Many thanks to the ISSMGE Foundation for sponsorship.
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