526 delegates (34 countries)
37 invited speakers, 192 oral presentations, 120 posters, 350 technical papers
Hosted by the New Zealand Geotechnical Society
Conference Chair: Misko Cubrinovski
Photos (clockwise from top left): Prof. Verdugo (center), the chair of 5ICEGE is handing to Prof. Cubrinovski (to the left), the chair of 6ICEGE, the seismograph that serves as a symbol of TC203 ICEGE. Prof. Pitilakis, the TC203 chair at the time of the conference, is to the right.
Misko Cubrinovski (Chair of 6ICEGE), Kyriazis Pitilakis (TC203 Chair), Takaji Kokusho (the 5th Ishihara Lecturer), and the honorary guests of 6ICEGE: Liam Fii, Kenji Ishihara and Izzat Idriss.
Richard Fragaszy (Program Director of NSF, USA) is sending a congratulatory and support message at the opening of 6ICEGE.
The 6th International Conference on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering was held in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, between the 1st and 4th November 2015. This conference was unusual in the sense that it was hosted in a city that was less than five years earlier severely impacted by the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The earthquake caused extensive liquefaction over nearly half of the residential area, instability of slopes, widespread damage to the city’s infrastructure, and closure of the central area of Christchurch for over two years due to extensive damage to multistorey buildings. Held with this context, the conference provided a unique opportunity for delegates to engage in robust discussion as well as being able to visit some of the areas of the city where earthquake-related damage was still evident.
The conference was hosted by the New Zealand Geotechnical Society, chaired by Prof. Misko Cubrinovski and received the strong support of the Earthquake Commission (EQC ). The conference attracted 526 registrations from 34 countries, and the organizing committee were pleased to be able to offer scholarships to a selection of students as well as travel support to those with demonstrable need.
The technical programme included 37 invited speakers, 192 oral presentations and 120 posters, with a total of 350 technical papers published in the proceedings. The proceedings have been made freely available, and are hosted on the ISSMGE library.
Two special award lectures were presented during the conference. Prof. Takaji Kokusho of the University of Tokyo delivered the 5th Ishihara Lecture on the topic of “Liquefaction research by laboratory tests versus in situ behavior.” Prof. Bruce Kutter of the University of California at Davis delivered the 2nd Schofield Lecture (award lecture of TC104) on the topic of “Geotechnical earthquake engineering experiments in the information age.”
The 2014 young researcher awards were presented to Dr Brendon Bradley of the University of Canterbury, and to Domniki Asikmaki of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Both recipients presented lectures in a special award session on the topics of “City‐specific response analysis: The high frequency ‘anomaly’ that saved lives: Site effects and damage patterns of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake” (Asimaki) and “Validation of empirical and physics‐based ground motion and site response prediction models for the 2010‐2011 Canterbury earthquakes” (Bradley).
Invited lectures and the 5th Ishihara lecture were published in a special issue of Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering.
Given the scientific interest in the events of the 2010-2011 earthquake sequence, delegates were invited to participate in a series of technical tours taking place before and after the conference. The technical tours included “an overview of the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence,” “earthquake damage to residential land and the path to remediation,” “geology and tectonics of the Canterbury region” and “Slope instability and remediation on the Port Hills”
The 5th Ishihara Lecture was presented by Prof. Kokusho shown to the right of Prof. Ishihara in this photo.
Prof. Pitilakis (The TC203 Cahir), is presenting Prof. Kokusho the certificate of recognition at the Fifth Ishihara Lecturer.
The 2nd Schofield Lecture (awarded by TC104) was presented by Prof. Kutter at 6ICEGE; as the lecture focused on geotechnical earthquake engineering, 6ICEGE provided an excellent venue for this prestigious lecture.
The 2014 TC203 Young Researcher Award was presented to Dr Brendon Bradley of the University of Canterbury, and to Domniki Asikmaki of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Both recipients presented lectures in a special award session on the topics of “City‐specific response analysis: The high frequency ‘anomaly’ that saved lives: Site effects and damage patterns of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake” (Asimaki) and “Validation of empirical and physics‐based ground motion and site response prediction models for the 2010‐2011 Canterbury earthquakes” (Bradley).
Invited lectures and the 5th Ishihara lecture were published in a special issue of Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering.
Given the scientific interest in the events of the 2010-2011 earthquake sequence, delegates were invited to participate in a series of technical tours taking place before and after the conference. The technical tours included “an overview of the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence,” “earthquake damage to residential land and the path to remediation,” “geology and tectonics of the Canterbury region” and “Slope instability and remediation on the Port Hills”
A pōwhiri was performed at the opening of the conference as a formal welcome by Ngai Tahu of the visiting delegates. Professors Dobry, Finn and Ishihara were selected to represent the visiting delagates and faced the Wero (formal challenge) and accepted the rākau whakaara (warning baton), rākau takoto (baton laid down) and rākau whakawaha (baton that clears the way). Following the formal challenge, karanga (calling between the guests and the welcoming tribe) a haka pōwhiri (ritual war dance) and whaikōrero (speeches) were performed. The pōwhiri was concluded by the presentation of a koha (gift to the welcoming tribe) and hongi (sharing of breath).
At the conclusion of the pōwhiri, the conference was formally opened by Mayor Lianne Dalziel.
Wero (challenge)
Haka pōwhiri
The conference was formally opened by Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel
Prof. Cubrinovski welcoming delegates
During the conference, delegates were invited to a welcome reception and conference dinner which was held among the planes of the New Zealand Airforce Museum. During the conference, an accompanying social programme took in the Riccarton house & Bush, the Banks Peninsula and Akaroa, Central Christchurch and the Willowbank Reserve.
Christchurch lost its premium conference facilities in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake; the 6ICEGE was held at the New Zealand Airforce Museum, which served as a temporary conference facility for Christchurch. Hence, the unusual décor of full size planes at the dinner venue.
Prof. Ishihara and Mrs. Ishihara during the conference dinner. Left of Prof. Ishihara is Prof. Finn engaged in discussion with Prof. Idriss. Ishihara, Finn and Idriss were the honorary guests of 6ICEGE, to acknowledge their long term outstanding contributions to TC203 (formerly TC4).