Canadian Geotechnique Winter2025

THE CGS MAGAZINE / LE PÉRIODIQUE de la SCG

WWW.CGS.CA

SPECIAL SECTION:

INSIDE THIS EDITION: • Special Section on the 78th Canadian Geotechnical Conference • An Interview with Canadian Legend Andy Baracos

VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 4 • WINTER 2025

THANK YOU 2025 CGS CORPORATE SPONSORS

MERCI AUX COMMANDITAIRES 2025 DE LA SCG

CANADIAN GEOTECHNIQUE The CGS Magazine/ Le Périodique de la SCG GÉOTECHNIQUE CANADIENNE VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 4 • WINTER 2025 www.cgs.ca

CONTENTS

VOLUME 6 • NUMBER 4 • WINTER 2025

Publishing Team: Managing Editor: Lisa Reny | lisa@karma-link.ca Editorial Assistant: Emily Fournier | emily@karma-link.ca Production Manager: Bill Reny | bill@karma-link.ca Copy Editor: Lesia Beznaczuk | lesia@karma-link.ca Cold Regions Geotechnics: Lukas Arenson | larenson@bgcengineering.ca Groundwater: François Duhaime | francois.duhaime@etsmtl.ca Instrumentation and Monitoring: Pierre Choquet | pchoquet@rstinstruments.com Major Projects: Gholamreza (Reza) Saghaee | reza.saghaee@aecom.com Mine Waste Geotechnics: Ward Wilson | wwilson2@ualberta.ca Professional Practice: Seán Mac Eoin | sean.maceoin@tetratech.com Heritage / In Memoriam: Valérie Fréchette | frechette.valerie@hydroquebec.com Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering: Marco Quirion | quirion.marco@hydro.qc.ca Students and Young Professionals: Chelsey Yesnik | yprep@cgs.ca Canadian Geotechnical Journal: Andy Take | andy.take@queensu.ca Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique: Suzanne Powell | spowell@thurber.ca CGS Editorial Advisory Board: Ian Moore, CGS Executive Director | execdir@cgs.ca Michel Aubertin | michel.aubertin@polymtl.ca Doug VanDine | dfvandine@gmail.com Marie-Lin Bréard Lanoix, CGS VP Communications & Member Services | vpcomm@cgs.ca D. Jean Hutchinson, CGS VP Technical | vptech@cgs.ca Andrea Lougheed, CGS Member | alougheed@bgcengineering.ca Gholamreza (Reza) Saghaee, CGS Member | reza.saghaee@aecom.com Andrew Drevininkas, CGS Member & Corporate Sponsor | andrew.drevininkas@ttc.ca Subscription Rates: CGS Members: Paper and electronic issues are included with membership. Electronic issues are available on the CGS member website. Non-CGS Members: Visit www.karma-link.ca/shop.

Printed in Canada Canadian Geotechnique is published by: Karma-Link Management Services Ltd. 2167 166 Street, Surrey, BC V3Z 0V6 info@karma-link.ca • www.karma-link.ca CGS Membership: Contact admin@cgs.ca.

Advertising: Contact Max Manuel at max@karma-link.ca.

Submission of Feature Articles and News: Unsolicited feature articles and news items of interest to CGS members are encouraged for consideration.

Submissions should be sent to the respective Editor, or Managing Editor, at least three months before the month of publication. Submission guidelines are on the Karma-Link website: www.karma-link.ca.

CGS NEWS Message from the Publisher / Message d l’éditeur

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Message from the President / Message du Président

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From the Society / Nouvelles de la Société

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FROM THE VAULTS

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SPECIAL SECTION – GEOMANITOBA 2025

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RF Legget Medal Recipient

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CGS Awards and Honours 2025

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Keynote Speakers

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Best Paper Awards

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Special Sessions

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Student & Young Professional Events

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Manitoba Heritage Moment

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Canadian Permafrost Association Activities

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FEATURES An Interview with Canadian Legend Andy Baracos

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GEO-INTEREST Evert Hoek: A Personal Reflection

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A Day in the Life of a Rock Mechanics Engineer

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Canadian Geotechnical Achievements

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MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

If you are interested in becoming more involved with the Society at the local level or with a specific Division or Committee, please reach out to me (admin@cgs.ca), and I will connect you with the appropriate volunteer.

correct, so you continue to receive the printed copy of Canadian Geotechnique. Within your MyCGS account, you can also select your area(s) of Interest, add your LinkedIn profile, and opt in to the Member Directory.

Lisa Reny, Publisher

2026: A New Year for the CGS We are looking forward to the new year and continuing to support the Canadian Geotechnical Society’s membership, initiatives, and growth.

2025 was another successful year for the CGS – 1,550 active members across Canada participated in local Sections, Divisions, Committees, and the annual conference!

In 2026, we will be busy working on a new member management system for the CGS, ready to launch for 2027 renewals. This will include an update and refresh of the website, both within your MyCGS account and the public-facing website. GeoQuebec 2026 will feature an information session on this exciting change, during which Karma-Link and the CGS Executive Committee will be available to answer questions and take suggestions.

When renewing your membership for 2026, double-check that your contact details are

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CGS Membership Participation – A Role for Everyone Participating in the various Divisions and Committees has proven to be a rewarding and positive experience for CGS members. If you are interested in becoming more involved with the Society at the local level or with a specific Division or Committee, please reach out to me (admin@cgs.ca), and I will connect you with the appropriate volunteer.

Divisions Cold Regions Geotechnology Engineering Geology and Geological Engineering Geoenvironmental Geosynthetics Groundwater Rock Mechanics Soil Mechanics & Foundations Committees Education Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (new Committee!)

Geohazards Heritage Membership Mining Geotechnique Professional Practice

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Sustainable Geotechnics Transportation Geotechnique Young Professionals Sections Vancouver Island, British Columbia (Victoria) Southern British Columbia (Vancouver) Northern British Columbia (Prince George) Interior British Columbia (Kelowna) Southern Alberta (Calgary) Northern Alberta & Territories (Edmonton) Northern Saskatchewan (Saskatoon) Manitoba (Winnipeg) Southern Saskatchewan (Regina) Northwestern Ontario (Thunder Bay) Northeastern Ontario (Sudbury) Southwestern Ontario (London) Southern Ontario (Toronto) Southeastern Ontario (Kingston) Eastern Ontario (Ottawa) Western Quebec (Montreal) Eastern Quebec (Quebec) New Brunswick (Fredericton) Nova Scotia (Halifax) Newfoundland and Labrador (St. John’s) The Society remains in healthy shape financially, technically, and socially due to the consistent efforts of the many volunteers.

Happy Holidays and all the best for 2026!

Lisa and the Karma-Link Team

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Our new membership management system and website (IMIS) will provide improved interaction between members and the society.

Craig Lake, 2025-2026 President of the Canadian Geotechnical Society

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s winter approaches, it is nice to be able to reflect about the past year and the many happenings with our society. Manitoba was the place to be in September for CGS activities. The Manitoba section hosted a hugely successful 78th annual Canadian Geotechnical Conference in Winnipeg, which was attended by over 700 delegates. The conference was a collaboration between the CGS and the Canadian Permafrost Association (CPA).

Our many thanks to the Local Organizing Committee of GeoManitoba 2025, chaired by Kent Bannister. Thanks to Lisa Reny, Bill Reny, Emily Fournier, Lesia Beznaczuk, and Bree Sharp of Karma Link Management Services for conference management. As always, the conference was a great chance to see old friends and meet new ones. The weather was warm, but the hospitality of the local community of Manitoba was even warmer! Details of the conference program can still be found on the conference website: https://www.geomanitoba2025.ca/.

The technical portion of the conference kicked off with the RM Hardy Keynote Address given by Ken Skaftfeld entitled Lessons learned as a guide to geotechnical practice. Ken’s storytelling abilities shone in this very interesting talk about many of the geotechnical challenges he has been involved with, not only in Winnipeg, but also in Canada’s north. Suzanne Lacasse gave a keynote following the Hardy entitled Risk-informed decision-making provides necessary insight to help reduce risk. Other CGS keynote and plenary presentations included Jennifer Day giving the CGS Colloquium, The devil’s in the details: Impacts of geological complexities in rock engineering and Duane Froese delivering the CPA Mackay Lecture. This year’s RF Legget

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Medal Award winner is Derek Martin. Derek recounted his long and winding career that took him from his home province of “The Rock” to his current home in Alberta. A CGS Honorary Life Member Award was presented to Dennis Becker for his lifetime of engineering achievements serving Canada and the Canadian Geotechnical Society. Details of all award winners are summarized in the special section on GeoManitoba2025 in this edition of Canadian Geotechnique, and posted on the CGS website (cgs.ca).

Another special highlight in September was the CGS Young Professional Conference, held in Wasagaming, MB, immediately before the CGS Annual Conference. The event, co‑chaired by Jack Park and Joanna Roadley provided an excellent introduction to the CGS community for emerging geoprofessionals. Over 50 delegates attended, with a program featuring a technical tour of the Human Rights Museum, floodway control structures in Winnipeg, and infrastructure renewal within the National Park at Wasagaming. Participants listened to keynotes from Ken Skaftfeld, Jasyn Henry, Kathryn Dompierre, Jean Hutchinson, and myself. The YPs had the opportunity to present a technical topic in PechaKucha format (look it up if you are unfamiliar). The entire conference was a lot of fun for me and I know it was a lot of fun for the attendees. I am more confident than ever that our society is in great hands for the decades to come. Thank you to the entire organizing team for their efforts.

Looking ahead, our 79th Canadian Geotechnical Conference will be held in Quebec City, chaired by Julie Therrien, from September 12–16, 2026. Also planned for 2026 is GeoHazards, scheduled for June 1-3 in Edmonton (AB) and chaired by Corey Froese and Renato Macciotta. All of these CGS events require an enormous amount of effort, and, on behalf of CGS, I extend my thanks to every volunteer who contributes to the excellent technical and social programs, workshops, and short courses. I also thank our corporate sponsors and exhibitors – your

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support is critical to the success of these events and to CGS activities overall.

The Society continued its long-standing tradition of the Cross Canada Lecture Tour (CCLT). Dr. Paul Dittrich (WSP) is, at the time of writing this article, completing the Fall 2025 Tour, and Prof. Jie Han (University of Kansas) will present in Spring 2026. Many thanks to Lisa Reny and the Karma-Link team for managing logistics and ensuring these tours remain successful, along with the Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique.

At our BOD meeting in Winnipeg, the BOD approved a new Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee, chaired by Sumi Suddiqua, which will begin in earnest this coming year.

CGS hosted several EDI webinars this year, with more workshops planned. Also at the BOD meeting, we announced plans to launch our new membership management system and website (IMIS) in late 2026, which will provide improved interaction between members and the society. Finally, it was reported at the BOD meeting by our VP Finance, Daniel Bertrand, that the external audit for 2024 has been completed, and CGS remains in good financial health, despite broader economic uncertainties. Daniel presented the audited report and 2026 budget at the annual conference Business Luncheon.

Jean Hutchinson was voted as the PresidentElect at the Winnipeg BOD meeting. Having worked closely with Jean, I am very confident that CGS will be in excellent hands moving forward. I encourage you to support her as she continues to make CGS one of the best organizations to volunteer with.

In closing, it is truly an honor to serve as President of this Society and to witness the incredible work of CGS members. Thanks to all of you for your continued support as we march towards 2026.

Craig Lake 2025-26 CGS President

MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT

Notre nouveau système de gestion des membres et notre site Web (iMIS) qui permettra d’améliorer l’interaction entre les membres et la SCG.

Craig Lake, Président de la SCG 2025-2026

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l’approche de l’hiver, il est agréable de pouvoir réfléchir à l’année écoulée et aux nombreux événements organisés par la Société canadienne de géotechnique (SCG). En septembre, le Manitoba était l’endroit par excellence pour participer aux activités de la SCG. En effet, la section du Manitoba a accueilli à Winnipeg la 78e Conférence canadienne de géotechnique, à laquelle ont participé plus de 700 délégué·e·s. Cet événement a été le fruit d’une collaboration entre la SCG et l’Association canadienne du pergélisol (ACP). Nos remerciements vont au Comité organisateur local de GéoManitoba 2025, présidé par Kent Bannister. Merci également à Lisa Reny, Bill Reny, Emily Fournier, Lesia Beznaczuk et Bree Sharp, de Karma Link Management Services, pour la gestion de l’événement. Comme toujours, la Conférence a été une excellente occasion de renouer des amitiés de longue date, mais aussi d’en tisser de nouvelles. Le temps était chaud, mais l’hospitalité de la communauté locale du

Manitoba était encore plus chaleureuse! Vous pouvez encore trouver des renseignements concernant le programme de la Conférence sur le site https://www.geomanitoba2025.ca/.

Le volet technique de l’événement a débuté par la conférence R.M. Hardy, prononcée par Ken Skaftfeld et intitulée Experience and lessons learned as a guide to geotechnical practice (« Expériences et leçons apprises pour guider la pratique géotechnique »). Pendant cette passionnante allocution, M. Skaftfeld a utilisé ses talents de conteur pour nous faire part des nombreux défis géotechniques qu’il a dû relever, non seulement à Winnipeg, mais aussi dans le nord du Canada. Par la suite, Suzanne Lacasse a présenté une conférence sur le thème Risk-informed decision-making provides necessary insight to help reduce risk (« Une prise de décision éclairée tenant compte des risques apporte l’éclairage nécessaire pour aider à les réduire »). Parmi les autres présentations plénières et d’honneur de la SCG, Jennifer Day a donné le Colloquium de la SCG intitulé The devil’s in the details : Impacts of geological complexities in rock engineering (« Impacts des complexités géologiques dans l’ingénierie des roches : tout est dans les détails »), tandis que Duane Froese a prononcé la Conférence Mackay de l’ACP. Le lauréat de la Médaille RF

Legget de cette année, Derek Martin, nous a relaté sa longue et sinueuse carrière, qui l’a emmené de sa province natale de Terre-Neuve (affectueusement surnommée « The Rock ») à son domicile actuel en Alberta. Dennis Becker a reçu le titre de membre honoraire à vie de la SCG pour l’ensemble de ses réalisations en génie ainsi que pour sa contribution à notre Société et à la nation. Vous trouverez un résumé des gagnant·e·s de tous les prix dans la section spéciale de cette édition du magazine Géotechnique canadienne consacrée à GéoManitoba 2025 et sur le site Web de la SCG (https://www.cgs.ca/index.php?lang=fr).

Un autre événement marquant en septembre fut la Conférence des jeunes professionnels (JP) de la SCG, qui s’est tenue à Wasagaming, au Manitoba, tout juste avant la Conférence annuelle de la SCG. Cette conférence, coprésidée par Jack Park et Joanna Roadley, a offert aux nouveaux professionnel·le·s en géotechnique une excellente introduction à la communauté de la SCG. Plus de 50 délégué·e·s ont assisté à cet événement. Son programme comprenait une visite technique du Musée des droits de la personne, des structures du canal de dérivation des crues de Winnipeg et des projets de renouvellement des infrastructures du parc national de Wasagaming.

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MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT Les participant·e·s ont écouté les présentations de Ken Skaftfeld, de Jasyn Henry, de Kathryn Dompierre, de Jean Hutchinson et de moi-même. Les JP ont eu l’occasion de présenter un sujet technique en format PechaKucha (si vous n’êtes pas familier·ère avec ce type de format, je vous invite à y jeter un coup d’œil). Toute la conférence a été fort divertissante, tant en ce qui me concerne que pour les autres participant·e·s. Je suis plus que jamais convaincu que la SCG est entre de bonnes mains pour les décennies à venir. Merci à toute l’équipe organisatrice pour leurs efforts.

En ce qui concerne l’avenir, la 79e Conférence canadienne de géotechnique, présidée par Julie Therrien, se tiendra à Québec, du 12 au 16 septembre 2026. Également au programme pour 2026, on retrouve la conférence Géorisques, présidée par Corey Froese et Renato Macciotta, qui aura lieu du 1er au 3 juin, à Edmonton, en Alberta. Tous ces événements de la SCG exigent énormément d’efforts. Au nom de notre Société, je tiens à remercier tous les bénévoles qui contribuent aux excellents programmes techniques et sociaux, aux ateliers et aux cours intensifs. Je remercie également nos commanditaires et

exposants dont le soutien est essentiel au succès de ces événements et de nos activités en général.

Par ailleurs, la SCG a poursuivi sa tradition de longue date en organisant la Tournée de conférences transcanadienne (TCT). Au moment de la rédaction de cet article, le Dr. Paul Dittrich (WSP) mettait un point final à la tournée de l’automne 2025. Mentionnons que le professeur Jie Han (Université du Kansas) présentera celle du printemps 2026.

Un grand merci à Lisa Reny et à l’équipe de Karma-Link pour la gestion de la logistique et le succès de ces tournées, ainsi qu’à la Fondation canadienne de géotechnique.

Lors de sa réunion à Winnipeg, le CA a approuvé la création d’un nouveau comité sur l’équité, la diversité et l’inclusion (EDI), présidé par Sumi Suddiqua, qui amorcera pour de bon ses activités l’année prochaine. Cette année, la SCG a organisé plusieurs webinaires sur l’EDI, sans parler des autres ateliers au programme. À la réunion du CA, nous avons aussi annoncé notre intention de lancer notre nouveau système de gestion des membres et notre site Web (iMIS) à la fin de 2026, ce qui permettra

d’améliorer l’interaction entre les membres et la SCG. Enfin, toujours lors de cette réunion, Daniel Bertrand, vice-président aux finances, a signalé que la vérification externe pour 2024 était terminée et que, malgré des incertitudes économiques plus élargies, la SCG demeurait en bonne santé financière. M. Bertrand a présenté le rapport vérifié et le budget 2026 lors du dîner d’affaires annuel de la Conférence.

Jean Hutchinson a été élue présidente désignée à la réunion du CA de Winnipeg.

Ayant travaillé en étroite collaboration avec Mme Hutchinson, je suis sûr que la SCG sera entre d’excellentes mains. Je vous encourage à l’appuyer dans la poursuite de ses efforts pour faire de la SCG l’une des meilleures organisations pour faire du bénévolat.

En terminant, je voudrais vous dire que c’est un véritable honneur d’être président de la SCG et d’être témoin du travail incroyable de ses membres. À l’heure où l’année 2026 se profile à l’horizon, je tiens à vous remercier pour votre soutien continu.

Craig Lake 2025-26 SCG président

Engineering • Science • Technology

Earth Sciences

Water Sciences

Environment

Site Assessment and Remediation

www.clifton.ca

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Civil Engineering

Materials Engineering

FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE

CGS Membership Registration for 2026 It is time to renew your CGS membership for 2026!

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t is time to renew your CGS membership for 2026! Please login to your account at www.cgs.ca and renew online with a few easy steps. Membership fees remain the same as 2025. Contact us at info@cgs.ca if you have any issues or questions.

Membership benefits continue to include: • online access to the monthly Canadian Geotechnical Journal (including all past issues) • printed and online copies of the quarterly Canadian Geotechnique— The CGS Magazine

• all past copies of the Geotechnical News magazine • the monthly CGS E-News • online access to past CGS Conference proceedings, featured special lectures, and past webinars • reduced member pricing for CGS annual conference registration • advanced notice of the spring and fall CGS Cross Canada Lecture Tours

• primary membership in one of CGS’s seven divisions, and for Regular Members the associated international society • involvement in one of 20 CGS local sections • participation in any of the nine CGS committees • opportunities to network with other Canadian geotechnical professionals • access to exclusive virtual events We look forward to your participation in 2026!

Call for Nominations – 2027 Canadian Geotechnical Colloquium Deadline January 31, 2026 Established in 1977, the CGS Colloquium is an annual commissioned presentation and a journal paper.

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stablished in 1977, the CGS Colloquium is an annual commissioned presentation and a journal paper. Along with the honor comes a $5,000 honorarium provided

by Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique. It is targeted towards a younger CGS member to provide information of particular interest to the geotechnical community on topics of importance to the Canadian geotechnical field. A younger CGS member is typically regarded as being less than 40 years of age, with preference given to candidates 33 to 38 years of age at the time of nomination.

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Nominations can be made by any CGS member. Nominations for the 51st Canadian Geotechnical Colloquium, which will be presented at the 2027 annual conference, are due by January 31, 2026. The selection will be made 18 months prior to the presentation by a committee presided by the Chair of the Geotechnical Research Board in April 2026.

The nomination submission should include: • a nomination letter that introduces the nominee with his/her main accomplishments; • an extended abstract of the proposed talk (approximately 2000 words), including a statement of the importance of the topic to the Canadian geotechnical community;

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• the originality of the nominee’s contribution, and; • the nominee’s resume including practical experience relevant to the topic and publication record.

Contact the CGS National Office at awards@cgs.ca for more information or to send in your nomination.

The 50th Canadian Geotechnical Colloquium will be presented at GeoQuebec 2026

by Kshama Roy of Memorial University.

NOUVELLES DU BUREAU NATIONAL

Adhésion à la SCG pour 2026 Il est temps de renouveler votre adhésion à la SCG pour 2026!

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l est temps de renouveler votre adhésion à la SCG pour 2026! Veuillez vous connecter à votre compte au www.cgs.ca et procéder au renouvellement en ligne en quelques étapes simples. Les cotisations restent inchangées.

Veuillez nous écrire, à info@cgs.ca, si vous avez des questions ou des problèmes par rapport au renouvellement.

Les avantages de l’adhésion continuent à comprendre : • Un accès en ligne à la Revue canadienne de géotechnique mensuelle (y compris aux numéros précédents)

• Des versions imprimée et en ligne de la publication trimestrielle Géotechnique canadienne – Le périodique de la SCG; • L’ensemble des anciens numéros du magazine Geotechnical News; • L’infolettre électronique mensuelle (E-Info) de la SCG; • Un accès en ligne aux comptes rendus des conférences précédentes de la SCG et aux principales conférences spéciales; • Des prix réduits pour l’inscription à la conférence annuelle de la SCG; • Un préavis des Tournées de conférences transcanadiennes du printemps et de l’automne de la SCG;

• Une adhésion principale à l’une des sept Divisions techniques de la SCG, et à la société internationale associée pour les membres ordinaires; • Une participation dans l’une des 20 sections locales de la SCG; • Une participation à l’un (ou à plusieurs) des neuf Comités de la SCG; • Des possibilités de réseautage avec d’autres professionnel·le·s de la géotechnique au Canada; • Un accès aux événements virtuels exclusifs; Nous espérons vous voir participer en 2026!

Appel de candidatures – Colloquium 2027 de la SCG Date limite : 31 janvier 2026 Établi en 1977, le Colloquium de la SCG comporte une présentation à la Conférence annuelle et un article de revue commandités. Établi en 1977, le Colloquium de la SCG comporte une présentation à la Conférence annuelle et un article de revue commandités.

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tabli en 1977, le Colloquium de la SCG comporte une présentation à la Conférence annuelle et un article de revue commandités. Cet honneur est accompagné d’une rétribution de 5 000 $ offerte par la Fondation canadienne de géotechnique. Le Colloquium vise à ce qu’un·e jeune membre de la SCG puisse présenter de l’information ayant un intérêt particulier pour la communauté géotechnique sur des sujets d’importance pour le domaine géotechnique canadien. Un·e jeune membre de la SCG est habituellement considéré·e comme étant âgé·e de moins de 40 ans, avec une préférence pour les candidat·e·s âgés de 33 à 38 ans au moment de leur mise en candidature.

Les candidatures peuvent être soumises par les membres de la SCG. Les nominations pour le 51e Colloquium géotechnique de la SCG, qui sera présenté à la conférence annuelle de la SCG en 2027, doivent être soumises d’ici le 31 janvier 2026. La sélection sera faite par un comité présidé par le directeur du Conseil de recherche en géotechnique de la SCG. La personne retenue sera informée 18 mois avant la présentation.

Les dossiers de mise en candidature doivent comprendre : • Une lettre de mise en candidature présentant le ou la membre de la SCG, ainsi que ses réalisations;

• Un résumé détaillé de la conférence proposée (environ 2 000 mots), y compris un énoncé sur l’importance du sujet pour la communauté géotechnique canadienne; • Une description de l’originalité de la contribution du ou de la candidat·e; • Le curriculum vitæ du ou de la candidat·e comprenant l’expérience pratique pertinente et le dossier de publication.

Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements ou soumettre une candidature, écrivez au Bureau national de la SCG, à awards@cgs.ca.

Le 50e Colloquium canadien de géotechnique sera présenté lors de la conférence GéoQuébec 2026 par Kshama Roy de Memorial University.

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DIVISION NEWS

Renewing Momentum in Geoenvironmental Engineering: A Year of Connection and Growth Mamadou Fall, Chair, CGS Geoenvironmental Division

Our collective vision is clear: to foster a national community that advances sustainable geoenvironmental solutions while mentoring the next generation of engineers.

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025 has been a year of renewal and reconnection for the Canadian Geotechnical Society’s Geoenvironmental Division (GED). Building on the strong foundation established by past chair Vincent Martin, the Division has launched a series of initiatives to strengthen engagement, promote knowledge exchange, and spotlight the next generation of geoenvironmental professionals.

Our first months began with a smooth leadership transition and the recruitment of a revitalized Executive Committee representing academia, industry, and students. The new team includes myself (Chair, University of Ottawa), Vincent Martin (Past Chair, Eleonore Mine), Sumi Siddiqua (Vice-Chair, University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus), Reza Mahmoudipour (Arcadis), and Abdurrahman Mohammed (PhD student representative). Together, we have focused on reconnecting members through dynamic and accessible events that reflect the evolving priorities of our field.

Launching Earth Forward: GeoEnviro Student Talks One of our proudest achievements this year has been the launch of Earth Forward,

a national student webinar series subtitled Sustainable Insights from Rising Researchers.

This platform highlights outstanding graduate research across Canada, bridging scientific innovation and public relevance.

The inaugural webinar (April 29, 2025) featured Vyom Abhinav of the University of Ottawa, who presented From Mine Waste to Containment Solutions: A New Role for Paste Tailings. The session attracted around 30 participants – students, researchers, and practitioners – and, for the first time, all attendees received certificates of participation. The second webinar (October 14, 2025), delivered by Akanksha Bhurtel of the University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus), continued the theme of sustainable geoengineering with a talk on composite bio‑engineering methods for soil stabilization.

The strong engagement from coast to coast reflects the appetite for forums that amplify student voices and promote diversity in geoenvironmental research. Graduate students interested in sharing their research in an upcoming Earth Forward: GeoEnviro Student Talks webinar are warmly invited to

contact the Division at amoha506@uottawa.ca with the title and short abstract of their proposed presentation.

A New National Lecture Series In parallel, the Division is establishing a new flagship event: the CGS Geoenvironmental Division National Online Lecture.

Scheduled to debut in early 2026, this annual lecture will feature leading experts from academia, government, and industry, sharing cross-disciplinary insights on Canada’s most pressing geoenvironmental challenges – from climate resilience to sustainable mining.

Looking Ahead As we look to 2026 and beyond, the GED will continue to expand collaboration with other CGS Divisions and strengthen ties between research and practice. Our collective vision is clear: to foster a national community that advances sustainable geoenvironmental solutions while mentoring the next generation of engineers.

Through shared learning and inclusive dialogue, the Geoenvironmental Division is helping to shape a resilient and sustainable geotechnical future for Canada.

VISIT US ONLINE https://www.karma-link.ca/publishing

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VOLUME 6 - NUMBER 4 | WINTER 2025 | CANADIAN GEOTECHNIQUE | GÉOTECHNIQUE CANADIENNE

DIVISION NEWS

Geosynthetics Division Leveraging the extensive expertise of its executive team, the division seeks to elevate its impact within the geotechnical community.

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he Geosynthetics Division aims to foster collaborations to promote geosynthetics education, research, and industry interaction. Leveraging the extensive expertise of its executive team, the division seeks to elevate its impact within the geotechnical community.

Executive Committee Chair: Sam Bhat (Titan Environmental Containment Ltd.) Vice Chair: Eric Blond (EB Consultant) Vice Chair: Isabel Perez (Terrafix Geosynthetics Inc.) Vice Chair: Ness Di Battista (Université de Sherbrooke) Key Accomplishments 2025 Conducted a Webinar in collaboration with the Education Committee – Panel Discussion featuring early career academics in geosynthetics field titled Challenges and Opportunities in geosynthetics on April 16, 2025, in collaboration with the Education Committee.

Hosted by: Ness Di Battista Panelists: Viviana Mangravit, University of Padova Hamza Mridakh, Mines School of Rabat Fabrizia Trovato, Maccaferri Conducted an online seminar in collaboration with IGS-North America pertaining to geosynthetics in water management on May 16, 2025, presented by Eric Blond.

Conducted a Short Course at GeoManitoba 2025 titled Geosynthetics Design Methodologies.

Summary: This short course provides a review of several geosynthetics applications, including the corresponding background information and design methodologies for successful implementation and will comprise four sections. This course will be of interest to attendees who are not familiar with geosynthetic design methodologies.

The following speakers presented: Section 1 (Sam Bhat) Base Reinforcement with Geosynthetics Section 2 (Eric Blond) Designing geotextile filters and geo-composite drains.

Section 3 (Catherine Mulligan): Environmental applications of geosynthetics Section 4 (Richard Bathurst) Design methodologies for geosynthetic MSE walls Upcoming Activities 2025-26 Launched a private LinkedIn group for discussions and updates to foster communication among members: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13381060/ The division is going to add two more executive members to fill the two voluntary positions as Content Creation Member and Communication Member. The descriptions for these positions will be advertised through the GSD private LinkedIn page.

• 4-5 webinars planned for 2026 • Panel Discussion: Women in geosynthetics planned for March 2026 • Contributions to GeoQuebec 2026 and 13th ICG conference 2026.

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NOUVELLES DES DIVISIONS

Un nouvel élan en génie géoenvironnemental : une année de connexions et de croissance Mamadou Fall, président, Division du géoenvironnement de la SCG

Notre vision commune est claire : favoriser une communauté nationale engagée dans la mise en œuvre de solutions géoenvironnementales durables et le mentorat des futures générations d’ingénieur·e·s.

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année 2025 a marqué un nouvel élan pour la Division du géoenvironnement (DGE) de la Société canadienne de géotechnique (SCG). En s’appuyant sur les bases solides établies par le président sortant Vincent Martin, la Division a lancé une série d’initiatives visant à renforcer la mobilisation des membres, à favoriser l’échange de connaissances et à mettre en valeur la prochaine génération de spécialistes en génie géoenvironnemental.

Terre »), une série nationale de webinaires étudiants intitulée Sustainable Insights from Rising Researchers (« Perspectives durables de chercheur·se·s prometteurs »). Cette plateforme met en lumière des recherches de cycles d’études supérieures innovantes provenant de partout au Canada, favorisant le dialogue entre innovation scientifique et pertinence sociétale.

Les premiers mois ont été marqués par une transition harmonieuse et le recrutement d’un comité exécutif renouvelé, représentant à la fois le milieu universitaire, l’industrie et les étudiant·e·s. Ce nouveau comité est composé de : Mamadou Fall (président, Université d’Ottawa), Vincent Martin (président sortant, Mine Éléonore), Sumi Siddiqua (vice-présidente, Université de la ColombieBritannique, campus Okanagan), Reza Mahmoudipour (Arcadis) et Abdurrahman Mohammed (représentant étudiant au doctorat). Ensemble, nous avons concentré nos efforts sur la relance des activités et la création d’événements dynamiques et inclusifs, reflétant les priorités émergentes du domaine.

Le premier webinaire (29 avril 2025) mettait en vedette Vyom Abhinav (Université d’Ottawa) et sa conférence, intitulée From Mine Waste to Containment Solutions : A New Role for Paste Tailings (« Un nouveau rôle pour les résidus de pâte : des déchets miniers aux solutions de confinement »), réunissant une trentaine de participant·e·s (étudiant·e·s, chercheur·se·s et praticien·ne·s). Pour la première fois, des certificats de participation ont été remis à tous les participant·e·s. Le second webinaire (14 octobre 2025), animé par Akanksha Bhurtel (université de la ColombieBritannique, campus d’Okanagan), a poursuivi la réflexion sur le thème de la géotechnique durable par une discussion sur les méthodes de bio-ingénierie des composites destinées à stabiliser les sols.

Lancement de la série Earth Forward : GeoEnviro Student Talks (« Cap sur la Terre : discussions d’étudiant·e·s en génie géoenvironnemental ») Parmi nos réalisations phares, figure le lancement de Earth Forward (« Cap sur la

L’intérêt manifesté d’un océan à l’autre démontre le désir grandissant pour des plateformes qui valorisent la voix des étudiant·e·s et la diversité en recherche géoenvironnementale. Les étudiant·e·s gradués souhaitant présenter leurs travaux lors d’un

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VOLUME 6 - NUMBER 4 | WINTER 2025 | CANADIAN GEOTECHNIQUE | GÉOTECHNIQUE CANADIENNE

prochain webinaire Earth Forward: GeoEnviro Student Talks (« Cap sur la Terre : discussions d’étudiant·e·s en génie géoenvironnemental ») sont invités à écrire à amoha506@uottawa.ca, en joignant le titre et un court résumé de leur présentation proposée.

Une nouvelle conférence nationale Parallèlement, la Division met en place un nouvel événement phare : la Conférence nationale en ligne de la Division géoenvironnementale de la SCG. Prévue pour le début de l’année 2026, cette conférence annuelle réunira des expert·e·s des milieux universitaire, industriel et gouvernemental autour des plus importants enjeux géoenvironnementaux du Canada, notamment la résilience climatique et l’exploitation minière durable.

Perspectives À l’horizon 2026 et au-delà, la DGE continuera d’élargir sa collaboration avec les autres divisions de la SCG et de renforcer les liens entre la recherche et la pratique professionnelle. Notre vision commune est claire : favoriser une communauté nationale engagée dans la mise en œuvre de solutions géoenvironnementales durables et le mentorat des futures générations d’ingénieur·e·s.

Par l’apprentissage collectif et le dialogue inclusif, la Division du géoenvironnement contribue à façonner un avenir géotechnique résilient et durable pour le Canada.

NOUVELLES DES DIVISIONS

Division des géosynthétiques En tirant parti de la vaste expertise de son équipe de direction, la division cherche à accroître son impact au sein de la communauté géotechnique.

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a Division des géosynthétiques vise à favoriser les collaborations afin de promouvoir la formation, la recherche et l’interaction avec l’industrie dans le domaine des géosynthétiques. En tirant parti de la vaste expertise de son équipe de direction, la division cherche à accroître son impact au sein de la communauté géotechnique.

Comité exécutif Président : Sam Bhat (Titan Environmental Containment Ltd) Vice-président : Eric Blond (EB Consultant) Vice-présidente : Isabel Perez (Terrafix Geosynthetics Inc.) Vice-présidente : Ness Di Battista (Université de Sherbrooke) Principales réalisations en 2025 Le 16 avril 2025, en collaboration avec le Comité sur l’éducation, la Division a organisé un webinaire sous forme de table ronde, mettant en vedette des universitaires en début de carrière dans le domaine de la géosynthétique, intitulé Challenges and Opportunities in geosynthetics (« Défis et possibilités dans le domaine des géosynthétiques »).

Animatrice : Ness Di Battista Panélistes : Viviana Mangravit (Université de Padoue) Hamza Mridakh (École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Rabat) Fabrizia Trovato (Maccaferri)

correspondants et les méthodes de conception pour une mise en œuvre réussie.

Ce cours intéressera les participant·e·s qui ne sont pas familiers avec les méthodes de conception en géosynthétique.

Voici les conférencier·ère·s et les sujets de leurs présentations : Partie 1 (Sam Bhat) : Base reinforcement with geosynthetics (« Renforcement géosynthétique de la base ») Partie 2 (Eric Blond) : Designing geotextile filters and geocomposite drains (« Conception de filtres géotextiles et de drains géocomposites ») Partie 3 (Catherine Mulligan) : Environmental applications of geosynthetics (« Applications environnementales des géosynthétiques ») Partie 4 (Richard Bathurst) : Design methodologies for geosynthetic MSE walls (« Méthodes de conception pour des murs de terre stabilisés mécaniquement par des solutions géosynthétiques »)

Activités à venir pour 2025-2026 La Division a lancé un groupe LinkedIn privé à des fins de discussions et de mises à jour, afin de favoriser la communication entre les membres : https://www.linkedin.com/ groups/13381060/.

Le 16 mai 2025, en collaboration avec la section nord-américaine de l’International Geosynthetics Society (IGS-NA), elle a organisé un séminaire en ligne, présenté par Eric Blond, portant sur les géosynthétiques dans la gestion de l’eau.

La Division entend ajouter deux autres membres au sein de sa direction afin de pourvoir deux postes bénévoles, soit ceux de responsable de la création de contenu et de responsable des communications. Les descriptions de ces postes seront publiées sur la page LinkedIn privée de la Division des géosynthétiques.

À l’occasion de GéoManitoba 2025, la Division a organisé un cours intensif intitulé Geosynthetics Design Methodologies (« Méthodes de conception en géosynthétique »). Résumé : Ce cours intensif, qui comprend quatre parties, offre un survol de plusieurs applications des géosynthétiques, y compris les renseignements généraux

• On prévoit organiser de 4 à 5 webinaires en 2026.

• La table ronde « Les femmes dans le domaine des géosynthétiques » est prévue pour mars 2026.

• La Division contribuera à GéoQuébec 2026 et à la 13e International Conference on Geosynthetic (13ICG) en 2026.

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COMMITTEE NEWS

Heritage Committee: Changing of the Guard

Members and Friends of the CGS Heritage Committee, 2019

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ince 2017, Heinrich Heinz has served as Chair of the CGS Heritage Committee. He stepped down as chair at the end of 2025.

Previous chairs of this committee have been Dave Cruden, Suzanne Powell, Mustafa Zergoun, Jim Graham, Dennis Puhfal, Sai Vanapalli, Ken Skaftfeld and Lorne Gold.

Heinrich Heinz, 2025 Over the past nine years, Heinrich’s accomplishments included a major reorganization, and some revisions and additions, to the Canadian Geotechnical Virtual Archives on the CGS website (https://www.cgs.ca/virtual_archives_ overview.php). The additions included new sections on Canadian Geotechnical Legends and Women in Canadian Geotechnique.

Since 2020, Heinrich has endeavoured to have a Heritage column submitted for every issue of Canadian Geotechnique. He has written several of them and has edited or reviewed almost all of them. In September 2022 for the 50th anniversary of the CGS, Heinrich was coeditor of the Heritage Special Section in the magazine.

Under Heinrich’s leadership, the Heritage Committee has been one of the most active committees in the CGS. And with his unabashed enthusiasm for the subject, he has successfully encouraged many CGS members, both younger and older, to get involved, or more involved, in the valuable work of the committee.

Heinrich has successfully forged better relationships with the historical committees of both the American Society of Civil Engineers’ GeoInstitute and the Engineering Institute of Canada. He will remain

involved with the Heritage Committee, and has plans to maintain and expand these connections.

We give the last word to Heinrich: “The mission of the Heritage Committee is to preserve the history of Geotechnique in Canada. Our members work at researching and documenting historical facts and events, while also paying tribute to those who came before us.

“Why is this work important? In addition to giving us a sense of identity and pride, there is a fitting quote by engineering historian Henry Petroski (1942–2023) that really strikes a chord with me: ‘The extent to which our profession’s history is remembered, preserved, and honoured, affects how we are perceived and respected outside our field.’”

“A sincere thank you to all of those who supported me during my term as Chair of the Heritage Committee.”

In January 2026, Steven Harms will take over Heinrich’s position as chair. Steven joined the Heritage Committee in 2020 and has been serving as Secretary since 2023. As Chair, Steven is excited to keep the committee active, engage new contributors, document stories, conduct interviews, and continue to expand and evolve the Virtual Archives. If you have stories to share related to Canadian geotechnique that deserve to be remembered, big or small, the Heritage Committee’s door is open.

Steven Harms

Why is this work important? In addition to giving us a sense of identity and pride, there is a fitting quote by engineering historian Henry Petroski (1942–2023) that really strikes a chord with me: ‘The extent to which our profession’s history is remembered, preserved, and honoured, affects how we are perceived and respected outside our field.’

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COMMITTEE NEWS

Collective Impact: Highlights from the 8th CGS Young Professionals Conference

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he Canadian Geotechnical Society Young Professionals Conference (CGS YPC) took place from September 18–20, 2025, at the Elkhorn Resort Spa & Conference Centre in Wasagaming, Manitoba. In its 8th iteration, this triennial event brought together early-career geoprofessionals from across Canada under the theme Collective Impact. The conference provided a unique platform for technical exchange, professional development, and networking in a collaborative environment.

Exploring Manitoba’s Engineering Landscape The conference began with a full-day technical tour, offering delegates an opportunity to experience Manitoba’s engineering and environmental heritage firsthand. The tour included three stops: • Canadian Museum for Human Rights – exploring the structural and architectural innovations behind this landmark, as well as the human rights exhibits within.

• Red River Floodway – gaining insight into one of Canada’s most significant flood protection systems.

• Main Beach Pier and Lakeshore Trail in Riding Mountain National Park – learning how infrastructure design can balance environmental stewardship with public access.

This immersive experience set the tone for the conference, blending technical insight with cultural and environmental context.

A Dynamic Technical Program Over the next two days, delegates engaged in a diverse technical program featuring PechaKucha-style presentations (six slides, 30 seconds each), poster sessions, and interactive workshops.

The concise delegate presentation format encouraged clarity and creativity, while poster sessions facilitated deeper technical discussions during networking breaks. Workshops added an interactive dimension, including a Crisis Management Challenge.

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COMMITTEE NEWS

Inspiring Keynote Speakers Five distinguished keynote speakers anchored the technical program, each bringing their experience and unique perspectives from across the geotechnical and geoenvironmental fields. Their presence underscored the conference’s commitment to connecting earlycareer professionals with leaders who have shaped the industry through research, practice, and advocacy.

The keynote lineup included: • Kathryn Dompierre (Seequent) • Jasyn Henry (Clifton Engineering Group) • D. Jean Hutchinson (Queen’s University/ Innovative GeoMechanics Inc.) • Craig Lake (Dalhousie University/CGS) • Ken Skaftfeld (TREK Geotechnical Inc.) In addition to delivering keynote addresses, all five speakers participated in an interactive panel discussion, sharing candid insights on career development, leadership, and the evolving challenges facing geotechnical professionals. Their contributions were a highlight of the conference, inspiring delegates and reinforcing the theme of Collective Impact.

Impact and Engagement YPC 2025 demonstrated the power of collaboration and community in shaping the future of geotechnical engineering and geosciences.

By combining technical depth with opportunities for mentorship, career development, and meaningful networking, the conference created an environment where early-career professionals could learn, connect, and grow. The enthusiasm and engagement of the

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49 delegates, supported by five inspiring keynote speakers, ensured that this event left a lasting impression on Canada’s geotechnical community.

The Organizing Committee and Industry Sponsors The success of YPC 2025 was made possible by a dedicated organizing committee. The team represented a geographically diverse cross-section of Canada, bringing together early-career professionals from multiple provinces and diverse technical backgrounds. Please join in thanking the following organizing committee members for their dedication over the past two years: • Jenna Roadley (Seequent) • Jack Park (BGC Engineering) • Savanna Herman (Sixense) • Jordan Antunes (Newfields) • Robyn Starycki (Royal Military College of Canada) • Colton Wooster (AECOM) • Josh Taningco (Terrane Geoscience) • Amanda Johnston (Manitoba Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure) • Rita Wang (BGC Engineering) Last but not least, thank you to our corporate sponsors for their unwavering support of the development of our early-career professionals. Their contributions have truly elevated the experience for the delegates and speakers.

Photo Credits: Sareena Mohammad and Jack Park For complete photos from the conference, visit: https://www.cgsypc2025.ca/photos

VOLUME 6 - NUMBER 4 | WINTER 2025 | CANADIAN GEOTECHNIQUE | GÉOTECHNIQUE CANADIENNE

NOUVELLES DES COMITÉS

Comité sur le patrimoine : changement de garde

Des membres et ami·e·s du Comité sur le patrimoine de la SCG, 2019

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einrich Heinz, qui était président du Comité sur le patrimoine de la SCG depuis 2017, a démissionné de son poste à la fin de 2025. Les président·e·s précédents de ce comité ont été Dave Cruden, Suzanne Powell, Mustafa Zergoun, Jim Graham, Dennis Puhfal, Sai Vanapalli, Ken Skaftfeld et Lorne Gold.

Heinrich Heinz, 2025 Au cours des neuf dernières années, M. Heinz a notamment effectué une réorganisation majeure des Archives géotechniques virtuelles canadiennes, comprenant aussi quelques révisions et ajouts, sur le site Web de la SCG (https://www.cgs.ca/virtual_archives_overview.php?lang=fr).

Parmi les ajouts, on retrouve de nouvelles sections sur les légendes canadiennes de la géotechnique et les femmes de la communauté géotechnique canadienne.

Depuis 2020, M. Heinz s’est efforcé de soumettre une rubrique « Patrimoine » pour chaque numéro de Géotechnique canadienne. Il en a écrit plusieurs et en a édité ou révisé la plupart. En septembre 2022, pour le 50e anniversaire de la SCG, il a été corédacteur de la section spéciale sur le patrimoine du magazine.

Sous la direction de M. Heinz, le Comité sur le patrimoine a été l’un des comités les plus actifs de la SCG. Avec son enthousiasme débordant pour le sujet, il a incité de nombreux membres de la SCG, jeunes et moins jeunes, à s’engager ou à être plus actifs dans les importantes activités du Comité.

De plus, M. Heinz a réussi à tisser de meilleurs liens avec les comités historiques du Geo-Institute de l’American Society of Civil Engineers et de l’Institut canadien des ingénieurs. Il continuera de participer au

Comité sur le patrimoine et nous a confié avoir des idées pour maintenir et élargir ces liens.

Nous laissons le mot de la fin à M. Heinz : « La mission du Comité sur le patrimoine est de préserver l’histoire de la géotechnique au Canada. Nos membres travaillent à la recherche et à la documentation de faits et d’événements historiques, tout en rendant hommage aux personnes qui nous ont précédés. « Pourquoi est-ce si important? Certes, ce travail nous donne un sentiment d’identité et de fierté. Toutefois, je m’en voudrais de ne pas citer une réflexion de l’historien de l’ingénierie Henry Petroski (1942-2023) qui m’est particulièrement chère : « La façon dont nous sommes perçus et respectés en dehors de notre domaine d’expertise dépend de la mesure dans laquelle nous nous souvenons de l’histoire de notre profession, la préservons et lui rendons hommage. »» « Je remercie sincèrement tous ceux et celles qui m’ont appuyé pendant mon mandat de président du Comité sur le patrimoine. » À compter de janvier 2026, Steven Harms remplacera M. Heinz à titre de président. M. Harms, qui a rejoint le Comité sur le patrimoine en 2020, occupe le poste de secrétaire depuis 2023. En tant que président, il a pour ambition de garder le comité actif, de recruter de nouveaux contributeur·rice·s, de documenter des histoires, de mener des entrevues, ainsi que de continuer Steven Harms à élargir et à faire évoluer les archives virtuelles. Si vous avez des anecdotes à raconter, liées à la petite ou à la grande histoire de la géotechnique canadienne, qui méritent de rester dans les mémoires, la porte du Comité est grande ouverte.

Pourquoi est-ce si important? Certes, ce travail nous donne un sentiment d’identité et de fierté. Toutefois, je m’en voudrais de ne pas citer une réflexion de l’historien de l’ingénierie Henry Petroski (1942-2023) qui m’est particulièrement chère : « La façon dont nous sommes perçus et respectés en dehors de notre domaine d’expertise dépend de la mesure dans laquelle nous nous souvenons de l’histoire de notre profession, la préservons et lui rendons hommage. » 20

VOLUME 6 - NUMBER 4 | WINTER 2025 | CANADIAN GEOTECHNIQUE | GÉOTECHNIQUE CANADIENNE

NOUVELLES DES COMITÉS

Impact collectif : Faits saillants de la 8e Conférence des jeunes professionnels de la SCG

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a Conférence des Jeunes professionnels de la SCG (CJP SCG) a eu lieu du 18 au 20 septembre 2025, au Elkhorn Resort Spa & Conference Centre, à Wasagaming, au Manitoba. La 8e édition de cet événement triennal a réuni des professionnel·le·s de la géotechnique en début de carrière de partout au Canada sous le thème Impact collectif. La conférence a offert une plateforme unique pour les échanges techniques, le perfectionnement professionnel et le réseautage dans un environnement collaboratif.

Exploration du paysage de l’ingénierie au Manitoba La conférence a démarré par une visite technique d’une journée complète, qui a permis aux délégué·e·s de découvrir par eux-mêmes le patrimoine environnemental et géotechnique du Manitoba. La visite comprenait trois arrêts : • Musée canadien des droits de la personne – La visite a permis d’explorer les innovations structurelles et architecturales de cet édifice emblématique, ainsi que les expositions sur les droits de la personne qui y sont présentées.

• Canal de dérivation de la rivière Rouge – Les visiteur·se·s ont pu avoir un aperçu de l’un des systèmes de protection contre les inondations les plus importants au Canada.

• Quai de la plage principale et Sentier du Bord-duLac au parc national du Mont-Riding – Les délégué·e·s ont pu apprendre dans quelle mesure la conception des infrastructures permet d’équilibrer la gérance environnementale et l’accès public.

Cette expérience immersive a donné le ton à la conférence, en associant les connaissances techniques avec le contexte culturel et environnemental.

Un programme technique dynamique Au cours des deux jours suivants, les délégué·e·s ont pu suivre un programme technique diversifié comprenant des présentations dans un format inspiré du style PechaKucha (six diapositives de 30 secondes chacune), des séances de présentation d’affiches et des ateliers interactifs. Le format concis de la présentation des délégué·e·s a favorisé la clarté et la créativité, tandis que les séances de présentation d’affiches ont facilité des discussions techniques plus approfondies pendant les pauses de réseautage. Les ateliers ont ajouté une dimension interactive, notamment un défi de gestion de crise.

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NOUVELLES DES COMITÉS

Des conférencier·ère·s inspirants Cinq conférencier·ère·s d’honneur ont présenté le programme technique, chacun·e apportant son expérience et son point de vue particulier en matière de géotechnique et de géoenvironnement.

Leur présence démontrait l’engagement de la Conférence à établir des liens entre les professionnel·le·s en début de carrière et les chef·fe·s de file qui ont façonné l’industrie par la recherche, la pratique et la défense des intérêts des membres.

L’événement réunissait la brochette de conférencier·ère·s suivante : • Kathryn Dompierre (Seequent) • Jasyn Henry (Clifton Engineering Group) • D. Jean Hutchinson (Université Queen’s/ Innovative Geomécanics Inc.) • Craig Lake (Université Dalhousie/SCG) • Ken Skaftfeld (TREK Geotechnical Inc.) En plus de prononcer des conférences, les cinq présentateur·rice·s ont participé à une table ronde interactive durant laquelle ils ont pu exprimer franchement leurs idées sur le perfectionnement professionnel, le leadership et les enjeux en constante évolution auxquels les professionnel·le·s de la géotechnique font face. Leurs contributions ont été un moment fort de la Conférence, qui a inspiré les délégué·e·s et a concrétisé le thème de l’impact collectif.

Impact et engagement La Conférence des jeunes professionnels de 2025 a montré dans quelle mesure la collaboration et la communauté pouvaient jouer un rôle déterminant dans l’orientation future de la géotechnique et des géosciences. En combinant l’expertise technique avec des possibilités de mentorat, d’avancement professionnel et de réseautage significatif, la Conférence a créé un environnement favorisant l’apprentissage, l’établissement de liens et l’épanouissement pour les professionnel·le·s

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en début de carrière. L’enthousiasme et la participation des 49 délégué·e·s, appuyés par cinq conférencier·ère·s d’honneur inspirants, ont fait en sorte que cet événement laisse une impression durable sur la communauté géotechnique canadienne.

Le Comité organisateur et les commanditaires de l’industrie Le succès de la Conférence des jeunes professionnels de 2025 a été rendu possible grâce au dévouement du Comité organisateur.

L’équipe, qui était constituée d’un échantillon diversifié et représentatif du Canada sur le plan géographique, réunissait des professionnel·le·s en début de carrière de plusieurs provinces et de divers horizons techniques. Nous vous invitons à vous joindre à nous pour remercier les membres du Comité organisateur pour leur dévouement des deux dernières années : • Jenna Roadley (Seequent) • Jack Park (BGC Engineering) • Savanna Herman (Sixense) • Jordan Antunes (Newfields) • Robyn Starycki (Collège militaire royal du Canada) • Colton Wooster (AECOM) • Josh Taningco (Terrane Geoscience) • Amanda Johnston (ministère du Transport et de l’Infrastructure du Manitoba) • Rita Wang (BGC Engineering) Enfin, merci à nos commanditaires pour leur soutien indéfectible à l’égard du perfectionnement de nos professionnel·le·s en début de carrière. Par leur contribution, ils ont véritablement rehaussé l’expérience des délégué·e·s et des conférencier·ère·s.

Photo gracieuseté de : Sareena Mohammad et Jack Park Pour consulter toutes les photos de la conférence, consultez le site https://www.cgsypc2025.ca/photos.

VOLUME 6 - NUMBER 4 | WINTER 2025 | CANADIAN GEOTECHNIQUE | GÉOTECHNIQUE CANADIENNE

IN MEMORIAM

In Memoriam

This column, published from time to time, acknowledges the passing of Canadian Geotechnical Society members and other prominent Canadian and international geotechnical professionals, and to recognize their contributions to the profession. CGS Members, who are aware of the passing of such individuals and wish to bring it to the attention of the Canadian geotechnical community, are invited to send a notice of the passing to Managing Editor, Lisa Reny at lisa@karma-link.ca.

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he CGS Heritage Committee maintains the “Lives Lived” webpage in the Virtual Archives that contains memoirs of many past Canadian geotechnical professionals. See https://www.cgs.ca/ virtual_archives_lives_lived.php.

We are not aware of the passing of any CGS members in the past six months. However, four “Lives Lived” memoirs have recently been added to the Virtual Archives.

Alan Insley (1931–2004) was for many years a Principal of Thurber Engineering, where among many other things, he designed and built very high-confining pressures soil and rock triaxial testing equipment, the first of its kind in Canada.

Robert (Bob) Spence (d. 2006), among other things, is credited with teaching the first soil mechanics course and establishing the soil

mechanics laboratory at The University of British Columbia in 1953. He was a mentor to many.

John Seychuk (1931–2021) made a tremendous contribution to Golder Associates between the early 1960s and 2019. He served as President of the CGS in 1993 and 1994 and President of the Engineering Institute of Canada between 1996 and 1998.

Evert Hoek (1933–2024) was known both nationally and internationally as a pioneer and a giant in the field of rock mechanics and rock engineering. Many of his significant publications are available online for free download.

Refer to the above URL for the full “Lives Lived” memoirs of these individuals. Thanks to those who took the time to write and submit these memoirs.

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FROM THE

CGS VAULTS The following is a sampling of what was happening in the Canadian geotechnical community 10, 25, 50, and 75 years ago.

If you know of possible items for future issues, please send them to info@karma-link.ca.

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IN 2015 … 10 YEARS AGO At the 2015 CGS Board of Directors meeting in Quebec City, the position of a Young Professionals Representative (YPR) was added to the society’s Executive Committee. Ariane Locat, Assistant Professor at Université Laval, was approved as the first person to serve in the position and she held that position until 2017. The YPR position was created, in part, to confirm that young professionals, including students and professionals with less than 10 years experience, are considered an integral part of the Society. Since 2015, Ariane has been promoted to a full Professor at Université Laval, chaired the CGS’s Geohazards Committee, chaired the 8th GeoHazards Workshop held in Quebec City in 2022, and, this year, she co-chaired the 3rd International Workshop on Landslides in Sensitive Clays, also held in Quebec City. In 2022, a CGS Young Professionals Committee was formed and is very active. Chelsey Yesnik (with Trek Geotechnical) is the current chair of that committee and is the current Young Professionals Representative. Since 2004, the young professionals in the society have been organizing and hosting a very successful Young Professionals Conference every three years, just before or following the CGS annual conference. The September 2025 Young Professionals Conference was held in Riding Mountain National Park, MB, and was co-chaired by Jack Park (with BGC Engineering) and Jenna Roadley (with Seequent Software).

IN 2000… 25 YEARS AGO One unnamed delegate who attended the 53rd CGS Geotechnical Conference in Montreal in 2000 remembers it very well. However, he doesn’t remember that the theme of the conference was “Geotechnical engineering at the dawn of the 3rd millennium” or that this was the first CGS annual conference that was held jointly with the International Association of Hydrologists–Canadian National Chapter.

He doesn’t remember that the 2nd CGS GeoHazards Workshop was held in association with the conference. He doesn’t remember that the Chair of the Local Organizing Conference was Bachir Touileb (with Hydro-Québec) and that Suzanne Lacasse (with NGI), was the Honourary Chair. He doesn’t remember that Don Shields was awarded the Robert F. Legget Medal. What he does remember is that the conference was held at the Delta Centre-Ville Hotel Montreal. He remembers this because, after flying across the country to the Montreal conference, Air Canada lost his luggage. And he remembers that during the conference week, he wore the same clothes to all the technical sessions and to both the informal and more formal social events. And he remembers that, while he was checking out of the Delta CentreVille on Wednesday, his luggage serendipitously arrived at the hotel, having spent Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at the “other” Delta Hotel in Montreal, where Air Canada had forwarded it late Sunday evening!

IN 1975 … 50 YEARS AGO In 1975, MacMillan of Canada published Morris Zaslow’s Reading the Rocks, the Story of the Geological Survey of Canada 1842-1972. In the mid1960s, the GSC commissioned Zaslow, a history professor at The University of Western Ontario, to research and write this history. And a daunting task it was. It took him the better part of 10 years to get to the stage of publishing this almost 600-page, well illustrated, history. Most geotechnical professionals in Canada are, or at least should be, familiar with the GSC. It’s the federal government agency responsible for mapping, at least at a broad scale, the geology and mineral deposits of the country, and responsible for the geological aspects of land management, climate change, and natural hazards, including landslides and earthquakes. However, many may not know that the GSC was created in 1842, 25 years before confederation. And, as an important sidebar to their initial geological mapping of the country, early GSC geologists explored the lesser-known areas of the country and documented not only the bedrock, surficial materials, and physiography, but also the flora and fauna and Indigenous cultures. As documented in Zaslow’s book, for the first 130 years of its existence, the GSC had farreaching influences on the development of Canada. Since Reading the Rocks was published in 1975, although GSC has changed somewhat, it is still the go-to federal agency to find information on bedrock geology, surficial geology, and natural hazards in Canada.

In 1950 … 75 YEARS AGO In 1950, Robert Hardy, then Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Alberta, and Paul Rivard, then an instructor in the same department, published a paper in the Proceedings of the 30th Annual Meeting of the (US) Highway Research Board. Looking back from 2025, the paper had an interesting title, Stress distribution below pavements under trolley bus loadings. From the paper’s abstract, “Incidental to an investigation of the causes of rapid deterioration of pavements under trolley bus loadings in the City of Edmonton, a comprehensive series of stress measurements in the sub-soil was undertaken. … The stress distribution below both rigid and flexible pavements under normal traffic loadings was investigated. The effect of dynamic forces was also assessed. Stresses were measured with US Waterways Experiment Station pressure cells using automatic recording equipment. The data indicate that the pressure distribution below the flexible pavement was in close agreement with that computed by the Boussinesq equations of the elastic theory. …” The paper was reprinted, also in 1950, as Research Paper No. 4 by the National Research Council Canada’s Division of Building Research as DBR No. 29, and sold for 10 cents. It is now available, as are most of the NRCC publications, from the NRC Publications Archive, https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/home/. You can read more about the full and interesting careers of Hardy and Rivard on the CGS Virtual Archives website, https://www.cgs.ca/virtual_archives_lives_lived.php.

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SPECIAL SECTION:

FROM THE CONFERENCE CHAIR Kent Bannister

I

t was a great honour to chair GeoManitoba 2025. Held from September 21-24, this was the 78th Canadian Geotechnical Conference and the 9th Canadian Permafrost Conference.

The theme for the conference was Stronger Together. This theme was selected to reflect the ever-increasing need for collaboration between disciplines in our work. It also reflects the need for tolerance and understanding in our increasingly multi-cultural society. Our profession continues to be at the forefront of many societal challenges ranging from aging infrastructure to climate change, and a collaborative spirit will be needed to meet these challenges head-on.

We were proud to provide over 600 attendees with an incredible lineup of keynote lectures including Ken Skaftfeld who opened the conference with the R.M. Hardy Keynote Address titled: Experience and Lessons Learned as a Guide to Geotechnical Practice. Attendees were also given the opportunity to hear presentations by Suzanne Lacasse (Risk-Informed DecisionMaking Provides Necessary Insight to Help Reduce Risk), Jennifer Day who presented the Canadian Geotechnical Colloquium Lecture (The Devil’s in the Details: Impacts of Geological Complexities in Rock Engineering), and Duane Froese who presented the

Mackay Lecture (Mapping discontinuous and continuous permafrost at regional scales using airborne electromagnetic (AEM) data from the central Mackenzie valley and Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk corridors). Congratulations to Alexandra Waring who received the Graduate Student Presentation Award and presented her paper titled: Exploring Entrainment of Liquefiable Sediments Overridden by Landslides. Other technical highlights of the conference included plenary panel discussions on diversity during our Stronger Together Luncheon and on Planning Today for the Permafrost of Tomorrow.

In addition to these plenary sessions, GeoManitoba 2025 offered an outstanding technical program that featured over 200 technical papers, 10 special sessions, 5 short courses, one technical tour, and another successful Canadian Geotechnical Student Competition. Many of our colleagues were honoured at this year’s CGS Awards Banquet – a special congratulations to Derek Martin who was the very deserving winner of the 2025 Legget Medal.

Our social program included the Local Colour Night hosted at the stunning Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where attendees were entertained by members of Winnipeg Folklorama and treated to a wide variety of

local cuisine. Attendees were also able to enjoy our specially branded beers for the various social events: Permafrost Pale Ale and Lake Agassiz Lager. Finally, many attendees were treated to door prizes during attendance at plenary sessions, including two lucky winners who went home with $1,000 each!

I wish to personally thank all of our sponsors and exhibitors who make our annual conference a success. Thanks to all of you for your support! I would also like to recognize our organizing committee which consisted of: Jamie Bartz, Kevin Baylis, Diana Caballero, Kathryn Dompierre, David Flynn, Anne-Marie Hamilton, Steven Harms, Brent Hay, Jocelyn Hayley, Saba Ibrahim, Alena James, Arjan Jianfar, David Kurz, Jenna Roadley, and Wes Saunders. Finally, the conference was masterfully managed by the amazing team at Karma Link Management Services. A very special thanks to Lisa Reny, Bill Reny, Emily Fournier, Lesia Beznaczuk, and Bree Sharp for all of your hard work and dedication!

I hope that everyone who attended GeoManitoba 2025 enjoyed themselves and went home with new ideas and a reinvigorated sense of purpose in your professional life. I look forward to seeing everyone at GeoQuebec 2026!

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INTRODUCTION OF 2025 R.F. LEGGET MEDAL RECIPIENT:

DEREK MARTIN Dennis E. Becker Dennis Becker introducing the 2025 RF Legget Medal Recipient

I

t is my great pleasure and privilege to introduce the 2025 recipient of the CGS Legget Medal – Dr. Derek Martin.

Derek Martin is an outstanding engineer with more than 50 years of diverse expertise and experience. He made enormous contributions and is a widely respected ambassador for Canadian geotechnical engineering throughout the world. Derek epitomizes the values emphasized by Dr. Legget by combining engineering and geological considerations, with keen observational skills.

Derek earned his Bachelor's degree in geology at Memorial University, his Master’s in engineering at the University of Alberta and his PhD in engineering at the University of Manitoba. Derek has a somewhat unique career in that it was equally split between industry and academia. He first worked on construction sites for major civil engineering projects and then took that valuable practical experience and skill set to establish a very successful career at Laurentian University and the University of Alberta. Derek was voted “Professor of the Year” by students more than once.

The combination of industry and academia is highly valuable, and I believe has influenced Derek’s perspective and successes. Industry, research, and, in particular, students and young engineers – in fact, all of us – have benefited from his work and contributions.

Derek held Executive positions in the CGS and the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM). He delivered more than 30 keynote and invited lectures, served on 8 editorial boards of peer reviewed journals, including the Canadian Geotechnical Journal, authored more than 300 publications and developed

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industry guidelines. For example, the book Guidelines for Open Pit Slope Design in Weak Rocks is an authoritative reference.

The geotechnical community has recognized Derek for his exemplary work. The number of awards is too many to mention them all now, in the interest of time. Notable examples include: the Canadian Geotechnical Colloquium, and the RM Hardy Keynote Address from CGS; the K.Y. Lo Medal and John B. Stirling Medal from the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC); the ISRM Rocha Medal, and the Leopold Muller Medal, the most prestigious international award in rock engineering.

I have had the privilege of knowing and interacting with Derek for more than 30 years.

I first met and came to know Derek through CGS. Since then, I have worked with Derek on engineering review boards and committees.

Through this interaction, I admire his keen ability to quickly identify the key aspects lying at the kernel of the problem and to effectively communicate in a direct and simple style that is easy to understand.

To accomplish significant achievements, a person needs to have an appropriately balanced set of qualities and characteristics.

These include attributes such as excellent people and leadership skills, effective collaboration skills, keen observational skills, energy, passion, and the strive for excellence with the ability of being the best that one can be, all tempered by a suitable amount of humility and sense of humour. Derek possesses and exemplifies all these attributes. He is an allround nice guy – a gentleman and a scholar.

I mention a sense of humour because it is a truly valuable asset. I give an example that

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RF Legget Medal

reflects Derek’s down-to-earth personality.

When greeting Derek before the start of a meeting (that I was chairing and Derek was being interrogated as to why his research project should be funded – a potentially stressful meeting), I asked how he was doing.

Derek quickly replied that he was doing well, given that he was on “the right side of the sod.” That is grass for those who may not know the term sod. It is a truly delightful and insightful perspective. I have taken the liberty to use it on occasion. Derek, I hope that you don’t mind.

We all can be grateful for being here today, as we too are on the right side of the sod.

Congratulations, Derek. On behalf of the geotechnical community, thank-you for all that you have done.

SPECIAL SECTION:

2025 R.F. LEGGET MEDAL RECIPIENT: ACCEPTANCE SPEECH C. Derek Martin

M

r. President, colleagues and friends. I am deeply honoured to receive the Legget Medal. My sincere thanks to Dr. Becker for the nomination and to the selection committee for this recognition.

While I never had the opportunity to meet Dr. Legget, I’ve long admired his legacy and the remarkable individuals who have received this award before me. Being listed among those distinguished professionals and being honoured by one’s peers is especially rewarding.

On reflection, my journey to this podium could be described as serendipitous.

My journey began in outport Newfoundland, where when I entered University in 1967, I was determined to find a career that didn’t involve fishing. The choices, as I perceived them, meant selecting either engineering, education, legal, or medical profession. I chose engineering, but, in my second year, took a science elective “Introduction to Geology.” I was hooked; someone would pay me to go camping. The geology department at that time was well known in Canada and was led by Dr. Ward Neale, and a group of Irish trained structural geologists who also played Celtic “Newfie” music. I spent three summers camping and field mapping from the Great Northern Peninsula in Newfoundland to the Torngat Mountains in Labrador. However, by the time I graduated, camping with the black flies had lost some of its appeal, and I ended up joining Racey, MacCallum and Bluteau Ltd in St. John’s. My initial two years of engineering followed by three years of geology actually prepared me well for that work. But, one of my Irish colleagues had just completed a DIC from Imperial College, and this was my first formal introduction to geoengineering. Those initial years of conducting site investigations around Newfoundland and Labrador over land and ocean, instilled a healthy respect for the ingenuity of drillers to get a job done.

After a couple of years of relatively small projects and budgets, I joined the Gull Island Hydroelectric Project, being planned for the Churchill River, Labrador. This was a game changer for my career. My boss was

Derek Martin during his RF Legget Medal Acceptance Speech

Larry Hurwitz of Templeton Engineering out of Winnipeg who had completed his master’s at MIT with William Lamb. With the assistance of Jack Mollard’s airphoto interpretation skills, we worked on the selection of the 1,100 km-long transmission line route from Gull Island (Labrador) to St. John’s (Newfoundland) for two years before the project was shelved.

While moving to mainland Canada was nowhere on my horizon, the shelving of the Gull Island Project changed that, and, in 1977, Peggy and I ended up in Revelstoke, BC. For the next seven years, I worked on hydroelectric projects for BC Hydro under the mentorship of Al Imrie and Dennis Moore, where the importance of geology and its role in these major projects was constantly reinforced. I moved to Fort St. John in 1981 to finalize the investigations of the Site C Hydroelectric Project and to prepare for construction. The foundation was particularly challenging because of the thin weak bedding plane shears. Those shears were identified and sampled using 1-m-diameter deep boreholes, and it was in one of those large diameter boreholes that I first met Dr. Morgenstern

during his review of the project. When the construction was deferred , it provided an opportunity for me to return to school. By this time, I knew I wanted to a do a Masters in Geotechnical Engineering. With the assistance of Dr. Morgenstern that was made possible at the University of Alberta.

After completing my masters, I returned to field work and spent two years working with Drs Elmer Brooker and John Krahn on the construction of the CP Rail Grade Lowering Project in Rogers Pass, not far from Revelstoke.

In 1987, my career took a turn when I was given an opportunity to join AECL’s Underground Research Laboratory (URL) which was under construction near Pinawa in Southeastern Manitoba. This facility was being used to research the storage of used nuclear fuel in underground caverns at depths of 500-1000 m. The research consisted of conducting large-scale in-situ experiments to understand the long-term behaviour of a heated rock mass. My initial role was to interface between the construction and the research. Eventually, I went on to lead the research and an incredibly

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talented team at the URL. During this period, I completed my PhD in 1993 at the University of Manitoba under the supervision of Drs. Brian Stimpson and Emery Lajtai. The technical findings from the AECL research had widespread application and were advanced and adapted for the mining industries by colleagues Drs. Peter Kaiser and Mark Diederichs.

In 2000, I joined the University of Alberta, where I remained until I retired from teaching in 2023. During that period, I had the privilege of contributing to a wide range of projects: railway, nuclear waste, hydroelectric, rapidtransit and open pit mines. There is no doubt that working with different industries has shaped my career. It not only influenced the technical choices I made but it also influenced by academic career.

For example, in May 2002, shortly after I joined the University of Alberta, a workshop attended

by Transport Canada, CN and CP railways, regulators, consultants and researchers, highlighted the need for a focused effort that addressed the railways' needs for managing ground hazards. In 2003 CN, CP, University of Alberta, Queen’s University, and Transport Canada made a formal application to Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to establish the Railway Ground Hazard Research Program. The collaborative nature of that program is truly distinctive, particularly given the competitive relationship between the industry partners.

It speaks to the shared values of the partners to reduce industries risk. That collaborative research program remains very active today at the University of Alberta under the leadership of Drs. Michael Hendry and Renato Macciotta and without the U of A support the research program would not have grown to what it is today.

Summary My 50-year career has been equally split between industry and academia. My early years were spent on project sites and those formative years impressed on me the need for strong technical teams. I remember one of my very early earth dam construction projects. It was not going well for the contractor trying to manage fill placement schedules, and the Newfoundland fall weather. One day in his office I was reminding him of the contract requirements for fill placement; he looked at me and said, “listen sonny, we can build this with you or without you, what’s it gonna be?”.

He was right of course, projects get built by teams, no matter which side you are on.

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Derek Martin with his wife, Peggy, during the 2025 RF Legget Lunch

Derek Martin receiving the 2025 RF Legget Medal. L-R: Suzanne Powell, Derek Martin, Dennis Becker, Craig Lake

My career was made possible by many people, too many to note in detail, but two people, my wife Peggy and our daughter Nancy need special mention. They endured numerous moves, changing schools and being separated from friends and family and that support provided the foundation for my career. Thank you both for your support.

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Today, Peggy and I call Canmore home, but Newfoundland (the Rock) remains close to my heart. We return each year, drawn by the landscapes and the memories that shaped our serendipitous path.

Thank you again for this honor. I am truly grateful.

C. Derek Martin

SPECIAL SECTION:

CANADIAN GEOTECHNICAL SOCIETY AWARDS AND HONOURS 2025 R.F. Legget Medal

Derek Martin

G. Geoffrey Meyerhof Award

Jocelyn Hayley

Thomas Roy Award

John Harrison

Roger J.E. Brown Award

Richard Fortier

Robert N. Farvolden Award (Joint award with IAH-CNC)

M. Cathryn Ryan

John A. Franklin Award

Ali Saeidi

Robert Schuster Medal (Joint award with AEG)

Mike Porter

Yi Hong, Xuanyu Chen, Lizhong Wang, Lilin Wang, Ben He Title: A bounding-surface-based cyclic "p–y+M–θ" model for unified description of laterally loaded piles with different failure modes in clay

Early Achievement Award

Jasyn Henry

Honourable Mentions

François Duhaime

Simon Dumais, Jean-Marie Konrad Title: Framework for thaw consolidation of fine-grained soils

A.G. Stermac Awards

Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique Michael Bozozuk National Graduate Scholarship

Ailing Li

Dennis Becker Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique M.Sc. Student Award

Mireille Dumais

R.M. Quigley Award (from the CGJ)

Daniel Verret Paul Simms, Sai Vanapalli, and Mehdi Pouragha Sumi Siddiqua CGS R.M. Hardy Keynote Address

Ken Skaftfeld

Canadian Geotechnical Colloquium

Jennifer Day

Cross Canada Lecture Tours

Spring 2025, Jason DeJong

Adrien Dimech, Bruno Bussière, LiZhen Cheng, Michel Chouteau, Gabriel Fabien-Ouellet, Nathalie Chevé, Anne Isabelle, Paul Wilkinson, Philip Meldrum, Jonathan Chambers Title: Monitoring moisture dynamics in multi-layer cover systems for mine tailings reclamation using autonomous and remote time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography Fredlund Award (from the CGJ) Guoliang Ma, Xiang He, Xiang Jiang, Hanlong Liu, Jian Chu, Yang Xiao Title: Strength and permeability of bentonite-assisted biocemented coarse sand

Fall 2025, Paul Dittrich Awards From Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) Graduate Student Presentation Award

Sir John Kennedy Medal

Jacques Locat

1st Prize

Alexandra Waring

Julian C. Smith Medal

Ian D. Moore

2nd Prize

Armin Saeedi Javadi

K.Y. Lo Medal

Derek Martin

John B. Stirling Medal

Mamadou Fall

CPR Engineering Medal

Mario Ruel

Fellowship of the Institute (FEIC)

Justyna Kos-Fairless

Fellowship of the Institute (FEIC)

John Sobkowicz

Undergraduate Student Report (Individual) 1st Prize

Dmitri Bohach

2nd Prize

Gage Paskiewich

Undergraduate Student Report (Group) 1st Prize

Amelina Iturregui, Alex Bruce, Couper Ebbs-Picken, Ryan Boljkovac

2nd Prize

Ryan Mitchell, Krishan Rajasekar, Atharva Gujar, Zarrin Moin

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SPECIAL SECTION:

2025 CGS Award Winners – Celebrating Geotechnical Excellence

G. Geoffrey Meyerhof Award winner, Jocelyn Hayley

Thomas Roy Award winner, John Harrison

John A. Franklin Award winner, Ali Saeidi

Robert Schuster Medal winner, Mike Porter

Early Achievement Award winner, Jasyn Henry

A.G. Sermac Award winners, Daniel Verret and Fançois Duhaime

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CGS RM Hardy Keynote Address, presented by Ken Skaftfeld

Graduate Student Presentation Award (1st Place), Ali Waring

Graduate Student Presentation Award (2nd Place), Armin Saeedi Javadi

Undergraduate Student Report Award (Individual) - 1st place, Dmitri Bohach, Dmitri Bohach

Canadian Foundation for Geotechnique Michael Bozozuk National Graduate Scholarship winner, Ailing Li

2026 Canadian Geotechnical Colloquium speaker, Kshama Roy

Honorary Life Member, Dennis Becker (awarded in 2024)

A.G. Stermac Award winner, Sumi Siddiqua VOLUME 6 - NUMBER 4 | WINTER 2025 | CANADIAN GEOTECHNIQUE | GÉOTECHNIQUE CANADIENNE

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SPECIAL SECTION:

Thank You Sponsors Diamond Sponsors

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

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SPECIAL SECTION:

Bronze Sponsors

Event/Other Sponsors Wi-Fi & Mobile App Sponsor

Icebreaker & Exhibitor Reception Sponsor

Young Professionals Event Sponsors

Local Colour Night Sponsors

Awards Banquet Sponsors

Stronger Together Lunch Sponsor

Sustainability Initiatives Sponsor

Coffee Break Sponsors

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SPECIAL SECTION:

RM HARDY KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Experience and Lessons Learned as a Guide to Geotechnical Practice Ken Skaftfeld, TREK Geotechnical

Abstract How do we best transfer knowledge and experience from one generation of geotechnical engineers to the next? How do we, as designers, really know how large a safety factor is unless the boundaries of failure are tested? Are design errors and failures unavoidable and how can we use past experience and case histories to improve reliability? Perhaps a first step in answering these questions is to take advantage of the past experience of others and use this experience as a guide forward, with the goal of improving our ability to apply engineering

judgement. This presentation will demonstrate that experience gained, and lessons learned by geotechnical practitioners as far back as the early 1900s are as valuable today as they were at that time, and that although the passage of time has relegated some of the early case histories into the archives, their value has not diminished. Ironically, it is sometimes only through years of experience that we begin to appreciate the relevance of such historical information. An engineering challenge encountered today may well have been encountered and very likely solved in the past,

and its resolution at that time can be applied (at least in principle) to modern practice. This presentation will demonstrate the importance of documenting past performance so that engineers today and in the future can test theory and modeling on the basis of lessons learned. Documented case studies will include the failure and righting of the Transcona Grain Elevator, construction of the City of Winnipeg’s Shoal Lake Aqueduct, the Red River Floodway Test Excavation, and construction of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line in the Canadian arctic.

About the Speaker Ken Skaftfeld is a Senior Geotechnical Engineer and Director at TREK Geotechnical in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Ken received a Civil Technician Certificate from Red River Community College in 1979 followed by an B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1984. In 2014, he completed an M.Sc. in Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Manitoba with a thesis titled Experience as a Guide to Geotechnical Practice in Winnipeg. Ken began his career as a summer student in the Soils Laboratory at Underwood McLellan and Associates (UMA) in Winnipeg, eventually taking on the role of Lead Geotechnical Engineer. He was the Riverbank Management Engineer for the City of Winnipeg in 2010 before joining TREK Geotechnical in 2011, becoming a managing partner in the company in 2012. Ken has had the opportunity to work on many interesting projects throughout western and northern Canada including the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line decommissioning project, the condition assessment and rehabilitation of the

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Ken Skaftfeld with CGS President Craig Lake (L) and GeoManitoba 2025 Conference Chair Kent Bannister (R), after presenting the RM Hardy Keynote Address

Shoal Lake Aqueduct and the expansion of the Red River Floodway. Ken has held numerous positions with CGS and most recently, was a Co-Editor of the Fifth Edition of the Canadian

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Foundation Engineering Manual with Rob Kenyon. He is a recipient of the Canadian Geotechnical Society’s AG Stermac Award and the G. Geoffrey Meyerhof Award.

SPECIAL SECTION:

CANADIAN GEOTECHNICAL COLLOQUIUM THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS:

IMPACTS OF GEOLOGICAL COMPLEXITIES IN ROCK ENGINEERING Jennifer Day, Queen’s University

Abstract Rock engineering is a discipline tasked with the challenge of working with relatively little information about the natural and often highly variable geological materials on and through which infrastructure projects are designed and constructed, or to which the public is otherwise exposed. Translating the expected geomechanical behaviours of intact rock, geological discontinuities, and rockmass systems to quantitative classifications with associated empirical recommendations for ground support or slope design is a well-established process in rock engineering.

Numerous constitutive models with inputs from field rockmass characterization systems and/or geomechanical laboratory testing have been developed for numerical-based rock engineering analyses and design.

These tools include relatively simple considerations of geology and can be insufficient in scenarios where geological heterogeneities, anisotropies, and other complexities control rockmass stability. There are many examples of engineering projects where ground behaviours involving geological complexities have unfortunately led to extremely costly delays or casualties.

At its core, my work and that of my research team aims to transform our understanding of geologically complex rock damage evolution and rockmass stability performance, thereby providing insights and tools to improve protection of worker and public safety as well as economic

success for civil and mining infrastructure development and geotourism.

This work is at the intersection of geological engineering (specifically geomechanics, geotechnics, engineering geology, rock engineering, and geohazards) and geological sciences (mineralogy, structural geology, petrology, sedimentology, stratigraphy, and geochemistry).

Examples of complex geologies addressed by our research include healed hydrothermal veins and nodular meso-scale sedimentary rockmass structures (collectively termed intrablock structures), clast-based lithologies such as conglomerates and breccias, non-parted anisotropies such as sedimentary or volcanic bedding and metamorphic foliations, and anisotropic roughness on parted discontinuities.

Our work has developed innovations in fields characterization techniques, advances in laboratory testing methods, and expansion of numerical modeling tools to provide insight to rock and rockmass performance in several contexts, including mining, tunnelling, deep geological repositories for long-term nuclear waste storage, and shoreline cliff and sea stack geotourism. Collectively, these contributions provide pathways to integrate complex geological realities into various components of site investigation, laboratory tests, and numerical models for rock engineering. This 2025 Colloquium Lecture and Paper will highlight key aspects of these works.

About the Speaker Jennifer (Jenn) Day is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering at Queen’s University and a Geological Engineer with registration as a Professional Engineer (PEng) and Professional Geoscientist (PGeo) in both Ontario and New Brunswick. Jenn received a BASc in Geological Engineering, BA in Music, and PhD in Geological Engineering from Queen’s University, and is an EMBA Candidate (completion June 2025) at the Ivey School of Business, Western University. She is honoured to be the first Canadian to receive the Richard Wolters Prize from the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (2022) for meritorious scientific achievement by a young engineering geologist (under 35) and first Canadian to receive the Dr. N.G.W. Cook PhD Dissertation Award from the American Rock Mechanics Association (2017). She is currently serving as Past President of the Canadian Rock Mechanics Association as well as Divisions and Committees Representative on the Executive Committee and Past Chair of the Rock Mechanics Division of the Canadian Geotechnical Society.

Jennifer Day with her family. L-R: Glen Day, Jane Day, Jennifer Day, Chris Dennis

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SPECIAL CGS LECTURE RISK-INFORMED DECISIONMAKING PROVIDES NECESSARY INSIGHT TO HELP REDUCE RISK Suzanne Lacasse, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute

The proposed risk-informed framework aims at quantifying uncertainties, reducing risk and assisting stakeholders in making decisions.

Abstract The lecture proposes a framework to assist stakeholders in making decisions for the safety of slopes and for the safe operation of water-retaining dams. Risk-informed decision-making requires: (1) Assembling all available information, including observations, limit state and performance analyses and assessment of the reliability and significance of the observations and measurements made; (2) Establishing the plausible modes of failure or non-performance and consequences of each mode of failure; (3) Preparing a risk picture, or an illustration of annual failure probabilities (often called vulnerability) and consequences, using qualitative or quantitative risk diagrams and comparing

with international risk guidelines and other available experience; (4) Identifying the most significant factors influencing the safety of the dam; (5) Making risk-informed decision on the need for and the type of measures to reduce the risk, and communicating the risk to stakeholders, and (6) Reassessing risk at regular intervals as the risk changes with time. The proposed risk-informed framework aims at quantifying uncertainties, reducing risk and assisting stakeholders in making decisions. Basic concepts of a risk-informed approach are illustrated with examples from practice for slopes and for dams. The effect of risk mitigation measures for landslide and rehabilitation measures for dams is also

considered in the examples provided. For landslides, the web portal LaRiMiT (Landslide Risk Mitigation Toolbox) for identifying and optimising the selection of mitigation measure is demonstrated. An important benefit of the RIDM is the added insight gained by integrating risk assessment in the safety evaluation. A risk diagram is also shown to be an effective tool to communicate with stakeholders. In addition, risk analyses, once established, can be adjusted and revised at regular intervals at low cost. The lecture concludes with learnings from the case studies and a recommendation of wider implementation of the risk-informed approach in practice.

continued at NGI as Technical Director. She is now an Expert Adviser at NGI. She published over 350 papers and gave the Terzaghi Lecture (2001), the Rankine Lecture (2015), the Carrillo Lecture (2022), the Jennings Lecture (2023) and the ISSMGE Terzaghi Oration (2013). ISSMGE established in her honour the 'Suzanne Lacasse Lecture' on risk and reliability in geotechnical engineering.

Dr. Lacasse received four PhDs Honoris Causa, in Scotland, Norway and Canada. She is an elected member of the national academies of engineers in the USA, Canada, Norway and France. She is an Honorary Professor at Tongji and Jiaotong universities in Shanghai and at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou. She is an Officer of the Order of Canada and Knight of the First Falcon Order in Iceland.

About the Speaker Suzanne Lacasse, born in Noranda, Québec, did a Bachelor of Arts at University of Montréal and her civil engineering degrees at Ecole Polytechnique of Montréal and MIT. After 15 years on MIT's Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty, she joined the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) in 1982. She was Managing Director of NGI from 1991 to 2012. In 2012, she

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MACKAY LECTURE MAPPING DISCONTINUOUS AND CONTINUOUS PERMAFROST AT REGIONAL SCALES USING AIRBORNE ELECTROMAGNETIC (AEM) DATA FROM THE CENTRAL MACKENZIE VALLEY AND INUVIK-TUKTOYAKTUK CORRIDORS Duane Froese, University of Alberta

He has worked in northern Canada for nearly 30 years, leading research in understanding past permafrost and recent changes. His research group carries out collaborative work with northern communities and governments, strengthening the practical applications of permafrost research.

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he Mackay Lecture, named in honour of Canada’s pre-eminent permafrost expert, the late Professor J. Ross Mackay, is given at each Canadian Permafrost Conference. It was established by the Canadian National Committee for the International Permafrost Association (CNC‑IPA) in 2015 and is now jointly awarded with the Canadian Permafrost Association (CPA). The recipient can be at any career stage and is chosen jointly by the CPA Board and members of the CNC-IPA based on research excellence in permafrost studies.

About the Speaker Duane Froese is a Professor in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Director of the Permafrost Archives Laboratory at the University of Alberta. He has worked in northern Canada for nearly 30 years, leading research in understanding past permafrost and recent changes. His research group carries out collaborative work with northern communities and governments, strengthening the practical applications of permafrost research. His group focuses their research efforts regionally in the Sahtu region and Mackenzie delta. Over the last four years, he has led the Transport Canada National Trade and Corridors Fund project on airborne electromagnetic mapping of permafrost and ground hazards in northwestern Canada, which will be the focus of the presentation.

Duane Froese with CPA President Guy Dore, after presenting the Mackay Lecture

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GEOMANITOBA 2025 BEST PAPER AWARDS Best Case History Paper (CGS) WHAT LIES BENEATH: CASE HISTORIES OF OPTIMIZED FOUNDATION SYSTEMS FOR HIGH RISE TOWERS UNDERLAIN BY A DEEP CLAY LAYER Michael Diez de Aux1 & Jason J Crowder1 1 Grounded Engineering Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Abstract: In an area of eastern Toronto, housing intensification including new highrise developments are proposed. As boreholes extend deeper to investigate rafts or caissons, a previously undiscovered layer of deep weak clay was identified. This paper presents a case study of foundation design for 30-55

storey towers in this area, and the challenges associated with foundation design for heavily loaded structures in challenging ground conditions. Foundations under consideration include spread footings, rafts, caissons designed using Bi-Directional Static Load Tests, and high capacity spread footings designed

using 3D settlement modelling. The case study demonstrates the value and importance of deep subsurface investigation, as well as how collaboration with structural engineers leads to economically-efficient high-rise projects.

The importance of pressure meter testing for raft foundation design is highlighted.

CARMA Best Paper Award in Rock Mechanics or Rock Engineering DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF LARGE DIAMETER PILES FOR FOUNDATION ENHANCEMENTS AT THE SITE C DAM Hossein Rafiei Renani,1 Garry Stevenson,1 Vicki Nguyen,1 Mazen Farran,2 Patrice McLean,2 Badr Benabdellah,2 Derek Martin3 & Andrew Watson4 1 Klohn Crippen Berger, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 2 AtkinsRealis, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 3 University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 4 BC Hydro, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Abstract: The Site C hydroelectric project is founded on a shale foundation with prevalent weak bedding planes. A system of 96 shear pile consisting of 2 m diameter 38 mm thick steel pipes filled with concrete was designed to reinforce the right bank foundation and enhance

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the long-term serviceability and stability of the overlying powerhouse and spillway structures. Laboratory compression tests, borehole pressure meter tests, and full scale in-situ bi-directional lateral load tests were performed to obtain the stiffness and strength properties of the foundation

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required for pile design. Stability analyses and 3D deformation analyses in FLAC3D and ABAQUS confirmed that the loads, stresses and displacements satisfy the design criteria.

The pile system was successfully constructed, and pile inclinometers have shown negligible displacements since reservoir filling.

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Best Paper with a Student as the Lead Author (CGS) ASSESSMENT OF SOIL RESTRAINTS ON BURIED PIPELINES IN LIQUEFIED SOIL Simon L. K. Wong1 & Dharma Wijewickreme1 1 University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Abstract: Experience from past earthquakes has suggested that buried pipelines could experience uplift due to the liquefaction of surrounding soils. The design of buried pipelines subject to earthquake-induced ground movements involves meaningful assessment of soil-pipe interaction (SPI), and this becomes complex and challenging especially when the pipelines are buried in potentially liquefiable soils. The SPI is typically simulated using numerical nonlinear soil restraints (soil springs). So far, only a few numerical and experimental studies have focused on accounting directly for the

assessment of SPI in liquefiable soils. With this background, a physical modeling study was conducted to investigate the mobilization of vertical soil restraints on buried pipes subjected to relative ground movements in liquefiable soils, and this paper presents the results from this work. Physical modeling was undertaken using a mini soil chamber (300 mm x 600 mm x 400 mm) at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada. The main intent of the mini soil chamber was to conduct pilot level tests to generate data and provide experience and input to support the development of a future relatively large

SPI chamber to investigate the response of larger pipe sizes. The mini chamber was used to test 25-mm diameter pipe specimens buried in loose Fraser River sand. Liquefaction was simulated using hydraulic gradients generated using upward continuous flow of water through the soil mass under 1-g condition. Pipes representing several buried configurations were vertically displaced within the soil mass to capture the lateral-vertical SPI response for liquefiable soils. These soil springs are then compared with state-ofpractice guidelines as well as those from limit equilibrium analysis.

Best Paper with a Student as the Lead Author (CPA) PERMAFROST AND GEOCRYOLOGICAL HAZARD RESEARCH TRENDS IN NUNATSIAVUT, NORTHEASTERN CANADA Madison Power,1 Robert Way,1 Yifeng Wang1,2 & Antoni Lewkowicz3 1 Northern Environmental Geoscience Laboratory, Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada 2 Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada 3 Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada Abstract: The Site C hydroelectric project is founded on a shale foundation with prevalent weak bedding planes. A system of 96 shear pile consisting of 2 m diameter 38 mm thick steel pipes filled with concrete was designed to reinforce the right bank foundation and enhance

the long-term serviceability and stability of the overlying powerhouse and spillway structures. Laboratory compression tests, borehole pressure meter tests, and full scale in-situ bi-directional lateral load tests were performed to obtain the stiffness and strength properties of the foundation

required for pile design. Stability analyses and 3D deformation analyses in FLAC3D and ABAQUS confirmed that the loads, stresses and displacements satisfy the design criteria.

The pile system was successfully constructed, and pile inclinometers have shown negligible displacements since reservoir filling.

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Best CPA Papers POST-FIRE GROUND, VEGETATION, AND SNOW CONDITIONS AT THREE SITES IN THE COASTAL BOREAL FORESTS OF NUNATSIAVUT, LABRADOR, NORTHEASTERN CANADA Yifeng Wang,1,2 Antoni G Lewkowicz,2 Robert G Way,3 Luise Hermanutz,4 Frederic Dwyer-Samuel,5,6 Alain Cuerrier,5,6 Carissa Brown7 & Lucas Brehaut8 1 Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada 2 Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada 3 Department of Geography and Planning, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada 4 Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, Canada 5 Department of Biological Sciences, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada 6 Montreal Botanical Garden, Montreal, QC, Canada 7 Department of Geography, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL, Canada 8 Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Corner Brook, NL, Canada Abstract: Forest fires lead to permafrost thaw and related landscape change, but these impacts are understudied in northeastern Canada where fire intervals are long and snowpacks are deep. We present interdisciplinary field investigations following fire at three sites in the sporadic discontinuous permafrost zone in

Nunatsiavut, Labrador. Electrical resistivity tomography surveys were conducted across burned to unburned transitions, and soil, vegetation, and snow data were collected concurrently. Frozen ground conditions varied between sites. Patches of permafrost were identified near Nain (56.5°N), while only seasonally frozen ground was found

near Postville (54.9°N). Statistical analyses demonstrated complexity in the post-fire ecosystem. Canopy cover and snow depth co-varied, underlining the importance of an intact canopy in the ecological protection of permafrost. This post-fire response broadly agrees with studies from the western North American boreal forest.

TECHNICAL BASIS FOR REVISIONS TO ALBERTA’S GUIDE FOR BUILDING AND WORKING SAFELY ON ICE COVERS Sam Proskin & Ala Salman1 1 Thurber Engineering Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada Abstract: Community re-supply and natural resource development in northern Canada often rely on temporary roads built over frozen lakes, river and frozen terrain to provide economical site access and resupply routes. These ice or winter roads offer significant socio-economic benefits to the communities (public ice roads) and industrial sites (industrial ice roads) they connect. The state of practice for determining allowable

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loads on ice roads has been based on empirical ice capacity equations developed in the 1970s. Canadian jurisdictional ice road construction and operations guides have combined these empirical equations with construction, operational and safety practices to promote the safe operation of public ice roads. The Guide to Building and Working Safely on Ice Covers in Alberta was updated recently to reflect changes to

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engineering practices. This paper discusses the technical changes made and their basis in engineering practices. The main technical changes included clarifying definitions of constructed flood ice and white ice, updating the limitations on the use of Gold’s equation for certain types of vehicles, revising the text on other load capacity methods, and revising the guidance for GPR ice profiling.

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Best CPA Student Presentation INITIAL INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT OF PERMAFROST DRILLING-WASTE SUMPS IN THE CENTRAL MACKENZIE VALLEY, NWT Michelle Landry1,2 1 Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada 2 Permafrost Archives Science Laboratory (PACS), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Abstract: The Sahtú Settlement Area of the Northwest Territories contains 191 former exploration wells constructed between 1920 and 2014. Most wells likely have drillingwaste sumps that were constructed in relatively warm and thin permafrost (≥2°C, 5-40 m thick). Warming air and ground temperatures are accelerating permafrost thaw, leading to an increased risk of drilling sump degradation. Recent field observations

note surface ponding, thaw-related subsidence, and potential for drilling waste migration. To assess these risks, we prepared an initial inventory of drilling-waste sumps in the Sahtú by integrating remote sensing, historical records, and regulatory reports.

Key parameters include permafrost zone, surface disturbance, and accessibility. While this inventory provides a foundation for risk assessment, significant gaps remain in ground

temperature data, waste composition, and site-specific studies. Our initial assessment indicates that ~63% of well sites are within the discontinuous permafrost zone, and over half of sumps currently display evidence of surface ponding, highlighting the need for future site-specific work on ground temperature, waste characterization, and collaboration with stakeholders on characterizing potential contaminated sites.

Best CPA Student Poster HIGHER SURFACE TEMPERATURES AND MORE FREQUENT RAINFALL EVENTS IN HIGH ARCTIC WET SEDGE DOMINATED WATERSHEDS MAY LEAD TO INCREASED NET CO2 EMISSIONS Cedelle Pereira1,2 & Melissa Lafrenière1,2 1 Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada 2 Department of Geography and Planning Abstract: Climate change in the Arctic is expected to have extensive impacts on permafrost stability and hydrology, influencing watershed biogeochemistry. Increased permafrost thaw and physical disturbance enhance biogeochemical cycling, mobilization, and export of previously frozen sediment, inorganic solutes, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface waters (Lewis et al., 2011; Fouché et al., 2017; Lewkowicz and Way, 2019). Subsurface or surface flow through thawed or disturbed permafrost sediments are important processes for the mobilization

of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) derived from weathering and/or mineralization of dissolved organic matter. Permafrost soils contain a large reservoir of organic carbon that, upon warming may be mineralized to carbon dioxide or may be leached as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and carried by streams where this can be mineralized and released as carbon dioxide (CO2) (Tank et al., 2012). Permafrost thaw and disturbance can also enhance chemical weathering reactions that can consume CO2, which can potentially counterbalance the release of CO2 by the mineralization of DOC

(Zolkos et al., 2018; St. Pierre et al., 2019). In the High Arctic, there is a limited understanding of how changes in permafrost and hydrology may affect watershed total carbon dynamics and CO2 drawdown. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to investigate how climate driven changes in hydrological regimes and permafrost conditions will alter the fluxes of both DOC and DIC and CO2 sink/source potential in High Arctic watersheds and how their proportions vary seasonally and in different land cover types (vegetation community types and disturbance).

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SPECIAL SESSIONS GeoManitoba 2025 hosted nine Special Sessions during the conference, across a wide range of topics: • • • •

Case Studies: Navigating Peer Review to Publish Lessons Learned CPA Panel: Experiences in Adapting to Permafrost Change CPA Special Session Education Committee: The Future of Geotechnical Engineering Education Forum • EG&GE and Rock Mechanics Divisions

• • • •

First Nation Consultation Foundation Decarbonization & Re-use (2) Geotechnical Research Board Professional Practice: Procurement Models – Contractor and Legal Perspectives

Some of these Special Sessions are summarized in the following articles.

STRONGER TOGETHER: A SUCCESSFUL JOINT SPECIAL SESSION ON GROUND RISK MANAGEMENT AT GEOMANITOBA 2025 Nicholas Vlachopoulos

The Engineering Geology and Geological Engineering Division and the Rock Mechanics Division of the CGS came together to host an outstanding Special Session on Applications and Examples of Ground Risk Management and Mitigation in Different Engineering Sectors at GeoManitoba 2025. Held on Monday, September 22, the session drew a full and highly engaged audience, reflecting the growing interest in interdisciplinary collaboration to tackle complex geotechnical and environmental challenges.

The session was masterfully chaired and emceed by Dr. Renato Macciotta of the University of Alberta, who ensured a seamless flow and engaging discussion throughout. The lineup of speakers represented a cross-section of leaders in Canadian and international geoscience and engineering practice: • Dr. Nicholas Vlachopoulos (Royal Military College of Canada / Queen’s University) opened with Defining the Role of Rock Mechanics within Geological Engineering through Practice and Experience.

His presentation highlighted the evolving integration of rock mechanics into geological engineering education, research, and professional application, grounded in over two decades of multidisciplinary field experience.

• Ms. Gabriele Mellies (Stantec, St. John’s) shared a compelling talk on Strategic Monitoring to Mitigate Risk Related to Rockfall

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Hazards. Her presentation illustrated how advanced monitoring and geotechnical design principles are applied to safeguard civil and mining infrastructure.

• Dr. Omid Mahabadi (President & CEO, Geomechanica Inc.) presented Reducing Risk and Uncertainty in Mining Applications Through Advanced Numerical Modelling. He demonstrated how innovative simulation tools such as Irazu bridge the gap between research and field-scale application in rock mechanics and mine design.

• Dr. Zoë Coull (Founder, ICE Dragon) explored The Importance of Understanding Groundwater Corrosivity for Buried Infrastructure Durability. Her work emphasized the critical link between geochemistry, materials science, and longterm risk management in industrial and municipal systems.

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• Dr. Joe Carvalho (WSP Canada Inc.) presented his talk on Supreme Court Rocky Escarpment: Risk Analysis of a Multi-use Pathway – Individual and Societal Risk. His case study elegantly demonstrated how quantitative risk assessment methods can inform safer urban planning decisions.

The session also concluded with Dr. Vassilis Marinos, President of the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG), who delivered insightful remarks on the role of engineering geology in today’s rapidly changing world. His talk underscored the global importance of geotechnical collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange, aligning perfectly with GeoManitoba’s theme of Stronger Together.

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The accompanying photo includes the speakers, organizers, and select divisional representatives who contributed to making this session a success. In particular, Jonathan Aubertin, Lucie Kijak, Andrew Peach, Stephen Butt, Eliane Cabot, David Wood, Julian Solano and Sofia Becerra should also be mentioned.

Their combined expertise and enthusiasm exemplify the strength of the Canadian Geotechnical Society’s technical divisions and their commitment to advancing the profession.

The divisions would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the GeoManitoba 2025 Organizing Committee for hosting such a successful and inclusive conference, and for recognizing the value of joint divisional initiatives that promote dialogue and innovation across disciplines.

Both groups look forward to hosting more such venues that foster professional development, mentorship, and the crosspollination of ideas essential to addressing Canada’s most pressing geotechnical and environmental challenges.

This session reaffirmed the power of collaboration between the Engineering Geology and Geological Engineering Division and the Rock Mechanics Division.

Together, we build not just stronger structures and foundations, but a stronger professional community; one founded on shared knowledge, respect, and purpose.

FIRST NATION CONSULTATION In keeping with the conference theme of Stronger Together, GeoManitoba hosted a thought-provoking panel on First Nation consultation. The discussion brought together Councillor Herman Green of Buffalo Point First Nation, Councillor David Meekis of Deer Lake First Nation, and Chief Chris Kakegamic of Keewaywin First Nation, who shared their experiences and perspectives on building stronger, more collaborative relationships between Indigenous communities and the engineering sector.

The panel explored how consultation can move beyond ‘check-box’ consultation to become a genuine process of partnership and understanding. Panelists spoke about

the importance of recognizing that every community’s needs are unique – remote communities may face challenges related to infrastructure and access to essential resources, while rural or more accessible areas might focus on sustainability and economic growth. Even among remote or rural regions, priorities vary widely due to differences in history, geography, and culture.

A key theme was the value of bringing together geotechnical engineering and Indigenous knowledge. Panelists noted that traditional ecological understanding offers powerful insights that can enhance technical planning for climate adaptation, flood resilience, and wildfire management.

Throughout the conversation, the importance

of respecting First Nation protocols and cultural practices is at the heart of this collaborative process.

As the session concluded, participants emphasized the need for ongoing dialogue, stronger partnerships, and greater Indigenous leadership in engineering and infrastructure development. Looking ahead, the panel expressed optimism for meaningful progress toward economic reconciliation and more inclusive, sustainable relationships in the years to come.

The Local Organizing Committee was honoured to host the esteemed panelists that captivated the audience for the duration of the panel.

FOUNDATION REUSE: A SUSTAINABLE GEOTECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE The Sustainable Geotechnics Special Session on Foundation Reuse at GeoManitoba 2025, held on September 22, was led by Dr. Dennis Becker, a globally recognized geotechnical expert. With over 45 years of experience, Dr. Becker is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and the Engineering Institute of Canada. He has contributed extensively to large-scale resource development and civil engineering projects across Canada and internationally.

His expertise spans bridges, tunnels, embankments, landfills, tailings dams, and risk-informed geotechnical design. He has served as Editor of the Canadian Geotechnical Journal, President of the Canadian Geotechnical Society, and Vice-President (North America) of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. Dr. Becker has also played a

pivotal role in developing Limit States Design and Reliability-Based Design standards for foundations.

• Shorter project timelines • Preservation of archaeological and congested urban sites

Historical Context and Terminology Foundation reuse, once a common practice, is regaining prominence due to sustainability imperatives. The session clarified that foundation reuse involves either supporting new or retrofitted structures solely with existing foundations or upgrading existing systems with minimal changes. It excludes underpinning or constructing new foundations within old footprints.

These benefits align with global decarbonization goals and infrastructure renewal strategies, especially in urban and heritage-sensitive areas.

Sustainability and Practical Benefits Reusing foundations offers compelling advantages: • Reduced carbon emissions • Lower construction costs and waste

Technical Challenges and Uncertainties Despite its benefits, foundation reuse presents challenges: • Uncertain ground and foundation conditions • Potential deterioration or defects • Lack of historical documentation • Compatibility with updated design codes • Uncertainty in geotechnical resistance and service life

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These factors necessitate rigorous site characterization, condition assessment, and performance monitoring.

Design Considerations: ULS and SLS Reused foundations must meet Ultimate Limit State (ULS) and Serviceability Limit State (SLS) requirements. The geotechnical resistance must be sufficient under new loading conditions, and expected movements must remain within acceptable limits. The design principles for reused foundations mirror those for new ones, with added emphasis on robustness and reliability.

Foundation Types: Piles and Spread Footings The session explored the behavior of two primary foundation types: • Pile Foundations: Skin friction is the primary load-resisting mechanism, mobilized at small movements. Additional axial loads may shift resistance to end-bearing, potentially causing sudden settlements.

• Spread Footings: SLS often governs design. In sands, densification increases stiffness and resistance; in clays, undrained conditions dominate unless pore pressures dissipate. Design must account for pre-consolidation pressure, especially in sensitive clays such as Leda Clay.

Uncertainty Management and Reliability-Based Design A central theme was the management of uncertainty. While reused foundations may benefit from historical performance data

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and proven reliability, they also face risks from degradation and incomplete records.

Reliability-Based Design (RBD), particularly Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD), was advocated to quantify and manage these uncertainties.

Monitoring and Observational Methods Monitoring is essential for reused foundations. The Observational Method, supported by geotechnical instrumentation, helps track settlement, tilt, and lateral displacement. Monitoring frequency should align with loading rates, and Trigger Action Response Plans (TARPs) must be in place to mitigate risks.

Constructability and Collaboration Constructability challenges such as spatial constraints and equipment limitations require early contractor involvement.

Techniques like micro-piling, screw piles, and jet grouting are often employed.

Collaboration among owners, consultants, and contractors enhances risk management and project success.

Case Studies Two Canadian case studies illustrated practical applications: 1. Banff Cave and Basin, Alberta: This heritage site, with foundations dating back to 1885, includes untreated cedar piles and treated Douglas fir piles. The assessment highlighted the importance of understanding material degradation over time, especially in fluctuating groundwater conditions.

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2. CP Rail Nipigon River Bridge, Ontario: A 120-year-old bridge was upgraded to support modern rail loads. The project involved reinforcing stone masonry piers with concrete jackets and installing micro-piles. Despite settlement and rotation during drilling, the bridge remained operational. Monitoring showed acceptable movements, and the reuse strategy led to a 20% cost saving compared to full replacement.

Concluding Insights The session concluded with key messages: • Reused foundations must meet the same performance standards as new ones.

• Uncertainty is inherent but manageable through RBD and thorough assessment.

• Sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and constructability make foundation reuse a compelling option.

• Continued research is needed to refine geotechnical resistance factors and improve design methodologies.

This session highlighted the evolving role of geotechnical engineers in promoting sustainable infrastructure through innovative foundation reuse strategies that integrate technical precision with environmental responsibility. As we move toward a low-carbon future, engineers, researchers, and industry leaders are encouraged to collaborate, invest in monitoring technologies, and advance reliability-based design to unlock the full potential of reused foundations.

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CANADIAN GEOTECHNICAL STUDENT COMPETITION Chelsey Yesnik, CGS YP Representative

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or the past two years, the CGS Young Professionals Committee has inspired the next generation of geotechnical engineers through the Canadian Geotechnical Student Competition (CGSC).

This year’s challenge took center stage at GeoManitoba 2025, showcasing the innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence of students from across Canada and beyond.

Held annually at the CGS conference, the CGSC was created to connect emerging engineers with industry professionals while bringing fresh energy and creativity into the geotechnical community. The event not only highlights students’ technical design and construction skills but also strengthens connections amongst peers.

Each year, the local student chapter of the host city takes the reins on developing and delivering the competition, which offers hands-on experience in preparing technical specifications, managing projects, and seeing them through to successful execution.

The Challenge This year, teams faced an all-new geotechnical challenge: designing and building a mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining wall using only poster board and paper reinforcement. MSE walls, commonly used in engineering projects worldwide, rely on geosynthetic or metallic reinforcement to stabilize soil and improve shear resistance. The CGSC version offered a creative and tangible build, of the otherwise massive soil structure, in a condensed timeline.

Students arrived with detailed designs and calculations, making final adjustments during the pre-competition practice session.

The objective was to build a reinforced soil wall capable of supporting a surcharge load without failure or excessive deflection, meeting both ultimate and serviceability limit states. Efficiency in material use also earned points. Judges evaluated each team’s wall design, reinforcement weight, performance under load, and overall serviceability before selecting the top teams.

First Place Team – University of Manitoba

Second Place Team - Université de Sherbrooke

Third Place Team – RRC Polytech

The Competition On September 24, at the RBC Convention Centre in Winnipeg, the 3rd Annual CGSC brought together 25 students from universities across Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Québec, and even international participants from as far as France. Teams of four to five undergraduate and graduate students put their designs to the test before the expert panel of judges. The judging panel featured Ian Fleming (Professor at the University of Saskatchewan), Richard Bathurst (Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at the

Royal Military College of Canada), and Arjan Jianfar (Riverbank Management Engineer and the City of Winnipeg).

Up to $2,000 in cash prizes was awarded to the top three teams. University of Manitoba claimed first place, followed by Université de Sherbrooke in second, and RRC Polytech in third. Funding was generously provided

by CGS National and GeoManitoba 2025, ensuring the continued success and growth of this hallmark event.

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The CGSC continues to energize and inspire the next generation of geotechnical professionals, offering students a chance to turn classroom concepts into real-world engineering solutions. A special thanks goes to Liam Soufi, Steven Harms, Patrick Machibroda, Kerry Lynch and many other volunteers from both the University of Manitoba and RRC Polytech, for their countless hours in developing and executing this year’s challenge.

Looking Ahead The CGSC continues to energize and inspire the next generation of geotechnical professionals, offering students a chance to turn classroom concepts into real-world engineering solutions. A special thanks goes to Liam Soufi, Steven Harms, Patrick Machibroda, Kerry Lynch and many other volunteers from both the University

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of Manitoba and RRC Polytech, for their countless hours in developing and executing this year’s challenge.

Looking ahead to GeoQuébec 2026, the CGS YP Committee and the Université Laval are already hard at work crafting an all-new, consulting-style challenge. Early buzz suggests the CGSC will make an exciting return –

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this time focusing on a real-world design challenge with unexpected twists that will push teams to adapt their solutions and satisfy all stakeholders involved.

If this sounds like something you’d like to be part of, or you’d simply like to learn more, reach out to the team at yprep@cgs.ca – and stay tuned for details as GeoQuébec 2026 approaches.

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YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ICEBREAKER Chelsey Yesnik, CGS YP Representative

A Strong Start to GeoManitoba 2025 The CGS Young Professionals (YP) Committee kicked off GeoManitoba 2025 with a fun and engaging YP Icebreaker event held on Sunday evening before the main conference Icebreaker. Over 60 young professionals from across Canada gathered to reconnect, meet new faces, and celebrate another exciting year of growth and collaboration within the geotechnical community.

Hosted in a relaxed and social atmosphere, attendees enjoyed beer and appetizers while putting their geotechnical knowledge and teamwork to the test in a lively round of Photo Trivia, sponsored by the Canadian Geotechnical Journal (CGJ) and WSP. Participants faced three rounds of Photo Trivia, featuring the following categories: Permafrost (in celebration of the joint 78th Annual CGS Conference and 9th Canadian Permafrost Conference), Figures from the Canadian Geotechnical Journal, and a spirited “Fieldwork” category, thrown in to balance the competition and give young field engineers their moment to shine.

Teams competed enthusiastically, showing off both their technical insight and their ability to decipher some truly tricky images. Winners took home prizes and bragging rights for the rest of the conference.

Building Connections and Sharing Initiatives The evening was co-hosted by Chelsey Yesnik, CGS YP Committee Chair and YP Representative, and Zaran Patel, CGS YP Committee Vice Chair. Together, they led the games and took the opportunity to share updates on new YP initiatives developed over the past year, aimed at connecting early-career professionals and strengthening engagement across regions.

Their message emphasized the continued importance of community, mentorship, and professional development within CGS – values that the YP network continues to uphold with each event.

A special thanks to Andy Take (Professor in Geotechnical Engineering at Queen’s University and Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Geotechnical Journal), Brandi Shabaga (Journal Development Specialist for the Canadian Geotechnical Journal, Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences & Drone Systems and Applications at Canadian Science Publishing), and Patrick Machibroda (CGS YP Lead of Network and Communication) for planning and preparing this fun event!

With over 60 young professionals in attendance, the YP Icebreaker once again

proved to be a highlight of the conference’s opening weekend. The combination of laughter, learning, and friendly competition set a positive tone for the days ahead – showcasing the energy and enthusiasm that define Canada’s next generation of geotechnical leaders.

As the YP Committee looks ahead, they are excited to keep building momentum and creating new opportunities for young professionals to connect, collaborate, and contribute to the geotechnical community across the country.

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MANITOBA HERITAGE MOMENT Steven Harms

The goal of the presentation was to take everyone on a trip through Manitoba’s geotechnical history; from early projects that started to shape our profession, to some of the notable historical contributions that geotechnical engineers have made in Manitoba.

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his article is a version of the Manitoba Heritage Moment presentation I delivered during Tuesday’s plenary session during GeoManitoba 2025. The goal of the presentation was to take everyone on a trip through Manitoba’s geotechnical history; from early projects that started to shape our profession, to some of the notable historical contributions that geotechnical engineers have made in Manitoba. This was by no means a comprehensive history, and I made it up to roughly the end of the 60’s before I ran out of time. Despite being an incomplete history, I hope this article gives you have a better sense of how geotechnical engineering was born and grew in Manitoba.

Our journey starts with the Hudson Bay Railway, which runs from The Pas to Churchill, and has played a vital role in the development of Manitoba’s north. Construction proceeded from south to north beginning in 1911, and John Leslie Charles, a young English civil engineer led the effort to find an alignment through the unforgiving terrain of northern Manitoba. He and his team surveyed the alignment, and construction followed. As Charles moved north, he mapped the general extent of permafrost along the alignment.

He found what he described as “patches” or “islands” of permafrost roughly between the Wabowden and Bird Stations, about a 350 km stretch. North of this stretch, he found the permafrost became “general” and widespread.

Construction was put on hold during World War I, and Charles went overseas to serve for Canada. He achieved the rank of Major, and was henceforth referred to as Major Charles.

When construction started back up again, years of neglect and permafrost degradation was evident in the form of significant rail embankment settlement. Poor drainage, thick peat deposits and discontinuous permafrost continued to pose significant

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challenges during construction, which was finally complete with the opening of the Port of Churchill in 1931. Major Charles’ work provided valuable insights into the distribution of permafrost in Manitoba’s north, and experience with the construction and maintenance of linear infrastructure in permafrost regions.

The Transcona Grain Elevator failure that took place on October 18, 1913 could be considered Manitoba’s claim to fame in the geotechnical community. It’s a story of the impressive failure, the more impressive repair that saw this binhouse brought back up to vertical, and how this was used as a textbook example to verify Terzaghi’s general bearing capacity theory decades later. Professor Andy Baracos, from the University of Manitoba worked alongside Ralph Peck to explain this failure mathematically in the early 50’s, and it’s been used as a case study many times since.

The 1910’s was a busy one in Manitoba, ending with the opening of the 157 km long Shoal Lake Aqueduct, which to this day provides a consistent supply of soft water to the City of Winnipeg. There are so many unique geotechnical details of this project.

From early foundation settlement challenges to later maintenance and buoyancy prevention work using probabilistic design, geotechnical engineers in this province have been instrumental in the success of this critical infrastructure.

In 1945, the first ever session on soil mechanics in Canada was held during the Engineering Institute of Canada’s annual general meeting in Winnipeg. The topic of the conference was Manitoba swelling and shrinking clays, and papers were presented by Gerry Williams and Bob Peterson. Gerry was a University of Manitoba engineering grad and went on to become chief engineer of the Manitoba

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John Leslie Charles surveying Hudson Bay Railway alignment (Westward Go Young Man Vol 1)

Highways Branch. Bob Peterson is a legend in Canadian geotechnique and did a lot of work in Manitoba with the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Association. In 1947, at what we now look back on as the very first annual Canadian Soil Mechanics Conference that was held in Ottawa, Bob Peterson was the representative for the prairies on the NRC’s subcommittee on soil mechanics. In 1970, Bob was posthumously awarded the first ever Legget Medal, which is the CGS’s most prestigious award.

Formal geotechnical academia in Manitoba began in 1949, when the University of Manitoba hired Andy Baracos to serve as the institution’s first geotechnical engineer.

Andy came to Manitoba from the University of Alberta on the recommendation Bob Hardy. He taught Manitoba’s first course in soil mechanics, set up the University’s soil testing lab, and engaged in local research. Andy’s early interests were in the behaviour of Lake Agassiz clays as it relates to riverbank stability and shallow foundations. He also devoted a substantial amount of time to private practice.

Andy really was a pioneer of geotechnical

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engineering in Manitoba, and the depth of his contribution is hard to understate.

In the spring of 1950, within a year of Andy’s arrival, Manitoba experienced a catastrophic flood. A combination of snowmelt, rain and saturated ground conditions resulted in the Red River rising 9.4 m, and inundating much of the Red River Valley. One third of Winnipeg’s residents had to evacuate. This flood inspired the idea to construct a diversion channel around Winnipeg, which we now know as the Red River Floodway.

After Winnipeg had a couple years to dry out, the Annual Canadian Geotechnical conference came to Manitoba for the first time in 1952.

This was the 6th annual conference, which was chaired by the University of Manitoba’s Dean of Engineering, Albert MacDonald.

Shoal Lake Aqueduct under construction at Mile 43 (City of Winnipeg Archives)

It took almost a decade after the 1950 flood for Red River Floodway project take off. The channel is 48 km long crossing rail lines, roads, the Seine River and the Winnipeg Aqueduct. Artesian conditions resulting from excavation posed all sorts of geotechnical challenges. Many notable engineers of the day had their hands in this project, including Bob Peterson, Arthur Casagrande, and Andy Baracos. The original floodway was completed in 1968, and it was subsequently expanded in 2009, increasing its capacity to a 1:700-year flood event. This is a critical piece of Manitoba flood protection infrastructure, and it’s paid for itself multiple times over.

Around the same time that the Red River Floodway was being constructed, innovative geotechnical work was happening further north. The nickel mine being developed in Thompson at the time required a source of power. In 1957, construction started on the Kelsey Generating Station on the Nelson River.

This was a challenging site to build on, due to the discontinuous permafrost of the region.

Don MacDonald and his team took an unprecedented approach in using sand to construct dikes in low, swampy areas, underlain by too much permafrost to feasibly remove. These sand dikes were constructed during winter months on frozen ground, and sand drains were incorporated into the foundation to accelerate thaw-induced consolidation. Their unique approach to this project was a success, and was used on future projects including the Kettle Generating Station in the mid 60’s and subsequent hydroelectric projects on the Nelson River.

University of Manitoba Campus during the 1950 Flood

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Hank Johnston was a U of M grad and pioneer in permafrost research in Canada’s north. The Kelsey generating station brought his focus to Manitoba to study the behaviour of dikes in discontinuous permafrost. He set up a permanent lab in Thompson to work on various research projects related to permafrost distribution and its impact on structures in the region. Hank was a founding member of the International Permafrost Association and received the Roger JE Brown Award in 1990.

The late 1960’s saw the formation of the Manitoba Geotechnical Group. This group, founded by Andy Baracos, Al Dyregrov and Merv Mindess, was the inception of what is now called the Manitoba Section of the CGS. Al Dyregrov was one of the first geotechnical engineers to graduate from the University of Manitoba and completed his Master’s under Andy’s supervision in 1957. Al spent most of his 56-year career in Winnipeg, working in various consulting firms and then branching out to start his own firm. He became the preeminent local foundation expert, having worked on more building foundations in Winnipeg than anyone. Merv was a professor at the U of M, but he didn’t end up sticking around long before moving his career south to the United States.

As the 1970’s rolled in, geotechnical engineering was well-established and developing rapidly in Manitoba, across the country and around the world. A great indication of this was in 1972, when the Canadian Geotechnical Society was formally established as a separate constituent society of the Engineering Institute of Canada. Since this milestone, three CGS presidents have hailed from Manitoba: Don Shields, Jim Graham, and Rob Kenyon. were acknowledged when he was recognized as a Fellow of the EIC. In 1980, Don settled down at the University of Manitoba, where he took a position as the head of the Civil Engineering department. Don and his grad students did a lot of early work with thermal piles and pressure meter testing to advance the state of practice in the north.

Don was the last chair of the NRC Associate Committee on Geotechnical Research, which was phased out in 1991. In 1994 he was promoted to Dean of Engineering, a position he held until he retired in 2000. Don was awarded the Legget medal in 2000, and just earlier this year he was awarded the Can-Am Amity Award by the ASCE.

As the 1970’s rolled in, geotechnical engineering was well-established and developing rapidly in Manitoba, across the country and around the world. A great indication of this was in 1972, when the Canadian Geotechnical Society was formally established as a separate constituent society of the Engineering Institute of Canada. Since this milestone, three CGS presidents have hailed from Manitoba: Don Shields, Jim Graham, and Rob Kenyon.

Rob Kenyon (CGS President 2023-24) Rob Kenyon graduated from University of Manitoba in 1976, and promptly left to pursue engineering adventures with Public Works Canada building highways in the north. He returned home to Manitoba to start work on his Ph.D in 1982 and joined KGS Group in 1989. At that time, the firm was only 3 years old.

Don Shields (CGS President 1977-78) Don Shields graduated with his undergraduate degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1955. He was one of two graduates awarded the Athlone Fellowship and the opportunity to continue his studies in England, where he obtained a Diploma of Imperial College in Soil Mechanics in 1957. He’d later return to complete his Ph.D. from Manchester University in 1963.

Rob completed his Ph.D. in 1994 under the supervision of Don Shields. Jim Graham sat on his advisory committee. He began volunteering for the CGS back in 1995, and he’s held numerous roles at the local and national levels. Between his professional practice and volunteering, Rob has somehow found time to also serve as an adjunct professor at the U of M.

For the first half of his career, Don bounced around between BC and Ontario, and held a mix of positions in academia and consulting.

In 1977 his contributions to the profession

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He’s been formally recognized as a Fellow of the EIC, received the A.G. Stermac Award in 1999 and the G. Geoffrey Meyerhof Award in 2022. We all have Rob to thank, along with his co-editor Ken Skaftfeld, for the getting the fifth edition of the CFEM assembled and over the finish line in 2023.

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Jim Graham (CGS President 1997-98) Jim Graham was born Northern Ireland, and studied engineering at Queen’s University in Belfast receiving his undergrad degree in 1960 and his Ph.D. in 1967. Jim’s early work was on the forefront of incorporating computer modelling in the geotechnical field researching failure mechanisms in sand and quantifying clay yielding in shear.

He moved to Canada in 1972 to teach at the Royal Military College in Kingston, and promptly joined the Canadian Geotechnical Society that same year. In 1975, Jim moved to Winnipeg to start what would become a decades-long career in geotechnical research and education at the University of Manitoba. He became a leader in constitutive modelling, unsaturated soil mechanics and slope stability, all buttressed by innovative advanced laboratory testing.

Jim is passionate about sharing knowledge, and he has always been generous with his time for both his students and colleagues.

This shines through in Jim’s dedication to excellence in education, and the success of the CGS. Since joining the CGS in 1972, Jim served in various positions on the Manitoba Section committee before becoming the editor of the Canadian Geotechnical Journal in 1985. Jim had a complete hard copy collection of the journal, which he graciously donated to be scanned so that all of us can now access them digitally. Jim went on to serve with the CGS nationally in several roles including Secretary General. He’s highly decorated for his contributions to education, the profession and our society including being one of only 6 honorary life members of the CGS. I’d like to close with a quote from Jim: “My advice is: join the society, participate in activities, and, if necessary, invite yourself.

The society always needs good people” (Jim Graham, 2020).

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CANADIAN PERMAFROST ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES

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he Canadian Permafrost Association (CPA), in collaboration with the Cold Regions Division of the Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS), delivered a full program focused on permafrost science and engineering at GeoManitoba 2025. The program featured a plenary session and eight technical sessions including 46 technical talks, 11 posters, and one Special Session.

The Special Session highlighted the work of the CPA’s five Action Groups, which are volunteer-driven initiatives that undertake projects to advance permafrost science and engineering across Canada. The following summarizes each action group’s objectives and recent progress updates shared at the special session.

The Thermal Modelling Action Group was founded to bring together the expertise of CPA member engineers, scientists, and researchers to advance thermal modelling capabilities among students and early career professionals working in cold regions and permafrost environments. Its central objective is to develop a “best practices” document for thermal modelling of permafrost targeted towards students, early career researchers/ professionals, and others with limited exposure to the subject. Several chapters have been completed to date.

The Permafrost Engineering Resources Action Group focuses on identifying, organizing, and increasing the accessibility of key information sources relevant to support

engineering activities in permafrost regions.

The group is developing a web-based database of curated engineering resources, each A classified with brief descriptions and applicability to the Canadian context. It is currently in the web development phase.

The Tundra Trails Action Group aims to prepare plain-language guidelines for planning, design, construction, monitoring and maintenance of trails (e.g., ATV) in tundra environments underlain by permafrost. The aim is to ensure practices limit permafrost degradation and accommodate landscape responses to climate change. Since its inception early in 2025, the group has met on several occasions to discuss key challenges associated with tundra trails and gather information (e.g.,

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site photographs, associated anecdotes, reports/ publications) to support the development of associated guidelines. A framework for the guideline document has been drafted.

The Permafrost Education Action Group was established to develop a permanent permafrost training program that supports both scientific and engineering capacity building among CPA members and partner organizations across Canadian permafrost communities and beyond.

The action group presented a newly-developed survey which will be targeted to assess needs and guide the program's structure. The survey results are intended to inform how this training program could best serve the needs of the permafrost community.

Finally, a major highlight of the conference was the official launch of the CPA’s new Glossary of Permafrost Science and Engineering, created by the 12 members of the Permafrost Terminology Action Group. The glossary is the result of 55

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meetings over the course of 4.5 years and represents a comprehensive revision of the earlier Glossary of Permafrost and Related Ground-Ice Terms. It comprises 355 entries, more than 60 of which are entirely new, while almost all the others have updated definitions, comments or references. The glossary is available to the public as a free digital download on the CPA website. The Glossary for Permafrost Science and Engineering was presented at an exciting CPA luncheon, where volunteers conducted a permafrost-themed trivia game. Printed copies of the Glossary were awarded as prizes for the winners.

GeoManitoba 2025 provided a unique opportunity to connect members of the permafrost and cold regions engineering communities to exchange knowledge and advance collaboration across disciplines. The conference has a printed proceedings that will be published on the web site of the Canadian Permafrost Association (CPA) in early 2026.

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HERITAGE Valérie Fréchette, Heritage Editor

This interview of Andrew (Andy) Baracos was conducted by Jean Crozier in Andy’s Winnipeg home on November 11, 1982. It’s a part of the CGS’s early 1980s Canadian Geotechnical Heritage Book Project. The project included a nationwide effort to interview prominent geotechnical professionals and is described in a 2020 paper by VanDine and Heinz in the CGS Virtual Archives>History of the CGS: https://www.cgs.ca/virtual_archives_history_cgs.php. This interview was originally transcribed by J. Lehman and has been edited by Steven Harms and Doug VanDine for this article. The complete interview can be found in the CGS Virtual Archives>Canadian Legends: https://www.cgs.ca/virtual_archives_legends.php. Special thanks go out to Andy’s son, Paul Baracos, for sifting through the family albums and providing the photos for this article.

Interview with Canadian Legend: Andy Baracos Background Andy Baracos (1925–2013) was born in Calgary and raised in Banff. He studied under Dr. Robert Hardy at the University of Alberta, receiving his Master’s degree in soil mechanics in 1949. He then moved to Winnipeg to serve as the University of Manitoba’s first geotechnical engineer. Andy went on to have a successful 40-year career as a well-respected academic and consultant in Winnipeg and the province, paving the way for geotechnical engineering as it developed in Manitoba.

Andy was appointed an Engineering Institute of Canada Fellow in 1978 and received the Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba’s Award of Merit in 1988. He retired from the University of Manitoba in 1989 and was named a Professor Emeritus in 1997.

Interview Jean: We’ll just get a little background here. I believe you went to University of Alberta for your engineering degree and I would guess then, that you studied under Dr. Robert Hardy. What year did you go to U of A? Andy: I graduated as an undergraduate in 1947, so I started four years prior to that, and

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Andy with his wife, Mary Johnson and son, Ted Baracos (1959)

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then I took my Master’s and graduated in 1949, working under Bob Hardy.

Jean: You must have been one of the earlier students to study soil mechanics under Dr. Hardy. I think at that time both he and Ibrahim Morrison were teaching soil mechanics courses, weren’t they?

Andy: That’s correct.

Jean: Did you get to know Dr. Hardy very well?

Andy: Oh yes.

Jean: Did you have small classes then?

Andy: Yes, we had small classes of possibly five or six students at the graduate level. The undergraduate classes were also small; there were only about 26 of us in civil engineering at that time. Bob Hardy had an interesting way of teaching. He made sure that you did an awful lot of work on your own. And as a result, you got a very good understanding of the subject. In fact, at the graduate level, we even did some lecturing too. I think this is perhaps why I got into teaching. There was quite a few of our class that went into teaching.

Visiting a dam in Thailand, 1966

Jean: Isn’t that interesting?

Why did that happen?

Andy: It was just the right time. Alberta was at the forefront of the geotechnical field in Canada. Again, I think because of I.F. (Ikey as he was known) Morrison’s interest. He had been a member of the Boston Soil Mechanics Society and had written papers and I think he must have influenced Hardy, and then he influenced others and set off this stream where a number of us went into teaching.

Jean: What kind of a person was Morrison?

Andy: Oh, he was a professor in the real sense. Very, very precise. He reduced things to their simplest elements and so when you really got a difficult concept explained to you, it was really quite simple. And he was one of these people with a very analytical mind.

Where many practiced soil mechanics on an empirical basis, Morrison introduced analysis.

He was quite a mathematician.

Jean: Analytical soil mechanics was a fairly new concept to you and to the world of applied science at the time?

Andy: We didn’t realize that we were, at the time, really getting into something extraordinary, in comparison to what was happening in soil mechanics elsewhere.

By the time I had been 10 years out of university and had a chance to compare what had happened in Alberta with what was happening elsewhere, I realized that we were in on the beginning of something in Canada.

Andy with an elephant. To ride, or not to ride? Thailand, 1966

Jean: How did you come to arrive in Winnipeg?

Andy: Well, I graduated and I had three job offers at that time, and I wanted to stay in Canada. I was very impressed by Winnipeg.

When I decided to visit here, to get a firsthand look at the place, it was a beautiful summer day … blue skies. I asked the taxi driver to take me downtown and I saw the legislative buildings, the Hudson's Bay building, beautiful broad streets, and the weather was just gorgeous, so I said this looks like a nice place.

Jean: And the offer from Winnipeg was to teach at the University of Manitoba?

Andy: It was an offer of $300 per month for seven months as a sessional lecturer. And that was considered good money in those days.

Jean: What did you do in summertime?

Andy: Well, my first spring in Winnipeg turned out to be in 1950 when the major Red River flood occurred. That put me in a very challenging position at the time because I was the only geotechnical (soil mechanics as we called it, then) engineer in the area. And so I got immediately involved as the soils engineer with the Greater Winnipeg Diking Board, and later with the preliminary investigations for the associated floodway, constructed between 1962 and 1968.

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Andy Baracos

And the flood itself led to rather interesting things. My earlier job offers included one with the National Research Council in Ottawa. When the flood came along, I got in touch with Bob Legget [the Director of the NRC’s Division of Building Research] and immediately he wanted me to participate in research involving the effects of the flood. So, one of our first tasks was an examination of flood damage. Another young engineer at the time, Rutherford and I, prepared a report on the flood damage to houses. And this led to a very happy relationship with Bob Legget who I really think had another major influence on my career. It’s one that lasted for many years, and it still does.

Jean: Isn’t that wonderful?

Andy: So that lead, not only to a study of the flood damage to houses, but a study of basement-less houses in Winnipeg. Houses were instrumented and observations were taken. That information, even 30 some odd years later, has been extremely useful because those houses have not always performed up to expectations.

Jean: When you say they haven’t performed up to expectations, can you be more specific?

Andy: Well, these were houses with no basements, built on a flat slab of concrete with some gravel on the ground. They were heated, usually by some form of in-floor heating, and the idea was that the ground-supported slab would act as a unit. Well, one can go and look

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Paper presented at 43rd Geotechnical conference in Minneapolis, 1995

at some of these basement-less houses and you’ll find that they have tilted, they have been affected by soil moisture changes; some of them have cracked badly. They have been the subject of court cases.

Jean: Well, are those things the result of the kind of clay that you have in Winnipeg?

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Andy: Yes, I think in some ways Winnipeg was a soil mechanics engineer’s heaven insofar as possibilities for research, for studies, for turning out reports, for consulting, and for teaching. There were real problems that you could do research on, not just theory. You had riverbanks that you could study, you had foundations you could study, you had clays that affected roadways that you could study,

you had clays that affected buried pipes. We have a very serious problem in the city with watermain failures; one of the most severe on the continent.

Jean: Is that right?

Andy: And some unique work, prior to when I got here, was considering the effect of sulfates on concrete used in foundations.

Experience in Winnipeg led largely to the development of sulfate-resistant cement. That had its origins here.

Jean: And you mentioned before we went on tape that you said you were the only geotechnical engineer in Winnipeg, so I would have to assume from that, that all these geotechnical problems you just mentioned, had not been worked on?

Andy: No, many geotechnical problems had been researched and recognized. In saying I was a geotechnical engineer, I was meaning that I had taken graduate courses. There was a very active interest in what was then called soil mechanics, that predated my coming to Winnipeg by many years.

My boss at that time, Bill Riddell who was the head of the Department of Civil Engineering and Dean A. E. Macdonald immediately asked me to work with them. Macdonald was a consultant at the time for the Armed Forces on new plane hangars that were being built here in the Winnipeg area. He was a foundation engineer as well as having other accomplishments. We did quite a bit of work at that time.

Jean: What other kinds of projects have you been involved with in Winnipeg?

Andy: It's surprising. The very same ones that I got involved initially in Winnipeg are still subject to analysis and review.

The problems of riverbank stability have been very much a concern. I think that our understanding of these banks have paralleled the understanding of slope stability in the profession. Some of the failures that we have noted in the Winnipeg area have confirmed an analysis and hypothesis published by such people as Laurtis Bjerrum at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute and Alec Skempton at Imperial College, London.

I think, I can say I’ve taken part in the development of foundation engineering, of course with many other engineers. A major development was in the use of precast driven piles carrying very heavy loads, some of the greatest loads in Canada, where the strength of the pile was the main factor in the loads that were carried down to the till or bedrock.

Moving house foundations continues to be of interest. I think now we have the knowledge

Andy at the piano, 2004

to build houses that don’t move. It’s the problem of trying to convince people that, financially, they should be doing it.

And then there’s been the problem of watermain failures from seasonal movements in soil and from corrosion from the outside of the pipe. This is because of the soil. And then, I guess, it’s a career-long involvement in teaching.

Jean: In your work with pile foundations, did you work together with Ben Torchinsky?

Andy: No, Ben was in Saskatoon. I was in Winnipeg. Here in the Winnipeg area when I did consulting, it was actually with other colleagues of mine at the university, Oscar Marantz and Mervyn Mindess. We’ve investigated a number of the major bridge sites here in Winnipeg. There was a fair amount of work done at the early stages with the Armed Forces in developing their bases here.

right is the kitchen stove. The kitchen stove was built in and as a result of this tilt, when my wife makes a cake, one side is thicker than the other.

You have to shim up the pan.

Jean: You just put a little more icing on one side.

Andy: Yes, a little more icing on it. But a number of houses in Winnipeg have been instrumented. We worked very closely with the NRC on this. We’ve shown that for the initial 20-year period of houses with basements in Winnipeg, the problem is not one of settling, it’s one of the houses lifting upwards.

Jean: That would be interesting to explore a little further Andy, but we’ve come to the end of the tape. Thank you so much for your times and very interesting stories.

Jean: What kind of work did you do for the Armed Forces?

Andy: Basically foundations. And pointing out the difficulties one encounters with Winnipeg clays that can swell, cause buildings to heave or settle, and both can occur at the same time.

I’ve got my own house instrumented.

Jean: Oh, is that right?

Andy: Yes. This house was built 20 years ago and it’s on spread footings. That corner up there, the northeast corner, has heaved 7 inches since it was built. And the southwest corner, has only heaved 2 1/2 inches. So, this house has about a 5-inch tilt. Now I fully expected that sort of thing to happen and so I designed my house so that it would accommodate the movement. The only thing I didn’t quite do

Andy at his 83rd birthday, 2008, with his son, Paul Baracos, and Paul’s future wife, Flor Laguardia

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A Personal Reflection of Evert Hoek David Wood

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r. Evert Hoek was born in Rhodesia in 1933, emigrated to England and then to Canada. He passed away on July 6, 2024, after a brief illness.

He was acknowledged as an international leader in the field of Rock Mechanics and was the proud recipient of two earned and three honorary doctorate degrees. There have been a number of obituaries written about Evert professionally, but I would like to reflect personally about this wonderful man and his contributions to society, especially in the fields of rock engineering and rock mechanics.

He authored several books and many scientific papers. Evert began his research in Rock Mechanics in 1958 due to problems with brittle rock under high stress in deep gold mines in South Africa, and in 1965 at the University of Cape Town where he obtained his PhD in rock fracture under static stress conditions. From 1965, he was at Imperial College, London, where he set up a facultywide centre for rock mechanics at the Royal School of Mines. Golder, Hoek and Associates was established in the United Kingdom in 1973 when Evert left Imperial College to create the company as the British arm of Golder Associates Ltd. He and his family moved to Canada in 1975 as a consulting engineer at Golder Associates, where he was Senior Principal and Chairman in Vancouver, BC In the late 1980s, he became a professor at the University of Toronto and then an independent consulting engineer with a private engineering firm in North Vancouver.

I met Evert at Golder, Brawner and Associates, Vancouver, in 1974 when he was a visitor from Golder, Hoek and Associates in Maidenhead, Berks, UK. He became my mentor and in loco parentis from that first meeting. The “rock group” at Golder, Brawner and Associates was being formed, and a number of staff members had been students of Evert’s at Imperial College in the postgraduate Engineering Rock Mechanics program. The Golder name at the time was predominantly related to soil mechanics and soils engineering; Evert would be bringing a new venture to the company, and this was to be based in Vancouver.

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A significant proportion of rock engineering work in the early years was spent in evaluating potential failure modes in underground copper mining in Zambia, and Evert developed a “base friction” model that provided a visualization of potential rock mass failure modes using equivalent mine cross sections constructed from thin cork sheets. This required interpretation of geological fabric and good three-dimensional geological mapping. Evert, by his own admission, knew little about geology having come from the Mechanical Engineering branch of engineering, and was interested in the influence of geology in the rock engineering field. I was able to provide some geoengineering background to this research.

Once Evert and his family (wife Theo, son Peter, and daughter Dorothy) arrived in Vancouver in 1975, we became quite close, and I now had an engineering mentor as well as a father figure near at hand. I do not have an undergraduate degree in engineering, so many of the concepts that may have been familiar to other junior engineers at Golder needed to be carefully explained and Evert took pains to spend weekend time socially to help integrate his thoughts into a working relationship. I recall times when Evert and I would be in shirt sleeves under his kitchen sink trying to fix some plumbing issue while discussing the influence of pore water pressure in rock mechanics.

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My employment as a geologist within Golder was somewhat tenuous; it appeared that in order to advance, one would need to retrain as an engineer. It was apparent that geologists did not become senior members of the Golder community and would not be in a position to become an Associate or Principal if I continued as a geo. Evert encouraged me to stay on with Golder, and he asked me to consider either working in a field position at Bougainville Copper in Papua New Guinea or go back to university to study for a postgraduate degree.

And in the interim, Evert asked me to help set up the administrative side of Golder’s rock engineering/rock mechanics group. For just over a year, I worked closely with Evert going through the structure of the program and the ways in which different engineers could work together on different projects with equal prospects for success. While this was going on, Evert also contacted Bougainville and Imperial College to see what opportunities there might be for a geologist to retrain as an intermediate rock engineer.

With his past tenure within the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London University, Evert had co-authored a pivotal textbook: Rock Slope Engineering, E. Hoek and J.W. Bray (1974, revised 1977). Around the same time, Evert and Ted Brown were developing the concept of the Hoek-Brown Failure Criterion, which would end up being published in Underground Excavations in Rock, E. Hoek

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and E. T. Brown (1980). Evert encouraged me to enrol in the MSc program at Imperial, Engineering Rock Mechanics to broaden my education. I did so, and while studying in England in 1977 and 1978, I also worked at the Golder, Hoek offices in the UK, again coordinated by Evert.

During 1979, Evert was the principal consulting engineer on the Rio Grande Pumped Storage scheme in the Province of Córdoba, Argentina. This was a 750 MW underground hydroelectric plant with both an upper and lower reservoir to permit water to generate power as well as being pumped back uphill during off-peak demand times.

There was a nearby Candu reactor being built that would provide the opportunity to operate this pumped storage scheme. Evert asked me if I would consider working on this project under his guidance, and I spent September 1979 to December 1980 in Argentina. Of special memory were the occasions that Evert came to the site to review progress. We would tour the underground excavations, review the design process for rock mass reinforcement and support, check out the water retention structures for the upper and lower reservoirs, and then find a little time for some relaxation.

Taking an evening drive out into the Sierra de Córdoba in a pickup truck was a delightful excursion at the end of a long day, exploring some of the gravel backroads around the job site. Most surprising of all was the thought that a dip in the Rio Grande at a local swimming hole would be on the cards. We hadn’t brought bathing suits with us, but the river was just too tempting. The driver found the spot he was looking for and Evert and his two field engineers, one being me, stripped down to our underwear for a refreshing dip in the river!

I continued to work with and for Evert over the next few years on various projects around the globe at the surface and underground for both civil and mining engineers. In June 1984, a violent rupture of rock caused by stress, a rock burst, occurred at the Falconbridge mine in Sudbury, Ontario. The incident trapped four miners, all of whom died. This tragic accident highlighted a need to expand the capacity of mine safety and rescue operations in the province.

Recommendations, later unofficially known as the Stevenson Commission, led

to significant changes in Ontario's mine safety protocols and Evert became the lead researcher at the University of Toronto into the “Support of Underground Excavation in Hard Rock”, jointly undertaken with Peter Kaiser, Laurentian University, Sudbury, and Will Bawden, Queens University, Kingston, between 1988 and 1994. Evert’s third textbook was published in 1995.

I can clearly recall the afternoon in July 1988 when Evert was visiting the Vancouver offices of Golder Associates from Toronto. He was staying at the Sheraton Hotel at 16th and Cambie with a room on the 15th floor looking out across Vancouver to the mountains to the north. It was one of those unusually clear afternoons when the Lions and Grouse Mountain looked like they were close enough to touch. Evert explained the research program that he envisioned and asked me if I would like to join the team. He wanted someone with a geological background to evaluate rock mass characterization methods, and the applications of shotcrete in mining within this research. He was also hoping that this research engineer would live and work in Sudbury to coordinate the field work by postgraduate students from U of T and Queens being carried out in the Sudbury Basin and provide geological engineering training to those students with only a background in civil engineering. After a visit to Sudbury and further discussions, I accepted the position and moved to Ontario in October 1988.

Evert and Theo had moved from Vancouver to Toronto, close enough the University for Evert to walk to work. Over the next four years, the lives of the researchers and postgraduate students became thoroughly intermingled with many trips by southern Ontario postgrads to Sudbury, and many trips from here to Toronto. The concept of the Geological Strength Index (GSI) came about during this period, as well as the Modified Hoek-Brown Failure Criterion.

Evert and Theo moved back to B.C. in the mid-1990s, and Evert continued consulting, predominantly as a reviewer of large-scale engineering projects. He also reviewed and revised many of his engineering documents and published more in professional journals. I am honoured to have known Evert as closely as this over almost 50 years. Without him,

I would not be a consulting rock engineer, and I would not have grown professionally without his mentorship and encouragement.

Evert Hoek was an astounding gentleman and one of the most proficient engineers you could ever hope to meet. He was a friend and colleague to many.

Evert’s influence endures in every tunnel, slope, and rock mass I’ve studied since meeting him.

David Wood is a Rock Engineering Consultant and Designated Consulting Engineer to civil and mining engineering clients in rock engineering, rock support design, application and design of shotcrete structures, rockfall hazard appraisal, and engineering geology, for projects in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Notable major projects include Boral Shotcrete, Australia, consulting for applications of shotcrete in mining and civil engineering; Niagara Tunnel Project, collaborating engineer for Austrian design team for 10 km water supply tunnel; and Canadian railway and highway administrations, ongoing rockfall hazard evaluation, and remediation design.

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What Does a Day in the Life of a Rock Mechanics Engineer Look Like?

Émélie Gagnon is a PhD Candidate in Rock Mechanics at Queen's University.

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ome of Canada’s most challenging geotechnical projects involve bedrock: excavating tunnels, designing hydroelectric caverns, managing rockfall along transportation corridors or operating open-pit and underground mines. At Mine Éléonore beneath the boreal forest of northern Québec, senior rock mechanics engineer Éliane Cabot faces these challenges head-on.

Each day at the mine starts with a safety huddle, where Éliane and her colleagues receive updates on production priorities, upcoming blasts, and restricted areas from the site superintendent. The mine’s activities resemble an ant colony from above — a meticulously organized network of tunnels and chambers, where each worker plays a unique role and coordinates with others to safely extract gold. For Éliane and the ground control team, their responsibility is to ensure the work environment remains safe for workers and to address or escalate any issues that could cause costly disruptions or loss of access.

After the huddle, Éliane or a colleague in rock mechanics reviews the ground control log, where workers report observations of loose ground, instability or other safety concerns.

Comments might include “We noticed that the rebar is loose”, “There’s fallen debris in Sector 425”, or “We’ve been hearing cracking sounds and want to ensure everything is safe”.

These observations need to be investigated given that the mine now extends to a depth of 1.4 km and is seismically active. The safety of miners underground depends on the ability of rock mechanics engineers to translate their lay observations into technical assessments and solutions.

When not addressing immediate geotechnical challenges, Éliane focuses on two primary objectives: monitoring the performance of

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Walls inspection at Eleonore’s Quarry Pit, Eliane Cabot

Stockpiles of crushed construction material at Eleonore`s Quarry pit. Left to right: Eliane Cabot, Josée Corriveau, William Fresser

current underground workings and collecting geotechnical data to refine the mine’s geotechnical model. She conducts quality checks, such as geotechnical logging, structural mapping, and instrumentation monitoring.

When time allows, she helps with in situ pull tests, to ensure rock bolts meet installation standards and have not been compromised by corrosion in the damp subterranean environment. She also supports the backfill specialist in performing rock berm and barricade audits and collecting cement paste samples.

site (diametrical point load versus UCS), and contributes to equipment calibration, core specimen preservation, and coordination with third-party laboratories for standardized testing (UCS, Brazilian, Triaxial).

In the past, she worked on a diamond drill, describing and sampling the core, performing in situ tests such as stress and hydraulic conductivity measurements, and installing instrumentation such as piezometers.

Nowadays, she mentors junior staff in the core shack, guiding them in characterizing the rock mass by noting lithology, joint conditions, orientations, and calculating indices like RMR, Q, and GSI. She continues to test rock specimens for strength correlation at

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Another part of Éliane and her team’s ongoing duties is inspecting the ground conditions and verifying the structural integrity of support in barricaded areas before workers are allowed to re-enter and carry on their duties.

This work is often performed in pairs for safety reasons. When necessary, Éliane prepares fallof-ground reports and discusses rehabilitation plans with the team. On a weekly basis, she collaborates with the geology and surveyor teams to obtain mapping data and 3D scans of open stopes — areas mined for ore — and developments to update the global mine model. Lastly, she prepares external scopes of work and liaises with subcontractors on various geotechnical projects, both underground (mines) and on the surface (quarries, tailings).

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Gearing up for an underground wall mapping visit.

Left to right: Fernando Ortiz Vivas, Eliane Cabot

Team gathering prior to borehole seismic instrument installation and QAQC testing on ground support.

Left to right: Fernando Ortiz Vivas, Gregory Turfan, Eliane Cabot, Hamza Lamghani

4th Grade students of Ecole Elementaire des Quatres-Rivières, Orangeville, ON learning about mineralogy

While Éliane’s work at the mine is fast-paced and focused mainly on short-term objectives, a good portion of her time is spent working remotely. She travels to the mine approximately once a month and works from her home office in the GTA otherwise. There, she shifts to working on mid- to long-term planning projects, using numerical modeling and data analysis tools to synthesize site observations and derive trends. For example, she models the ground support scheme her team is proposing for an upcoming expansion at depth to answer questions such as: Are the bolts and cables long enough? Can we increase their spacing or optimize their pattern? Do we need shotcrete in addition to the mesh? Is the ground support robust enough? This requires accurate data input into the modelling software to depict rock conditions, excavation shape, stress boundary conditions, and jointing.

A recent project she worked on highlighted the complexity of rock mechanics when water is involved. Mine Éléonore is located beneath a water reservoir, making infiltration a potential concern. Water can increase pore pressure and reduce strength, especially through fractures.

There is a section of the crown pillar — the rock mass between the mine and the surface — that is mineralized and yet to be excavated. Éliane collaborated closely with consultant hydrogeologists to better understand the hydrogeological conditions in the upper mine and assess how to optimize this pillar recovery.

This work is crucial for assessing infiltration risks and implementing mitigation measures before proceeding with ore extraction.

operations. Éliane has over 25 years of experience spanning both consulting and operations, and she emphasizes the importance of site work in truly understanding rock mechanics. Consulting often carries a certain prestige, with its global projects and complex challenges, but she argues that nothing compares to the insights gained from direct, hands-on experience in the field. “I would encourage all young engineers to gain experience in the field. It’s not as easy as it might seem, and while it can be repetitive, each situation has its own unique aspects that offer new learning opportunities. Even now, at an advanced stage in my career, I find that every time I go underground, I learn something new. Being in the field and having direct contact with the rock and the miners is invaluable.”

Éliane Cabot worked in various geotechnical and environmental roles for a decade prior to joining Amec in Mississauga in 2011, where she had a rock mechanics role. Her work involved scoping and feasibility studies for mining clients in Ontario, Québec, and internationally, including in Russia and South America. Although she loved this work, after a decade of theory-heavy projects, she began to seek a change.

Despite contributing to the design of open-pits and underground mines, she rarely had the opportunity to see how these designs performed in practice, audit them or inspect them.

She then joined Hatch’s Dynamic Earth Solutions (DES), Geotechnical Group in 2021, where she worked on a few projects involving rock design and construction supervision. However, most of the projects were in soil mechanics, and she realized how much she missed working in rock. In May 2023, she joined Newmont to dive back

Mine operators often bring in external consultants for complex problems, allowing in-house teams to focus on routine into the field of mining she is passionate about, embracing the challenges of rock mechanics in a hands‑on role.

“If I were to return to consulting now, two big lessons stand out,” she says. “First, solutions for operating mines need to be fast and practical. The biggest realization I had moving from consulting to the owner’s world is how quickly things move in a mine. We often say things are due yesterday, so for operational challenges, if it takes you 3–6 months to complete a study, it’s often too late and practically obsolete. More time is allowed during preliminary project studies; however, in operation, we rarely plan more than a month or two ahead; it’s all about immediate action.” She chuckles, adding, “It’s almost like asking: What do we do right now?” The second big lesson is that it’s crucial to account for site-specific equipment constraints. “Different drill rigs from various manufacturers have different dimensions, tilt capabilities, which can

impact access, drilling precision, and the overall design of drill holes or ground support. Even within a single site, you might encounter bolting machines with varying precision and operational limits, which can affect the implementation and effectiveness of your ground support design.”

These insights are a reflection of the practical experience Éliane has gathered over her career, guided by influential mentors such as her father Louis Cabot, Pierre Trudel, Denis Gill, Joe Carvalho, Adam Coulson, James Tod, and Scott Marisett. She is passionate about transferring knowledge and promoting the profession to younger generations.

In addition to her engineering role, she teaches a rock mechanics and ground control course for undergraduate students at Polytechnique Montréal and has given presentations on geology and geoscience careers in 4th and 5th grade classrooms of Ontario.

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Canadian Geotechnical Achievements Réalisations Géotechniques Canadiennes Marquantes In 2017, the Canadian Geotechnical Society asked members to submit suggestions of “Canadian Geotechnical Achievements.” These were profiled during GeoOttawa 2017. Over a number of issues, Canadian Geotechnique / Géotechnique canadienne has been presenting some of the achievements that were profiled. The two that follow were submitted by David Dixon (Golder Associates) and by Kent Bannister (TREK Geotechnical) and Denis Dubois (Manitoba Hydro).

En 2017, La Société canadienne de géotechnique a demandé à ses membres de soumettre des suggestions de réalisations géotechniques canadiennes marquantes. Ces réalisations ont été présentées à la conférence GeoOttawa 2017. Dans ce numéro et quelques autres, Géotechnique canadienne / Canadian Geotechnique publiera certaines de ces réalisations qui ont été sélectionnées pour être présentées. Étant donné que ce numéro comprend une section spéciale de la Section du Sud de l’Ontario, les deux réalisations qui suivent portent sur le Sud de l’Ontario. Les deux suivantes ont été soumises par David Dixon (Golder Associates) et par Kent Bannister (TREK Geotechnical) and Denis Dubois (Manitoba Hydro).

Canada’s Underground Research Laboratory (URL)

Laboratoire de recherche souterrain du Canada (LRS)

Geographical location Lac Du Bonnet, eastern Manitoba

Localisation géographique Lac Du Bonnet, est du Manitoba

When it began or was completed Site evaluation began in 1978; facility decommissioning was completed in 2015.

Date du début ou de la fin du projet L’évaluation du site débuta en 1978, et le déclassement fut finalisé en 2015.

Why a Canadian geotechnical achievement?

Constructed and operated by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (now Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL)) in a granitic pluton on the Canadian Shield in eastern Manitoba, Canada’s Underground Research Laboratory (URL) was the first underground laboratory in the world to be constructed specifically to evaluate the concept of nuclear fuel waste disposal in a previously undisturbed geologic environment.

Pourquoi est-ce une réalisation marquante?

Le laboratoire a été construit et exploité par Énergie Atomique du Canada limitée (maintenant les Laboratoires nucléaires canadiens, LNC). Construit dans un pluton granitique du Bouclier Canadien dans l’est du Manitoba, le Laboratoire de recherche souterrain (LRS) du Canada fut le premier laboratoire construit spécifiquement pour évaluer le concept d’enfouissement des déchets nucléaires dans un environnement géologique intact.

The URL allowed for the advancement of geotechnical engineering and understanding of the behaviour of natural materials (bentonite &

Le laboratoire souterrain a permis d’améliorer la compréhension du comportement des matériaux naturels (bentonite et roc) dans des conditions inexplorées jusque-là. Des projets multidisciplinaires et des démonstrations technologiques menés dans un environnement souterrain

The URL allowed for the advancement of geotechnical engineering and understanding of the behaviour of natural materials (bentonite & rock) in conditions that had not been previously possible.

Le laboratoire souterrain a permis d’améliorer la compréhension du comportement des matériaux naturels (bentonite et roc) dans des conditions inexplorées jusque-là.

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Examining excavation stability in rock having high differential stresses. / Évaluation de la stabilité de l’excavation rocheuse, où des contraintes différentielles élevées ont été enregistrées.

Atomic Energy of Canada’s URL, surface facilities. / Installations de surface du laboratoire de recherche souterrain (Energie atomique du Canada).

The URL and the research programs associated with it allowed for completion of numerous advanced university degrees in engineering, geology and geoscience.

Le laboratoire souterrain de recherche et les programmes de recherche associés ont contribué à la formation de nombreux étudiants gradués en ingénierie, en géologie et en géosciences.

rock) in conditions that had not been previously possible. This was done through multidisciplinary studies and technological demonstrations undertaken in a controlled and well characterized underground environment. Studies related to solute transport, excavation stability and excavation damage, materials properties evaluation as well as large-scale multidisciplinary repository sealing demonstrations were completed.

These provided technical support for development of current repository design concepts in Canada, and many of the concepts and designs were advanced internationally through publication of hundreds of conference, journal, and technical papers.

sous des conditions contrôlées et bien caractérisées ont permis l’avancement des connaissances en géotechnique. Plusieurs études ont été réalisées sur le transport de solutés, la stabilité et la dégradation des excavations et l’évaluation des propriétés des matériaux ; des démonstrations pluridisciplinaires à grande échelle pour l'étanchéité du site ont aussi été exécutées. Ces études ont fourni le support technique nécessaire pour le développement des concepts actuels d’entreposage souterrain au Canada. Plusieurs de ces concepts ont été présentés par le biais de centaines d’articles lors de congrès internationaux ou dans des journaux scientifiques.

The URL and the research programs associated with it allowed for completion of numerous advanced university degrees in engineering, geology and geoscience. This expertise has subsequently been disseminated into academic and technical areas of practice in Canada and internationally.

Le laboratoire souterrain de recherche et les programmes de recherche associés ont contribué à la formation de nombreux étudiants gradués en ingénierie, en géologie et en géosciences. L’expertise acquise a ainsi été diffusée dans les milieux académiques, pratiques et techniques, aussi bien au Canada qu’au niveau international.

Key Reference Thompson, P., and Priyanto, D. 2016. Canada’s Underground Research Laboratory (1980-2014). Waste Management 2016 Conference (WM2016), March 2016, Phoenix, AZ, USA.

Référence Thompson, P., et Priyanto, D. 2016. Canada’s Underground Research Laboratory (1980-2014). Waste Management 2016 Conference (WM2016), March 2016, Phoenix, AZ, USA.

Submitted by David Dixon (Golder Associates)

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Design and Construction of Water Retention Dikes on Discontinuous Permafrost

Conception et construction de digues de retenue d’eau dans une zone de pergélisol discontinu

Geographical location Kelsey, Kettle and Long Spruce Generating Stations on the Nelson River, near Gillam, northern Manitoba.

Localisation géographique Les centrales électriques Kelsey, Kettle et Long Spruce situées sur le fleuve Nelson, près de Gillam, au nord du Manitoba.

When it began or was completed Kelsey Generating Station was completed in 1961; Kettle and Long Spruce Generating Stations were completed in the 1970s.

Date du début ou de la fin du projet La centrale Kelsey fut achevée en 1961; les centrales Kettle et Long Spruce furent complétées dans les années 1970.

Why a Canadian geotechnical achievement?

Impoundment for these sites required construction of several kilometres of containment dikes on discontinuous permafrost. Novel designs included: for dikes <30 m height, the permafrost affected soils were completely removed from the foundation to reduce the risk of long-term settlements; for dikes <10 m height, complete removal of permafrost was not cost effective. It was anticipated that long-term differential settlements up to 2 m would need to be accommodated as the frozen foundation soils thawed.

Pourquoi est-ce une réalisation marquante?

La retenue d’eau sur ces sites a nécessité la construction de plusieurs kilomètres de digues sur le pergélisol discontinu. La conception novatrice demandait que, pour les digues d’une hauteur <30 m, les sols affectés par le pergélisol soient complètement enlevés de la fondation afin de réduire le risque de tassement à long terme; toutefois, pour les digues d’une hauteur <10 m, l’enlèvement complet du pergélisol aurait été trop dispendieux. Des tassements différentiels à long terme pouvant atteindre 2 m ont été prévus lors de la conception; les ouvrages devaient être capables de s’adapter aux tassements résultants du dégel des sols de fondation.

Permafrost conditions were mapped and documented in detail during construction, and long-term monitoring has been carried out over the past 50‑60 years. This represents a unique data set to help quantify the magnitudes and risks associated with construction over discontinuous permafrost.

The dikes were designed with a medium grained clean sand core and a downstream filter to accommodate differential movements.

Sands drains were used to promote drainage. Regular monitoring and maintenance managed risks of overtopping. Since construction, the dikes have performed as intended. Settlement monitoring (marker pins on the crest, settlement plates, and piezometers) indicate that settlements are largely complete. Settlement magnitudes have generally been within design tolerances.

The original design was by HG Acres and Company in consultation with Manitoba Hydro and the National Research Council. Permafrost conditions were mapped and documented in detail during construction, and long-term monitoring has been carried out over the past 50‑60 years.

This represents a unique data set to help quantify the magnitudes and risks associated with construction over discontinuous permafrost.

The dikes are owned by Manitoba Hydro.

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Lors de la construction, les conditions de pergélisol ont été cartographiées et documentées en détail et un suivi a été effectué au cours des 50 à 60 dernières années. Ce suivi constitue une base de données unique qui permet de quantifier l’ampleur des risques associés à la construction sur le pergélisol discontinu.

Les digues ont été conçues avec un noyau de sable propre ayant une taille granulométrique moyenne et un filtre aval afin de pouvoir s’adapter aux mouvements différentiels. Des drains en sable ont été utilisés pour favoriser le drainage. Une surveillance et un entretien régulier ont permis de gérer les risques de surverse. Depuis la fin de la construction, le comportement des digues est conforme à celui anticipé. Le suivi des tassements (réalisé avec des marqueurs sur la crête, des plaques de tassement et des piézomètres) indique qu’ils sont presque terminés. L’ampleur des tassements est généralement à l’intérieur des critères de conception.

Le concept original a été réalisé par HG Acres et Compagnie de concert avec Manitoba Hydro et le Conseil National de Recherche. Lors de la construction, les conditions de pergélisol ont été cartographiées et

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Aerial view of the Long Spruce Generating Station; dikes constructed on discontinuous permafrost extend to the upper left. Photo by Manitoba Hydro. / Vue aérienne de la centrale Long Spruce; les digues construites sur le pergélisol discontinu se poursuivent vers le coin supérieur gauche de la photo.

Photo: Manitoba Hydro.

Example of differential settlement along a section of dike prior to rehabilitation. / Exemple de tassements différentiels le long d’une digue avant les travaux de réhabilitation.

Key References Johnston, G.H. 1969. Dykes on permafrost, Kelsey Generating Station, Manitoba. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 6: 139–157.

MacPherson, J.G., Watson, G.H., and Koropatnick, A. 1970. Dikes on permafrost foundations in Northern Manitoba. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 7: 356–364.

Brown, W.G., and Johnston, G.H. 1970. Dikes on permafrost: predicting thaw and settlement. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 7: 365–371.

Submitted by Kent Bannister (TREK Geotechnical) and Denis Dubois (Manitoba Hydro)

documentées en détail et un suivi a été effectué au cours des 50 à 60 dernières années. Ce suivi constitue une base de données unique qui permet de quantifier l’ampleur des risques associés à la construction sur le pergélisol discontinu.

Manitoba Hydro est propriétaire des digues.

Références Johnston, G.H. 1969. Dykes on permafrost, Kelsey Generating Station, Manitoba. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 6: 139–157.

MacPherson, J.G., Watson, G.H., et Koropatnick, A. 1970. Dikes on permafrost foundations in Northern Manitoba. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 7: 356–364.

Brown, W.G., et Johnston, G.H. 1970. Dikes on permafrost: predicting thaw and settlement. Canadian Geotechnical Journal, 7: 365–371.

Soumis par Kent Bannister (TREK Geotechnical) et Denis Dubois (Manitoba Hydro)

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