This award is for support of a US-Turkey Workshop on Geothechnical Engineering Research to be held in conjunction with the International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ICSMGE) in Istanbul, Turkey. The ICSMGE is planned for August 27-31, 2001 and the workshop will to follow on September 1, 2001. The US organizer is Dr. Mehmet Tumay, Professor of Civil Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Turkish co-organizer is Dr. Ergun Togrol, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss the emerging issues and technologies in geotechnical engineering that will result from the ICSMGE, and to identify selected research areas for mutually beneficial collaboration.
Scope: This award will support a US-Turkey workshop in an area that is increasingly gaining importance in both countries and in countries of west Asia and the Caucasus. The study of soil behavior is important for assessing the safety of structures in unusual or severe loading conditions, such as during liquifaction due to increased water content (floods) or due to strong ground motion (earthquakes). The development of guidelines for design and use of structures in these conditions will benefit all countries involved in this research. Most of the supported US participants are junior scientists who will have a unique opportunity to meet with colleagues from Turkey and several countries in the region during the ICSMGE Conference and the US-Turkey Workshop. They will also visit Turkish laboratories to discuss possible joint research. Both the US and Turkish organizers have excellent experiences and capabilities in the field, and they will have the backing of important organizations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers and Istanbul Technical University. Funding for this project is provided by the Division of International Programs and the Division of Civil and Mechanical Systems.
