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NEWS 2019

Posted April 30, 2019 (updated May 15, 2019)

Event: June 5, 2019

GSE/CGS CCLT: Dr. Charles Shackelford, Colorado State University - The Role of Diffusion in Environmental Geotechnics

Location: German Canadian Cultural Association (8310 Roper Road)

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Lunch, 12:20pm Presentation

Cost: $25 Members, $30 Non-Members, $15 Students

Diffusion of contaminants can play a significant if not dominant role in many applications encountered within the field of environmental geotechnics. The objective of this presentation is to provide an overview of the important role diffusion plays in such applications. The presentation proceeds from a historical perspective, beginning with the recognition in the late 1970s to early 1980s that diffusion may be an important process in assessing contaminant migration through low permeability barriers in waste containment applications...more>>

Posted April 30, 2019

Event: May 16, 2019

GSE 2019 AGM: Dr. Angela Küpper, BGC Engineering - Construction of the A21 Dike at the Diavik Diamond Mine

Location: Derrick Golf and Winter Club (3500 119 Street NW)

Time: 5:30pm Registration, 6:00pm Dinner, 6:45pm AGM and Presentation

Cost: $40 Members, $50 Non-Members, $20 Students
PayPal account is not working at present - there will be no additional charge at the door.

The Diavik Diamond Mine is located on East Island in Lac de Gras, Northwest Territories (Canada). The A21 Dike is the third water-retaining dike constructed within the lake to enable dewatering of the area enclosed by the dike and allow open pit mining of the A21 Kimberlite pipe. This talk will describe the main components of the A21 Dike and the key construction challenges....more>>

Posted March 6, 2019 (Updated March 21, 2019)

Event: April 17, 2019

GSE 2017 Symposium: Glacial Deposition for Engineers - Dr. wayne Savigny

Location: Woodvale Facility, Millwoods Golf Course (4540 - 50 Street)

Time: 7:30am Registration, Course 8:00am to 4:30pm

Early Bird deadline extended!

Cost: $350 Members ($400 after March 22), $400 Non-members ($450 after March 22), $200 Students ($225 after March 29)

The course deals with the engineering geology of glacial deposits. It begins with the basics of glacial geomorphology: properties of ice, how glaciers move, how they erode, and the nature and complexity of the deposits they leave; which all sounds simple. Indeed, the less background one has in the subject matter, the easier it is typically viewed. The reality is that geotechnical engineers often fail to adequately consider the genesis of glacial materials as it influences their distribution, variability and nature underlying sites.

The course will be presented by Dr. Wayne Savigny, Ph.D., P.Eng., P.Geo., F.E.I.C., Founder and Principal, Savigny Geoscience Inc.

Posted April 1, 2019

Event: April 9, 2019

GSE/U of A: 17th Annual Applied Geotechnical Engineering Design Contest: Reinforced Soil Wall

Location: L2-040 and L2-020, NREF, University of Alberta

Time: 5:00pm Construction (L2-040); 6:00pm Testing (L2-020)

Cost: Free

Registration: Please email Vivian Gang to register (by April 7).

Walls will be constructed using only 5 sheets of Newsprint, 2 sheets of 15 cm x 30 cm geotextile, a box of 100 paper clips, and 20 popsicle sticks. The teams have 1 hour to construct the wall. Prizes will be awarded for the Strongest Wall, the Best Prediction of Wall Strength, and for the Most Innovative Design. This year, there will be 4 teams from the U of A, 1 team from NAIT, and 1 industry team competing.

Posted March 5, 2019

Event: March 19, 2019

GSE/NAIT Student Event: Dr. Heather Kaminsky, P.Eng., NAIT, and Dr. Nicholas Beier, P.Eng., U of A - Oilsands Tailing Management

Location: 10304, 10524 - 117a Ave NW, Room 191, Center for Applied Technology (CAT), NAIT

Time: 11:30am Registration, 12:00pm Lunch, 12:20pm Presentation

Cost: $15 Members/Non-Members, $10 Students
An additional $5 will be charged for payments made at the door.

The oil sands industry has an environmental footprint of 220 km2 in northern Alberta, representing $21 billion in reclamation liabilities. Albertans and the global community are concerned with the scale and impact of developing this vital resource. They demand that proven sustainable technologies be developed and implemented to reclaim and replenish the land that has been disturbed by mining and the associated waste repositories...more>>