ICGEE 2025

Plenary Speaker

Prof. Han-Yong Jeon Inha University, South Korea Professor Emeritus Han-Yong Jeon is a geosynthetics/technical organic materials researcher of Inha University, Incheon, South Korea. Since 1998, he is the director of Geosynthetics Institute Korea Directory and has worked in International Geosynthetics Society as Council member (2008~2012) and the 6th president of Korean Geosynthetics Society (2011~2013) and the 32nd President of Korean Fiber Society (2014~2015). He has published more than 1,124 proceedings in the domestic and international conferences and published 228 papers including “A Study on the Radiation Shielding and Absorption Effects of Nonwoven Composites by Monte-Carlo Simulation Analysis”, applied sciences, 12, 3570, 2022 in domestic & international ...journals. He wrote 30 Korean and English books including 'Review of Sustainable Geosynthetics Development Trend with Environmental Adaptive and Eco-Environmental Performances Point of View’, Geopolymers and Other Geosynthetics, ISBN 978-1-78985-176-2, IntechOpen, 2020. He has awards of Marquis Who'sWho - Science and Engineering in 2003~2017 and Top 100 Scientists in the World: 2005/2011 of IBC (International Biographical Centre, UK). Also, he got the 33rd Academy Award of Korean Fiber Society in 2006 and “Excellent Paper Award of 2012” by The Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies. Besides this, he got the 33rd Academy Award (The Korean Fiber Society), 2006 and the Best Publication Award (Korea Association of Technical Textile Industry), 2017 and the 41st Prize of Jung-Hun Textile Industry (Academy Award), 2020. Speech Title: Review on Engineering Performance of Concrete Composite Mat(CCM) by Structural Composition Abstract: Concrete is made by mixing cement, fine aggregate, and coarse aggregate with water, then hardening through a hydration reaction. During this process, plastic shrinkage cracks may occur due to restraints from reinforcing bars or adjacent structural members. Cracks in concrete reduce its watertightness and can lead to further cracking caused by rainwater infiltration and subsequent freezing. Concrete Composite Mat (CCM) is used not only to enhance the mechanical properties of concrete but also to mitigate its inherent brittleness. The structure of CCM consists of an upper textile that incorporates dry cement powder, a middle layer that supports the dry cement powder, and a lower textile that prevents its loss. Due to its high rigidity, strength, and watertightness, CCM is widely applied in slope protection and various geotechnical applications, such as soil erosion control. In this study, a double Raschel CCM was developed with improved structural elongation control and enhanced reinforcement capability by optimizing fabric density to secure thickness and prevent cement loss. The bending strength and durability of the CCM were evaluated under different application environments. A three-dimensional double Raschel CCM was manufactured using yarn-in-lay technology for elongation control, along with reinforcing yarn integration. To ensure durability against external environmental conditions, basalt fiber was used as a reinforcing yarn in both the upper and lower textiles of the CCM. The manufacturing process of CCM is as follows: The cross-section reduction phenomenon of CCM due to concrete shrinkage during hydration was mitigated depending on the treatment of the blowing agent while maintaining the same concrete content. Regardless of whether the blowing agent was added, the bending strength tended to increase as the concrete filling factor increased. It was confirmed that the concrete filling rate should exceed 100% to fully exhibit the physical properties of CCM. The double Raschel CCM demonstrated excellent durability under various environmental conditions, including exposure to seawater, freeze-thaw cycles, and acidic and alkaline environments. Based on these findings, the application of CCM can be expanded for geotechnical purposes such as emergency sinkhole restoration, erosion control, and coastal erosion prevention. This research was supported by a grant (RS-2024-00468756) from the Industrial Material Core Technology Research Program funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Korean Government.

Keynote Speaker

Professor Ir Ts Dr Ahmad Safuan A Rashid Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Ahmad Safuan A Rashid obtained his PhD degree in Geotechnical Engineering from The University of Sheffield in 2011 with a Malaysia Higher Education Scholarship. Now, he is an Associate Professor and Deputy Dean of Research, Innovation, and Development for the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. He was the Head of the Geotechnical Research Group and is currently the Fellow of Centre of Tropical Geoengineering provides research and consultation work on geological and geotechnical engineering for tropical areas. The major research areas of Associate Professor Ahmad Safuan are soil Mechanics, ground improvement, soil stabilization and slope engineering. He has published 190 refereed journal papers. He has successfully supervised 8 PhD to their completion and currently supervises 12 PhD students. Speech Title: Evaluating the Performance of Nonwoven Kenaf Geotextile in Enhancing Soft Soil Bearing Capacity Abstract: Synthetic fibres are widely used in the production of geotextiles for geotechnical applications; however, they are derived from non-renewable petroleum-based resources, which have negative environmental impacts. To mitigate this issue, bio-based geotextiles made from locally sourced natural materials offer a more sustainable alternative. This study focuses on the development of a nonwoven kenaf-polypropylene geotextile, utilizing waste by-products from the kenaf industry. The addition of polypropylene facilitated the manufacturing process and improved the material’s durability. A series of physical modeling tests were conducted to assess the geotextile’s effectiveness in enhancing the load-bearing capacity of cohesive soils in various geotechnical applications. The results demonstrated an increase in bearing capacity ranging from 15.2% to 46.5%, indicating that this geotextile can serve as a viable substitute for synthetic alternatives in short-term projects. Additionally, numerical simulations using finite element software validated the laboratory findings, with ultimate bearing capacity values showing a maximum deviation of 18%. The optimal placement depth for the geotextile was determined to be 0.25 times the footing width (0.25B). Overall, this study suggests that nonwoven kenaf geotextiles have the potential to be a partially sustainable and environmentally friendly solution for ground improvement applications. However, further research is necessary to assess their long-term durability.

Prof. Ming Lu University of Alberta，Canada Prof. Ming LU joined the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) as a Professor in July 2024. He received his PhD in Civil Engineering – Construction Engineering & Management from the University of Alberta, Canada in 2001. Prof. Lu served at the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering (now the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering) of PolyU from 2000 to 2010 and later at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the University of Alberta. He has received numerous accolades, including the Stephen G. Revay Award from the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) in 2023, in recognition of his remarkable contributions to the history and science of civil engineering in Canada. Through conducting focused research and guiding doctoral students in Hong Kong and Canada, Prof. Lu has made significant achievements in advancing the states of knowledge and practice in three specialisation domains: (1) devising innovative methods for project scheduling and operations simulation, (2) making machine learning algorithms explainable for engineering applications, and (3) streamlining optimization strategies and developing sufficient optimization solutions for construction engineering & project management. In 2024, Prof. Lu is named a Top Scholar by ScholarGPS for his outstanding performance in the discipline of Construction Engineering based on accomplishments over the totality of academic career (lifetime).

Prof. Danqing Song South China University of Technology, China Danqing Song is a Professor at South China University of Technology, holding a Ph.D. and serving as the Deputy Director of the Development Strategy and Planning Division. He has been recognized with the "Postdoctoral Innovative Talent Support Program" by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Affairs of the People's Republic of China, as well as the "Shui Mu Scholars" program of Tsinghua University. Dr. Song has dedicated his career to scientific research on geomechanics related to rock body engineering, particularly in areas such as side slopes, tunnels, and underground caverns. His research focuses on structural dynamics effects of rock bodies, dynamic disasters involving rock bodies, monitoring and early warning systems for geological hazards, prevention and control measures for these hazards, and intelligent construction methods for underground engineering. He has played a key role in several major projects including the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, Three Gorges Dam project, JiuDian Gorge in the upper reaches of Yellow River, HeiFangTai project,and XiangLi Highway among others. Dr. Song's expertise also extends to evaluating deformation stability and implementing prevention measures for landslides,slopes,and deeply buried tunnels within these large-scale projects. His research results have been published in 99 SCI/EI papers (84 SCI papers and 15 EI papers), with 2 selected as ESI Highly Cited Papers in 2020,and 1 selected as Hot Paper in 2023. He has also authored 55 first/corresponding authors' SCI papers(16inTOPjournals) and 12 EI papers, predominantly published in Eng Geol, Landslides, Acta Geotech, Rock Mech Rock Eng and other authoritative journals in the field of engineering geology/geotechnical engineering, etc. The total number of citations is more than 1,200, and the H-index is 20. He has participated in the compilation of 3 industry/group standards, and has filed 36 patents for invention, 6 utility models, and 22 software copyrights.

Assoc. Prof. Haoliang Wu Sun Yat-sen University, China Dr. Wu currently serves as an associate professor at the School of Civil Engineering at Sun Yat-sen University. He obtained his bachelor's degree from Jilin University and earned his doctoral degree through a joint program between Southeast University and the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor). He has also worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He has published papers in authoritative journals such as "Cement and Concrete Composites," "Science of The Total Environment," "Journal of Cleaner Production," and "Journal of Geotechnical Engineering." He has authored more than 40 SCI-indexed papers (including 1 highly cited ESI paper) and over 10 EI-indexed papers. Additionally, he holds more than 20 patents both domestically and internationally. Dr. Wu also serves as a guest editor/young editorial board member for several international journals, including "Buildings," and acts as a reviewer for more than 20 well-known academic journals. Dr. Wu's research areas include but not limited to: 1) Contaminated land remediation and retardation by magnesium-based materials barriers; 2) Straining-hardening and self-healing behavior of cementitious composites; 3) Life cycle assessment and costing of cementitious composites in geotechnical engineering; 4) Reuse and recycle of low carbon materials for treating contaminated soils and marine sludge.

Continuously updating...

Part of Previous Speakers

Prof. Richard J. Bathurst
South China University GeoEngineering Centre at Queen’s-RMC, Canada

Prof. Richard J. Bathurst from GeoEngineering Centre at Queen’s-RMC, Canada delivered his keynote speech titled "Design for intemal limit states for MSE walls is carrled outusing a load and resistance factor design (LRFD) frameworkin Canada and the US"

Prof. Barbara Schneider-Muntau
South China University University of Innsbruck, Austria

Prof. Barbara Schneider-Muntau from University of Innsbruck, Austria delivered her invited speech.

Dr. George R. Koerner
Director of the Geosynthetic Institute, United States

Dr. George R. Koerner from Director of the Geosynthetic Institute, United States delivered his plenary speech titled "Geosynthetic Market Penetration after Four Decades"

Prof. Sai Vanapalli
University of Ottawa, Canada

Prof. Sai Vanapalli from University of Ottawa, Canada delivered his keynote speech titled "Analysis of Geosynthetic Encased Stone Columns for Saturated and Unsaturated Soils"

Assoc. Prof. Haoliang Wu
Sun Yat-sen University, China

Assoc. Prof. Haoliang Wu from Sun Yat-sen University, China delivered his keynote speech titled "Advanced Insights into the Mechanical Characteristics and Microscale Design of Carbonated MgO-based Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC)"

Prof. Haijian Xie
Zhejiang University, China

Prof. Haijian Xie from Zhejiang University, China delivered his keynote speech titled "Applications of Geosynthetics in Cover Systems for Contaminated Sites"

Assoc. Prof. Yaolin Yi

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Assoc. Prof. Yaolin Yi from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore delivered his keynote speech titled "Use of three solid wastes/by-products for land reclamation andtheir stability/durability in seawater"

Prof. Jorge G.Zornberg
University of Texas at Austin, United States

Prof. Jorge G. Zornberg from University of Texas at Austin, United States delivered his keynote speech titled "Ingenuity in Civil Infrastructure Designed with Geosynthetics"