IFCEE 2021 Technical Program

Conference Proceedings

The IFCEE 2021 conference proceedings will be published as a series of volumes organized around particular topics. Most of the volumes will be published as Geotechnical Special Publications (GSP), and one volume, reserved for case histories and lessons learned in general practice will be a Geotechnical Practice Publication (GPP).

• Geotechnical Special Publications (GSP): GSPs originated with the proceedings of the first geotechnical specialty conference (held in 1960 on the Shear Strength of Cohesive Soils), and the G-I has administered the publications ever since its formation in 1996. GSPs are the G-I’s primary outlet for continuing the tradition of geotechnical knowledge transfer. They are recognized internationally as premier publications for geotechnical engineering and the geoprofession. Papers published in a GSP are indexed in Civil Engineering Database, Google Scholar, and others. A GSP is special because the content is subject to rigorous technical review during a three-phase submission process. Each paper must receive a minimum of two positive peer reviews before final acceptance.
• Geotechnical Practice Publications (GPP). Geotechnical Practice Publications (GPP) showcase practice-oriented papers presented at conferences, and serve as a means to make material developed by practicing engineers available to a broader audience. Papers included in a GPP must be reviewed by an editorial board or receive one positive review from a designated reviewer.

NOTE: A copy of the proceedings will be provided ONLY to those who register for and attend the conference, or to those who purchase a copy after the conference. Complimentary copies of the proceedings are not automatically provided to authors; only to conference attendees.

You are invited…

…to submit an abstract to any of the technical tracks listed below.
Abstracts without all the details requested below may not be considered:

IMPORTANT: Copyright transfer Agreement
Authors are required to sign the ASCE Copyright Transfer Agreement during the submission process, stating that 1) all authors listed on the manuscript are aware of their authorship status and qualify to be authors on the manuscript, 2) all content, figures (drawings, charts, photographs, etc.), and tables in the submitted work are either original work created by the authors listed on the manuscript or work for which permission to reuse has been obtained from the creator, and 3) the author transfers copyright to the ASCE. Further details are available here.

Should circumstances require, submission can be withdrawn, and the CTA rendered null and void, any time before October 1, 2020. All abstracts are due by November 20, 2019.

GSP/GPP Submission Process and Deadlines

(deadlines may be subject to change)

Phase One — Abstract Submission

• Authors submit abstracts (see guidelines above) for consideration by January 15, 2020
• The Program Committee will review all abstracts. The committee will decline abstracts that do not fit the
  theme of the conference, do not have strong scientific merit, are too commercial, or are unlikely to produce a quality paper.
• Notice of these decisions will be sent to the authors by TBD.

Phase Two — Draft Paper Submission

• Authors submit draft papers for consideration by July 17, 2020.
• Draft papers must be formatted according to ASCE guidelines. A sample document that may be used as a template is available here.
• Session Chairs will arrange for a minimum of two peer reviews for each draft paper based on the ASCE Guidelines for Peer Reviewers of Proceedings Papers, available here.
  Then, on the results of those reviews and their own judgement, the chairs will make decisions about whether or not to accept the draft paper. Papers may be declined for the same reasons as an abstract or for not following ASCE paper format. Preliminary decisions about presentation formats (rescindable if the final paper is still not of an acceptable quality) may be made at this time, depending on the preference of the Program Committee.
• Notice of these decisions, along with the two reviews (presented anonymously), will be sent to the authors by September 4, 2020.

Phase Three — Final Paper Submission

• Authors submit final versions of their approved draft papers for consideration by October 23, 2020.
• Session Chairs will review the final papers for compliance with review suggestions made during draft phase.
  Based on instructions from the Program Committee, Session Chairs will accept a specific number of papers for oral podium presentation at the conference. Usually, no more than six papers are presented at the podium during a 90-minute technical session. Other papers submitted to the session will be approved for poster presentations. Final decisions about presentation formats will be made at this time.
• Notice of the final decision will be sent to the authors by October 30, 2020.

You are invited to propose…

Special Session Format Types

• Keynote: Keynote sessions provide high-level perspectives on important, complex, and thought-provoking issues. Proposals should seek to cover multiple perspectives on issues that will be of interest to a broad range of attendees. There may be one or more consecutive keynotes within a session. These sessions may be ‘plenary’ without other competing conference content, or ‘breakout’ with two or more other simultaneous sessions. Formal presentations (i.e. PowerPoint) are expected; associated papers are not.
• PIT (Powerful, Informative Talks): Like a TED talk, these are short presentations that present a specific idea, recommendation, or case study, but without a set format. It may be from 7 to 10 minutes long. It may or may not include slides, images, or video. Propose a single PIT, or several consecutive PITs. PITs will be combined by the Program Committee into 90-minute sessions based on their content.
• Panel: Panel sessions generally include no more than four panelists and a moderator. Each panelist is given a certain amount of time to formally present their material.
• Debate: This variation on a panel session features two to six debaters plus a moderator. The moderator announces the topic, and the others debate. Depending on the subject, this may include several related topics.
• Conversation With….: Three to four speakers and a moderator conduct an informal discussion without formal presentations. Discussion questions for use by the moderator will be prepared in advance and approved by the Program Committee.
• Town Hall: In these sessions, one or more presenters briefly provide information to attendees and engage the audience in a discussion about that information. The session is primarily devoted to the conversation between presenters and attendees.
  Roundtable Discussions: The meeting room is set with multiple tables and as many chairs as can fit around each table. A topic is assigned to each table, and displayed on a sign posted in a stanchion. Attendees select tables and topics based on their particular interests. Each table has a host, who starts the discussion and keeps it on track during the session. A bell is rung every 20 minutes (or other appropriate time interval), and attendees switch to another table/topic.