2026 Association of Geotechnical Specialists Annual Conference

Great to attend the 2026 Association of Geotechnical Specialists Annual Conference last Thursday, held in the magnificent surroundings of the Institution of Civil Engineers, with portraits of some of the world’s greatest engineers looking down on the proceedings.

There were excellent speakers covering a wide range of topics, including unforeseen ground conditions and contracts, soakage testing on sites where infiltration is known not to be viable, managing pressurised gases encountered during drilling, the use of carbon calculators in geoscience, a thought-provoking panel discussion on the challenge of encouraging more young people into the industry, a fresh approach to applying CDM, instrumentation and monitoring, and geotechnical laboratory proficiency testing.

It was a great opportunity to learn, keep up to date with current issues and trends, and catch up with others across the industry. And, of course, a great lunch always helps! Thanks to all at the AGS.

Well done to STL engineer Morgan who was shortlisted in the Early Careers Poster Competition with the entry below.