A Short Course on Introduction to Geosynthetic Engineering

Sanjay Kumar Shukla (FASCE, FIEAust) Edith Cowan University, Australia

Biography: Dr Sanjay Kumar Shukla is a world-renowned expert in Civil (Geotechnical) Engineering. He serves as Founding Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering by Springer, Switzerland, and is Founding Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Research Group Leader at Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia. He holds Distinguished Professorships at several universities, including esteemed Delhi Technological University, Delhi, India and Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA. Dr Shukla is a distinguished fellow of American Society of Civil Engineers and Engineers Australia, and a life fellow of Institution of Engineers (India) and Indian Geotechnical Society. He has contributed significantly to academic literature, including 28 books and over 320 research articles, placing him among the world’s top 2% of scientists for the past four years, according to Elsevier, and among the top 0.5% globally by ScholarGPS. Recognized for his excellence, he has received prestigious accolades, including 2021 ECU Aspire Award and most prestigious IGS Award 2018 from International Geosynthetics Society, USA. His groundbreaking works, such as his generalized expressions for seismic active thrust (2015) and passive resistance (2013), along with innovative Shukla’s wraparound reinforcement technique, have become integral components of engineering education worldwide and are routinely utilized by engineers across the globe. His research mantras, introduced in 2022, have played a key role in promoting sustainable research practices worldwide.

Dr Sanjay Kumar Shukla, PhD, F.ASCE, FIEAust, FIEIndia, FIGS, CPEng NER, APEC Engineer, IntPE(Aus)
IntPE(Aus)
Founding Editor-in-Chief, Int. J. of Geosynthetics and Ground Engineering, Springer Nature, Switzerland
Regional Editor (Australia), Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Springer, Russia
Book Series Editor, Geot. Characteristics of Soils and Rocks around the World, Taylor & Francis, USA
Book Series Editor, Springer Tracts in Civil Engineering (STCE), Springer Nature, Switzerland
Book Series Editor, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering (LNCE), Springer Nature, Switzerland
Founding Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering Research Group Leader
School of Engineering, Edith Cowan University
270 Joondalup Drive, Joondalup, Perth, WA 6027, Australia
Tel: +61 8 6304 2632; Mobile: +61 404453485
E-mail: s.shukla@ecu.edu.au; sanjaykshukla1@gmail.com
Office Location: Joondalup Campus, Building 5, Room #5.202

Introduction
Geosynthetics are widely used around the world as they provide efficient, cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions to various engineering challenges in civil, mining, agricultural, and aquacultural sectors, all while promoting sustainability. Rational design methods, grounded in sound scientific principles and supported by standardized testing techniques for determining the technical properties of geosynthetics, have established a solid foundation for their application. This interactive course offers a comprehensive introduction to geosynthetics and their diverse field applications, collectively referred to as geosynthetic engineering.

Learning objectives
Upon completion of the course, the participants will be able to:
• differentiate between types of geosynthetics
• analyse the functions of geosynthetics for their use in field applications
• select the correct geosynthetics for a specific application
• recommend the type of test on geosynthetics required in a specific field application
• develop the general guidelines for geosynthetic installation, and
• locate the references and resources on geosynthetics and their applications.

Who should attend?
This course is ideal for those involved in the specification, analysis, design, construction, and/or study of geosynthetic-related projects. The participants may include the following from the areas of civil, mining, agricultural and aquacultural engineering:
• Senior undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Research candidates
• Practising engineers
• Specialised contractors
• Project managers
• Land developers


Official language
English

Course credit
7.5 Professional Development Hours (PDH) – Full-day course

Course outline
Session 1: Basic description of geosynthetics, including their types, basic characteristics, raw materials and manufacturing processes
Session 2: Functions of geosynthetics, namely reinforcement, separation, filtration, drainage, fluid barrier and protection
Session 3: Properties of geosynthetics, namely physical properties, mechanical properties, hydraulic properties and endurance properties, and their evaluation
Session 4: Selection of geosynthetics, basic design concepts and applications areas
Session 5: General field application guidelines and case studies

Textbooks
Shukla, S.K. (2016/2017). An Introduction to Geosynthetic Engineering. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, London, UK.
Shukla, S.K. and Yin, J.-H. (2006). Fundamentals of Geosynthetic Engineering. Taylor and Francis, London, UK.

Reference books
Shukla, S.K. (2022). ICE Handbook of Geosynthetic Engineering. 3rd edition, ICE Publishing, London, UK.
Shukla, S.K. (2002). Geosynthetics and Their Applications. Thomas Telford Publishing, London, UK.