#ENUscience: The Geotechnical forum of Asian countries will be held in Astana for the first time in the CIS

For the first time, leading geotechnical engineers from Asian countries will gather in Kazakhstan. Between August 14 and 18, 2023, Astana will be hosting the XVII Asian Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering – 2023. The organizers are the Geotechnical Institute of the Gumilyov ENU, the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Society (KGS), the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). 

The main topic of the conference is “Smart Geotechnics for Smart Societies”. During the forum, several sections on modern biotechnologies and types of geotechnical activities will be working. This will give a new impetus to the development of the geotechnical infrastructure of megacities and new capitals, as well as the exchange of scientific ideas and achievements in the field of design and construction in difficult engineering and geological conditions of Kazakhstan.

To date, more than 400 participants from 90 countries have been registered for the geoforum in Astana.

Among the key speakers are professors from 21 countries: Austria, Australia, USA, Germany, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Poland, Japan, India, Iraq, South Korea, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Turkey, Malaysia, Lebanon, Vietnam, Russia and Kazakhstan. 

“Astana became the venue for the XVII Asian Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering during the XVI conference in Taiwan in October 2019 by secret ballot of 26 Asian geotechnical societies. The opponent was Bangkok (Thai Geotechnical Society). The choice is explained by the fact that the Geotechnical Institute of the L.N. Gumilyov ENU and the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Society are active organizations that in recent years have solved many geotechnical problems related to the construction of megaprojects in difficult ground conditions of Kazakhstan, and also organized international geotechnical forums in Kazakhstan and abroad related to the activities of the TC305 Technical Committee (ISSMGE) – geotechnical infrastructure of megacities and new capitals. It is symbolic that the conference of geotechnical engineers of Asian countries will be held in the capital in the year of the 25th anniversary of Astana”, -  Director of the ENU Geotechnical Institute, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of 17 ARC – 2023 Askar Zhusupbekov commented. 
Technical tours will be held within the framework of the conference. Participants will visit the iconic sites of Astana and Almaty.

The conference website has been created www.17arc.org, which provides all information on the conference and exhibition, as well as a list of lecturers and the program of the forum.
ENU is a corporate member of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the Kazakhstan Geotechnical Society (KGS). 
Previously, the Asian Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering was held in different cities – New Delhi, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Kyoto, Haifa, Bangkok, Bangalore, Singapore, Kyoto, Beijing, Seoul, Calcutta, Hong Kong and Taipei.