Kazakhstani Scientists Participate in the International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering at MGSU in Moscow

In September 2026, the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU) hosted the II International Conference “Soil Mechanics and Geotechnics in High-Rise and Underground Construction,” dedicated to the memory of the outstanding scientist and Professor Z.G. Ter-Martirosyan. This major scientific event was held as part of the IV International Scientific and Practical Symposium “The Future of the Construction Industry: Challenges and Development Prospects,” which took place at the university from 21 to 25 September 2026.

On the opening day of the IV International Scientific and Practical Symposium “The Future of the Construction Industry: Challenges and Development Prospects,” participants were addressed with welcoming and plenary remarks by Marat Khusnullin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, responsible for the construction industry, infrastructure development, and the implementation of major projects, and Irek Fayzullin, Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation. Their participation highlighted the high level and significance of this international scientific and practical event, which brought together representatives of the academic community, government authorities, leading universities, and the professional construction sector.

The conference was particularly significant as it marked the 90th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding scientist, Honorary Academician of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences (RAACS), and Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Zaven Grigorievich Ter-Martirosyan. His more than 60-year professional career was closely associated with MISІ–MGSU. Zaven Grigorievich laid the foundations for modern approaches to the study of the stress–strain state of soil masses and trained an entire generation of highly qualified specialists.

In his welcoming address to the participants, Pavel Akimov, Rector of the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU), emphasized the continuity of the university’s scientific traditions and highlighted the importance of the Z.G. Ter-Martirosyan Research Institute of Geotechnics.

The event brought together leading national and international experts, members of the Scientific Committee, and distinguished speakers from various countries. Among the distinguished guests and conference participants were:

• Fardin Jafarzadeh — President of the Iranian Geotechnical Society, Sharif University of Technology (Tehran, Iran);
• Mahdi Karkush — University of Baghdad (Baghdad, Iraq);
• Jeong Ku Kang — Incheon National University (Republic of Korea);
• Dong-Sheng Xu — Wuhan University of Technology (China);
• Suman Manandhar — Kathmandu University (Dhulikhel, Nepal);
• Askar Zhussupbekov — Director of the Geotechnical Institute, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan);
• Neelima Satyam Devarakonda — Indian Institute of Technology Indore (India);
• Abdulla Omarov — L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan);
• Qu Jili — University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (China);
• Erken Ayfer — Istanbul Technical University (Istanbul, Türkiye);
• Ankit Garg — L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan);
• Tingjun Zhang — Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (China);
• Fayzulla Ikramov — Sharof Rashidov Samarkand State University (Samarkand, Uzbekistan);
• as well as other researchers from Russia, Iran, Iraq, China, the Republic of Korea, India, Nepal, Türkiye, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.

The international participants and guests expressed their sincere gratitude to the organizers, Pavel Akimov, Rector of MGSU, and Marat Magomedov, Head of the Department for Planning the Development of Research Activities within the Research Policy Office of MGSU, for the high level of hospitality, warm welcome, and excellent organization of the symposium.

In addition to the extensive academic program, a comprehensive cultural and technical program was arranged for the delegates. The guests visited the modern laboratories of MGSU on the university’s main campus, took a sightseeing boat tour along the Moskva River with views of Gorky Park, and visited the Izmaylovo Kremlin. The international experts also enjoyed a musical program at the Grand Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory during a jubilee concert dedicated to Alexander Tchaikovsky.

The conference program covered a wide range of topical issues, including:

• Fundamental principles for determining the physical and mechanical properties of soils;
• The application of digital modeling, computational and experimental methods, and artificial intelligence in geotechnical engineering;
• Design of pile foundations, deep foundations, and underground structures;
• Construction in complex engineering and geological conditions, including areas with unstable structural properties and permafrost;
• Seismic-resistant construction and the reconstruction of foundations.

Holding the conference at the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU) will be an important step toward strengthening scientific and technical cooperation between L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (Astana, Kazakhstan) and National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (Moscow, Russia), as well as further developing international scientific ties with leading universities and research centers around the world.