Mary Kaye Paquibot August 13, 2019

BSCE 5a_c1 Engr. Edgem Lloyd S. Balabis

A Lecture Series on Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical engineering is the study of the behaviour of soils under the influence
of loading forces and soil-water interactions. It is sometimes overlooked in the field
of civil engineering. When we design and build infrastructures, the first thing we
taught of is the strength of the infrastructure and the load it could carry without
significant amount of deformation or damage. And the materials to be used must
conform to the standards based on the design. This concept resulted to several
damages recorded and unrecorded in our history. Like when a building housing
several clothing factories in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed into a heap of rubble in
April 2013 killing more than a thousand people. Soil in civil engineering is very
important since soil is essential to retain infrastructures from standing and serving
it’s purposes. The most important factor in geotechnical engineering is safety.
Because soil does not only hold infrastructures, it keeps the ground from sliding
and collapsing.

As an inexperienced 5 th year student attending the seminar, I found it hard to keep

up and understand the lecture and the terminologies used. And because of factors
such as the air conditioned room, comfortable chair, unfamiliar and confusing topic,
and language barrier. I have observed that many, including myself, found it hard to
stay awake and pay attention. The topic that captured my attention was about deep
soil-cement mixing discussed by Dr. Panich Voottipruex. What puzzled me is that,
the method of jet grouting seems to be flawless. He seems to be advertising the
method. I wanted to ask about it’s disadvantages but the open forum ended before I
even got the chance. But the great thing is to know some Filipino pride in the field
of geotechnical engineering and to listen to their works. The knowledge that they
have imparted might not have registered to us students since it was too advanced
but it had helped many. And the most significant thing that they have left us is the
inspiration. The inspiration to choose our path and to always remember that
“Failure determines our success”. Because “Where there is failure, that’s where we
learn most”.