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Proceedings of the 18
th
International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Paris 2013
Appendix 2: Regional Reports
Report from the Vice-President for South America
R. Terzariol
ISSMGE Vice-President for South America
1
INTRODUCTION.
Currently the ISSMGE Vice President for South America is
Professor Roberto Terzariol. His terms end in 2013. Currently is
Vice Dean of the School of engineering at the National
University of Córdoba. He is also Leading Professor at the
National Technological University where he taught Foundation
Engineering. Teaches courses of geotechnical engineering for
Masters and Doctoral degree from several universities in
Argentina.).
2
SOUTH AMERICA REGION
It is necessary to explain from where we are, who we are, which
is our insertion in ISSMGE, which is our present and which are
the future challenges.
2.1
Where We Are:
South American Region is located from the Central to the South
part of the American continent. The region includes countries
from Central America, Caribbean and South America, both
speaking Spanish and Portuguese. The distance to the other
regions ranges between 8.500 and 18.000 kms, and the
maximum distance from one end to the another of the region is
8.000 km. This is a problem that threatens the easy
communications and exchanges among the member Societies.
Our continent is the only that is subdivided in two regions.
2.2
Who and How Many We Are:
The region have more than 1300 members in the ISSMGE, and
they contribute with the 6% approx. of the ISSMGE`s
Subscriptions in 2009. Members of the region, from Argentina,
Brazil, Chile and Peru, works in more than ten TCs, like
“Unsaturated soils”, “Laboratory testing”, “Underground
construction” and others, with a significant involvement in each
one.The chair of “Megacities” TC, are located in the region
(Prof. A. Negro of Brazil). Prof. Victor De Melo, President of
the Brazilian Society and formerly VP for South America, was
one of the more representatives presidents of the ISSMGE. The
region is composed of 13 member Societies representing as
many countries. Some of them are very old as the Argentinean
Society which is 62 years old, and some very recent as
Dominican Society created just 3 years ago. There are now
three Countries that have interest in joining the ISSMGE.
Guatemala has already completed the paperwork and from next
year became a new member. The table show a list of the
constituted Societies, his denomination, and the authorities of
each one.
Table 1 - List of Societies Member of SA Region
Society Denomination
President
Period
Sociedad Argentina de Ing.
Geotecnica
P. Torres
2006-2011
Asociación Boliviana de
Geotecnia
R. Barrientos
s/d
Asociacao Brasileira de M.
dos Solos
J. Militiski
A. Negro
2011-2012
Sociedad Chilena de
Geotecnia
R. Verdugo
2006-2011
Sociedad Colombiana de
Geotecnia
A. Gonzalez G.
2010-2012
Asociación Costarricense
de Geotecnia
M. Jimenez J.
2009-2011
Com. Tec. Nac. de M. de
Suelos y Geot. Cuba
R. Armas N.
s/d
Soc. Dominicana de
Geotecnia y Mat.
L. Carpio M.
2007-2012
Soc. Ecuat. de M. de Suelos
y Rocas
A. Velazco F.
2009-2011
Sociedad Salvadoreña de
Geotecnia
L. Pineda
2010-2012
Sociedad Paraguaya de
Geotecnia
C. Lopez B.
2009-2011
Sociedad Peruana de
Geotecnia
A. Carrillo
C. Torres
2010-2014
Sociedad Venezolana de
Geotecnia
J. Amundaray
A. Benarroch
2010-2012
The average in South America is 3,5 member per million
habitants and in the whole ISSMGE this ratio is 11 aprox. In
one sense this index measures the degree of geotechnical
engineering development of a particular region, but it need to be
linked to the maximum and minimum of that region to balance
the asymmetries between different countries. The following
table shows the regional averages and maximum and minimum
within it.
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