Actes du colloque

Proceedings of the 18

International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, Paris 2013

Table 2: Average, maximum and minimum in each region

REGION

COUNT.

Members per million habitants

Ave

Minimum

Maximum

AUSTRALASIA 2

Australi

New

Zealand 88

EUROPA

Russia 2,2

Iceland 77

NORTH

AMERICA

Mexico 2,5

Canada 21

SOUTH

AMERICA

3,5

Peru

0,9

Paraguay 9,5

ASIA

(** Without

Singapore and

Hong Kong)

6,0 *

China 0,26

Singapore 42

2,7 **

Japan

10,6

AFRICA

1,6

Nigeria 0,26 Tunisia 4,0

The table shows also that Mexico and Russia in NA and

Europe regions, are similar to the South America`s countries,

and Canada in NA is similar to the European countries. In other

hand, countries with a low population, like Iceland, Singapore

or Paraguay, has a great influence in the media values. With all

these considerations SA is located in an area between highly

developed countries and the most delayed ones, and has a large

asymmetry with its neighbor of NA.

CHALLENGES FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS

In the table are resumed the Situations, Issues and Challenges in

SA Region.

Situation

Issues

To do

2011 Pan Am

Conference

(the only Regional

Conf. with 2 regions)

Low participants from

the non host region.

Economic

asymmetries

Work together. PanAm

Committee Meeting in

August 2010

Poor interaction

between Societies of

the region

Overlay of

Conferences. Not

optimized itinerant

seminars and courses

Build up a calendar of

events. Improve

personal contact.

Regional events &

TC´s. (with SAIG)

Lack of

communication

between authorities

Misunderstanding and

wariness among

societies

Meetings of Presidents

of South American

Societies

No official web page Poor interaction

between VP and

member societies

Web page, with

information, calendar

of events, reports of TC

members, etc.

Unbalanced

participation in TC´s

Committees

Some Societies are not

aware of these

activities

Promote societies.

Publish reports of TC´s

members

Countries not

members ISSMGE

Many Geotechnical

Engineers not

integrated

Promote the creation of

local societies (SGG-

SUG-CPG)

REGIONAL ACTIVITY

During 2010 and the firsts months of 2011, undertake the main

following activities in the region:

• 4 National Conferences (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia,

Venezuela)

• 2 International Conferences (Brazil, Chile)

• 8 International Seminars and Courses (Argentina,

Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Sto. Domingo)

• >20 National Seminars and Courses (Argentina, Brazil,

Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Sto. Domingo)

• 2 Chile`s Earthquake Report (SoChiGeo-GREE /

CICCba-SAIG Argentina)

• 1 International Publication (Soils & Rocks in English

and Portuguese) + 8 Local Publications (hard copy and

electr. in Spanish) ( Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa

Rica, Ecuador, Perú, Venezuela)

• Annual Meeting of the Panamerican Committee (Brazil)

• First Meeting of Societies from South America (Brazil)

All this shows the strength and the maturity of the

Geotechnical Engineering in the region and the efforts of each

Member Society. Special mention is the meeting of SA`s

societies to be held in august of 2010. Is the first time that all

the representants of the societies member can discuss his issues,

and may be, found the solutions together. The meeting of the

Pan Am Committee, held at the same time and place that the SA

meeting.

ACTIVITY OF VICE PRESIDENCE

5.1

Meeting of the Presidents of National Societies of South

America Region

In August, 20, 2010, also in Gramado (RS), Brazil, during the

XV Brazilian Conference of Geotechnical Engineering, Prof.

Jean Louis Briaud, President of the ISSMGE, Prof. Pedro Seco

e Pinto former President of the ISSMGE, the Vice President for

South America, 12 representatives of South American Societies,

3 representants of Mexico (Walter Paniagua), United States

(Robert Holz), and Canada (Giovanni Cascante), and the Vice

President from North America, Gabriel Auvinet, participate in

Pan American Committee.

Prof. Roberto Terzariol opened the meeting by welcoming

all delegates. He acknowledged the presence of Dr. Jean-Louis

Briaud, President of ISSMGE, Prof. Pedro Seco, immediate past

President of ISSMGE, and Prof. Jarbas Milititsky, President of

ABMS, host of this meeting. An informal introduction of all

delegates was made, emphasizing the fact that most countries of

the continent were represented. Dr. Gabriel Auvinet presented a

brief report concerning the North American Region, which

includes three countries. Highlights in conferences, seminars

and other events were mentioned. Prof. Roberto Terzariol,

briefly discussed the importance of SA Societies within the

ISSMGE, with 13 active countries and 2 more in formation

(Uruguay and Guatemala). After that the participants treated the

agenda particularly the organization of the next Pan American

Conference and the By Laws of the Committee.

5.2

Creation of the Vicepresidence Webpage

In order to improve the communications between societies

members and the vicepresident, and for build up an agenda of

regional events, was created a webpage with the following

address www. issmge-savp.blogspot.com.

A sample of the page is shown below:

Volume 6 - Page 126