ISSMGE Soil-Structure Interaction and Retaining Walls
formerly TC38 "Soil-Structure Interaction" (2005-2010)

Report on ''Technical meeting TC207 – Workshop on Soil-Structure Interaction and Retaining Walls'', Dubrovnik, CROATIA, 6-8 October 2011

Croatian Geotechnical Society (HGD) and ISSMGE Technical Committee 207 joined their forces in organizing an international event entitled ''Technical Meeting TC207 – Workshop on soil-structure interaction and retaining walls''. The meeting was held in Valamar President Hotel in Dubrovnik on 6-8 October 2011.

Technical Committee TC207 belongs to one of the 30 Technical Committees of ISSMGE. The principal area of research at TC207 encompasses issues of Soil-Structure Interaction and Retaining Walls. The Committee currently has 44 members from 28 countries.

Historical Centre of Dubrovnik, Croatia


Participants of the meeting (from left to right): Catherine Jacquard, Predrag Kvasnička, Ana Hršak, Bruno Škacan, Željana Skazlić, Guido Gottardi, Igor Sokolić, Victor CW Ong, Igor Sorić, Vladimir Lukin, Chris Haberfield, Michael Lisyuk, Konstantin Shashkin, Vladimir Ulitsky, Nik Kurchanov, Lars Vollmert, Polina Zimina, Igor Fomenko, Mandy Korff, Richard Finno, Ivana Lukić, Yasser El-Mossallamy, Olga Kuvaldina.


23 specialists from 9 countries participated in the meeting in Dubrovnik (12 TC207 members, 6 HGD members and 6 other ISSMGE members).

The technical programme of the meeting included lectures and special presentations, as well as papers and discussions of the Committee's main Task Forces' activities, viz.:

Task Force 1. Guidelines on Soil-Structure Interaction (leaders – Chris Haberfield and Konstantin Shashkin).

Task Force 2. Retaining Walls (leader - Yasser El-Mossallamy).

Task Force 3. Website of the TC207 (leader - Michael Lisyuk).

For each task there was a detailed report by the Task Force Leader presenting results of current work and outlining plans for future progress.

During discussions the leader of Task Force 2 Yasser El-Mossallamy proposed to organize a sub-committee on Retaining Walls to encourage more efficient work in this direction. The proposal was approved, whereupon the sub-committee members were appointed. The ensuing meeting of the newly established sub-committee defined its main tasks and priorities.

The participants also enjoyed two key-note lectures, viz.:

Additionally, 13 scientific reports were presented.

All the papers were published in the Proceedings: ''Technical meeting TC207 – Workshop on Soil-Structure Interaction and Retaining Walls''.

The social program of the meeting included a gala dinner at the meeting venue and a tour to the City of Dubrovnik and the historic City Center.

Presentations and discussions at the meeting Presentations and discussions at the meeting

Presentations and discussions at the meeting

Gala dinner and the City Tour Gala dinner and the City Tour

Gala dinner and the City Tour


According to the members of the Organizing Committee and all participants, the meeting and the workshop were quite successful, achieving all the main goals previously set. The members of the TC successfully exchanged their experience and results of their current work in the TC. Additionally, the workshop was attended by practitioners involved with large-scale construction projects.

Based on exceedingly profound and intensive deliberations, the committee members ratified plans for future progress. All participants contributed to knowledge in the field of Soil-Structure Interaction and Retaining Walls. Also, further contacts among TC207 members and other specialists were established, giving the opportunity for quality progress and future work of the TC. The contributions of TC207 and Croatian Geotechnical Society are well recognized among the members of the ISSMGE.

The Proceedings of the Workshop can be ordered at: lisyuk@gmail.com

Vladimir Ulitsky
Chairman of TC207

Michael Lisyuk
Co-chairman of TC207

Igor Sokolić
Organizing Secretary of the Meeting and Workshop in Dubrovnik