Engineering Geology — A Fifty-year Perspective

Hsein Juang
Clemson University and National Central University, Editor in Chief of Engineering Geology

Abstract: In this lecture, the presenter discusses the current trends and future perspectives of engineering geology from the perspective of the Editor-in-Chief of Engineering Geology, an international research journal. In 2015, Engineering Geology celebrated its 50th anniversary with the publication of a virtual special issue (VSI) that includes 30 representative papers ( https://www.journals.elsevier.com/engineering-geology/article-collections/virtual-special-issue-celebrating-the-50th-anniversary). In conjunction with this VSI, a short communication titled “Engineering geology — A fifty- year perspective” was published (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enggeo.2015.12.020). In this article, the evolution of engineering geology was summarized, and the opportunities and concerns, emerging priorities and new frontiers, and future developments in engineering geology were discussed. This lecture focuses on the same topics as those in the article mentioned above, with an update based on recent publication data from Engineering Geology.

Bio: Dr. Hsein JUANG has been a professor emeritus at Clemson University since 2018. He is currently a visiting chair professor at National Central University. Dr. Juang earned his BS and MS from National Cheng Kung University and Ph.D. from Purdue University. He has authored over 300 technical papers. Google Scholar lists his h-index at 54 with over 10,200 citations (March 2021). Among the honors and awards Dr. Juang received are the 6th Wilson Tang Lecturer Award 2019, the GEOSNet Award 2015 by Geotechnical Safety Network (GEOSNet), the Geotechnical Lecturer Award 2013 from the Taiwan Geotechnical Society (TGS), and the TK Hsieh Award 2001 by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). Among his achievements, Dr. Juang is most pleased with being selected by his students as the Outstanding Teacher and supervising and directing 22 Ph.D. advisees to graduation at Clemson University. Dr. Juang has served his profession in various capacities, including serving as the chair of the ASCE technical committee on Risk Assessment and Management (2009-2012), the chair of the ASCE Georisk conference (2011), and a member of editorial boards of several international journals. Since 2012, he has been serving as the Editor in Chief for Engineering Geology (2020 Impact Factor 4.779). Dr. Juang has made many original contributions to the subjects of probabilistic and reliability-based methods in geotechnical and geological engineering, soil and rock properties, liquefaction, supported excavation, and landslide/slope stability. His current work focuses on developing Robust Geotechnical Design as a new design paradigm and probabilistic characterization of geological uncertainties for geotechnical reliability-based design.