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| 15 Sep 2026 | |
| Written by Gaby Vita | |
| Canada | |
| Events News |
| IGS North America |
The first full day of 13ICG brought together technical excellence, international collaboration, friendly competition and opportunities to strengthen connections across the global geosynthetics community.
The activities highlighted below represent only a selection of Monday’s events. Throughout the day, an extensive technical program ran across multiple concurrent sessions, giving delegates access to research, case studies and discussions covering the many applications and evolving areas of geosynthetics.
Delegates can explore the complete schedule through the official 13ICG program.
The day opened with one of the conference’s most prestigious moments: the Eighth Giroud Lecture, delivered by Dr. Jie Han, IGS Treasurer and distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at the University of Kansas, USA.
His lecture, Transforming Road Infrastructure: Innovative Geosynthetic Solutions for Improved Sustainability and Resilience, explored how innovative geosynthetic solutions can contribute to stronger, more sustainable and more resilient road infrastructure.
Dr. Han began on a personal note, recalling how he first met Dr. J.P. Giroud in 2001. He explained that Dr. Giroud later encouraged him to put himself forward to serve on the IGS Council, an important moment in a journey that would eventually see Dr. Han become an IGS Council Member, Treasurer and Giroud Lecturer.
The occasion was made even more meaningful by the virtual attendance of Dr. Giroud, who joined remotely to watch Dr. Han deliver the lecture established in his name.
At the conclusion of the presentation, IGS President Daniele Cazzuffi presented Dr. Han with an IGS plaque recognizing his achievement in delivering this distinguished lecture.
During the morning, eight emerging researchers presented their work as finalists in the IGS Young Members Paper and Presentation Contest.
The contest provides an international platform for Young Members to share their research and demonstrate the breadth of new ideas emerging across the geosynthetics field.
The 2026 finalists and their presentation topics were:
Ekansh Agrawal
A Physics-Based Correction Surrogate Complementing CUR226 for Geosynthetic-Reinforced Pile-Supported Embankments
Mateus Fleury
Pullout Behaviour of HDPE Geogrid Embedded in Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Backfill
Yu Yan Li
Performance of GCLs Beneath Holed Geomembrane Wrinkles After Carrier Geotextile Degradation
Matheus Pena da Silva e Silva
Properties on Shear Fatigue Performance of Reinforced Asphalt Overlays
Daniela Rodrigues
Impacts of Geosynthetics on Unpaved Road Construction: Life Cycle Perspective
Yu Tan
Hydraulic Conductivity of Bentonite-Polymer Composite Geosynthetic Clay Liners with Typical or Elevated Polymer Loading to Coal Combustion Product Leachates
Chun-Wei Wu
Centrifuge Modelling of Geocell-Reinforced Foundations Subjected to Reverse Fault Movement
Yuqiu Ye
Numerical Assessment of Geosynthetic for Mitigating Seasonal Temperature Change-Induced Problems for Integral Bridge Abutments
The session was chaired by Fernanda Bessa Ferreira of GeoBioTec at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, and Ahmed Hamza Mridakh of ENSMR.
The winner will be announced during the IGS General Assembly on Tuesday, September 15.
More than 40 members, representing 25 IGS Chapters, came together during the lunch break for the IGS Chapter Summit, moderated by IGS President Daniele Cazzuffi.
The Summit gave Chapter representatives an opportunity to hear about the work taking place across the Society, exchange ideas and learn from initiatives that could be adapted and introduced in other regions.
Immediate Past President Sam Allen reflected on several of the Society’s major achievements during the past four years and shared insights from the latest IGS Member Survey. The results provide valuable evidence of members’ experiences, expectations and priorities as the Society plans its work for the 2026–2030 term.
Sandra Pouliot, the new Chair of the IGS Diversity Committee, spoke about the Committee’s plans to develop Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training for IGS committee chairs and Chapters.
To ensure that the training responds to the experiences and needs of those participating, the Committee has launched a survey for Chapter and committee leaders. Those who have not yet responded are encouraged to do so using the link below and share their perspectives:
IGS Inclusion Survey
Sandra also outlined several of the Committee’s continuing priorities:
The Summit also heard from Ernest Olinic about Workshop GeoSint, an annual three-day event attended by approximately 40–50 students.
Through presentations, competitions, quizzes and a small technical exhibition featuring geosynthetic materials, the workshop gives students an engaging introduction to the industry.
Support from IGS Corporate Members in Romania, construction companies and producers and distributors of geosynthetic materials, enables student participation fees to be limited to approximately 10–20% of the event’s total cost. It is another excellent example of what of the fantastic work we can achieve with thanks to our valuable Corporate Members.
The atmosphere shifted in the afternoon as the IAGI GeoGames brought energy, excitement and hands-on technical expertise to the conference.
Organized by the International Association of Geosynthetics Installers, the GeoGames are a live skills competition showcasing the precision, craftsmanship and safety required of professional geosynthetic installation technicians. The 2026 competition at 13ICG marked the fourth edition of the event. While the competition usually takes place live and in person, this year’s GeoGames attracted 20 teams. Due to space limitations, the competing teams recorded their races in advance, with the footage shown on screen during the event.
Teams raced against the clock to weld geosynthetic liner panels in challenging configurations. Although speed was part of the competition, competitors were also assessed on the quality and integrity of their welds, their accuracy and their compliance with essential safety requirements.
The event highlighted the vital contribution installers make to the successful performance of geosynthetic systems. Even the strongest designs and highest-quality materials ultimately depend upon skilled, accurate and safe installation in the field.
From 5:00 p.m., four IGS Technical Committees held meetings to provide updates, discuss upcoming initiatives and encourage greater participation:
IGS Technical Committees connect members with shared areas of expertise and provide opportunities to contribute to technical activities, knowledge exchange, events and collaborative projects.
Members now have even more opportunities to get involved following the establishment of two new groups: the Technical Committee on Installation and Contracting and the Technical Committee on Sustainability.
Whether your interests lie in research, design, manufacturing, installation, sustainability or another specialist area, there is now more choice than ever for members looking to contribute their experience and connect with international colleagues.
Visit the IGS Technical Committees page to explore the available groups and learn how to participate.
Monday concluded with the IGS Young Members Dinner, which brought together approximately 50 Young Members from around the world.
The evening provided an informal setting in which participants could expand their international networks, exchange experiences and discuss ideas for the continued development of the IGS Young Members Committee.
Just as importantly, it offered an opportunity to step away from the formal conference environment, relax and form new friendships with people who share similar interests and experiences within the geosynthetics field.
From the prestigious Giroud Lecture and a packed technical program to Chapter collaboration, installation skills, committee participation and Young Member engagement, Monday demonstrated the extraordinary range of knowledge and experience represented at 13ICG.
With several more days still ahead, there is much more to come from Montréal.
