C. Hsein Juang, Professor Emeritus, Clemson University, hsein@clemson.edu
Jia-Jyun Dong, Professor, National Central University, jjdong@geo.ncu.edu.tw
Wenping Gong, Professor, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), wenpinggong@cug.edu.cn

The geological model used by the geotechnical engineer, especially those related to the stratigraphic configuration, is an abstract of the real-world situation. Thus, the geological model almost always comes with a significant level of uncertainty. Furthermore, natural heterogeneity and limited data availability at a project site also add to this uncertainty. Indeed, “uncertainty” is the most significant characteristic of any geological model. The uncertainty associated with the geological model could propagate in the analysis of the performance of a geotechnical system, which tends to complicate the geotechnical design. Although extensive studies have been reported in the geotechnical literature examining the uncertainty in geo-material properties and its influence on the design of geotechnical systems, studies focusing on the geological uncertainty, especially those associated with the stratigraphic configurations, are limited. Ignorance of the stratigraphic uncertainty could lead to the failures of geotechnical structures, geohazards (e.g., landslides and land subsidence), and other geotechnical problems. Thus, it is crucial to characterize the uncertainty of interpreted geological models and systematically examine its effect on the geotechnical system performance. This session will provide a forum for engineers to communicate the latest developments on the characterization of geological model uncertainty, the impact on geotechnical system performance, and the benefit of geological uncertainty reduction in geotechnical design.