University of
Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural
Engineering
16th
Jack W. Hilf Memorial Lecture
in Geotechnical Engineering
"The Role of the
Geotechnical Engineer
in Supplying Future Energy Needs”
by
Dr.
Suzanne Lacasse
Managing Director, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute
Synopsis:
Increasing
demand for energy poses new challenges to the geotechnical engineer. Our
profession has contributed importantly to energy supply. Yet this contribution
is often underestimated, and yet is indispensable. Achievements and challenges in
this respect are illustrated with examples from the oil and gas industry,
hydropower, geo-thermal energy, storage of CO2 and nuclear waste,
and geo-solutions for exploiting wind energy. Always, environmental
sustainability should be at the forefront of the
prioritized solutions by our profession. Possible global warming and extreme
weather causing more frequent than before natural disasters are also factors
that will influence the future energy supply. The lecture focuses on:
engineering more cost-effective, yet technologically improved and safer
solutions, encouraging innovation and preserving the environment. To meet these
challenges, an alliance of good practice and research is required. The examples
illustrate that the profession needs to, more than before, act pro-actively in
encouraging dialogue among client, designer, consultant, contractor and
scientist, include automatically the environmental component and integrate hazard
and risk assessment in the decision-making for the selection of optimum
solutions. Only then can geotechnical engineering add value by saving lives,
improving performance, reducing costs and exploiting natural resources in a responsible
manner.
Reception immediately following the lecture