A HISTORY OF GEOTECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS - Introduction to Soft Soil Geotechnique: Content, Context and Application - page 17

- 1925 Terzaghi gave with his topic Erdbaumechanik auf Bodenphysikalischer
Grundlage a consistent physical and mathematical theory for soil mechanics. He
designed the consolidation theory and the logarithmic settlement law, and he
experimented with the soil compression test, the standard test of today.
- 1925 Joosten introduces ground injection with water-glass (Na-Silicate) and
calcium chloride, suitable for coarse sands.
- 1930 Delmag diesel pile driving machine.
- 1931 Barentsen, governmental engineer, introduces the hand cone penetrometer.
- 1931 CPT. The CPT-value of soil gives information about the consistency of the
soil type and represents penetration resistance (at a certain speed) of a standard
cone. About the form of the cone (apex) much discussion arose.
- 1933 Proctor apparatus (relation between humidity and density). Proctor
developed a tamping apparatus in order to determine at which water content the
maximum density can be achieved. It was applied for the first time for an
earthen dam in California.
- 1933 Porter experimented with vertical drains to promote consolidation of clays.
- 1937 Fillunger, employed at the Technical University of Vienna, committed
suicide with his wife. It followed from a serious conflict with Terzaghi about the
professional ethics of Terzaghi, who was accused by Fillunger of false science.
Fillunger had written a polemic pamphlet of 50 pages against soil mechanics, in
particular against the consolidation theory and Terzaghi. A disciplinary
commission examined the case and concurred with Terzaghi. Fillunger wrote a
letter with his apology, which he never posted. It is typical that in this scientific
battle Fillunger turned out as a pioneer in porous media, since he described in his
argumentation the equilibrium of a two-phase porous medium system in a
complete and correct way (later referred to as the Biot theory). Earlier, in 1915,
Fillunger had already formulated the effective stress principle. Fillunger's work
was not recognised due to the sad circumstances (de Boer, Géotechnique 1996)

The recent period, till 2008
1936 The 1 st International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation
Engineering in Harvard, and the establishment of the ISSMFE, the International
Society of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering. Around 2000 the name
part Foundation was changed in Geotechnical as to incorporate environmental
geotechnics. 9 At the conference, 206 delegates attended from 20 countries.
1934 On the 15 th of February in Delft, the Laboratory of Ground Mechanics
(LGM) was founded. Geuze and Pesman were the first engineers. Huizinga, the
first director, employed every engineer he could find, for example Nanninga,
Plantema, de Nie, van Mierlo and later, de Josselin de Jong.
Huizinga and Geuze played an important role in the organisation of the 2 nd
ICSMFE in 1948 in Rotterdam (596 delegates), and they strongly supported the

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At present the ISSMGE counts over 16,000 members from more that 70 countries.
Besides regular conferences, it is active through the establishment of many technical
committees and task forces, attracting young and old engineers, scientists and practicioners.