NZGS Symposium

History and aims of the symposium

The NZGS holds its Symposium every four years to encourage the sharing of knowledge and experience between NZGS members. Past proceedings and papers are available in the Library.

  • 21st NZGS Symposium, Dunedin. 24 March 2021. “Good grounds for the future”
  • 20th NZGS Symposium, Napier. 24-26 November 2017. “What is earth is going on – balancing risk, reward, regulation and reality”
  • 19th NZGS Symposium, Queenstown. 21-22 November 2013. “Hanging by a thread? Lifelines, infrastructure and natural disasters”
  • 18th NZGS Symposium, 2008
  • There were no 15th, 16th or 17th NZGS Symposia. Although we don’t have a record of why this happened, we note that in Italian culture the number 17 is considered unlucky. When viewed as the Roman numeral, XVII, it is then changed anagrammatically to VIXI, which in Latin translates to “I lived”, implying “My life is over.” What better reason to skip straight to 18?
  • 14th NZGS Symposium, Nelson. 1 February 2006. “Earthquakes and urban development”
  • 13th NZGS Symposium, Tauranga. 1 March 2003. “Geotechnics on the volcanic edge”
  • 12th NZGS Symposium, Christchurch. 1 August 2001. “Engineering & Development in Hazardous Terrain”
  • 11th NZGS Symposium, Auckland. 1 July 1998. “Roading geotechnics”
  • 10th NZGS Symposium, Hamilton. 1 February 1996. “Geotechnical issues in land development”
  • 9th NZGS Symposium, Wellington. 1 May 1994. “Geotechnical aspects of waste management”
  • 8th NZGS Symposium, Auckland. 1 May 1990. “Groundwater and seepage”
  • 7th NZGS Symposium, Hamilton. 6 September 1986. “Pile foundations for engineering structures”
  • 6th NZGS Symposium, Alexandra. 1 June 1983. “Engineering for dams and canals”
  • 5th NZGS Symposium, Palmerston North. 1 May 1981. “Geomechanics in urban planning”
  • 4th NZGS Symposium
  • 3rd NZGS Symposium, Nelson. 1 November 1974. “Stability of slopes in natural ground”
  • 2nd NZGS Symposium, Wanganui. 1 September 1972. “Using geomechnanics in foundation engineering”
  • 1st NZGS Symposium, Christchurch. 1 August 1969. “Site investigation for building foundations”