The British Geotechnical Association (BGA) is the principal
association for geotechnical engineers in the United Kingdom.
The British Geotechnical Association (BGA) is the principal
association for geotechnical engineers in the United Kingdom.
We are the principal association for geotechnical engineers in the United Kingdom. We also performs the role of the Ground Board for the Institution of Civil Engineers, as well as being the UK member of the International Society for Soil Mechanics & Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (ISRM).
Originally, we started out as the British Geotechnical Society, formed in 1949 as an unincorporated association. We became a registered charity by statutes adopted in December 1981 and amended in January 1997. We became the British Geotechnical Association by statutes adopted in June 2000 and amended in June 2005 and June 2011. The charity number is 284131.
We organise regular technical discussion meetings about a range of topics relevant to ground engineering. These include regular events such as the Rankine Lecture, the Touring Lecture (which travels around the UK regions), the Geotechnique Lecture, and the Geotechnical Engineering Lecture. We work closely with other learned societies and hold regular joint meetings and events with the Engineering Group of the Geological Society, the British Tunnelling Society, the International Geosynthetics Society, and the Offshore Engineering Society.
As well as awarding the role of the speaker for the prestigious Rankine Lecture, we periodically award the Skempton Medal and the BGA Medal for contributions to geotechnical engineering and associated publications. The Fleming Award is for team working and innovation in construction. Young engineers are eligible to enter the Cooling Prize and we now also award an annual prize for the best MSc dissertation in a ground engineering related subject.
The BGA is one of the most vibrant and active societies in engineering. Why not embed yourself within our community by joining the BGA. We offer special rates for students and the retired. Corporate membership is also available.