Scientific Colloquium: Large Scale Testing 2026

The event brings together international researchers, industry experts, and young scholars to exchange insights on experimental geomechanics, highlighting that coarse large fabric materials such as rockfill, gravels or fibrous soils require dedicated large-scale testing techniques beyond standard laboratory methods. The motivation stems from the limitations of conventional testing when applied to coarse-grained or structured materials such as rockfill, gravels, and soils with larger fabric, where dedicated large-scale facilities are essential.

The program will include the following themes:  Advances in large-scale triaxial testing methods; Other large-scale methods (Shear or Compression tests), Constitutive modelling informed by large-scale experiments; Engineering case studies demonstrating direct relevance for design and safety. A key aspect of the event is the dialogue between academia and industry, with the aim of ensuring that new testing methods and facilities directly inform engineering practice. The proceedings will be published Open Access.