The 21st Geotechnical Seminar will feature five presentations running until 27 January 2027, providing an update on the latest developments in geotechnical research within the construction industry
Why is proper ground investigation necessary? What should you do if the building site is suddenly flooded or other damage occurs? What challenges do developers face when building a skywalk? – These and other questions will be addressed at the 21st Geotechnical Seminar organised by HTWK Leipzig in the 2026/2027 winter term.
For more than ten years, this series of events has provided a free platform for professional development and specialist exchange. Specialist presentations by the construction industry, for the construction industry, offer new insights and create space for questions and discussions. At the same time, they foster networking between academia and industry and encourage the exchange of knowledge between companies, researchers and students.
Lectures in the winter term 2026/2027
4 November 2026: Latest developments in geotechnical research at the IGL – Focus: Interpretation of cone penetration tests
Dr Alexander Knut, M.Sc. Hermann Busse, Institute of Geotechnical Engineering
25 November 2026: Upheaval as a cause of damage, structural damage and typical methods of repair
Dipl.-Ing. Peter Görgen, former project manager for federal buildings
9 December 2026: Proper site investigation
Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Hecht, Senior Consultant, CDM Smith
13 January 2027: Challenges in the foundation works for the Königsstuhl Skywalk on Rügen
Dipl.-Ing. Holger Chamier, Managing Director, Baugrund Stralsund Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
27 January 2027: Investigation of foundation options for a high-rise building, settlement prediction and foundation assessment
– M.Sc. Robert Ries, Authorised Signatory, GuD Geotechnik und Umweltgeologie GmbH
Attendance at the geotechnical seminar at HTWK Leipzig
The geotechnical seminar begins at 5.15 pm in the Trefftz-Bau (the former HfTL building at 43 Gustav-Freytag-Straße), Room 2.28 (2nd floor) / Building A.
Online participation is possible via Zoom (from 5.00 pm to 7.00 pm, link to the Zoom meeting, meeting ID: 679 8427 3121).
The geotechnical seminar is registered with the Saxony Chamber of Engineers as a continuing professional development event; a certificate of attendance can be issued.
Participation is free of charge.
Earth Sciences at HTWK Leipzig
The Earth Sciences department at HTWK Leipzig is organised as an interdisciplinary team comprising experts from the fields of civil engineering, mechanical engineering, geography and geology. It focuses on topics relating to the macro- and micromechanics of soils and applies its findings to practical construction processes and currently relevant cross-cutting issues such as digitalisation and sustainability in geotechnical engineering.
The Earth Sciences department is also a member of the Saxony⁵ Transfer Network, comprising the five Saxon universities of applied sciences. In the ‘Sustainable Construction’ sub-project, research findings are validated on a large scale at the GeoTechnikum – an experimental and demonstration facility featuring open-air test sites and a soil mechanics research laboratory – and demonstrated to partners from industry and academia.
Further IGL events
Pressure Sounding Demo Day on 11 November 2026 in Leipzig
- The demonstration day will centre on talks and demonstrations relating to pressure sounding. This time, the focus will be on data quality and data analysis.
- Register here.
Leipzig Geotechnical Symposium (LeiGS) on 12 and 13 November 2026
- Spanning three sessions, the programme will cover everything from robust data collection to digital implementation in geotechnical engineering. It will address methods for collecting and ensuring the quality of geotechnical data, experiences with data-driven interpretation of geotechnical data, and best-practice examples of digital tools in planning, execution and monitoring.
- View the programme and register.
