Prof. Dr. Cavit Atalar, Director of Near East University Center of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering and Chairman of the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, participated in the 2nd National Engineering Geology and Geotechnics Symposium held at Çukurova University.

According to the press release issued by the Directorate of Press and Public Relations Office of Near East University, the 2nd National Engineering and Geotechnics Symposium was co-organized by the geology engineering departments of Mersin and Çukurova universities and Turkish Society for Engineering Geology. Under the main support of Adana branch of Chamber of Geotechnical Engineers, the symposium was held at Çukurova University Mithat Özsan Amphitheater on 12-14 October 2017. A large number of academicians, researchers, engineers, representatives of relevant government agencies, company representatives and managers participated in the symposium.

46 articles were presented at the symposium; a technical trip was realized as well

The speech-invited speaker Prof. Dr. Mahir Vardar delivered a speech on The Role and Functions of Engineering Geology on the Road to Geotechnics. A total of 45 presentations were presented in 14 sessions that held throughout the symposium. The presentations provided information on a broad range of technical issues including Engineering Geology and Geotechnics in Spatial Planning, Engineering Geology and Geotechnics for Planning and Construction of Underground Openings, Characterization of Rock Masses, Engineering Geology in the Preservation of Historical Sites, Slope Stability and Landslides, Hydrogeology in Engineering Applications, Geo-engineering Properties of Rocks and Soils, Engineering Geology and Geotechnics in Mining, Numerical Modeling Techniques in Geotechnics, Danger and Risk in Engineering Geology, Ground Behavior Related to Earthquakes, Engineering Geology in Site Selection, Engineering Geology Education, Natural Building Materials ,Geothermal Energy and Environmental Geotechnics, Engineering Geology for Water Retaining Structures.

On 14 October 2017, the last day of the symposium, a technical trip was realized to Mersin-Tarsus Motorway Landslides, Kanlıdivane, Cennet-Cehennem (Heaven and Hell) Sinkholes and Astım (asthma) Cave.

At the symposium, the President of Turkish Society for Engineering Geology, Professor Remzi Karagüzel, presented a plaque to the Founding President of Turkish Society for Engineering Geology, Professor Reşat Ulusay, who was selected as the President of the International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (ISRM) for terms 2019-2023.