Abstract:
The study of geotechnical history is nothing new. Almost every practitioner, teacher, and graduate student of soil mechanics has some grasp of where the field came from. However, this grasp frequently consists of a jumble of names and a few anecdotes, and usually revolves around Karl Terzaghi. This paper explores how a deeper understanding of geotechnical history can benefit academia and practice alike and provides examples of how the authors have studied the subject to date. It also explores their findings as they presently stand and discusses their planned future work.