Newsletter Volume 10, Issue 3 September 2025

 

On 3 July 2025, the 18th Board Meeting of the International Press-in Association (IPA) was held at the International Press-in Center (IPC) in Tokyo, Japan (Photo 1). The meeting brought together 24 directors from around the world, who participated either in person or online, with additional proxies submitted to meet the quorum requirement.

Following the Board Meeting, on 4 July, IPA directors engaged in a series of collaborative events with external organizations, aimed at advancing press-in engineering and expanding its recognition across disciplines and regions. These activities included a technical observation tour at the Taisei Advanced Center of Technology, a technical workshop at Chuo University, an International Lecture, and an IPA Directors' visit to the Japanese Geotechnical Society (JGS), as well as a joint seminar with the Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI).

These events provided valuable opportunities for academic exchange, industry engagement, and public outreach, reinforcing IPA's mission to integrate theory and practice in press-in engineering.

IPA Board Meeting 2025

The 18th IPA Board Meeting was chaired by Dr. Jiro Takemura, acting on behalf of President Prof. Kenneth Gavin. Held in a hybrid format at the IPC in Tokyo, the meeting opened with a confirmation of quorum and brief introductions from directors who had recently changed affiliations.

Key agenda items included the appointment of the Vice President for the 2025–2026 term, approval of chairs and co-chairs for the five Standing Committees, and the formation of both the Steering Committee and the Nomination Committee. These appointments were confirmed in accordance with the IPA Constitution. The Board also approved revisions to the Travel Expense Guideline, reflecting global cost increases and aimed at ensuring financial sustainability.

Five standing committees presented their FY2025 action plans, highlighting efforts to revitalize existing Technical Committees and initiate new research themes, including environmental impact, slope stability, and life cycle cost analysis. A Press-in Engineering Seminar is also being planned in Japan, with details to be determined in consultation with industry stakeholders.

A new Japanese-language technical book is being compiled, consolidating practical expertise and recent developments. The Chinese edition of the Press-in Handbook is currently under revision, and the Specification of the Press-in Piling Method is also being developed. At the same time, the Terminology on Press-in Technology is being expanded to include additional languages. Work is also underway on Case History Volume 3, which aims to document the diverse applications of press-in piling.

Outreach efforts are expanding through a redesigned newsletter website and integration with LinkedIn to engage younger and international audiences. A new booklet compiling advanced technologies is in preparation, and the bilingual terminology database is being expanded to include additional languages.

The IPA awards program is being strengthened with earlier nominations and broader evaluation criteria, aiming to spotlight innovation and encourage wider participation. Efforts to engage younger members are also being expanded.

Discussions addressed youth engagement and preparations for the 4th International Conference on Press-in Engineering (ICPE), tentatively scheduled for 2027 in the Netherlands. The meeting concluded with a call for continued collaboration and innovation, especially in light of IPA's upcoming 20th anniversary.

 

Technical observation tour at Taisei Advanced Center of Technology

On 4 July 2025, a total of 19 IPA directors and staff visited the Taisei Advanced Center of Technology in Yokohama, Japan (Photo 2). The facility serves as an R&D hub owned by Taisei Corporation, one of Japan's largest general contractors.

Taisei Corporation operates 14 different advanced laboratories at the facility. Each laboratory conducts research on practical and cutting-edge construction technologies. The half-day tour included the following technologies and products.

• Human Space Lab
  Urban smart ZEB® (net Zero Energy Building)
  A combination of energy-saving design and the use of solar power generation, storage cells, and a hydrogen conversion/storage system enables the building to eliminate the use of conventional fossil fuel-based electricity.

• Soils & Rocks Lab
  X-ray computed tomography scanner
  The equipment precisely analyzes the internal structure of specimens of soil, rock, and other construction materials, such as concrete.

• Materials & Environment Lab
  T-eConcrete® (Carbon-recycling concrete)
  " T-eConcrete® " achieves a reduction of CO2 emissions and a negative CO2 balance by replacing a part of or all cement with blast furnace slag (discharged as an industrial by-product at steelworks) and/or with carbon-recycled materials, such as calcium carbonate (CaCO3).

• Materials & Environment Lab
  CCS (Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage) Technology
  Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) is a process that involves the separation of CO2 from industrial and energy-related sources, followed by its injection into deep rock formations, thereby providing long-term isolation from the atmosphere. CO2 can be stored underground permanently by being soaked into groundwater and/or by being transformed into carbonate minerals. In the lab, an overview of CCS technology and Taisei's CCS analysis technology is introduced.

• Advanced Construction Lab
  3D Construction Printing
  The 3D printing technique enables the creation of a three-dimensional object by superimposing successive layers of cement-based material, eliminating the need for formwork. The self-moving printer in the lab features a multi-joint arm, enabling the completion of large RC structures with a single printer.

• Ground & Foundations Lab
  Geotechnical Centrifuge
  A centrifugal force is applied to small-scale models to evaluate the behavior and stability of full-sized foundations and subterranean structures. The centrifuge is capable of simulating earthquake behavior with a maximum depth of 100m and an earthquake acceleration of up to 400 g.

Links for the Taisei Advanced Center of Technology:
https://www.taisei-techsolu.jp/tech_center/facility/ (in Japanese)
https://www.taisei.co.jp/english/profile/technology/ (in English)

 

Technical Workshop at Chuo University

On 4 July 2025, the IPA held a technical workshop at Chuo University, organized and supported by Prof. Hidetoshi Nishioka, with over 20 participants, including senior undergraduates and master's students (Photo 3). The event was organized as part of the IPA's social mission to promote academic knowledge and contribute to the advancement of geotechnical engineering education.

Two IPA directors, Professor Emeritus Tatsunori Matsumoto from Kanazawa University and Dr. Shinji Taenaka from Nippon Steel, gave lectures. Professor Matsumoto presented on piled raft foundations and rapid load testing, offering insights into their principles, applications, and design limitations. Dr. Taenaka discussed the role of steel materials in geotechnical engineering, focusing on the contributions of the press-in method to levee reinforcement.

According to the post-event questionnaire, students gained valuable knowledge about the history of pile and sheet pile methods. They learned about the constraints and design methods for piled raft foundations. They also developed a deeper understanding of the interaction between the civil engineering and steel industries. Several participants noted that the workshop broadened their perspective on related fields, including hydraulics, environmental considerations, and international research practices.

It is hoped that the workshop will inspire students to become engineers with a good understanding of press-in piling technology and researchers who will explore this field.
 

 

International Lecture and IPA Directors' Visit to the Japanese Geotechnical Society (JGS)

On the following day of the board meeting, 4 July 2025, four IPA directors, Prof. Mounir Bouassida, Dr. Andrew McNamara, Prof. Marawan M. Shahien, and Dr. Jiro Takemura, visited the Head Office of JGS, Japan Geotechnical Society (Photo 4). Dr. McNamara, Secretary General of ISSMGE, International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, gave a JGS International Lecture on the title of "Physical Modelling and Analysis for HIPER Piles" (Photo 5). The HIPER Pile is a novel cast-in-situ or precast pile developed through a collaboration between City, University of London, and Keltbray Piling. HIPER stands for Hollow, Impression, Precast Energy Reusable. In the lecture, the advantages offered by hollow piles, centrifuge model testing to evaluate the increased capacity of an impressed pile shaft, and the effect of heating and cooling piles were presented. This lecture was delivered in a hybrid format, combining in-person and online elements, and attracted more than 100 participants.

 
The lecture materials (PPT slides) are now available on the IPA members' website.
IPA members' website: https://member.press-in.org/en/login
 
Besides Dr. McNamara, Prof. Bouassida and Prof. Shahien have been deeply involved in ISSMGE as former and current Vice Presidents of the African region. On this special occasion, an informal meeting was also held after the lecture between members of the JGS International Affairs Department and the IPA directors, aiming to facilitate information exchange between ISSMGE and JGS. Following the presentation on JGS's recent activities and international contributions, free discussions were held on potential directions for future international engagement by JGS. Active and meaningful discussions continued until the closing time of the JGS head office.

Joint Seminar with the Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI)

On 4 July 2025, the International Press-in Association (IPA) co-hosted an academic and research seminar entitled "Challenges and Considerations in Offshore Wind Power Facility Development" in collaboration with the Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI), National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology (MPAT). A total of 591 participants from 12 countries attended the seminar, comprising 62 in-person attendees and 529 online participants (Photo 6).

The seminar began with an opening address by Dr. Ruri Shoji, President of the National Institute of Marine, Port and Aviation Technology (MPAT). The seminar continued with the following presentations:

Seminar Presentations

• Prof. Kenneth Gavin (President of IPA, Delft University of Technology)
  The Potential Use of Press-in Methods in the Offshore Renewable Energy Industry
• Dr. Kojiro Suzuki (Senior Director for Research, PARI)
  Application of Rock Bags for Scour Protection
• Dr. Kazuki Murata (Senior Researcher, Coastal and Ocean Development Group, PARI)
  Developing Impact Assessment Methods for Submarine Landslides and Soil Liquefaction on Offshore Wind Foundations
• Dr. Hiroaki Kashima (Head of Group, Coastal and Ocean Development Group, PARI)
  Dynamic Response of an Offshore Wind Turbine under Multiple Forces

The seminar concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Hiroyasu Kawai, Director General of PARI. Dr. Haruo Yoneyama, Distinguished Researcher at PARI and Director General of the Ocean Infrastructure and Offshore Wind Energy Research Center, chaired the seminar.

After the seminar, participants were given a guided tour of various experimental facilities at the Port and Airport Research Institute.

 

Featured Lecture: Prof. Kenneth Gavin (IPA President)

In his lecture, Prof. Gavin emphasized the critical role of geotechnical engineering in addressing the technical and environmental challenges associated with the expansion of offshore wind power (Photo 7). He shared case studies of joint industry–academia projects that led to innovations in monopile foundation design, improving installation efficiency and reducing costs while delivering broader societal value.

Among the technologies introduced were promising methods to minimize environmental impact during installation, including advancements in ground investigation, soil modeling, and techniques for addressing complex seabed conditions. Press-in piling was also discussed as a low-noise, non-vibratory method that enables precise installation and minimizes environmental impact, making it a promising solution for challenging ground conditions.

He also emphasized the importance of smart infrastructure and international collaboration, expressing a firm conviction that geotechnical innovations will be crucial to achieving a sustainable society.

The video recording of Prof. Gavin's lecture is now available on the IPA members' website. If you wish to watch it, please visit the following URL.
IPA members' site: https://member.press-in.org/en/login

For more details about this seminar, please visit the following URL.

URL: https://www.press-in.org/_upload/files/Events/Japan/Event_Report_0704Seminar_EN.pdf