Awards - Geotechnical Division

The Barry van Wyk Award

Barry van Wyk Award

The Barry van Wyk Award was established in 1993 in honour of the late Barry van Wyk, a respected educator and practitioner in the geotechnical field. Presented annually by the SAICE Geotechnical Division, it recognises the best final-year dissertation on a geotechnical topic at a South African university.

The award celebrates academic excellence, innovation, and meaningful contribution to geotechnical engineering. It is only presented when submissions meet the high standards set by the Division.

The JE Jennings Award

JE-Jennings-Award

The J.E. Jennings Award is presented annually by the Geotechnical Division in honour of the late Prof. J.E. Jennings, whose contributions were instrumental in shaping the development of geotechnical engineering in South Africa.

This award recognises a member of the Geotechnical Division who has authored a meritorious publication relevant to geotechnical engineering in South Africa. Eligible work includes papers published locally or internationally during the preceding year, and the award highlights excellence in research, technical insight, and contribution to the advancement of the profession.

SAICE Geotechnical Division Distinguished Service Award

Awards Saice

Instituted in 2022 by the SAICE Geotechnical Division, the Distinguished Service Award honours a member of SAICE who has made a truly significant contribution to the geotechnical engineering industry in South Africa. Recipients are recognised for one or more of the following:

Demonstrated leadership in the geotechnical field
Implemented innovative practice or advanced industry methods
Provided dedicated mentorship to young geotechnical engineers
Made sustained, long-term contributions to the organisation, administration or leadership of geotechnical firms

The award celebrates outstanding service, commitment and influence in shaping the geotechnical community and practice in South Africa.

The South African Geotechnical Medal

South African Geotechnical Medal

The South African Geotechnical Medal is the premier honour of the SAICE Geotechnical Division. It was instituted in 1989 to recognise an individual who has made a truly significant contribution to advancing the art and science of geotechnical engineering in South Africa.

The recipient is selected by the Division’s committee — typically comprised of previous Medallists — on the basis of unanimous or near-unanimous support. This award not only honours technical achievement, but also acknowledges lasting impact: leadership, innovation, mentorship, and influence across the geotechnical profession in South Africa.

Previous Geotechnical Division Award Winners

Barry van Wyk Award (Past Winners)

The award is presented annually to the author of the best final year dissertation on a geotechnical topic at a South African University

Past recipients:

2021 Ruan Murison for his thesis “Using Small-Strain Stiffness to Predict the Bearing Capacity of Strip Foundations on Sand”.
2020 Jason Barry for his thesis “Using Brillouin Frequency Shift in Fibre Optic Cables to Detect Pipe Leaks”.
2019 Erin da Silva “The effect of Fire Additives on the Safety of Show Jumping Arenas”. University of Pretoria
2018 Koma Senyolo & Esther Mapola “Soil Plasticity : An alternative parameter for assessing the plasticity of soils”. University of the Witwatersrand.
2017 Blaine Anthony Haupt “The Effect of Pull Angle on the Ultimate Pull-out Capacity of Vertical Plate Anchors in Sand”. University of Pretoria
2016 Tinus Chris van Zyk. ” The Effect of Geogrids on the Integrity of Clay Liners.” produced in partial fulfilment of a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Pretoria in 2015.
2015 Dawie Marx. “The Tensile Strength of Unsaturated Sands”. Univeristy of Pretoria
2014 Sam Bryant Wegener. “The effect of vibratory pile driving on the original gravity structure quay wall at Ben Schoeman Dock Berth 603, Port of Cape Town” Univeristy of Cape Town
2013 Catherine Purchase. “The classification of soils based on the results of dissipation and piezocone tests”. University of Pretoria
2012 Charles Warren-Codrington. “An investigation into the stability of structures adjacent to bulk excavations for the university of Cape Town’s New Engineering Building”. University of Cape Town
2011 Hendrik Steenkamp. “Embedment of Dynamically Loaded Foundations”. University of Pretoria
2010 Charles MacRobert. “Correlations between DPSH and SPT and their Application in Southern Africa”. University of Cape Town
2009 Robert Smith. “Tailings dams in South Africa”. University of Cape Town
2008 Jacobus Breyl. “Evaluation of the liquefaction potential of the Merriespruit gold tailings dam using a critical state method based on in situ testing”. University of Pretoria
2007 Boné Makgekgenene . “Permeability testing of soil / bentonite mixes in the laboratory”. University of Cape Town
2006 Solly Phalanndwa . “Pile Testing Using Internal Hydraulic Jack Method ” University of the Witwatersrand

JE Jennings Award (Past Winners)

The award(s) shall be presented at the Division AGM or other suitable occasion as determined by the Division Committee.
Past recipients:

2021 Luis Alberto Torres Cruz and J. Carlos Santamarina for their publication ”The critical state line of nonplastic tailings”
2020 Nico De Koker, Peter Day and Andrew Zwiers for their publication ”Assessment of reliability-based design of stable slopes”
2019 Stott & Dr E. Theron “Variability of Suction in expansive clays.
2018 Stott & Dr E. Theron “Estimation of Shrink/Swell Potential and Variability of Clays by Small-Scale Suction Tests”
2017 Stott & Dr E. Theron “Shortcomings in the Estimation of Clay Fraction by Hydrometer.” Published in the Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering, Vol. 57 No.1, March 2015, Pages 67-76
2016 HFT Barnard & Prof G Heymann. “The Effect of Bedding Errors on the Accuracy of Plate Load Tests “. Published in the Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineering, Vol 57 No 1, March 2015, Pages 67–76.
2015 Prof. S.W. Jacobsz, Prof. W.J.vdM. Steyn & Prof. E.P. Kearsley. “Centrifuge modelling of Ultra Thin Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements (UTCRCP)”. Published in the proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Physical Modelling in Geotechnics 2014 (ICPMG2014), Perth, Australia, 14 – 17 January 2014.
2014 Dr. Mahongo Dithinde & Prof. Johan Retief are awarded the 2014 Jennings award for their two part paper. Part 1 “Resistance statistics” Part 2 “Implicit reliability of existing practice”
2013 No award
2012 G. Smit & CRI Clayton. “The behaviour of modern flexible framed structures undergoing differential settlement”. Proceedings Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference 2011, 31 August – 2 September, Kruger National Park, South Africa.
2011 Michelle Theron, Fritz Wagener, Phillip Steenkamp “Seismic stability assessment of the raising of the Geita Tailings Storage facility, Tanzania”
2010 A Negro (Brazil), K Karlsrud (Norway), S Srithar and M Ervin (Australia), E Vorster (South Africa) received award for Prediction,Monitoring and Evaluation of Performance of Geotechnical Structures. 2010 Proc. XVII International Conference for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering, 5-9 October, Alexandria, Egypt.
2009 Adriaan Meintjies, Alan White and Gary Jones are awarded the 2009 Jennings Award for their paper Delayed stability failure of a dam on soft clay published at the Problem Soils in South Africa Conference held in 2008
2008, No award
2007 BLIGHT, G.E. Opportunities, challenges and responsibilities for environmental geotechnics. 5th International Congress on Environmental Geotechnics. Cardiff.
2006 VORSTER, T. E. B., KLAR, A., SOGA, K. AND MAIR, R. J. 2005. Estimating the effects of tunneling on existing pipelines. Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering, ASCE, 131(11).
2005 GRÄBE, P.J. , SHAW, F.J. AND CLAYTON, C.R.I. (2005). Deformation Measurement on a Heavy Haul Track Formation. Proceedings of the 8th International Heavy Haul Conference, June 2005, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2003 PIERRE VAN DER BERG, CHRIS R.I. CLAYTON & D.B. POWELL”Displacements ahead of an advancing NATM tunnel in the London Clay “, Geotechnique, Vol. 53, No. 9, 2003.
2002 SW JACOBSZ, ROBERT J. MAIR, JAMY R. STANDING, K. SOGA, T. SUGIYAMA & T. HAGIWARA”Centrifuge modelling of tunnelling near driven piles”, Proceedings, International Symposium on Geotechnical Aspects of Underground Construction in Soft Ground, Toulouse 2002.
2001 GERHARD HEYMANN AND CHRIS R.I. CLAYTON”Stiffness of geomaterials at very small strains”, Geotechnique, Vol. GE51, No. 3, 2001.
2000 ANDY W. FOURIE, DONOVAN ROWE & GEOFF E. BLIGHT “The effect of infiltration on the stability of the slopes of a dry ash dump”, Geotechnique, Vol. 49, No. 1, 1 – 13.
1999 Not awarded
1997 GEOFF E. BLIGHT”Rankine Lecture: Interactions between the atmosphere and the Earth”, Geotechnique, Vol. GE47, No.4, 1997.
1996 GERHARD J. KEYTER, A. M. GOLIGER and JOHN S. STIFF “Mapping of Soil Variability: A Case Study in Theresa Park”, Journal of the South African Institution of Civil Engineers”, Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 21-28,1996.
1995 MARIUS DE WET”Elasto-chemical stabilisation of dispersive”: 11th Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics Found Engineering, Cairo, 1995, Vol. 2, 284-294.
1994 GEOFF E. BLIGHT “Master profile for hydraulic fill tailings beaches”, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Geotechnical Engineering, 107(1), 27-40, 1994.
1993 JOHN A. WATES & ANDY W. FOURIE “Surficial Sloughing on Steep Embankments”.
1992 IAN BRACKLEY & PAUL SANDERS “In-situ Measurement of Total Natural Horizontal Stresses in Expansive Clay”: Geotechnique, Vol. 42, No. 2, 1992.
1991 JOHN P. EVERIT “Load transfer functions and pile performance modelling”: 10th Regional Conference for Africa on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Maseru, September 1991.
1990 ROSS PARRY-DAVIES AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS “Lateral Support In Surface Excavations” Code of Practice 2nd Ed SAICE 1989.
1989 GEOFF E. BLIGHT & MIKE DANE “Deterioration of a Wall Complex Constructed of Reinforced Earth”: Geotechnique, Vol. 39, No. 2, 1989.
1988 GRAHAM W. PLANT, GAVIN P. BYRNE, MALCOLM B. JAROS and CLIFF M. MACMILLAN “Settlement Performance of a Raft Supporting a 27 Storey Hotel on Estuarine Deposits in Durban” Civil Engineering in SA, October 1988
1987 J TERRY PIDGEON “The Prediction of Differential Heave for Design of Foundations in Expansive Soils Areas”: 9th African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Found Engineering, Lagos, Vol. 1, 117-128, 1987.
1986 BRIAN E HALL “Pumping Resistant Layers Below Railway Ballast” Geotechnical Division: Filters Symposium, Johannesburg, 1986. “Geotextiles Under Railway Track in South Africa” 3rd International Conference on Geotextiles, Vienna, 1986.
1985 KEN SCHWARTZ “Collapsible Soils” in Problem Soils in South Africa – State of the Art, The Civil Engineer in SA, July 1985, Vol. 27, No. 7, 379-393 .
1984 No award
1983 FRITZ VON MALTITZ WAGENER “Engineering Construction on Dolomite”, PhD Thesis, University of Natal, 1983.
1982 No award
1981 GARY A JONES and J. A. VAN ZYL “The Piezometric Probe – A Useful Investigation Tool”, 10th International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Stockholm July 1981.
1980 A.L. MELVILL and D.C.R. MACKELLAR “The identification and use of dispersive soils at Elandsjagt dam South Africa”, 7th Regional Conference for Africa on Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering, Accra, June 1980.
1979 A. B. A. (TONY) BRINK “Engineering Geology of Southern Africa”, Vol 1. The first 200 million Years of Geological Time”, Building Publications, Pretoria, 319 pages (1979).
1978 FRANK NETTERBERG “Prospecting for Calcrete Road Materials in South and South West Africa”, Civil Engineer in South Africa, January 1978, Vol. 20, No.1, 3 -10. “Calcrete Wearing Courses for Unpaved Roads”, Civil Engineer in South Africa, February 1978, Vol. 20, No. 6, 129 – 138.

The South African Geotechnical Medal (Past Winners)

2021 – Denis Kalumba
2020 – Kelvin Legge
2019 – Ron Tluczek
2018 Gerhard Heyman
2017 Izak Venter
2016 P Paige – Green (Phil)
2015 H Kirsten (Hendrik)
2014 C Clayton (Chris)
2013 J Lourens (Johan) and D Webb (Desmond)
2012 G Wardle (Gavin)
2011 E Rust (Eben)
2010 A L Parrock (Alan)
2009 M Jaros (Malcolm)
2008 R J Scheurenberg (Ronnie)
2007 B Krone (Bernie)
2006 J A Wates (John)
2005 P W Day (Peter)
2004 F Netterberg (Frank)
2004 A W Rohde (Archie)
2003 G P Byrne (Gavin)
2002 K Schwartz (Ken)
2001 O K H Steffen (Oscar)
2001 J H Strydom (Kallie)
2000 S Melville (Sandy)
1999 J P Everett (John)
1998 G A Jones (Gary)
1997 G E Blight (Geoff)
1996 F von M Wagener (Fritz)
1995 G M I Braadtvedt (Ian)
1994 L E Collings (Lou)
1993 A B A Brink (Tony)
1992 H Hartmut Weinert
1992 K Knight (Ken)
1991 A A B Williams (Tony)
1990 G W Donaldson (George)
1990 R Parry-Davies (Ross)
1989 B A Kantey (Basil)
1989 L C Wilson (Leslie)

SAIGE Geotechnical Division presents:

Call for Abstracts: 11th South African Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference (SAYGEC) 2026

Date: September 2026
Venue: To be announced

Young geotechnical professionals under 35 working in geotechnical engineering, engineering geology, mining, or civil construction will have the opportunity to showcase their work at the 11th South African Young Geotechnical Engineers Conference (SAYGEC), taking place in September 2026 in the Central Drakensberg.

Find out more