CONFERENCE: PBD-V Conference 2026
November 4-6, 2026
Puerto Varas, Chile
PBD-V 2026 is the 5th International Conference on Performance-Based Design in Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering, held November 4–6, 2026 at Hotel Dreams de los Volcanes in Puerto Varas, Chile. It is organized by the Chilean Society of Geotechnical Engineering (SOCHIGE) and the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) through its Technical Committee TC203 on Earthquake Geotechnical Engineering and Associated Problems.
The PBD conference series began in 2009 and has been held in Tokyo, Taormina, Vancouver and Beijing. It brings together geotechnical and earthquake engineers, researchers and practitioners to advance how foundations, slopes, dams and underground structures are designed for seismic performance.
Technical sessions cover:
- soil liquefaction
- soil-structure interaction for shallow and pile foundations
- field and laboratory testing for performance-based design
- dynamic soil characterization and modeling
- numerical analysis
- case histories on site effects, slopes, embankments and tailings dams
- recent developments in seismic design codes
Camilo Alvarez, P.E., GRL Engineers Branch Manager for California, Colorado and Hawaii, will represent GRL at the conference.
FAQs
What is performance-based design in earthquake geotechnical engineering?
Performance-based design evaluates how a foundation or earth structure will actually behave during an earthquake, including settlement, lateral movement and soil liquefaction, instead of only checking that it meets minimum code requirements.
Why does field testing matter for seismic foundation design?
Performance-based design is only as reliable as the data behind it. Field testing such as dynamic load testing and integrity testing confirms how deep foundations perform in real soil conditions.
Where and when is PBD-V 2026?
November 4–6, 2026, in Puerto Varas, Chile.