Symposium & User Meeting 2025

Published · Updated

Friday 29 August 2025, 09:00–16:30 CEST
Live at HEIA Fribourg, Switzerland or online by Zoom
Room Ars3.383, Route des Arsenaux 41, 1700 Fribourg

Celebrating 40 Years of ZSoil

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About

The symposium combines invited presentations, and contributions by ZSoil users, developers and others. It has been taking place every year in late summer over the past twenty years, at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), in Lausanne and newly at Haute Ecole d’Ingénierie et d’Architecture de Fribourg.

The users present their achievements in terms of numerical simulation in geomechanics – covering constitutive modeling, soil-structure interaction, and related structural analysis – with a focus on current and future engineering practices. Topics include theoretical foundations, practical applications, case studies, failure analysis, optimization techniques, and probabilistic approaches.

Keynote lecture
  • Th. Zimmermann (Zace), ZSoil through the ages
Confirmed talks
  • K. Dziedzic, R. Obrzud (GeoDev), Towards integrating a spatial analysis of geotechnical data into FE model creation
  • J. Minini, S. Commend (HEIA), Probabilistic vs. deterministic design in Eurocodes 2.0, with potential economic gain
  • J. Zannin, S. Marceta, R. Obrzud (K-F), Design of heat exchangers based on thermal response measurement and numerical simulations in ZSoil
  • R. Obrzud (K-F), Predicting geostructure performance, digital twinning of large-scale load tests using ZSoil simulations
  • R. Maye (K-F), Secure deep excavation design near railways based on ZSoil results: insights from the Travis project
Announced speakers
  • M. Borgers (Illwerke), GW. Byun (EG Soft), Ph. Menétrey (IngPhi), A. Truty & K. Podles (CUT), M. Preisig & S. Kivell (GeoMod)
Who attends

Engineers and developers who need to perform accurate numerical simulations or optimizations for complex underground, above-ground, or combined structures have a unique opportunity to exchange experiences, explore state-of-the-art case studies, and gain a comprehensive introduction to 2D and 3D numerical modeling using ZSoil. This includes simulations in dry or partially saturated rock or soil, with full structural capabilities – covering soil-structure interaction, interfaces, thermal effects, ultimate load evaluation, and continuous safety assessment. Advanced features such as creep, swelling, dilation, dynamic analysis, and uncertainty quantification and probabilistic methods are also addressed.

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