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Geosynthetics in the classroom: Educating future engineers and their instructors

Geosynthetics are geomaterials now widely used across nearly all areas of geotechnical engineering. Despite their growing importance in practice, instruction on geosynthetics remains limited in undergraduate civil engineering programs. While their teaching is becoming more established at the graduate level and in continuing education for professionals, undergraduate curricula have yet to reflect this shift. One reason for this gap is that many current geotechnical faculty were not exposed to geosynthetics during their own education, given the relatively recent emergence of these materials. Although professional training may eventually address practical applications, exposure to the fundamental behavior of geosynthetics arguably belongs alongside that of traditional geomaterials, early in the educational process. Embedding this content at the undergraduate level helps ensure that students develop a comprehensive understanding of geomaterials from the outset.

This presentation introduces core concepts that align the teaching of synthetic geomaterials (geosynthetics) with that of earthen geomaterials such as soils and rocks. It begins by presenting educational modules that draw parallels between geosynthetics behavior and basic principles of soil mechanics. To support university professors in bringing this content into undergraduate civil engineering classrooms, the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) launched an educational initiative. This program facilitated in-depth discussions around technical content, instructional delivery, and the challenges of introducing new material into already crowded undergraduate curricula. It also offered a valuable opportunity to assess how seasoned educators engage with emerging teaching content.

The presentation concludes with the results of a survey conducted among civil engineering faculty at universities in several countries. The goal was to assess how geosynthetics are currently taught at the undergraduate level and to identify gaps and opportunities. More broadly, it provides insights into the structure of civil engineering curricula by examining the number and nature of required versus elective courses in geotechnical engineering across representative national contexts.

Together, these insights highlight the importance and feasibility of integrating geosynthetics meaningfully into core civil engineering education, ensuring students are better prepared for modern geotechnical practice.