These proceedings are a continuation of the series of International Conferences in Germany entitled "Mechanics of Unsaturated Soils." The primary objective is to discuss and understand unsaturated soil behaviour such that engineered activities are made better with times in terms of judgment and quality. The proceedings contain recent research by leading experts in Mechanics of Unsaturated Soils.

These proceedings are a continuation of the series of International Conferences in Germany entitled "Mechanics of Unsaturated Soils." The objective is to discuss and understand unsaturated soil behaviour, so that engineered activities are improved in terms of judgement and quality. In addition to knowledge of classical concepts, it is a challenge to adapt convincing new concepts and present them in such a way that they can be used in engineering practices.

These proceedings document the various papers delivered and partially presented at the International Conference "From experimental evidence towards numerical modeling of unsaturated soils," which was held in Weimar (Germany) during 18-19 September 2003. The conference was organized under the auspices of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the National German G- technical Society (DGGT). The need to understand the behavior of unsaturated soils is becoming exclusively - sential for the geotechnical engineers and designers. In the last three decades many - searchers have made significant contribution to the understanding of the unsaturated soil mechanics. Nevertheless, application of the subject to variety of new problems still - quires our attention. This International conference is a mere attempt to unite researchers and engineers in geotechnical engineering and to discuss about the problems associated with the unsaturated soils. Doing so the objectives of these lecture notes are as follows: - to promote unsaturated soil mechanics for practical application, - to exchange experiences in experimental unsaturated soil mechanics and numerical modeling, - to discuss application of unsaturated soil mechanics to variety of problems. In other words, we could also name these two volumes as "From theory to daily pr- tice". I would like to extend my deep sense of appreciation as the editor and the Head of the organizing committee, to many persons who have contributed either directly or indirectly to organize the International conference and to finalize these proceedings.

These proceedings document the various papers delivered and partially presented at the International Conference "From experimental evidence towards numerical modeling of unsaturated soils," which was held in Weimar (Germany) during 18-19 September 2003. The conference was organized under the auspices of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the National German G- technical Society (DGGT). The need to understand the behavior of unsaturated soils is becoming exclusively - sential for the geotechnical engineers and designers. In the last three decades many - searchers have made significant contribution to the understanding of the unsaturated soil mechanics. Nevertheless, application of the subject to variety of new problems still - quires our attention. This International conference is a mere attempt to unite researchers and engineers in geotechnical engineering and to discuss about the problems associated with the unsaturated soils. Doing so the objectives of these lecture notes are as follows: - to promote unsaturated soil mechanics for practical application, - to exchange experiences in experimental unsaturated soil mechanics and numerical modeling, - to discuss application of unsaturated soil mechanics to variety of problems. In other words, we could also name these two volumes as "From theory to daily pr- tice." I would like to extend my deep sense of appreciation as the editor and the Head of the organizing committee, to many persons who have contributed either directly or indirectly to organize the International conference and to finalize these proceedings.

The purpose of NATO ARW 983188 Coupled Site and Soil-Structure Int- action E?ects with Application to Seismic Risk Mitigation, held in Borovets, Bulgaria, 30 August-3 September 2008, was to present state-of-the-art, - site, soil-structure interaction e?ects (SSSI), as manifested in the broader area ofsouthandsouth-easternEurope,whichisthemostseismicallyproneregion of the European continent. Another objective was to attempt to de?ne the seismic risk posed to the built environment in this area and to present modern methods for seismic risk mitigation. The ARW was very successful and generated an interdisciplinary-type information exchange between the three main groups of participants: g- physicists, geotechnical engineers, and structural engineers. The presen- tions during the workshop can be grouped into four subject areas: (1) site conditions and their role in seismic hazard analyses, (2) soil-structure int- action, (3) the role of site e?ects and of soil-structure interaction in the design of structures, and (4) general and related subjects. The following ?elds were addressed during the presentations and the discussions: strong ground motion (near-?eld e?ects, seismic-wave propagation, free-? eld motion); geotech- calengineering(slopes,foundations,lifelines,dams,andretainingwalls);and structural engineering (buildings, bridges, ?eld measurements, and protective systems). The work presented in this volume includes contributions from engineers and scientists, mainly from south-eastern Europe and the neighbouring - gions of the Near East. The arrangement of contributions in di?erent chapters is not rigorous, and many papers present similar material, which includes broad coverage and di?erent disciplines, since earthquake engineering is by its nature an interdisciplinary subject.

These proceedings document the various papers delivered and partially presented at the International Conference "From experimental evidence towards numerical modeling of unsaturated soils," which was held in Weimar (Germany) during 18-19 September 2003. The conference was organized under the auspices of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the National German G- technical Society (DGGT). The need to understand the behavior of unsaturated soils is becoming exclusively - sential for the geotechnical engineers and designers. In the last three decades many - searchers have made significant contribution to the understanding of the unsaturated soil mechanics. Nevertheless, application of the subject to variety of new problems still - quires our attention. This International conference is a mere attempt to unite researchers and engineers in geotechnical engineering and to discuss about the problems associated with the unsaturated soils. Doing so the objectives of these lecture notes are as follows: - to promote unsaturated soil mechanics for practical application, - to exchange experiences in experimental unsaturated soil mechanics and numerical modeling, - to discuss application of unsaturated soil mechanics to variety of problems. In other words, we could also name these two volumes as "From theory to daily pr- tice". I would like to extend my deep sense of appreciation as the editor and the Head of the organizing committee, to many persons who have contributed either directly or indirectly to organize the International conference and to finalize these proceedings.

These proceedings document the various papers delivered and partially presented at the International Conference "From experimental evidence towards numerical modeling of unsaturated soils," which was held in Weimar (Germany) during 18-19 September 2003. The conference was organized under the auspices of the International Society of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE) and the National German G- technical Society (DGGT). The need to understand the behavior of unsaturated soils is becoming exclusively - sential for the geotechnical engineers and designers. In the last three decades many - searchers have made significant contribution to the understanding of the unsaturated soil mechanics. Nevertheless, application of the subject to variety of new problems still - quires our attention. This International conference is a mere attempt to unite researchers and engineers in geotechnical engineering and to discuss about the problems associated with the unsaturated soils. Doing so the objectives of these lecture notes are as follows: - to promote unsaturated soil mechanics for practical application, - to exchange experiences in experimental unsaturated soil mechanics and numerical modeling, - to discuss application of unsaturated soil mechanics to variety of problems. In other words, we could also name these two volumes as "From theory to daily pr- tice". I would like to extend my deep sense of appreciation as the editor and the Head of the organizing committee, to many persons who have contributed either directly or indirectly to organize the International conference and to finalize these proceedings.

These proceedings are a continuation of the series of International Conferences in Germany entitled "Mechanics of Unsaturated Soils." The primary objective is to discuss and understand unsaturated soil behaviour such that engineered activities are made better with times in terms of judgment and quality. The proceedings contain recent research by leading experts in Mechanics of Unsaturated Soils.

These proceedings are a continuation of the series of International Conferences in Germany entitled "Mechanics of Unsaturated Soils." The objective is to discuss and understand unsaturated soil behaviour, so that engineered activities are improved in terms of judgement and quality. In addition to knowledge of classical concepts, it is a challenge to adapt convincing new concepts and present them in such a way that they can be used in engineering practices.

The purpose of NATO ARW 983188 Coupled Site and Soil-Structure Int- action E?ects with Application to Seismic Risk Mitigation, held in Borovets, Bulgaria, 30 August-3 September 2008, was to present state-of-the-art, - site, soil-structure interaction e?ects (SSSI), as manifested in the broader area ofsouthandsouth-easternEurope,whichisthemostseismicallyproneregion of the European continent. Another objective was to attempt to de?ne the seismic risk posed to the built environment in this area and to present modern methods for seismic risk mitigation. The ARW was very successful and generated an interdisciplinary-type information exchange between the three main groups of participants: g- physicists, geotechnical engineers, and structural engineers. The presen- tions during the workshop can be grouped into four subject areas: (1) site conditions and their role in seismic hazard analyses, (2) soil-structure int- action, (3) the role of site e?ects and of soil-structure interaction in the design of structures, and (4) general and related subjects. The following ?elds were addressed during the presentations and the discussions: strong ground motion (near-?eld e?ects, seismic-wave propagation, free-? eld motion); geotech- calengineering(slopes,foundations,lifelines,dams,andretainingwalls);and structural engineering (buildings, bridges, ?eld measurements, and protective systems). The work presented in this volume includes contributions from engineers and scientists, mainly from south-eastern Europe and the neighbouring - gions of the Near East. The arrangement of contributions in di?erent chapters is not rigorous, and many papers present similar material, which includes broad coverage and di?erent disciplines, since earthquake engineering is by its nature an interdisciplinary subject.

Die Deutsche Bodenmechanik Tagung hat sich zum Ziel gesetzt, der nationalen Bodenmechanik in ihrer Vielfalt ein Forum zum fachlichen Austausch und zur Diskussion aktueller Fragestellungen zu schaffen. Der vorliegende erste Tagungsband beinhaltet die Fachbeitrage zu den Schwerpunktthemen "Weiche Boeden und Konsolidation", "Grenzzustand der Tragfahigkeit" und "Grenzzustande bei zyklischer Belastung". Die Tagung wurde vom Lehrstuhl fur Grundbau, Boden- und Felsmechanik der Ruhr-Universitat Bochum in Kooperation mit dem Lehrstuhl Baugrund-Grundbau der TU Dortmund veranstaltet. Sie fand unter der Schirmherrschaft der Deutschen Gesellschaft fur Geotechnik (DGGT) an der Ruhr- Universitat in Bochum statt.