IGIC 2026 – 3rd International Geotechnical Innovation Conference

The International Geotechnical Innovation Conference (IGIC) is an annual meeting on engineering the ground beneath MENA's mega and giga projects. The 3rd edition in Riyadh brings project owners, geotechnical contractors, consultants, academics and machinery and technology suppliers together for two days of keynotes, panels and an exhibition, with a technical workshop day on 8 November. RIPC is the strategic host partner, and strategic partners include ISSMGE, DFI, the Geosynthetics Society, the ASCE Geo-Institute, IAEG, ISRM and Deltares.

Conference themes

The programme covers the ground conditions and project types driving Saudi construction and mining.

• Ground improvement at scale: sabkha, collapsible soils and groundwater control
• Tunnelling and trenchless technologies
• Rock mechanics for hard-rock mega projects
• Geotechnical engineering for mining and tailings
• Geosynthetics and geo-environmental protection
• Geohazard management
• Digital, AI and machine learning in geotechnics
• Forensic geotechnics and contractual risk

Programme highlights

Keynotes include the second-generation Eurocode 7, building foundation design to Eurocodes, wind-turbine shallow foundations, tailings-dam robustness and deep geological disposal of nuclear waste. Panels look at geotechnics for Saudi Arabia's mining industry and at the future of tunnelling and underground infrastructure in the Kingdom.

Workshops and passes

Pre-conference workshops on 8 November cover PLAXIS 3D for pile and piled-raft foundations and de-risking the mine. Delegate passes are priced by sector: government, academia, consultants, developers and main contractors on one rate, and vendors and solution providers on another.

Tickets & passes

• Primary Delegate — USD 25: Government, academia, consultants, research institutions, main contractors and developers (as listed on the site)
• Workshop — USD 999: 8 Nov: PLAXIS 3D for pile and piled-raft foundations, or De-Risking the Mine
• Vendor Delegate — USD 999: Geotechnical contractors, machinery manufacturers and solution providers