GeoWall is Berkeley's only geotechnical engineering competition team. Members design and build small-scale paper mechanically stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining walls capable of holding over 500 lbs of sand, then compete at the ASCE Mid-Pacific Conference and the National Geo-Institute Conference. Beyond competition, members do hands-on soil testing in the Davis Hall Geotech Lab, attend CAD design and FE Exam prep workshops, and go on geotechnical field trips. All majors are welcome.
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Weekly meeting
Events They Host
ASCE Mid-Pacific Conference GeoWall Competition
Annual intercollegiate competition where teams build and test paper MSE retaining walls. Berkeley has attended at Sacramento State (2023-2024) and CSU Chico (2022-2023).
National Geo-Institute Conference GeoWall Competition
Annual national-level competition in the ASCE GeoWall challenge.
Member Experiences
Geotechnical Field Trips
On-site geotechnical field trips for members to observe real-world applications.
Laboratory Testing Sessions
Hands-on soil testing in the Davis Hall Geotech Laboratory, including triaxial shear testing, soil gradation, and hydraulic conductivity testing.
CAD Design Workshop
Workshop teaching CAD design skills relevant to geotechnical engineering.
FE Exam Preparation Workshop
Workshop to help members prepare for the Fundamentals of Engineering exam.
Networking with Geotechnical Companies
Opportunities to connect with geotechnical industry professionals and sponsors.