German Geotechnical Society

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik e. V. (DGGT), or German Geotechnical Society, is a registered non-profit association dedicated to the advancement of geotechnical engineering in research, teaching, industry, and public administration. Founded in 1950 as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erd- und Grundbau e. V. (DGEG), it was originally based in Karlsruhe, moved its headquarters to Hamburg until 1961, and has since been seated in Essen. The society serves as the voice and representative of geotechnical interests vis-à-vis political bodies, the public, academia, industry, and the media. The DGGT promotes the scientific investigation of the subsoil—soil and rock—and its behavior under all types of loading. It works to improve the calculation and design of earthworks, rock structures, and foundations, aiming for safe, economical, and environmentally friendly construction methods. The association is organized into six technical sections: Soil Mechanics; Earthworks and Foundation Engineering; Rock Mechanics; Engineering Geology (a joint section with the German Geological Society, DGG); Plastics in Geotechnics; and Environmental Geotechnics. These sections operate through more than 39 working groups that continuously develop innovations and issue recommendations and guidelines, known by abbreviations such as EA (Empfehlungen des Arbeitskreises), EAB (Baugruben), and EAU (Ufereinfassungen). The DGGT makes its working groups available to the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) for national and international standardization work. With over 2,000 members—including individuals, companies, research institutes, associations, and public authorities—the DGGT forms a strong network. It maintains close ties with geoscientific communities and international organizations such as ISSMGE, IGS, ISRM, and IAEG, and hosts a German Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society. The society organizes the Baugrundtagung, a major biennial conference with an accompanying trade exhibition, and publishes the quarterly journal geotechnik, founded in 1978. Its current chair, since October 6, 2022, is Christian Moormann. In 2026, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefanie Danne became the new managing director. The DGGT remains a central platform for knowledge exchange and innovation in geotechnical engineering in Germany.

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik e. V. (DGGT) was founded in 1950 as the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erd- und Grundbau e. V. (DGEG). Its original seat was in Karlsruhe, then moved to Hamburg until 1961, and finally to Essen. The society emerged from earlier efforts in geotechnical standardization: its predecessor was the Deutsche Ausschuß für Baugrundforschung, founded in 1927, from which the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Bodenmechanik (Degebo) arose in 1928, conducting early standardization work in foundation engineering in Germany. Among the founders of the DGGT were Oberbaudirektor Erich Lohmeyer, Hans Lorenz (TU Berlin), and Arnold Agatz (Hafenbautechnische Gesellschaft). Wilhelm Klöckner, who served as chairman of the board of Bilfinger + Berger Bau AG from 1971 to 1979, also sat on the DGGT board. The society's main purpose is to promote geotechnical engineering in research, teaching, industry, and administration. It acts as a spokesperson and representative of geotechnical interests to political bodies, the public, academia, industry, and the media. The DGGT aims to advance the scientific investigation of the subsoil—soil and rock—and its behavior under all types of loading, and to improve the calculation and design of earthworks, rock structures, and foundations with the goal of safe, economical, and environmentally friendly construction. The DGGT is organized into six technical sections: Soil Mechanics; Earthworks and Foundation Engineering; Rock Mechanics; Engineering Geology (a joint section with the German Geological Society, DGG); Plastics in Geotechnics; and Environmental Geotechnics. These sections encompass about forty working groups that produce recommendations (abbreviated EA for "Empfehlungen des Arbeitskreises") and guidelines on specific issues. Notable working groups include "Pfähle" (AK 2.1), whose recommendations are known as EA-Pfähle; "Ufereinfassungen" (AK 2.2), which issues the EAU recommendations together with the Hafenbautechnische Gesellschaft (HTG); and "Baugruben" (AK 2.4), whose recommendations are known as EAB. The DGGT makes its working groups available to the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) for national and international standardization work. Membership includes individuals as full members, companies as extraordinary members, and institutes, associations, and authorities as sponsors. The society currently has about 2,000 members. It is a member of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM), and the International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment (IAEG), and hosts a German Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS). The DGGT organizes the Baugrundtagung, a major conference held every two years with an accompanying trade exhibition. It publishes the quarterly journal geotechnik, founded in 1978. The society's chairmen have included Erich Lohmeyer (1950–1960), Hans Werner Koenig (1960–1978), Ulrich Smoltczyk (1978–1990), Walter Wittke (1990–2002), Manfred Nußbaumer (2002–2010), Georg Heerten (2010–2014), Wolfgang Sondermann (2014–2022), and Christian Moormann (since 6 October 2022). In 2026, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefanie Danne became the new managing director. The DGGT continues to be a central platform for knowledge exchange and innovation in geotechnical engineering in Germany.

• 2026

  Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stefanie Danne becomes managing director

• 2022

  Christian Moormann becomes chairman on 6 October

• 1978

  Journal geotechnik founded

• 1961

  Headquarters moves from Hamburg to Essen

• 1950

  DGGT founded as Deutsche Gesellschaft für Erd- und Grundbau e. V. (DGEG)

• 1928

  Deutsche Gesellschaft für Bodenmechanik (Degebo) emerges from the predecessor

• 1927

  Predecessor Deutsche Ausschuß für Baugrundforschung founded

The leading German professional association for geotechnical engineering, providing a unique interdisciplinary platform for experts and promoting innovation for a sustainable future.

• EA-Pfähle (recommendations for piles)

  Recommendations of the working group 'Pfähle' (AK 2.1).

• EAU (recommendations for waterfront structures)

  Recommendations of the working group 'Ufereinfassungen' (AK 2.2), issued with HTG.

• EAB (recommendations for excavations)

  Recommendations of the working group 'Baugruben' (AK 2.4).

• geotechnik journal

  Quarterly journal founded in 1978.

• Baugrundtagung conference

  Biennial conference with trade exhibition.

1. 1DGGT – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik e. V.dggt.de
2. 2Über die DGGT – Verband für Geotechnik e. V.dggt.de
3. 3Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Deutsche Gesellschaft für Geotechnik – Wikidatawikidata.org