In September 2026, the ICGdR Technical Committee on Physical Experimentation (TC13), together with the University of Cambridge, organised a Young Members Workshop as part of CREST 2026. The workshop brought together early-career researchers from China, the UK, Japan, Singapore and Pakistan to exchange ideas on physical modelling and its applications in geotechnical engineering and geo-disaster research.

Prof. Chuhan Deng, chair of TC13, opened the workshop with an introduction to ICGdR, its international activities and opportunities for young researchers to become involved in the ICGdR community. An overview of Geoenvironmental Disasters was also presented, with participants encouraged to contribute their latest research to the journal and to engage in future ICGdR and TC13 activities.

The invited presentations covered a range of topics, including large-scale physical modelling for earthquake engineering, foundation behaviour under controlled suction conditions, physical modelling of reservoir landslides, and centrifuge modelling of the seismic response of underground structures. The four speakers shared recent advances from their respective research teams, highlighting the application of different physical modelling approaches to geotechnical engineering and geo-disaster research.

The presentations were followed by an open discussion on the role of physical experimentation in understanding geo-disaster processes. Participants exchanged views on the strengths and limitations of different experimental approaches, the links between physical modelling, field observations and numerical simulations, and opportunities for collaboration across experimental facilities and research groups.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge, Tianjin University, Emergency Management University, the University of Surrey and the National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan, joined the workshop either in person or online, contributing to a lively discussion across institutions and research backgrounds.

The workshop concluded with remarks from Prof. Stuart Haigh of the University of Cambridge, vice chair of TC13. He reflected on the presentations and discussions and highlighted the continuing importance of physical modelling for understanding complex geotechnical behaviour and geo-disaster processes, as well as the value of international collaboration among young researchers.

The Young Members Workshop forms part of TC13's broader effort to connect researchers working with different physical modelling techniques and experimental facilities around the world. TC13 will continue to support opportunities for young researchers to exchange ideas, develop collaborations and advance the use of physical experimentation in geo-disaster research and risk reduction.