The workshop was convened to examine and improve the state of practice for designing slopes in highly plastic clays. While there was general agreement within the profession that residual strength should be used on pre-existing slip surfaces, it was less clear under what conditions fully softened shear strength should be used for slopes that had not failed. The workshop was organized to bring together a knowledgeable and experienced group of geotechnical engineers.

The CGPR organized and managed a two and one-half day "hot topic" workshop on piping associated with conduits through embankment dams for the federal government's Interagency Committee on Dam Safety (ICODS). The workshop was held to discuss piping experiences, methods of detection and mitigation, and research needs. Attendance at the workshop was limited to 24 individuals to facilitate discussion and debate. It included representatives of the relevant Federal agencies, academic and practice leaders experienced in design, surveillance, and repair of dams.

CGPR conducted USACE sponsored research on innovative alternatives to conventional levees for flood protection. The research involved a survey of literature and professional practice to assess the state of the art and the state of practice regarding innovative concepts for flood protection, and to make a cursory evaluation of each innovative method. Virginia tech professors J. Michael Duncan and James K. Mitchell, and graduate research assistants Christian Lovern and James Coffey were the principal investigators.

The CGPR organized and managed a two-day workshop on behalf of the US Army Corps of Engineers. The workshop was held to address probability and reliability assessments for identification, for prioritization, and for funding of federal projects having significant geotechnical components. The scope was restricted to dams, locks, and levees, and included safety assessment, maintenance, and rehabilitation of existing facilities, and design and construction of new structures.