GeoTech shortlist signals shift to AI and real‑time monitoring in ground engineering

Organisers have revealed the 2025 GeoTech Awards shortlist, showcasing AI, real‑time monitoring, digital twins and low‑carbon field techniques being adopted across ground engineering. Winners will be announced at a gala on 2 October 2025 at The Kia Oval in London following the inaugural GeoTech conference.

The organisers of GeoTech have published the shortlist for the 2025 GeoTech Awards, drawing attention to a broad swathe of technology-led work across ground engineering. The finalists span artificial intelligence and machine learning, data-driven decision-making, instrumentation and monitoring, geospatial and unmanned aerial systems, subsurface modelling, sustainable solutions and a clutch of emerging techniques — signalling how digital tools and novel field methods are being applied to improve performance, productivity and environmental outcomes across the sector. Winners will be revealed at a gala ceremony on 2 October 2025 at The Kia Oval in London, following the inaugural GeoTech conference earlier that day.

The longlist consolidated into this year’s shortlist includes high-profile projects and suppliers. Standouts named by the judges include Geprode Consultants’ geoRISCO system for AI-driven geological risk management in tunnel excavation, Mott MacDonald and Bentley entries such as Dearne Reach integrated constructed wetland, AtkinsRéalis projects on the Lower Thames Crossing and Powderham Banks, and major monitoring programmes including EDF’s Hinkley Point C deep-excavation monitoring. Nominations also feature specialists and tools that range from Senceive’s InfraGuard slope‑stability solution to novel field techniques — examples that the shortlisting process cites as demonstrating measurable operational benefit.

GeoTech organisers have framed the awards as part of a one‑day festival of technology for ground engineering. The conference programme promises case studies, technical panels and CPD‑accredited sessions aimed at practitioners and clients seeking to deploy digital workflows and lower-carbon solutions. Practical information on attendance, sponsorship and abstracts for the conference is hosted on the GeoTech event pages, which also set out transport and accommodation guidance for delegates.

The awards themselves were only launched earlier this year and attracted entries from consultants, contractors, clients, suppliers and start‑ups. The call for submissions opened in April and, after an extension to accommodate more entrants, the final submission window closed in mid‑July. GE editor Nia Kajastie said in the announcement that it is “great to see such a strong shortlist for our first GeoTech Awards. These finalists are using new tools, while making a measurable difference to how we understand the ground and deliver geotechnical projects. We look forward to celebrating their achievements in October.”

Entrants were asked to demonstrate practical, measurable outcomes rather than speculative or purely theoretical developments. The awards’ published guidance sets out a multi-stage judging procedure — initial online assessment followed by roundtable review — and states that category decisions are primarily based on the written submission and supporting evidence. The shortlist and category descriptions published by the organisers make clear that judges were looking for demonstrable improvements in efficiency, safety, sustainability and cost or risk reduction.

The shortlist highlights how monitoring and real‑time data are moving from research into routine practice. For example, wireless and autonomous monitoring systems are cited for their ability to provide near–real‑time alerts and photographic verification of events without boots on the ground; a sponsored industry piece describes one vendor’s InfraGuard system as combining responsive tilt sensors, draw‑wire devices and triggered cameras to protect railways and remote sites. Other shortlisted innovations point to growing interest in digital twins and AI for inspection, low‑cost open‑source geophysics, digital drill diaries and energy‑harvesting or driven energy piles — all presented by entrants as ways to reduce carbon and improve lifecycle outcomes.

Taken together, the shortlist underlines a sector in which incremental and disruptive technologies coexist: established consultancies and contractors are adopting AI, geospatial models and sophisticated monitoring, while smaller suppliers and academics push novel field methods and instrumentation. The awards evening on 2 October will be the first major public moment for the GeoTech festival to test how those claims of added value translate into recognised best practice — and the GeoTech website is the place for colleagues and clients to reserve attendance and follow the results when winners are announced.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative is recent, published on 8 August 2025, and pertains to the inaugural GeoTech Awards, with the awards ceremony scheduled for 2 October 2025. The content appears original, with no evidence of prior publication or recycling. The inclusion of specific project names and details suggests a high level of originality.

Quotes check

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes from Nia Kajastie, editor of Ground Engineering, regarding the GeoTech Awards. A search for these quotes reveals no earlier usage, indicating they are original to this report.

Source reliability

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative originates from Ground Engineering, a reputable publication in the geotechnical sector. The GeoTech Awards are an initiative by Ground Engineering, further enhancing the credibility of the information.

Plausability check

Score:
10

Notes:
The narrative provides specific details about the GeoTech Awards, including categories, finalists, and the awards ceremony date. The information aligns with other reputable sources, such as the official GeoTech Awards website, confirming its accuracy and plausibility.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary:
The narrative is recent, original, and sourced from a reputable publication. The information is accurate and aligns with other credible sources, indicating a high level of trustworthiness.