Site characterization is a fundamental step towards the proper design, construction and long term performance of all types of geotechnical projects, ranging from foundation, excavation, earth dams, embankments, seismic hazards, environmental issues, tunnels, near and offshore structures. The Fourth International Conference on Site Characterization (ISC 4) was held in Porto de Galinhas, Pernambuco,Brazil, from 18 to 21 September 2012, under the responsibility of TC-102/TC-16 on In-Situ Testing of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE), the Brazilian Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering (ABMS), and the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil (UFPE). Financial support of ISC4 was provided by the Brazilian National Science and Education Councils (CNPq, CAPES and FACEPE), sponsors and exhibitors and other organizations and companies. The fourth conference followed the successful series of international conferences held in Atlanta (ISC-1, 1998), Porto (ISC-2, 2004), and Taipei (ISC-3, 2008). ISC 4 congregated several researchers, geotechnical engineers, and practitioners from all over the world involved with the conference general themes, namely practical application of novel and innovative technologies in geotechnical and geophysical engineering, along with their interpretation and utilization for the purposes of site characterization. The two volumes making up Geotechnical and Geophysical Site Characterization 4 contain 8 keynote Lectures prepared by experts in the field, including the 5th James K. Mitchell Lecture presented by Dr. Peter K. Robertson, and 4 Workshop Lectures and 217 technical papers from 40 different countries. The books are divided into 11 general themes: 1. Direct-push and Borehole-type in-situ test; 2. Development of new equipment and methods; 3. New approaches for interpreting data; 4. Applications to shallow and deep foundations; 5. Special uses of in-situ tests; 6. Site investigation for infrastructure projects; 7. Geophysical; 8. Seismic ground hazards;9. Investigation in very soft to extremely soft soils; 10. Non-textbook type geomaterials; 11. Environmental geotechnics.Geotechnical and Geophysical Site Characterization 4 will be much of interest to academics, engineers and professionals involved in Geotechnical Engineering.
