Editorial
Guidelines for Writing a Case Study Paper
W. Allen Marr, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE
CEO, Geocomp Corp., 1145 Massachusetts Ave., Boxborough, MA 01719.
E-mail: wam@geocomp.com
Charles C. Ladd, Sc.D., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE
Edmund K. Turner Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
Downloaded from ascelibrary.org by S.V. National Institute of Technology on 09/07/18. Copyright ASCE. For personal use only; all rights reserved.
Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139.
E-mail: ccladd@mit.edu
Patrick J. Fox, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Chief Editor, Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering;
and Professor, Dept. of Structural Engineering, Univ. of California, San
Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093 (corresponding author). E-mail: pjfox@ucsd.edu
DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)GT.1943-5606.0001076
Case study papers provide archival documentation of the investiga-
tion, analysis, design, and/or performance of a geotechnical project.
Clear, complete, and insightful case studies constitute essential in-
formation for the advancement of practice and, as such, are highly
valuable contributions to the Journal of Geotechnical and Geoen-
vironmental Engineering (JGGE). The instrumentation and moni-
toring of constructed facilities have experienced phenomenal
change and growth in recent years, giving engineers the ability to
identify and manage risk with a level of confidence never before
possible (Marr 2013). Many excellent monitoring devices and sys-
tems are now available at relatively low cost to obtain field measure-
ments with high spatial and temporal resolution and superior accuracy.
Routine collection of high-resolution, high-quality field data also pro-
vides opportunities for the publication of outstanding case studies for
the broader benefit of the profession. As members of the Technical
Publications Committee (TPC) of the ASCE Geo-Institute, the writers
have prepared this JGGE editorial describing the essential elements of
a good case study paper as a guide to future authors.
The objective of a case study paper is to present information that
will advance geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering prac-
tice. The nature of the advancement can range from an improved
construction technique with limited impact on general practice to
identification of a serious flaw in a widespread analysis or design pro-
cedure. Likewise, the scope can range from a modest change in
a ground-improvement method to a comprehensive performance eval-
uation of a megascale project involving many aspects of geotechnical
engineering. A case study paper can also provide validation of exist-
ing methods without recommending changes. Regardless, a simple
presentation of facts is not sufficient. Instead, a good case study paper
should present a clear message that describes the practical relevance of
the findings and includes, where possible, specific recommendations.
A case study paper should also contain sufficient details that allow
readers to independently evaluate and fully understand the conclusions
and recommendations. Taken together, the message and supporting
documentation should have the potential to impact engineering prac-
tice, which is the primary goal of the JGGE.
As an example, a case study paper might consist of the following
sections:
1. An “Introduction” section that
a. Defines the problems/challenges addressed in the paper;
b. Describes the objectives of the paper and their relevance
to engineering practice;
© ASCE 01813001-1
J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 2014, 140(3): 01813001
c. Highlights how the new information can improve prac-
tice, which is the message; and
d. Outlines the scope and sequence of the paper.
2. A “Project Description” section that
a. Presents the nature and scope of the project, including
relevant plans and cross sections of the facility, general
construction methods and schedule, and performance
goals;
b. Provides soil profiles and soil properties along with descrip-
tions of site investigation and testing methods (soils should
be described using the Unified Soil Classification System);
and
c. Describes the problems/challenges encountered in the
project and explains the approach taken to address these
issues. Detailed information should be provided regard-
ing analysis and design methods, special construction
techniques, and the field performance–monitoring pro-
gram. Rationale should also be provided for any addi-
tional laboratory and field tests, revised analyses, or
changes in design and construction methods that were
needed for the project.
3. An “Evaluation” section that
a. Provides detailed information used to identify and char-
acterize the problems/challenges;
b. Describes relevant visual observations and presents field
measurements;
c. Presents the results of analyses conducted to explain field
performance; and
d. Includes comparisons of expected and measured perfor-
mance to indicate what worked or did not work, along
with associated explanations.
4. An “Implications” section that
a. Clearly presents the message developed from the case
study. For example, the message might address one or
more of the following questions:
(1) How did a critical soil layer remain undetected and
what should have been done to avoid the problems it
caused?
(2) What specific analysis or design method was defi-
cient and how can it be improved?
(3) Conversely, if a specific analysis or design method
was successful, was this the result of compensating
errors? Should the method continue to be used in the
future?
(4) What construction procedure was deficient, how was
the problem resolved, and how can it be avoided?
(5) Conversely, if a construction procedure was success-
ful, under what conditions is it recommended for fu-
ture projects?
b. Explains the relevance and importance of the message for
improvement of geotechnical and geoenvironmental en-
gineering practice; and
c. Provides specific recommendations where possible.
5. A “Summary and Conclusions” section that
a. Summarizes the nature and scope of the work;
b. Describes the problems/challenges addressed in the paper;
J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng.
 c. Summarizes the message and the importance of this new
information; and
d. Discusses any unresolved issues and provides recommen-
dations for future work.
This editorial was written to assist practitioners and academi-
cians in the identification of good case study projects and the orga-
nization and presentation of the results. The most valuable case
study papers are well documented with visual observations,
field-performance measurements, and analysis results that lead to
a clear message and associated recommendations. Such papers
are essential for the continued advancement of the geotechnical
and geoenvironmental engineering profession. The TPC and
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JGGE editorial board strongly encourage submission of case study
papers to the JGGE, including those papers that have been pre-
viously published in ASCE conference proceedings. The editorial
board is also committed to assisting authors regarding the prepa-
ration and submission of such papers.
References
Marr, W. A. (2013). “Instrumentation and monitoring of slope stability.”
Proc., Geo-Congress 2013: Stability and Performance of Slopes and
Embankments III, GSP No. 231, ASCE, Reston, VA, 2231–2252.

© ASCE 01813001-2 J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng.

J. Geotech. Geoenviron. Eng., 2014, 140(3): 01813001