| 1961 | Prof. A. Casagrande | Control of seepage through foundations and abutments of dams | Vol. 11 No. 3 pp 161-181 |
| 1962 | Dr L.F. Cooling | Field measurements in soil mechanics | Vol. 12 No. 2 pp 77-103 |
| 1963 | A. Mayer | Recent work in rock mechanics | Vol. 13 No. 2 pp 99-118 |
| 1964 | Prof. A.W. Skempton | Long-term stability of clay slopes | Vol. 14 No. 2 pp 77-101 |
| 1965 | Prof. N.M. Newmark | Effects of earthquakes on dams and embankments | Vol. 15 No. 2 pp 139-159 |
| 1966 | Prof. A.W. Bishop | The strength of soils as engineering materials | Vol. 16 No. 2 pp 91-128 |
| 1967 | Dr L. Bjerrum | Engineering geology of Norwegian normally-consolidated marine clays as related to settlements of buildings | Vol. 17 No. 2 pp 83-117 |
| 1968 | R. Glossop | The rise of geotechnology and its influence on engineering practice | Vol. 18 No. 2 pp 107-150 |
| 1969 | Prof. R.B. Peck | Advantages and limitations of the observational method in applied soil mechanics | Vol. 19 No. 2 pp 171-187 |
| 1970 | Prof. K.H. Roscoe | The influence of strains in soil mechanics | Vol. 20 No. 2 pp 129-170 |
| 1971 | Prof. J.C. Jaeger | Friction of rocks and stability of rock slopes | Vol. 21 No. 2 pp 97-134 |
| 1972 | Prof. P.W. Rowe | The relevance of soil fabric to site investigation practice | Vol. 22 No. 2 pp 195-300 |
| 1973 | Prof. T.W. Lambe | Predictions in soil engineering | Vol. 23 No. 2 pp 151-201 |
| 1974 | Prof. R.E. Gibson | The analytical method in soil mechanics | Vol. 24 No. 2 pp 115-139 |
| 1975 | Prof. J. Kerisel | Old structures in relation to soil conditions | Vol. 25 No. 3 pp 433-482 |
| 1976 | Dr A.C. Meigh | The Triassic rocks, with particular reference to predicted and observed performance of some major foundations | Vol. 26 No. 3 pp 393-451 |
| 1977 | V.F.B. de Mello | Reflections on design decisions of practical significance to embankment dams | Vol. 27 No. 3 pp 281-354 |
| 1978 | Dr W.H. Ward | Ground supports for tunnels in weak rocks | Vol. 28 No. 2 pp 135-170 |
| 1979 | Prof. H. Bolton Seed | Considerations in the earthquake-resistant design of earth and rockfill dams | Vol. 29 No. 3 pp 215-262 |
| 1980 | Prof. A.N. Schofield | Cambridge geotechnical centrifuge operations | Vol. 30 No. 3 pp 227-267 |
| 1981 | Prof. N.R. Morgenstern | Geotechnical engineering and frontier resource development | Vol. 31 No. 3 pp 305-365 |
| 1982 | Dr D.J. Henkel | Geology, geomorphology and geotechnics | Vol. 32 No. 3 pp 175-194 |
| 1983 | E. Hoek | Strength of jointed rock masses | Vol. 33 No. 3 pp 187-222 |
| 1984 | Prof. C.P. Wroth | The interpretation of in situ soil tests | Vol. 34 No. 4 pp 449-488 |
| 1985 | Prof. N. Janbu | Soil models in offshore engineering | Vol. 35 No. 3 pp 241-280 |
| 1986 | Dr A.D.M. Penman | On the embankment dam | Vol. 36 No. 3 pp 303-347 |
| 1987 | Prof. R.F. Scott | Failure | Vol. 37 No. 4 pp 423-466 |
| 1988 | Prof. H.B. Sutherland | Uplift resistance in soils | Vol. 38 No. 4 pp 493-515 |
| 1989 | Prof. H.G. Poulos | Pile behaviour – theory and application | Vol. 39 No. 3 pp 365-415 |
| 1990 | Prof. J.B. Burland | On the compressibility and shear strength of natural clays | Vol. 40 No. 3 pp 329-378 |
| 1991 | Prof. J.K Mitchell | Conduction phenomena: from theory to geotechnical practice | Vol. 41 No. 3 pp 299-339 |
| 1992 | Dr B. Simpson | Retaining structures: displacement and design | Vol. 42 No. 4 pp 541-576 |
| 1993 | Prof. K. Ishihara | Liquefaction and flow failure during earthquakes | Vol. 43 No. 3 pp 351-414 |
| 1994 | Prof. P.R. Vaughan | Assumption, prediction and reality in geotechnical engineering | Vol. 44 No. 4 pp 573-608 |
| 1995 | Prof. R.E. Goodman | Block theory and its application | Vol. 45 No. 3 pp 383-422 |
| 1996 | Prof. S.F. Brown | Soil mechanics in pavement engineering | Vol. 46 No. 3 pp 383-425 |
| 1997 | Prof. G.E. Blight | Interactions between the atmosphere and the Earth | Vol. 47 No. 4 pp 715-766 |
| 1998 | Dr D.W. Hight | Soil characterisation: the importance of structure and anisotropy | Not published |
| 1999* | Prof. S. Leroueil | Natural slopes and cuts: movement and failure mechanisms | Vol. 51 No. 3 pp 197-243 (2001) |
| 2000 | Prof. J.H Atkinson | Non-linear soil stiffness in routine design | Vol. 50 No. 5 pp 487-507 |
| 2001 | Prof. H. Brandl | Energy foundations and other thermo-active ground structures | Vol. 56 No. 2 pp 81-122 (2006) |
| 2002 | Prof. D.M. Potts | Numerical analysis: a virtual dream or practical reality? | Vol. 53 No. 6 pp 535-572 (2003) |
| 2003 | Prof. M.F. Randolph | Science and empiricism in pile foundation design | Vol. 53 No. 10 pp 847-874 |
| 2004 | Prof. N.N. Ambraseys | Engineering, seismology and soil mechanics | Not published |
| 2005 | Prof. R.K. Rowe | Long-term performance of contaminant barrier systems | Vol. 55 No. 9 pp 631-678 |
| 2006 | Prof. R.J. Mair | Tunnelling and geotechnics – new horizons | Vol 58 No 9 pp 695-736 |
| 2007 | Prof. A. Gens | Soil-environment interactions in geotechnical engineering | Vol 60, No 1, pp 3-74 |
| 2008 | Dr. J. A. Charles | The engineering behaviour of fill materials: the use, misuse and disuse of case histories | Vol. 58, No. 7, pp 541-570 |
| 2009 | Prof. T. O’Rourke | Geohazards & Large Geographically Distributed Systems | Received for publication – in press |
| 2010 | Prof. C. Clayton | Stiffness at small strain – research and practice | Presented on 17 March 2010 at Imperial College |
51 2011 Scott Sloan, University of Newcastle, Geotechnical Stability Analysis
52 2012 Prof. M. D. Bolton, University of Cambridge, Performance-based design in geotechnical engineering
53 2013 Prof M. Jamiolkowski, Techincal University of Torino, Soil Mechanics and the observational method: Challenges at the Zelazny Most copper tailings disposal facility
54 2014 Prof. Guy Houlsby, University of Oxford, Interactions in offshore foundation design
55 2015 Dr Suzanne Lacasse, Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI), Hazard, Risk and Reliability in Geotechnical Practice
56 2016 Prof Richard Jardine, Imperial College, London, Geotechnics & Energy
*Prof. J.R. Booker, University of Sydney, Australia was invited to give the 1999 Rankine Lecture, but died in January 1998.
Rankine Lecture trivia:
- 25 lecturers have been from the UK, 8 from the USA, 4 from Canada, 3 from Australia, 2 each from France, Norway and Spain, and 1 each from Austria, Brazil, Japan and South Africa.
- The longest Rankine Lecture paper is 106 pages, by Prof. P.W. Rowe (1972), although much of that is figures and plates – Antonio Gens’ 2007 lecture comes in at 71 pages, but in the larger modern A4 Géotechnique format. Two Rankine Lecturers share the initials REG.
- The youngest Rankine Lecturer is believed to be Brian Simpson, who was 44 when he delivered his lecture in 1992.
- 6 Lecturers have been from Imperial College, 3 from BRS/BRE (including Penman who had retired), 3 each from Berkeley and Cambridge University, 2 each from University of Illinois, Mowlem/Soil Mechanics Ltd and Ove Arup. No other institution can boast multiple Rankine Lecturers.
- Only one Rankine Lecture (Prof. R.E. Goodman, 1995) includes the words and music for a song.