Workshop on ‘Geotechnics for Infrastructure’

The Mysore Centre of the Association of Consulting Civil Engineers (India) – ACCE (I), NIE and SJCE had jointly organised a one-day National Workshop on ‘Recent Advances in Geotechnics for Infrastructure – RAGI 17’, under TEQIP II initiative at NIE recently.

Prof. T.N. Nagabhushan, Principal, SJCE, while inaugurating the workshop, observed “Future of next generation depends on high-level thinking and creative intelligence.  Opportunities are available when people think at global level and solve problems.  Geo-technical engineering offers plethora of opportunities for innovation and creative applications.”

Dr. Chandan Ghosh, Professor, National Institute of Disaster Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi, released the Technical Proceedings of the workshop.  In the first lecture session, Dr. Ghosh elaborated on the Bioengineering Measures for Slope Stability and Erosion. He observed “Even though technology of stabilised hill slopes has been brought into fruitful practices, bioengineering solutions provide ample scope. Investigation of landslides takes into account of portending scenarios of road widening works, multi-storied buildings juxtaposed on steep slopes, dwindling lifeline infrastructures in hilly terrain amid unplanned construction activities.  It is here that sustainable technologies like Geo-synthetic reinforced walls and bioengineering measures play a vital role.”  

In the second lecture, Dr. R. Shivashankar, Professor of Civil Engineering, NITK, Surathkal spoke on Geotechnical Engineering for Transportation Infrastructure.  He said in Japan and China, the trains ran at a speed of 300 kms per hour.  Now they are looking at higher speeds of the order of 500 kms per hour.  For facilitating such speeds, the sub-grade and ballast had to be of very superior quality.  

The third lecture was by Dr. P. Anbazhagan, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.  Speaking on the Advanced Subsurface Exploration Methods For Unusual Geotechnical Problems, the speaker said that the subsurface exploration was a vital component of any project and requires understanding of the geological properties of the soil, rock strata and groundwater conditions.  

Dr. L. Govindaraju, Associate Professor, UVCE, Bengaluru spoke on Seismic Response of Pile Foundations in Liquefiable Soils.

Prof. Mysuru Yadupathi Putty, Principal, NIE, presided. Prof. K. Prakash, Head, Department of Civil Engineering, SJCE, was present.  Dr. H.S. Prasanna, Chairman of the Organising Committee (OC), welcomed. R. Sundara Murthy, Chairman of the Mysore Centre of ACCE (I) briefed about the activities of ACCE (I). Dr. S.K. Prasad, Hon. Secretary of the OC, proposed a vote of thanks.