Preamble
Geotechnical Engineering Division ever since its inception has been working actively in the traditional domain knowledge of soil mechanics and foundation engineering with focus on laboratory and field investigations. With the advent of knowledge, industrialization, space technology and fast computing techniques, frontier areas like landslide studies, earthquake engineering, application of remote sensing & GIS, geophysical investigation and environmental geotechnique got added with the traditional knowledge base. The division maintains liaison with industries and other user agencies to find application of its vast knowledge base.
Resources
The division has an excellent blend of human resources from the disciplines of geotechnical engineering, earth sciences, instrumentation and mathematics.
Some of the important infrastructures are:
- Computer controlled Triaxial and consolidation Testing System
- Computer controlled Laser Particle Size Analyzer
- Laboratory & field testing facilities for soil & fly ash deposit
- Foundation Pile Diagnostic System
- Geotechnical instrumentation for performance evaluation
- Sub-surface profiling by Engineering Seismograph, Resistivity meter and Georadar
- Strong Motion instruments
- Digital Image Processing and Geographical Information System
- Mobile drilling rig for soil and rock exploration
- Petrological microscope
- Total station for surveying & monitoring
MAJOR AREAS
- Geotechnical Investigation
- Foundations
- Earthquake
- Landslide Studies
- Application of remote sensing & GIS
- Geological & Geophysical Investigation
- Industrial waste & contaminated soil
COMPLETED MAJOR R&D and CONSULTANCY ACTIVITIES
- Pile foundations
- Design of reinforced earth retaining structures
- Landslide hazard zonation mapping
- Landslide control measures
- Slope stability analysis
- Site response studies
- Seismic micro-zonation studies
- Sub-surface studies using geophysical methods
- Sub-surface investigations for Archeological sites
- Reclamation of abandoned fly ash ponds
- Ash pond embankment using fly ash as construction material
- Ground improvement
- Industrial waste & contaminated soil
- Rock anchor design
PATENTS & TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
- Under-reamed and bored compaction pile foundation (patent no: 126179)
- Skirted granular pile (patent no: 150816-817)
- Sub-soil deformeter (patent no: 145032)
- Spliced pile technology (patent no: 165155)