HISTORY

MAJOR AREAS OF RESEARCH

INFRASTRUCTURE

INDUSTRY - INSTITUTE INTERACTION

RESEARCH AND EXTENSION

HISTORY
Established in the year 1958, this division has been very active in research work to produce quality geotechnical engineering manpower needed to tackle a variety of geotechnical challenges faced during the implementation of a number of plan programmes. The division was established with the following set of objectives:

To impart quality higher education in the field of geotechnical engineering

To conduct advanced research in the field of geotechnical engineering

To become a centre of excellence giving thrust for need based research and active interaction with industries in the development programmes.

MAJOR AREAS OF RESEARCH
Our major areas of research are as follows :

Soil Structure interaction

Performance of lightly loaded structure on expansive clay

Ground improvement techniques

Environment Geotechnology

The facility of this division also concentrate on problems of native soil and research on local needs.

INFRASTURCTURE
Field Testing Equipments
The Division of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering is equipped well with state of art equipment. This division possess following field testing equipments:

Standard Penetration Test

Static Cone Penetration Test

Field Vane Shear Test

Pressure Meter Test

Block Vibrator

Electrical Resistivity apparatus

Laboratory Equipments
Following Special equipments are also housed in our laboratory.

Dynamic Soil Tester

Servo Controlled Triaxial Soil Tester

Pressure Plate Extractor

Testing Facilities for evaluating geotextile and geogrid materials(Hydrodynamic sieve test, long term and in plane permeability test apparatus)

Direct shear and consolidation apparatus with electronic out fit.

These equipments are being continuously put in use for class room teaching, laboratory classes, testing and consultancy works. Students are trained in all these field testing equipments.

Computer Laboratory
Adequate Computer facilities and Software are available for the researcher's requirements and advanced design

Library
Division Library posses
A collection of reference books in various fields of Geotechnical Engineering, International and National Conference proceeding volumes, Research reports and Indian standards specification.

INDUSTRY - INSTITUTE INTERACTION
Faculty members of this division are serving as members in research advisory committees of various organisation. The division is a co-founder of the Indian Geotechnical Society(Madras Chapter) and also acting as a Member, Foundation Engineering Sectional Committee, Bureau of Indian Standards. The division offers consultancy services continuously to various industries Government and Private oraganisation.

RESEARCH AND EXTENSION
In addition to manpower development in geotechnical engineering promoting research and extension forms the main stay of this division. Currently 10 Ph.D Scholars and 2 M.S. (by Research) Students are working on various important topics of current relevance. Short term courses and Seminars on current topics are conducted regularly.