Forum for Promotion of Soil Dynamics in India

Introduction to the Forum

There was a time in 1970’s when we had taken a lead in developing research projects in Roorkee, Bangalore, and other centers in India, on Liquefaction of Sands with fines, Displacements of rigid retaining walls under seismic condition, design of piles under earthquake conditions, and in-situ soil properties determination for machine foundations, and seismic design, and many more. We have lagged behind at this time on the recent advances in Soil Dynamics.

In order to PROMOTE this ACTIVITY in India it is proposed to appoint a, ‘FORUM FOR THE PROMOTION OF SOIL DYNAMICS IN INDIA’ I have already talked to a large number of professional and personal friends in India and overseas. I have received an overwhelming response, and their consent to pursue this activity, and participate actively.

The following Programs are identified at this time, and need be started immediately:

1. Short Courses on Soil Dynamics at regular intervals It is proposed that IIT Roorkee, Delhi, Bombay, and Gandhinagar, and possibly some other Institutes may activate these projects, one short course a year.
2. Organize a conference on: “RECENT ADVANCES IN GEOTECHNICAL EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING AND SOIL DYNAMICS AT REGULAR INTERVALS, OF ABOUT 4-YEARS.” Missouri University has hosted 5-such conferences in 1981, 1991, 1995, 2001, and 2010, very successfully. All these conferences were chaired by me (Shamsher Prakash). We will be very happy to transfer these conferences to India. It is proposed that the Sixth Conference in the series be hosted by Indian society of earthquake Technology, in November/December, 2015. I will be willing to help in the initial stages of organization of one or two such conferences.
3. Faculty exchange will be established for promotion of this subject at several IITs and NITs, and other Institutions, and in practicing institutions.
4. Workshops for brain storming on specific agenda on research. We may invite professionals in the areas of Earth sciences, Geophysics, Structures, and Geotechnical Engineering.
5. Establish an OVERSEAS Committee to advise and participate in selected activities.
6. In my (GOPAL) view, there is an urgent need to teach the state-of-the-art in
   a. Liquefaction evaluation of sites
   b. Mitigation measures against liquefaction
   c. Research methods (Numerical and Centrifuge based) to investigate difficult problems
   d. Liquefaction resistant design of Pile Foundations
   e. Seismic behaviour of retaining walls
   f. Earthquake resistant bridge design
   g. Earthquake induced loading on concrete and earth dams
   On the topic (4) above, we wrote a book called ‘Design of Pile Foundations in Liquefiable soils’ which sold more 800 copies to date. Follow the below link for the book: http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Design_of_Pile_Foundations_in_Liquefiabl.html?id=7BpLQtoYz-gC
7. Future Programs may include;
   a. Online short courses
   b. Webinars by Researchers from India, and overseas
   c. Create large scale field testing, and Laboratory testing facilities in India, similar to the ones by NSEES in the USA