“GEOTECHNICAL & PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS IN INDIA”

Prof. V.S. Raju

Formerly: Director IIT Delhi,

Professor & Dean, IIT Madras

• Professional Geotechnical and Foundation Consultants independent of the Soil

Investigation Agency

– As per International Norms.

• Do we really have them in India?

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Current Status of Soil Investigation Agency:

Foundation Choices and Allowable Bearing Capacities / Pile Capacities are decided

Their reports and recommendations are hardly scrutinized

Not properly paid, respected or not properly valued.

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Current Status of Soil Investigation Agency Contd..

The job is given in most cases on lowest bid basis not a workable rate to do quality work.

The work is not supervised independently.

In some cases, they had lamented that they have to give kickbacks to get the job.

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In summary

The country is paying very heavily due to this sad state of affairs

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Current Status of Geotechnical Consultants:

• A small Geotechnical Group in Major organizations and major consultancy offices

- Hardly any importance given

• Those who start with Geotechnical migrate as Structural Consultants

- To grow in the organization and get recognized

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Geotechnical Consultants from Major Institutions: (IITs & NITs)

• How many of them are happy with the quality of investigation?

• How do they grow as Professional Foundation Consultants without a proper prior exposure and feedback?

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Geotechnical Consultants from Major Institutions Contd…

• How many are able to certify that their

recommendations are not only safe but also economical?

• How confident are they that the recommendations are implemented and executed meeting standards for example, Eurocode 7?

Extract from Eurocode 7 (Clause 1.3)

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Extract from Eurocode 7 (Clause 1.3) Contd

What needs to be done?

An open and frank debate by the Geotechnical Community in India

- Who are really exposed to practical Geotechnical and Foundation Engineering.

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Thank You