Soil Mechanics

Dr. Amardeep Singh, Scientist ‘E’

Activities of Soil Discipline

Soil Mechanics group comprises of Soil divisions, Geosynthetics, Information Technology division, and Drilling division. The main activities are:

• Field and laboratory soil investigations viz. foundation and borrow area investigations of various river valley projects and civil engineering structures are taken up for characterization of soil and construction/foundation materials.
• Assistance are also offered to the projects for carrying out the foundation investigations and the field tests such as Standard Penetration test, Static Cone Penetration test, Plate Load test, Insitu Permeability test etc.
• Dissemination of expertise to in-service engineers of various State Government Departments by establishing regional testing laboratories and impart training in testing of soil.
• Impart training to engineers from within the country and from overseas for investigation and testing in the fields of Geotechnical Engineering.
• Special investigations are also carried out for characterizing the problematic soils such as expansive and dispersive soils.
• Fly ash characterisation.
• Quality Control/Assurance of Earthen Dams.
• Numerical Modelling.
• Geosynthetics Division is equipped with facilities for testing all the Geosynthetic materials such as Geotextiles, Geonets, Geogrids, Geobags, Gabions etc.
• Information Technology Division is involved in various Information Technology related activities such as Server Management, Management of DTP facility, Network Support, Computer Services Support (including NICNET services), Procurement of Computer and related Products Purchase, Automation of various user divisions/sections including Data Archiving and Retrieval (Digitization of records), Website Support and Maintenance, Call coordination for Repair and Maintenance, AMC related works of IT Products, Coordination for IT specific Training programmes. This division has undertaken a study on Information Strategy Plan (ISP).
• Drilling Technology Division is equipped with deep drilling facilities. The Drilling division can also do the drilling required for in-situ investigations.

Triaxial Shear Test System

One Dimensional Consolidation Test System

Large Size Direct Shear Test

Electronic Tensile Testing System

Foundation Investigation

In-situ Density Test (Ring & Water Replacement Method)

Collection of Undisturbed Soil Samples

In-situ Permeability Test in Clay Core

Rockfill and Soil Dynamics Group

Rockfill, Soil Dynamics group comprises of Rockfill Technology division and Soil Dynamics division and the main activities are:

• Strength and deformability characteristics of rockfill materials.
• Quality control and quality assurance work during construction of rockfill dams.
• Dissemination of expertise to in-service engineers of various State and Central Government Departments, Public and Private sectors, Faculty and students of engineering colleges etc. by establishing regional testing laboratories and imparting training.

Large Size Triaxial Shear Testing Equipment

Grain Size Distribution Test at Site for Prototype Rockfill Material