Two-day national workshop on 'mitigation of liquefaction hazards' concludes at IIT Roorkee

DEHRADUN: The two-day National workshop on "Assessment and Mitigation of Liquefaction Hazards for Seismic Microzonation" concluded at IIT Roorkee on Saturday evening. The workshop was organized by Indian Society of Earthquake Technology (ISET) and IIT Roorkee.
The workshop has brought academicians, practicing engineers and researchers together to discuss and exchange experimental and theoretical results, practical experiences, case studies and trend setting ideas in the area of liquefaction.
Delegates over 75 from different parts of the country have attended the workshop with 14 eminent personalities including Prof. Shamsher Prakash, Professor Emeritus, Missouri University of Science and Technology, USA, delivering key note lectures in the field of Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering on the state of art practices as well as latest developments on various aspects of liquefaction.
Dr. Ravi Sankar Jakka, assistant professor, Department of Earthquake Engineering, IIT Roorkee said, "Role of liquefaction on different seismic hazards such as structural collapses, damage of dams and embankments, and failures of underground facilities including lifelines, were discussed. Lacking in the current practice of evaluation of liquefaction hazards in India with respect to outside practices is deliberated. It is felt that there is a strong need for the development of dedicated codes in the area of liquefaction and its associated hazards,"
During the workshop, it was also suggested to the practicing engineers to use different types of site exploration tests rather than depending upon any single test. However, experts present in the workshop felt that one can make reasonable estimates of liquefaction hazard using current state of knowledge by choosing appropriate test and testing methodologies.
"The topic of liquefaction and associated ground failures are very important for Tarai region of Uttarakhand as well hill stations settled over lake/river valley deposits, where the alluvial soil deposits exists," Dr. Ravi Sankar Jakka, coordinator of workshop told TOI.
Deliberations were made towards enhancing the knowledge and awareness among the delegates for reducing the impact of earthquakes, in particular the losses from the liquefaction hazards due to earthquakes