Professional Services - Dr Durgesh C Rai

Steel Reinforcement

E-Conference was organized at Structural Engineering Forum of India (www.sefidia.org) during June 27-July18, 2005 which was moderated by me. The conference sponsored by Tata Steel discussed various issues related to production and usage of reinforcing bars. The advent of TMT bars in the Indian market provides opportunities as well as challenges to all stakeholders. Some of the issues debated were: (a) Requirements of rebars for earthquake resisting members, such as UTS to YS ratio, elongation, upper limit of YS, etc (b) Weldability of rebars and mechanical connectors, (c) Corrosion protection of rebars, (d) Marking rebars for identification, and (e) Testing of TMT rebars for its authenticity of manufacturing process.

Indian Seismic Codes

E-Conference on Indian Seismic Codes during Jan. 26 to Feb. 8, 2002 was hosted at IIT Kanpur with Alpa Sheth, Partner, VMS Consultants, Mumbai under the aegis of National Information Centre for Earthquake Engineering (NICEE). The first-of-its-kind e-conference was very effective and successful in stimulating discussion and sharing information across a large cross-section of academicians, students and practicing professionals, on a wide variety of seismic code issues. There were on an average about 1200 persons on the e-conference and over 300 postings were made from the about 100 participants from about 30 different cities in India, USA, UK, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Cyprus.

Seismic Safety Agenda in North-Eastern Region of India

A workshop on Seismic Safety Agenda in North-Eastern Region of India was conducted at IIT Guwahati on March 22, 2014. The workshop was attended by 29 participants representing academicians, professional engineers and architects. Though the awareness about the seismic hazard is high in the region, innovative strategies are required to reduce the growing seismic risk due to existing vulnerable structures and further increase in their inventory. The agenda for addressing the seismic risk mitigation issues in the region was drawn up.

Indo-US Collaboration Research Program on Hazard Mitigation of Civil Infrastructure

A meeting during September 4-5, 2006 at New Delhi was organized to develop a research program as well as joint research proposals for funding from various agencies in both countries. The program envisages bringing together researchers from India and USA to undertake a series of collaborative research projects under one umbrella theme - Hazard Mitigation of Civil Infrastructure.

Curriculum for UP Polytechnics

A workshop during July 29-30, 2003 at IIT Kanpur with Prof. Sudhir K Jain, in association with Institute of Research Development and Training (IRDT), Kanpur, which is responsible for curriculum development of UP polytechnics and was sponsored by the National Program on Earthquake Engineering Education (NPEEE). It was attended by 15 civil engineering teachers of polytechnics and engineering colleges as well as officials at IRDT and UP Board of Technical Education. The workshop first reviewed the system of UP polytechnic education and existing curriculum and then focused on the aspects related to earthquake engineering education. The deliberations resulted in a syllabus for the subject of earthquake engineering in the curricula, and a plan of action for its implementation which is currently in practice in all UP polytechnics.

Earthquake Engineering Issues and Scrutiny of Drawings

A workshop for municipal engineers at Ahmedabad on 13-14 Sept., 2004 along with Prof. S K Jain in association with Babtie India Limited, Ahmedabad, to train them on how to review the designs submitted to municipal offices for compliance of seismic codes.

Capacity Building in Earthquake Engineering

A workshop at New Delhi on 23-26 June 2004 along with Profs S K Jain and CVR Murty was held in association with Government of NCT of Delhi for engineers to train them on basic concepts in earthquake resistant design of RC structures and seismic evaluation and strengthening of buildings.