IIT MUMBAI HOSTS LECTURE ON GEOTECHNICAL CHALLENGES OF COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE

BY MR. SAJITH SREEDHARAN

Date: 18 March 2023

On March 18th, 2023, the Civil Engineering Department at IIT Mumbai invited Mr. Sajith Sreedharan to deliver a lecture on the topic of Geotechnical Challenges on the Margins of Land and Sea. During his presentation, Mr. Sreedharan discussed the infrastructure created along coastlines that supports the economic activities of the nation. With India’s vast coastline, civil engineers have an opportunity to address the many challenges posed by geography, geology, and topography.

The lecture was focused on four key activities: dredging, breakwaters, berth/storage yard, and climate adaptation. Mr. Sreedharan emphasized the importance of high-quality geotechnical data in the design of near shore infrastructure. He demonstrated how the use of data varies depending on the activity being undertaken.

Throughout the lecture, Mr. Sreedharan provided examples of what happens when geotechnical data is ignored, including the impact it can have on the cost and timeline of projects. He covered a couple of broad level case studies that were explained from a civil engineer’s perspective.

Overall, Mr. Sreedharan’s presentation highlighted the challenges that civil engineers face when designing infrastructure along coastlines, and the critical role that geotechnical data plays in ensuring the success of these projects.