Latest news with #DepartmentofCivilEngineering
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First Post
18 hours ago
- Science
- First Post
Who is Madhavi Latha, IISc professor who spent 17 years helping build J&K's Chenab Bridge?
The Chenab Bridge, the world's highest railway arch bridge, has been inaugurated. G Madhavi Latha, a professor at Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Science, worked on the project as a geotechnical consultant for 17 years. The construction was beset with challenges, but she and her team adopted 'design-as-you-go' approach for the engineering marvel read more The Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir has been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The world's highest railway arch bridge, unveiled on Friday (June 6), is an engineering marvel. It is a part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project (USBRL), which will provide all-weather rail connectivity between the Kashmir Valley and the rest of India. The Chenab Bridge stands high at 359 metres (1,178 feet) above the Chenab riverbed, 35 metres taller than the Paris' Eiffel Tower. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The construction of the bridge was a major challenge due to the region's harsh terrain. An expert in rock engineering gave her 17 years to help build the 1,315 metres long bridge. But who is she? We will take a look. Madhavi Latha's role in building Chenab Bridge G Madhavi Latha, a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at Bengaluru's Indian Institute of Science (IISc), spent 17 years on the Chenab Bridge project as a geotechnical consultant. A specialist in rock engineering, she was roped in by the Northern Railways and the Chenab bridge project contractor Afcons to advise them on slope stabilisation and bridge foundation. This was to ensure the bridge could withstand very harsh natural conditions, including wind speeds of more than 220 kmph. With a lifespan of 120 years, the Chenab bridge can resist high-velocity winds with speeds up to 260 kmph, extreme temperatures, earthquakes, and hydrological impacts if water levels rise. The Chenab bridge's design and construction have been done by a joint venture comprising Afcons Infrastructure, South Korea-based Ultra Construction & Engineering Company, and VSL India. Speaking to Deccan Herald (DH), Latha said, 'IISc was the consultant for slope stabilisation and foundation, whereas foreign firms were involved in making the steel arch. Planning of the bridge started in 2005, and it was completed in 2022 when trial runs with full-speed trains were carried out.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD This unsupported steel arch has a length of about half a kilometre. It rests on the left and right abutments, along with eight piers, on the slopes. During the construction, Professor Latha's team adopted a 'design-as-you-go" approach, meaning they had to adapt in real-time depending on geological conditions such as fractured rocks, hidden cavities, and different rock properties, not evident in early surveys. Last month, the article, Design as You Go: The Case Study of Chenab Railway Bridge, published in the Women's Special issue of the Indian Geotechnical Journal by Dr Latha laid out the challenges that they faced while constructing the bridge over the past 17 years. 'The construction of a civil engineering marvel like the Chenab bridge posed many challenges from planning to completion. A rigid design with fixed dimensions and pre-determined solutions would not have been feasible, considering the continuously evolving geological and geotechnical conditions,' she noted in the article. 'The design-as-you-go approach adopted in this project made the construction of the bridge possible despite the critical challenges encountered in every stage during the 17 years of its construction period,' the professor added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Due to high rock discontinuities and steep slopes, a major challenge was to construct the Chenab bridge 's arch abutments and foundations for piers on the slopes. The solution found by Latha and other project engineers was to use the technique of cement grouting with pieces of rock and steel rods for reinforcement, reported DH. Who is Madhavi Latha? Professor Madhavi Latha completed her PhD in geotechnical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. She was teaching at IIT Guwahati before she joined the IISc in 2004. Dr Latha, who was the first female faculty member at IISc at the time, had to fight to get a toilet for women. 'Back then, there were no exclusive toilets for women in the department. There were only men's toilets. I had to really fight to get a women's toilet in the geotechnical engineering building,' IISc says on its website, quoting the professor. Soon after PM Modi inaugurated the Chenab bridge, IISc took to X to laud her, 'We are proud of Prof Madhavi Latha & her team's contribution to the #ChenabBridge inaugurated by Hon'ble PM Narendra Modi. The team worked on stability of slopes, design & construction of foundations, design of slope stabilisation systems, incl. rock anchors to withstand hazards.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also hailed Latha for her contributions to building the Chenab bridge. Congratulating the civil engineer, he wrote, 'Your role in this engineering marvel inspires young minds, especially women in STEM, to lead in nation-building.' Congratulations to Prof. Madhavi Latha of @iiscbangalore for your remarkable contribution to the #ChenabBridge — the world's highest railway arch bridge, inaugurated today by PM Shri @NarendraModi. Your role in this engineering marvel inspires young minds, especially women in… — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) June 6, 2025 Latha is currently the Chair of the Centre for Sustainable Technologies (CST). She has won laurels over the years. In 2021, Latha bagged the Best Woman Geotechnical Researcher award by the Indian Geotechnical Society. She also made it to the Top 75 Women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) of India in 2022. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies
India Today
a day ago
- Health
- India Today
IIT Guwahati develops low-cost way to measure COVID-19 using clay
A research team at IIT Guwahati has come up with a new way to detect the virus that causes COVID-19 -- using clay and salt water. This method doesn't rely on heavy lab equipment or complex tests. Instead, it watches how a mix of clay, virus, and salt water settles over time, a process known as study, led by Professor TV Bharat from the Department of Civil Engineering and Professor Sachin Kumar from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, explores the use of Bentonite for sticking to pollutants, this clay also binds with viruses when placed in the right environment -- room temperature and a neutral pH.'Think of it like watching mud settle in a glass of water,' Prof. Bharat explained. 'The way the clay falls can tell us if a virus is there and how much of it is present.'The team tested the method using a virus similar to coronavirus and the Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV). They checked the results using existing detection tools like RT-PCR and plaque assays. The clay-based approach gave matching results -- without the need for expensive method could be useful not just for detecting COVID-19 but also other viruses, like those affecting poultry farms. It could be especially handy in places that don't have access to high-end researchers now plan to team up with medical labs and industry players to test this approach on real-world samples. If all goes well, they hope to turn it into a simple field kit for future idea -- watching how fast clay sinks -- could become part of how we deal with virus outbreaks in the future, especially in areas that need quick, low-cost solutions. advertisement
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
IIT Guwahati harnesses clay sedimentation to identify and measure coronavirus
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati researchers have developed a novel method for detecting and measuring the amount of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes innovative approach is based on how quickly a clay-virus-electrolyte mixture settles; a process commonly known as sedimentation, offering a simple and affordable alternative to the complex and expensive methods currently in use for virus findings of this research have been published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal, Applied Clay Science, in a paper co-authored by Prof. T.V. Bharat, Department of Civil Engineering, and Prof. Sachin Kumar, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, along with research scholars Dr. Himanshu Yadav and Deepa Mehta, at IIT Guwahati Posing a threat to human lives globally, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed a critical gap in how we detect and track viral infections. Current methods, such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), are highly sensitive but time consuming and require heavy equipment. Similarly, the antigen testing is fast but lacks accuracy, while antibody testing is used after the infection has occurred, highlighting limitations at various levels. Additionally, many of these methods are not practical in resource-limited settings or during large-scale address these gaps, Prof. T.V. Bharat, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Guwahati, along with his research team has used Bentonite clay, a clay well known for its ability to absorb pollutants and heavy metals due to its unique chemical structure in collaboration with Prof. Sachin Kumar, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering. Previous studies have shown that clay particles can bind with viruses and bacteriophages, making it a promising material for virus research team focused on how Bentonite clay interacts with virus particles in a salt environment. The research team found that a Coronavirus surrogate and Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV) bind to the negatively charged clay surfaces at a controlled room temperature and a neutral pH of T.V. Bharat said, 'Imagine a world where detecting viruses is as simple as watching sand settle in is the breakthrough we have achieved! Our new method uses clay to quickly identify and measure viruses, like the coronavirus. By observing how the clay settles in a solution, we can determine if a virus is present and how much of it there innovative approach offers a faster, more affordable, and accurate alternative to current methods, paving the way for better disease monitoring and treatment strategies, especially during pandemics, this study is in continuation with our recent studies published in prestigious journals like Langmuir in developing exclusive biomedical waste facilities for disposing pathogenic waste sponsored by Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.'The research team validated their findings using established virus-detection methods including plaque assay for a coronavirus surrogate and RT-PCR for IBV. The developed technique produced accurate results in comparison to the standard detection methods, reinforcing its the method can be extended to detect other viruses such as the Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV), which affects poultry and causes major losses in the farming development holds great promise for improving how viral outbreaks are monitored and controlled, especially in regions where expensive lab equipment and trained personnel are not readily available. With further refinement, the method could be adapted for use in field kits or simple laboratory setups, making virus detection more accessible and efficient in future public health the next step, the research team is planning to collaborate with industry partners with medical facilities for clinical trials for SARS-Cov-2 and other viruses. By partnering with industry, the research team hopes to leverage the resources and expertise necessary to conduct robust clinical trials and ultimately contribute to the global effort to combat viral infections.
Hindustan Times
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Delhi govt forms 10-member committee to draft revised EV policy
The expert committee shall, after detailed examination, recommend measures on how to set up EV charging stations under flyovers (HT_PRINT) Notify me The Delhi government has formed a 10-member committee comprising officials and experts to draft a revised electric vehicle (EV) policy, officials said on Friday. A 12-point agenda has been set for the committee, which includes transitioning all CNG vehicles to electric, charging facilities under flyovers, managing battery waste, last-mile connectivity, subsidy disbursement and other aspects of the revised policy. "For proper CNG to EV transition, the committee shall ensure that a scientific study is done to assess the number of CNG cars currently in use in Delhi and to outline a feasible plan for replacing them with EVs within a year, starting from April 1, 2026," a government document said. According to the document, the expert committee shall, after detailed examination, recommend measures on how to set up EV charging stations under flyovers and year-wise specific targets for setting up private and semi-public EV charging stations. "Considering the anticipated large numbers of EV adoption by the general public, a perspective plan, including clarity on the allocation of land, needs to be put in place to address the needs of the NCT of Delhi, and the same needs to be incorporated in the revised policy," it added. The committee has experts like K Ramachandra Rao, professor, Department of Civil Engineering and Head of Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre (TRIPC), IIT Delhi; Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha, advisor, NITI Aayog, and managing director of DTC; top officers of the transport department; members of power distribution companies; and others. In a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on April 16, the extension of the existing EV policy was approved for three months. The EV policy has been extended multiple times under both the previous AAP regime and the current government led by the BJP. "The committee shall in detail examine the delays caused in subsidy disbursement in the current policy, and it shall also objectively determine the number of women beneficiaries and the quantum of subsidy to be given to them," the government document said. Launched in August 2020 as one of the key initiatives of the previous AAP government, the policy is aimed at tackling vehicular pollution and pushing the adoption of electric vehicles to 25 per cent by 2024. Although its initial three-year term ended in August 2023, the government decided to extend it. To provide last-mile connectivity in congested unauthorised areas, the committee has been directed to look into ways in which mini-cabs and e-rickshaws can be deployed for public convenience. "The committee shall suggest routes for which permits can be given and the maximum number of e-auto rickshaws and maxi cabs to ply on roads along with the location of public charging infrastructure in these areas," the document added. The committee has to submit fortnightly reports on the progress made by the committee to Transport Minister Pankaj Singh. Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape. First Published Date: 17 May 2025, 17:36 PM IST
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Delhi government forms 10-member committee to draft revised EV policy
The Delhi government has formed a 10-member committee comprising officials and experts to draft a revised electric vehicle (EV) policy, officials said on Friday. A 12-point agenda has been set for the committee, which includes transitioning all CNG vehicles to electric, charging facilities under flyovers, managing battery waste, last-mile connectivity, subsidy disbursement and other aspects of the revised policy. "For proper CNG to EV transition, the committee shall ensure that a scientific study is done to assess the number of CNG cars currently in use in Delhi and to outline a feasible plan for replacing them with EVs within a year, starting from April 1, 2026," a government document said. According to the document, the expert committee shall, after detailed examination, recommend measures on how to set up EV charging stations under flyovers and year-wise specific targets for setting up private and semi-public EV charging stations. "Considering the anticipated large numbers of EV adoption by the general public, a perspective plan, including clarity on the allocation of land, needs to be put in place to address the needs of the NCT of Delhi, and the same needs to be incorporated in the revised policy," it added. The committee has experts like K Ramachandra Rao, professor, Department of Civil Engineering and Head of Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Centre (TRIPC), IIT Delhi; Sudhendu Jyoti Sinha, advisor, NITI Aayog, and managing director of DTC; top officers of the transport department; members of power distribution companies; and others. Live Events In a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on April 16, the extension of the existing EV policy was approved for three months. The EV policy has been extended multiple times under both the previous AAP regime and the current government led by the BJP. "The committee shall in detail examine the delays caused in subsidy disbursement in the current policy, and it shall also objectively determine the number of women beneficiaries and the quantum of subsidy to be given to them," the government document said. Launched in August 2020 as one of the key initiatives of the previous AAP government, the policy is aimed at tackling vehicular pollution and pushing the adoption of electric vehicles to 25 per cent by 2024. Although its initial three-year term ended in August 2023, the government decided to extend it. To provide last-mile connectivity in congested unauthorised areas, the committee has been directed to look into ways in which mini-cabs and e-rickshaws can be deployed for public convenience. "The committee shall suggest routes for which permits can be given and the maximum number of e-auto rickshaws and maxi cabs to ply on roads along with the location of public charging infrastructure in these areas," the document added. The committee has to submit fortnightly reports on the progress made by the committee to Transport Minister Pankaj Singh.
