Interactive Conference Forum

International e-Conference on Modern Trends in Foundation Engineering – Geotechnical Challenges and Solutions. January 26 – 30, 2004 Hosted by the Geotechnical Engineering Division Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, Chennai, India. Coordinators are Prof. K. Rajagopal and Prof. Nainan P. Kurian. “We are pleased to inform you that we have by now received 50 papers running to 526 pages. As on date this site has also received 1536 hits. Being perhaps the first International e-Conference in our field, we consider it as no mean achievement.
As you would agree, no conference is complete without discussions on the papers and the authors’ replies. Indeed the papers were open for discussion at an international level from the time they were launched on our conference website. In order to make this forum active, however, we have now created two Buttons, Discussion and Author’s reply, to enable online submission of both. For the convenience of those taking part in the discussion and for the authors to enter their replies we have created two Templates which will open out when the respective buttons are clicked. On receipt of the discussion we will place them at the foot of the corresponding paper on the website and also forward the matter to the author (s) for the reply. On receipt of the reply we will place them at the foot of the discussion under the corresponding paper, besides forwarding it to the discusser.
As a leading and active member of the geotechnical community, we request you to browse our web site and send us your valuable comments on the papers relevant to your area of interest. You will be glad to know that your discussions and replies will be featured when the proceedings of the conference are printed.
We are now awaiting your discussions.”
Modern day foundation engineering is emerging as a technology-driven subject. A humble medium such as the thin drilling mud, which has enhanced the scope of foundation construction ever since the feasibility of the technique was established, is perhaps the most telling example of this truism. This is not to speak of geosynthetics — available in a large varieties and forms — which have virtually revolutionized the practice of earthwork and foundation engineering in recent times. To this may be added the use of shells, prestressing, etc., in foundations, which have added exciting dimensions to modern foundation engineering practice. Indeed the focus of the conference is the new techniques and technologies which have contributed to advancing the frontiers of geotechnical engineering practice the world over. Our aim is to go beyond the narrow academic confines and reach out to a wider section of the profession in a manner they would find participation in the conference more meaningful and productive in their own fields of endeavours. Please visit the conference web site and participate.