Roorkee (The Hawk): Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) is hosting the Ninth International Symposium on Hydraulic Structures from 24th to 27th October 2022 in partnership with the International Association for Hydro-Environmental Engineering and Research (IAHR).
The International Association for Hydro-Environmental Engineering and Research (IAHR) is a worldwide organization founded in 1935 that stimulates and promotes hydraulic research and its application. Besides other activities, Hydraulic Structure Committee of IAHR organizes a biennial, International Symposium on Hydraulic Structures.
The event, being organized by the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Roorkee, provided a distinctive opportunity for engineers and researchers working in this area to present their works and share recent advancements in the field of hydraulic structures.
Prof. Z Ahmad, Conference Chair said that with the frequent floods, droughts and acute variations in the water resources, it is vital to store, divert and regulate water flow by constructing hydraulic structures. Recent advancements, in the analysis and design of hydraulic structures, have helped in constructing economical, eco-friendly and sustainable structures.
The symposium is in a series of similar earlier successful events at Aachen (ISHS2018), Portland (ISHS2016), Brisbane (ISHS2014), Porto, and Portugal (ISHS2012) to share knowledge on Hydraulic Structures. Authors from 16+ countries shall present their research article in this Symposium.
Explaining the importance of engineering for Society while addressing the Conference, Prof K. G. Ranga Raju, Former Deputy Director & Chief Guest of the event, said, “Such conferences are essential for the advancement of the study of Hydraulic Structures’ and for researchers to meet and exchange knowledge about the latest advancements in the field. He highlighted the pioneer works of the Colonel Proby Cautley in the terms of upper Ganga Canal, which was constructed when much theories were not available and structures were designed on the basis of ideas obtained from other well performing structures. I am delighted to note that this edition of the International symposium is being held in India and at IIT Roorkee.”
A key component of the symposium is the technical tour to the Tehri Dam and Upper Ganga Canal. The objective was to study hydraulic structures that play a vital role in the region.
Addressing the conference, Prof. K.K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, “IIT Roorkee is proud to host the 9th International Symposium on Hydraulic Structures first time in India. It is a great opportunity for the Institute’s students and researchers to interact with national and international experts in hydraulic structures. We hope that this conference would lead to outcomes that play a major role in the field of hydraulic studies. I am sure the present symposium will provide a distinctive opportunity for the engineers and researchers working in this area to present their works and to share the recent advancements in the field of hydraulic structures”
Prof. K.K. Part also felicitated four Former professors - Prof. K. G. Ranga Raju, Prof. P. K. Pandey, Prof. M.K. Mittal and Prof. G.L. Asawa - during the occasion for their outstanding contribution in academics as well as research.
Delivering the welcome address, Prof. Praveen Kumar, Head, Department of Civil Engineering, said, “The Department of Civil Engineering at IIT Roorkee is the oldest and the largest in the country and is considered as the best in the country for the education in Civil Engineering. It was established on October 19, 1847 as Roorkee College of Civil Engineering and renamed as the Thomason College of Civil Engineering in 1854. The department is producing several eminent engineers who are making notable contributions in the planning and execution of Civil Engineering projects in India as well as abroad.”
After a thorough peer-review process, as many 60 research papers were accepted for presentation and inclusion in the Proceedings. The Conference had Authors from a total of 16 countries.
Conference Chair Prof. Zulfequar Ahmad, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Roorkee, Prof. Sebastien Erpicum, Liege University, Belgium, and other eminent experts spoke on the occasion.
A technical tour to Upper Ganga Canal was conducted on 24th October and a workshop was organised on 25th October 2022 on sustainable design and construction of ‘non-linear weirs.’ Prof. Sebastien Erpicum, Liege University, Belgium, and Prof. Brian M. Crookston, Utah State University, USA, conducted the symposium. The workshop was followed by a hands-on experiment on the Hydraulic Laboratory of the Dept. of Civil Eng which was conducted by Prof. Z Ahmad and Research Scholars.
The organizations that participated in the Conference include:
Ø Central Water Commission
Ø Tehri Hydroelectric Power Corporation
Ø Uttarakhand Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited
Ø Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata
Ø Inland Waterways Authority of India
Ø Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited
Ø NCC Private Limited
Ø Aquagreen Engineering Management Pvt.Ltd.
Ø Tractebel Engineering Pvt,Ltd,
Ø Eptisa India Pvt.Ltd