Responsible :
Dr. A. K. Naithani
Scientist - III
Phone: Extn.41 / Extn. 34
Fax : 08153-275002

Engineering Geology Department was set-up in 2008 with the key objectives of taking up engineering geological investigations in FR stage, DPR stage, construction stage and post construction stage, in the Power sector (hydro, thermal or nuclear), Communication sector (metros, rails, tunnels, roads & bridges), Mining sector, Disaster Management and Geohazard assessment and mitigation. In this department the following three sub-groups viz., Engineering Geology Group, Seismotectonic Group and Remote Sensing Group, are existing.

Responsible :
Dr. P. C. Jha
Scientist - V
Phone: Extn.30
Fax : 08153-275002

The Institute is actively engaged in carrying out shallow level subsurface exploration for foundation evaluation studies. It has the state-of-the-art Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for mapping of subsurface using reflection, sounding and cross-hole topographic techniques. In addition, the Institute also carries out seismic refraction survey for evaluation of strata strength and quality for the design of foundation. These investigations supplement various rock engineering investigations for site characterization.

Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical investigations are integral part of any underground excavation project. All the major hydroelectric projects require in-situ geotechnical investigations to be carried our prior to the design. With increasing size and complexity of rock structures, in-situ geotechnical investigations are particularly gaining importance. NIRM meets all the requirements of the civil and mining industries in these areas.

Responsible :
Dr. G. M. Nagaraja Rao
Scientist - V
Phone: Extn.39
Fax : 08153-275002

NIRM is equipped with modern laboratory facilities for determining the engineering properties of rocks as per ISRM standards, and to carry out basic research on rock fracture mechanics. The Institute is engaged in some of the frontier areas of research like thermo-mechanical behaviour of rocks, and has developed expertise in the application of acoustic emission and ultrasonic imagining techniques.

Responsible :
Dr. C. Srinivasan
Scientist - V
Phone: Extn.38
Fax : 08153-275002

NIRM has capability in the design, fabrication, installation and monitoring of micro-seismic networks for evaluating ground stability in underground and opencast excavations, and rock slopes. The micro-seismic technique has been proven to locate areas of potential ground failure around excavations. The Institute has vast experience of monitoring rockburst in deep mines of Kolar Gold Fields. NIRM has developed a PC based micro-seismic monitoring system, which has been extensively used in mines.

Responsible :
Mr. Sripad R Naik
Scientist - V
Telefax : 080-25619697

Numerical modelling is one of the major tools for design of excavations in rock. The institute has experienced scientific workforce with expertise in providing solutions to varied problems related to excavations in rock. Anticipated rock mass behaviour around an excavation can be reliably predicted using the latest FEM & BEM numerical modelling codes, a variety of which are available at the Institute. The Institute undertakes the stress analysis, and support design for tunnels, caverns and large underground multiple excavations.

Responsible :
Dr. H. S. Venkatesh
Scientist - V
Telefax : 080-25619697

NIRM provides innovative solutions to challenging problems in blasting design and practice for various mining and civil engineering projects. The Institute has the latest micro-processor based instruments including seismographs, laser profiler, velocity of detonation measuring systems and high resolution video camera for blast monitoring. NIRM has developed various techniques for controlled blasting operations and to optimise blast design parameters for surface and underground excavations.

Mine Design (Coal Mining)

One of the major thrust areas of the Institute is to improve safety and productivity of underground coal mines in the country. NIRM is involved in the design of proper roof supports and development of new mining methods in coal mines. NIRM also carries out ground stability assessment through strata and support monitoring, studies related to subsidence, and development of equipment for mechanized roof bolting systems.

Responsible :
Dr. V. Venkateswaralu
Scientist - V

NIRM offers services in the areas of wire rope testing, proof load testing, and non-destructive testing both in the field and the laboratory. It has a well established laboratory duly recognised by DGMS for all types of statutory testing in this field.

Responsible :
Dr. V. Venkateswaralu
Scientist - V
Phone: Extn.29
Fax : 08153-275002

With increasing depth of surface mining excavations, the problem of stability of slopes is becoming a major concern for the mining engineers. In mountainous regions, landslides are a major safety hazard. particularly in the rainy season. NIRM has been involved in the design of safe and economic slope angles in various open pit mines. The Institute has also carried out monitoring of ground water and permeability studies for the stability of slopes.

Responsible :
Mr. C. Sivakumar
Scientist - V
Telefax : 080-25619697

NIRM offers services in monitoring stability of underground structures and landslides using advanced Acoustic Emission / Microseismic (AE/MS) monitoring technique. This monitoring helps to delineate the structural instability information well in advance so as to take early precautionary measures to control any major disturbances. This technique is very effective for long term real-time monitoring during construction of tunnels & caverns or for analysing their stability studies post construction period.

Responsible :
Mr. A. Rajan Babu
Scientist - V
Phone : Extn.45
Fax : 08153-275002

NIRM has a specialized Dimensional Stone Technology Group to assist the granite industry for scientific exploitation of precious reserves. The granite mining cell provides technical services towards economic exploitation of granites and other dimensional stones.

Responsible :
Mr. A. Rajan Babu
Scientist - V

The Institute provides expert services to assist the non-coal mining sector in scientific design of mines. The areas of expertise in this field include optimising the design of excavations for maximizing ore recovery, stability evaluation of stopes, shafts and other critical structures in the underground.

Responsible :
Mr. A. Rajan Babu
Scientist - V
Phone: Extn.45
Fax : 08153-275002

The environmental engineering department caters to investigations in the areas of air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and waste management by providing scientific solutions for the control of all the environmental parameters required by the statutory bodies. The Institute has developed control measures, predictions models and emission factors for the blasting dust for the opencast coal mines and in the area of waste management, an effective technique is developed for the disposal of the hazardous gold mill tailings of KGF.

Responsible :
Dr. P. C. Jha
Scientist - V
Phone: 275999 or Extn.56
Fax : 08153-275002

The technical services division is basically a liaison between the Institute and the Industry. This group provides logistic and infrastructure support to various divisions of the Institute by way of project monitoring (submission of project proposals & reports), library and documentation, publications, technology transfer to the industry, publicity and public relations.