Green Home-Tech Workshop

The BAI student chapter of our department and the Builders Association of India (BAI) Angamaly centre conducted a six day skill development workshop on eco friendly home construction technology, “Green Home-Tech Workshop 1.0” for S5 CE from 11th-16th September 2023 at FISAT. This is the second add on program the department is organising in association with BAI Angamaly Centre

The objective of the add on course was to introduce the students to latest materials and construction practices in the field of pre fabricated construction. The program commenced with an ice breaking session led by Mr.Baiju, explaining about the different perspectives to life as a civil engineer, how to achieve one's own life goals, how much effort needs to be put in, eventually summarising how to own a successful life. Furthermore there was a session by Mr. Sunny elaborating on ideas on pest control in the construction field, methods on controlling pests that affect the life of building were shared. Students were batched into groups and they were encouraged to work as a team. 

On the second day, students were given a session on positive attitude by Mr. Manoj Govind (CEO Skilltech), instructed them how to solve a problem in such a way that it favours everyone surrounding it. The session was eye opener, making the students realise the potential within them.

An ingrained idea about Prefabrication methods, materials and advantages were explained to students by Mr.Saijan Kuriakose (Founder,Skilltech) and Mr. Joy Paul. Mr. Saijan explained what Light gauge steel fabrication (LGSF) means, how it is going to replace conventional construction methods and materials. According to him, LGSF is a total game changer in construction as it makes a huge cut on time and money required for construction. Mr.Joy Paul described the advantages of prefabricated structures over normal concrete structures when it comes to climatic effect on structures. 

Students were introduced to the eco-friendly products offered by companies like Denwud, Lamit, Aizer etc. The samples of the materials were shown during the session. The usage of upgraded products like steel fabrications, AIZER water gutters, fibre cement board, UPVC, Ceramic Roof tiles, ecolight products & cladding products were also given.

On the the last day, a site visit was organised to Green Park, Koratty, which is a Fr.Chiramel charitable trust institution. A detailed session on solar power was given by the executive of Olympus. They also introduced the various allied services the company offers. The last day of the 6 day add-on session was a mix of professional and cultural activities including presentation on topics such as UPVC, rainwater gutter, roofing products and cladding products.

The winning group for best presentation was chosen and thereafter the program concluded.

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Sona M S, S5 CE

Congratulations Dr. Beena B R!

Ms. Beena B R, Assistant Professor (Special Grade), Department of Civil Engineering has been awarded PhD from National Institute of Technical Teachers' Training and Research (NITTR Chennai) under University of Madras. She has successfully defended her thesis titled ‘Multi Criteria Evaluation of Professional Competence of Civil Engineering Graduates of Selected Institutions of Kerala State’

Congratulations Dr. Beena B R

Waterproofing and Insulation - Add on course

After the remarkable success of the add-on course on Waterproofing and Insulation and its excellent placement outcomes in the 2023 passout batch, the department decided to do a rerun of the course to final year students for the current academic year as well. The Inauguration of the add on course was held on September 26, 2023. 

This add on is conducted in association with SIWIN. The course aims to equip civil engineering students with practical skills and knowledge in the domain of waterproofing and insulation. Mr. M S Sudhish, Director and Ms. Bijimol Prajul, CEO of SIWIN gave a very detailed insight into the various aspects of waterproofing and insulation in the construction industry and job opportunities in the domain during the inauguration and the session that followed.

The event began with a formal inaugural session, which included a brief introduction by Dr. Jiji Antony, the Head of the Department, welcoming Mr. Sudhish, Ms. Bijimol and the attendees. 

Ms. Bijimol started the session with an engaging presentation on the fundamentals of waterproofing and insulation. She explained the critical role these practices play in maintaining structural integrity and energy efficiency in modern construction. Later, Mr. Sudhish, who is founder of SIWIN detailed about their mission and their role in promoting expertise in waterproofing and insulation across India.

A significant focus of the session was on the promising career opportunities for civil engineering graduates in the field of waterproofing and insulation. Mr. Sudhish shared success stories of SIWIN alumni and discussed the wide range of job prospects available, emphasising the growing demand for skilled professionals in these sectors. The presentation highlighted the market trends, projected growth, and emerging opportunities, giving students a sense of the industry's future.

To illustrate the practical application of waterproofing and insulation, Mr. Sudhish presented various real-world examples and case studies from projects in India. These case studies offered an in-depth look at how waterproofing and insulation technologies were employed to solve construction challenges.

The seminar concluded with a lively Q&A session where students and faculty had the opportunity to engage with Mr. Sudhish and seek clarification on various aspects of waterproofing and insulation. 

The event successfully concluded at 11.30 AM with a vote of thanks delivered by Ms. Rinu J Achison.

Add on course on Building Planning & Drafting

The student association of our department, ACE (Association of Civil Engineers) organised an Add-on Course on Building Planning and Drafting using AutoCAD from 11-09-2023 to 15-09-2023 in association with SSCADD International. This five day course provided the students with an opportunity to get an overview of the building rules, developing a plan from the requirement from concepts and drafting using AutoCAD.

The session on Day 1 was led by renowned architect Mr. Johny Kaitharath, Chief Architect-Solids, Kochi. He has previously conducted sessions for students on campus and received much appreciation. The session, 'Building Planning - An Architect's View' was a blend of classroom discussion and field visit. Students were taken to visit a site, perform the necessary measurements, and evaluate the plot's area and structure. Everyone afterwards had to create the site plan in the afternoon, which was highly practical way of approaching a building planning.

Ms. Neeraja Nair, our faculty member, gave a detailed session on "Building Rules and Planning"  on Day 2. She provided detailed explanations on buildings rules and the terminology used in the construction sector. The session, “Line Sketches” was led by Ms. Rinu J. Achison, from our department on the same day. The session gave a clear understanding on how to develop a plan, the students practiced drawing a line sketch of their own home or building.

On the third day, the session moved to CAD. The resource person was from SSCADD International, Thrissur. The session was hands on, conducted in the computer lab. The basic tools in AutoCAD was introduced and the participants learned how to draft the plan using the software. This session continued to Day 4, where the elevation and section of the building were developed. By the fifth day, the students were able to draft an entire plan, elevation, and section on their own. An introduction to Revit was also given on the last day.

The course was really appreciated by the participants for the design of the contents - starting from the architects point of view, site visit, moving on to building rules, sketching, drafting using software and finally with an introduction to Revit. It is beyond doubt that this has added lot of value to the students. 

Institution day and Founders Day 2023

Adv. P V Mathew, our founder chairman, was a great visionary and FISAT was his biggest contribution to the society. 

Every year, we celebrate his birthday, 27th September as founders day. The institution day falls on 23rd September, the day on which the first day of classes started in FISAT, in 2002. 

This year, we organised the event on 26th September 2023, since both 23rd and 27th were holidays. The chief guest of the day was Dr. Jacob Thomas, IPS. 

Dr. Jose Cherian, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering was honoured with the Best Teacher award and Mr. Jitesh V, Network Manager, the best non teaching employee. P V Mathew memorial endowment awards, Ambu Sivadas memorial award, Vishnu Venumohan Memorial award and Best Library user awards were also presented. Dr. Prasad J C, Professor, Computer Science and Engineering was honoured for getting the Lieutenant position after completing the NCC training.

The event was streamed live, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/live/jJjMQfsdgF0?si=JEfV6-QR_I5BQzoC 

Big News NBA Visit!!

 It was a long awaited, the NBA Expert team visit of the department was held during 22, 23 and 24 September 2023. The department was eagerly waiting this visit, after submitting the Self Assessment Report (SAR) back in July. 

The visit went really well, the team expressing positive remarks about the department and the preparations that we did. It will take some time to get results, a month, some times more. Everyone int he department is eagerly awaiting for the results. There is a sense of optimism among all in the department. 

Thank you all for the support, especially the parents, employers and the alumni who came to interact with the team. The students also presented their best, the team appreciated the projects that students presented during the visit. Here is a model of FISAT students prepared!

Welcoming the New batch!!

Fresh batch, new faces, and renewed energy. The college welcomed the 22nd batch to B.Tech students to the campus with grand Induction ceremony on 7th September 2023. For the department, this is the thirteenth batch of B.Tech and 10th batch of M.Tech. The Induction program was attended by nearly 2000 people, students, parents and the staff members of FISAT. With the total number of admissions crossing 730, This was the largest batch of students FISAT has seen in its history of 22 years.

The department organised a one week long Induction program for the B.Tech students from 8-15 September 2023. The program aimed to prepare students for their academic journey and to revisit foundational concepts through bridge courses. Online sessions organised by KTU were also a part of the program. 

On the first day, the Honorable Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan, inaugurated the induction program and addressed the B.Tech students online. Following his address, Dr. Mini P R (Principal, FISAT) provided an overview of the various departments and the college's facilities. Students were then guided to their respective classrooms by group advisors, each class having three advisors. These advisors introduced themselves and interacted with the students, fostering a welcoming atmosphere. 

The group advisors for the S1 CE A batch included Ms. Neeraja Nair, Ms. Sharon Jacob & Mr. Eldhose P Jacob and for B batch, Mr. Jawahar Saud S, Ms. Nincy Jose and Dr. Ayswarya E P.  Post the introduction, Dr. Arun S from the Physical Education department elaborated on the significance of sports at FISAT, highlighting the presence of sports facilities for basketball, volleyball, football, cricket, and badminton. The group advisors shared a recommended daily routine, and this marked the end of the first day.

There were quite a few activities on the second day. The day commenced with a basic mathematics class conducted by Ms. Arya Chandran and Ms. Honeymol P Chacko HoD, Department of Science and Humanities. The sessions focused on calculus fundamentals. 

This was followed by a webinar by Mr Anup Nair, Managing Director, Martin Engineering Corporation which outlined the graduate student roadmap, offering insights on goal pursuit and career development. Mr. Sajan S, Department of Mechanical Engineering held a session about National Service Scheme (NSS) unit on campus and its activities and explained the rules and regulations emphasising the selection process for eligible students. The team from National Cadet Corps (NCC) FISAT unit also introduced the organisation's role in fostering character, discipline, and leadership among youth on the day. An engineering chemistry entry-level test was conducted to assess students' knowledge in chemistry on the day.

On the third day, Dr. Bejoy Varghese, Placement in charge, in his session, shared tips and strategies for placements. This was a very useful session and detailed about the eligibility for placements in terms of CGPA requirements, backlogs etc. This was followed by a session on mental health by Dr. Varghese Punnoose, Professor and Head of Department of Psychiatry, Govt. Medical College, Kottayam. This session shed light on the importance of emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

The activities of Internal Compliance Committee (ICC), responsible for addressing sexual harassment complaints, was also discussed during the day. The day concluded with a creative arts and literary activity led by Ms. Neeraja Nair and Ms. Sharon Jacob, involving students in games and activities that promote teamwork and enthusiasm.

The fourth day commenced with a session on student professional bodies and their role in overseeing professional conduct and knowledge. Introduction to various student clubs occurred during the same session, highlighting their role in promoting student leadership and skill development.  The first session introduced the Association of Civil Engineers, commonly known as ACE, which was established in 2013. The primary objective of the association is to promote and nurture the ideals of the civil engineering profession. It achieves this by hosting conferences, meetings, and seminars to disseminate knowledge among civil engineers and society at large. Mr. Sreerath S, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, delivered an informative session on this topic. Thiss department specific club organises events like Civil Houses, which serve as interactions with alumni to share their insights and experiences which are highly effective for building a strong and successful career.  

This was followed by an introduction of ISTE, the Indian Society for Technical Education, led by Dr. Asha Joseph, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering. ISTE is a prominent national non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the technical education system in our country. Dr. Kavitha P E, Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering introduced two clubs: IGBC (Indian Green Building Council) and ICI (Indian Concrete Institute). IGBC provides services like developing green building rating programs, certification services, and training programs. ICI is a national organization for engineering professionals engaged in concrete construction and related research. Mr. Jawahar Saud S gave a comprehensive session on BAI, the Building Association of India. BAI is the sole all-India apex representative body for civil engineering construction companies, boasting more than 20,000 members. The final session covered ASCE, the American Society of Civil Engineering, presented by Ms. Neeraja Nair. ASCE's mission is to deliver significant value to its members, enhance their careers, contribute to technological advancements, promote lifelong learning, support professionalism in the field, and encourage the development and support of civil engineers. This session provided intriguing insights into the organization.

The day also had a webinar on anti-narcotics was inaugurated by Sri M B Rajesh, Hon’ble Minister for Local Self Governments, Rural Development and Excise, followed by a keynote by Dr. Jayaprakashan K P, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Govt. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. These two sessions were organised by KTU. FISAT's anti-narcotics cell, responsible for addressing issues related to narcotics and conducting drug awareness programs, was also introduced after the webinar. The day also included a visit to the fab lab and the central library to showcase research facilities and available resources.

Day five started with proficiency modules in Mathematics and English. Proficiency in mathematics was discussed in terms of conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning and productive disposition. English proficiency emphasised the use of English for effective communication in spoken and written contexts. 

A webinar on the industrial scenario in Kerala was inaugurated by Sri P Rajeev, Hon’ble Minister for Law, Industries and Coir, followed by a keynote by Sri T K Jose IAS, Former Additional Chief Secretary, GoK. This session highlighted Kerala's impressive industrial growth and economic development.The session on Road Safety was addressed by Sri S Sreejith IPS, ADGP and Road Safety Commissioner, who provided valuable insights on road safety regulations. These sessions were also organised by KTU.

The final day began with proficiency modules in computer programming, covering typing skills, data entry, spreadsheet usage, and PowerPoint presentation skills. An alumni interaction session offered students advice on succeeding academically and participating in extracurricular activities. 

The second webinar was on the graduate student roadmap, presented by Dr. K. P. Sudheer, Ex Officio Principal Secretary S&T Department & Executive Vice President KSCSTE, provided guidance on postgraduate opportunities. The induction program concluded with a Valedictory Ceremony, inaugurated by Dr. R. Bindu, Hon'ble Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice, who expressed government support for the students throughout their four-year B.Tech journey.

As the student induction program concluded on the 15th, the students had a great opportunity to familiarize themselves with our campus, faculty, and academic expectations. This orientation also introduced them to a wide range of extracurricular activities and provided insights into professional development opportunities, ensuring a holistic and well-rounded educational experience. They are now ready to embark on their educational journey with confidence and enthusiasm.

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With inputs from Govind K, S1 CE-A

GGBS & Sustainability by JSW Cements

On 13th September 2023, a technical talk on "GGBS & Sustainability" was organised by our department in collaboration with JSW Cement Ltd. The speaker was Mr. Sarath Vinod, Deputy Manager (Direct Sales) of JSW Cement Ltd. The objective of the talk was to provide insights into the world of cement and construction and to emphasize the role of sustainable building materials in environmental conservation. The talk was very comprehensive. The speaker touched upon almost every basic aspect about Cement - the different types, the advantages and application of each type, the Indian Standard Code IS 10262, Transportation of cement, the precautions to be taken during transportation, Truck mixers, Water Cement ratio, Gradation of aggregates, aggregate cement ratio, consistency, Sulphate erosion and durability.

The major highlight of the talk was about Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) which is a by-product of iron and steel making process. The speaker explained how GGBS can be used as a partial replacement of cement to improve the strength, durability, and sustainability of concrete. He also mentioned the benefits of using GGBS such as reduced CO2 emissions, lower heat of hydration, increased resistance to chemical attack, etc. He explained how slag cement, which is a combination of GGBS and OPC, that can be used for various purposes, such as mass concreting, marine structures, precast elements, etc. He also highlighted the features of slag cement, like improved workability, reduced permeability and enhanced durability.

The talk was well received by the audience, who actively participated in the question and answer session at the end. The speaker clarified the doubts and queries raised by the participants and shared his valuable experience and knowledge on the topic. The talk was informative and enlightening for the students and faculty members.

After the talk, the speakers planted a mango tree on campus as a symbolic gesture to promote environmental awareness and responsibility towards nature among the students. 

The program was a success and a memorable experience for everyone involved. The event also reflected the vision and mission of JSW Cement Ltd., which is to produce eco-friendly and sustainable building materials for the future.

Concrete 3D Printing

The M.Tech students from our campus had an opportunity to attend the seminar conducted by Institution of Engineers (India) at their Kochi local Centre on 8th September 2023. 

The speaker was Dr. A.V Rahul, Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, IIT Tirupati. Dr. Rahul, who is a former faculty member of our department, completed his PhD from IIT Madras and then pursued a Post Doctoral program at Ghent University, Belgium. 

The title of the talk was "Construction by Concrete 3D printing - Latest Developments, Applications and Challenges". Dr. Rahul, who has great expertise in the domain, spoke about the methods of 3D printing, advantages, reinforcement details etc. He talked in detail about the extrusion based 3D printing, where concrete is extruded through a nozzle, layer by layer to create a 3D component. 

3D printing of buildings, which is still in nascent stages in India, promises great flexibility in construction with options to create shapes which are not currently possible using conventional methods. This offers numerous advantages including fast construction, cost effective and sustainable materials, no need for formwork etc.The technology is expected to revolutionise the construction industry and meeting future infrastructure demands.