Research and development services of Soil Technical and Mechanical Laboratory

Technical and Soil Mechanics Laboratory Company - Research and Development Unit

Introduction:

The Technical and Soil Mechanics Laboratory Company is a government-affiliated organization under the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development, providing various services in the field of quality control for civil engineering projects nationwide. The company engages in activities such as developing standards, selecting appropriate methods for quality control tests, offering engineering services in geotechnics, soil mechanics, rock mechanics, concrete, asphalt, exploration drilling, and geotechnical studies, as well as providing training and consultancy services to various professionals and conducting applied research.

With its extensive geographical scope of operation throughout the country, the company collaborates with a wide range of customers from both the public and private sectors. The company's mission statement emphasizes the essential role and undeniable importance of its diverse customers in its growth and profitability. Providing services to its customers at the highest level, utilizing advanced technologies, proper equipment, and facilities while prioritizing speed, accuracy, and reliability are fundamental principles for the company.

In line with the company's overarching strategies, the vision of the Research and Development Unit is to be creative and innovative in conducting applied research and developing the company's services. The unit aims to preserve and enhance key competencies to maintain and improve the company's position in the technical and engineering services market. Based on these goals, the Research and Development Unit focuses on two main and unique capabilities:

• Pioneering in the use of creative and innovative specialized workforce.
• Pioneering in offering new, quality services utilizing state-of-the-art technologies.

In pursuit of these principles, the Research and Development Unit of the Technical and Soil Mechanics Laboratory Company commenced its activities in a new format starting from the year 2016. The following section provides an overview of its current status and the services it offers.

• Human Resources and Structure:

Following the principle of utilizing a creative, elite, and innovative workforce to enhance services, the Research and Development Unit has enlisted skilled personnel from within the company's other departments. Furthermore, it has employed graduates from reputable educational institutions across the country. The Research and Development Unit's personnel are presently offering services in the following specialized areas:

Considering the equipment concentration in the laboratory divisions (central and provincial) of the company, the Research and Development Unit collaborates with other departments when necessary to utilize the mentioned equipment. The available equipment and facilities in this unit are currently limited to standard office and administrative equipment.

Based on the human resources, facilities, and existing conditions, the Research and Development Unit operates in the following focus areas:

• Activities

2-1-  Specialized Technical and Engineering Services

The Soil Mechanics and Technical Laboratory Company, with a Level One Geotechnical and Level Three Road Construction Technical qualification (from the Office of Consultants and Contractors Affairs of the Strategic Planning and Supervision Deputy of the Presidency), along with the utilization of specialized laboratory and field testing facilities and expert teams in the fields of engineering geology, geophysics, geotechnical engineering, rock mechanics, road engineering, and more, can play a significant role in preserving and safeguarding national assets and enhancing safety in the country's civil engineering sectors. Moreover, throughout its operations, the company has consistently pursued the strategy of expanding its activities and providing innovative engineering services to elevate its technical status as one of the research centers and engineering service providers. These services, aimed at developing revenue sources and increasing market share, are currently being carried out by the Research and Development Unit. The provision of specialized technical and engineering services, as part of projects undertaken by regional units of the company, not only generates income and helps capture a larger market share but also introduces the company to the engineering community under the current conditions, and these services are expected to be further developed through in-house training.

The mentioned technical and engineering services, which are currently provided through support for regional managements, are as follows:

A- Slope Stability Analysis, Landslide Studies

The issue of slope instability, both in natural and artificial slopes related to the construction of civil and welfare projects, is of particular concern to project implementers. Regions constantly at risk include highland towns, villages situated on mountain slopes and deep valleys, highways, and railways in mountainous areas, which have the potential for slope instability, leading to annual human casualties and financial losses for the country. Areas located in mountainous regions, especially in earthquake-prone or high-rainfall regions in Iran, are susceptible to landslides. Insufficient attention to this matter results in severe and sometimes irreparable damages. For instance, rockfall occurrences along certain routes lead to annual human and financial losses. Additionally, debris flow or mudflow incidents block some transportation routes and cause damage to technical structures such as bridges and tunnels, disrupting transportation and incurring costs for road authorities. Moreover, industries (factories, power plants, refineries, petrochemical complexes, etc.) and residential buildings (in cities, towns, and villages) in certain regions are also

exposed to potential damages.

Therefore, in the design and implementation of road and railway routes, power and water transmission lines, and their management and maintenance during operation, particularly in mountainous and foothill regions, as well as the location of industrial complexes and urban development, studies on the stability of soil, rock, and deposits are of significant importance. Conducting such studies for critical projects and vital arteries of the country can be crucial in crisis management during natural disasters (such as floods and earthquakes) and contribute to sustainable development.

The technical and engineering services provided in this area, offered by the Research and Development Unit, include the following, depending on the project type:

• Identification of susceptible landslide areas
• Engineering geology studies
• Geophysical studies
• Geotechnical studies (in-situ and laboratory)
• Monitoring of landslide points, data interpretation, and determination of the slide geometry
• Conducting stability and deformation analysis
• Providing stabilization designs

Some of the projects executed in this field include:

B- Seismic Geotechnical Studies

Drawing from the knowledge acquired through past earthquakes that have struck different regions around the globe and through an in-depth exploration of the fundamental and influential elements affecting earthquake intensity, it has been observed that the length, distance, and mechanism of adjacent faults to a construction site significantly affect the structural damage. In major and large-scale projects across the country, due to their importance and the substantial costs involved in their implementation, seismic studies are essential. Moreover, considering the seismicity conditions in Iran, the use of design spectra provided in seismic codes is not recommended for highly significant structures. Therefore, in crucial projects such as hospitals, large bridges, refineries, etc., the design spectra values are determined using the results of geotechnical and geophysical tests, and dynamic analysis of soil layers. The information obtained from seismic studies and the special spectra of the construction site can play a vital role not only in verifying structural designs but also in cost reduction and implementing necessary measures to mitigate earthquake hazards.

The Technical and Geotechnical Laboratory Company, in accordance with Part 2 of Article 60 of the Sixth Development Plan, carries out necessary studies to reduce vulnerability to earthquakes in support of standardizing materials and methods. Through the Research and Development Unit, the company conducts seismic studies, risk analysis, and prepares special spectra for various projects. Furthermore, utilizing the available data in the Technical and Geotechnical Laboratory Company can aid in updating regulations and guidelines in the country and assist in conducting comprehensive studies in urban planning areas, such as urban design projects.

The technical and engineering services provided in this field include the following stages:

• Conducting geotechnical studies
• Conducting geophysical studies
• Identifying active seismic sources
• Plotting earthquake epicenters on the seismic hazard map
• Dynamic analysis of Alluviation
• Calculating the special spectra of the construction site
• Comparing with the design spectra of the code 2800
• Providing the final spectra

The Research and Development Unit, in addition to performing the mentioned studies, also contributes to other provincial centers' studies through organizing classes and workshops. Some of the completed projects in the Research and Development Unit in this area are as follows:

C - Problematic Soils Studies and Ground Rehabilitation Design

Problematic soils are always considered potential hazards to the integrity of structures, facilities, and vital infrastructures. Constructing buildings and facilities on sites with problematic soils, such as collapsible, expansive, or liquefiable soils, without addressing their issues, may lead to failure or loss of functionality for these structures. In such cases, conducting soil rehabilitation operations before project execution becomes necessary and crucial. Given the considerable costs involved in ground rehabilitation, particularly in large-scale projects, selecting the appropriate rehabilitation method, designing it correctly, and supervising its proper implementation directly impact the overall costs and desired performance of the structures during operation, achievable only through precise specialized investigations and engineering experience. Proper ground rehabilitation, especially in significant and critical national projects, not only contributes to sustainable development but also ensures the efficient use of national resources.

Providing technical and engineering services in this area includes the following sub-stages:

• Conducting geotechnical studies
• Performing geophysical investigations
• Carrying out field and laboratory tests to identify problematic soils
• Analyzing the behavior of subsurface layers under loads from structures or earthquakes
• Evaluating strategies to deal with problematic soils and recommending technically and economically viable methods
• Presenting rehabilitation plans and quality control implementation methods

Some of the completed projects in the Research and Development Unit in this field are as follows:

D - Geotechnical Engineering Services in the Form of Geological Strength Index (GSI) Estimation

One of the fundamental challenges in projects executed inside or on rock masses, such as tunnels, roadways, etc., is the variability of ground conditions. One of the most critical factors in calculating the excavation cost is determining the type of soil specified in civil project contracts. To address this, various proposed methods have been presented by researchers that allow predicting the excavatability. The Geological Strength Index (GSI) parameter, introduced and developed in the 1990s as a qualitative method to correlate the Hoek-Brown failure criterion with geological field observations for estimating the geotechnical and deformation properties of rock masses, has been used by the Organization for Planning and Budget in the basic unit price list for the fields of roads, railways, and airport runways since 2017. Proper estimation of this parameter directly affects the excavation cost, which involves significant amounts, especially in major projects such as road construction, railway projects, power and gas transmission lines, and oil projects, preventing the waste of national resources. Since this method has a more solid scientific foundation compared to previous approaches and utilizes a unified and specific pattern, the need for specialized and experienced geological engineers is essential. This company, with the help of these professionals, provides services to various employers in both public and private sectors throughout the country. The Research and Development Unit has launched these services in the past years and provided the necessary training to regional offices, resulting in the preparation of approximately 300 reports in this field by the regional offices in 2022. Currently, the Research and Development Unit acts as an overseer of the service provision and the approver of relevant reports, along with offering workshops for employers and specialists in this field.

Providing technical and engineering services in this area includes the following sub-stages:

• Conducting desk-based geological studies
• Performing field inspections
• Conducting engineering geological surveys, including geological mapping
• Analyzing and interpreting the collected data
• Determining ground classification

E - Other Services

In addition to the above, specialized engineering services are carried out in various projects within the Research and Development Unit, as follows:

• Providing retaining structure designs for urban excavation projects
• Offering specialized analyses (using numerical methods and others) in geotechnical engineering fields.

• Development, Application, and Utilization of Special and Innovative Equipment

The Research and Development Unit aims to develop income resources and increase market share through the strategy of developing technical and engineering services by both utilizing existing equipment and introducing innovative equipment. These activities include the following:

• Collaboration in the establishment and deployment of existing special equipment in the company.
• Introducing innovative equipment for market expansion.
• Collaboration in the procurement of quality equipment by preparing technical specifications.

• Content Creation through Production, Documentation, and Publication of Scientific and Technical Materials

Another activity of the Research and Development Unit is to create scientific and technical content with the goal of enhancing the company's technical capabilities to improve the quality of services and with the strategy of utilizing resources, regulations, standards, up-to-date methods, and knowledge management. This activity is continuously carried out by the Research and Development Unit in the following forms:

• Preparing various technical and engineering guidelines in the company's field of activities.
• Collaboration in the writing, compilation, and translation of technical and engineering books and their publication.
• Guidance and consultation in research projects under specialized subjects, which can be transformed into practical services.
• Collaboration in organizing training courses by preparing content and teaching in in-service courses for employees (internal) and presenting scientific seminars to the technical and engineering community (external).
• Publication of the Geotechnics and Materials Strength quarterly journal.

• Collaboration in the Design and Implementation of Laboratory Information Management System

In line with the implementation of major plans instructed by the relevant ministry and the government's policies regarding e-government development and organizational smartification, as well as with the aim of standardization and establishing a unified procedure for providing desirable and up-to-date technical and engineering services, a Laboratory Information Management System was proposed as one of the organizational plans. Given the extensive geographical scope of Iran, the activities of the Technical and Soil Mechanics Laboratory, and the significant number of real and legal customers seeking technical and engineering services, this company faces a vast amount of data and information on a daily basis. Therefore, in addition to helping preserve, maintain, and retain this information, this system provides integration and standardization of performance, speeds up service delivery, increases efficiency, improves management and service quality, and ultimately enhances customer satisfaction.

Furthermore, this system can be extended to other companies and service providers (both private and governmental) and serve as a foundation for monitoring and controlling the quality of construction across the country, significantly contributing to large-scale development planning.

The Research and Development Unit has been continuously collaborating with programming, support, updating, and system development teams since the implementation of the mentioned plan. The activities include:

• Designing forms for technical reports.
• Developing algorithms and formulating equations.
• Updating and editing tests, standards, and guidelines.
• Editing templates.