M. PALANIKUMAR, Ph.D., is Associate Professor in Civil Engineering, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore. He has a vast experience in teaching the subjects related to Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering to the undergraduate and postgraduate students of Civil Engineering. He is a life fellow of Indian Geotechnical Society and a life member of Institution of Engineers and Indian Society for Technical Education. An active consultant in geotechnical engineering, he has published/presented several papers in technical journals and conferences.