Lanka Hydraulic Institute firmly establishes worldwide footprint
Lanka Hydraulic Institute Ltd (LHI), a leading Sri Lankan engineering consultancy firm, has been extending its hydrology expertise for 35 years in the coastal and water sector with more than 400 consultancy projects completed worldwide, senior officials of the institute said.
LHI has completed 26 major projects including 2D physical modeling for coastal protection ventures worldwide during the fiscal year 2018/19; they said.
The institute has been in the frontier of consultancy services in the engineering sector providing solutions for complex coastal and environmental issues/ projects worldwide.
LHI was established in 1984 by the conversion of the Coastal Engineering Research Centre (CERC) of the Coast Conservation Department into a Public Limited Liability Company in accordance with a Cabinet decision, Chairman of the company Dr. Ranjith Galappatti revealed.
He noted that hydrodynamic model testing is used extensively in hybrid and composite modeling, in which physical models work interactively or combined with numerical models and informatics systems.
“This provides customers with ground-breaking solutions. Accurate and up-to-date equipment are available in-house, and our equipment is tested by experts regularly,” he added.
LHI’s comprehensive model testing facilities serve customers and projects within port, coastal, hydraulic and offshore engineering.
Model testing has been conducted for the past two decades for different clients from all over the world, he pointed out adding that physical modeling covers a wide range of testing for most of the coastal engineering applications.
It includes Breakwater Stability Testing, Harbour Disturbance Modeling and Ship Movement Modelling, etc, he explained.
A significant feature is that all projects are handled inhouse using Sri Lanka expertise, LHI CEO Janaka Kurukulasuriya, a former Urban Development Authority (UDA) Chairman, told the Business Times.
All its processes are streamlined, quality assured, and in accordance with ISO 9001:2008. LHI’s services are relied upon by a number of international clients in Algeria, Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Brunei, Eritrea, France, India, Iran, the Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Senegal, South Korea, and the UAE, he said.
Senior Engineering Manager, Dr. Sanjeewa Wickramaratne told the Business Times that the 2D and 3D testing have been carried out for all harbours in Sri Lanka where artificial armour (concrete blocks in place of rock) has been used.
In addition, LHI has undertaken detailed field investigations and measurements in coastal and riverine systems, he disclosed.
He said that LHI has carried out a comprehensive numerical model study for RahfalHuhuraa Resort Development in Maldives for different monsoon conditions and layouts in order to obtain design wave parameters, sea currents and max/min water levels on behalf of CDE Consultants, Maldives.
The institute has completed a successful 3D basin modelling campaign to test the structural integrity of proposed sea link that connect Bandra and Worli in India.
Providing the consultancy services for 2D and 3D Physical Model Studies for four Fishery Harbours at Dibba, Mahout, Kumzar, and Rakhyute in Oman is one of the key projects done for the middle-east, disclosed.