About Author

Mr. Gautam Hasmukh Oza was born on 26th June, 1948. After his first class honours degrees in civil engineering in 1969 from Indian Institute of Technology – Bombay he joined University of Illinois at Champaign – Urbana, U.S.A. and earned his Master’s degree with top grades in 1970.

On his return to India, he joined the well known and one of the largest Professional Organisations of Architects & Engineers in Western India, SMPS Consultants Architects and Engineers, Ahmedabad, in February 1972.

Starting as a Senior Design Engineer, Mr. Oza was a Partner of SMPS Consultants Architects & Engineers

and a Director in SMPS Consultants Private Limited since 1985 till his formal retirement in 2010; now continuing the association as consultant. The firm employing over 60 professionals and technical personnel specialises as “Consultants to Industry” with works in different types of industries and provides comprehensive planning, designs and detailed engineering services. Mr. Gautam H. Oza was responsible for co-ordination between the specialised disciplines such as architecture, civil, structure, electrical and HVAC. He was involved in the projects from conceptual stage to development stage to actual implementation.

During this almost 40 years of Professional Practice, Mr. Gautam H. Oza was involved in structural designs and detailing of R.C. and steel structures of a variety of types; designs of special structures like underground and over head water storage tanks, retaining walls, silos, wagon tipplers, underground tunnels, machine foundations, gantry girders, pipe and cable support bridges, steel stagings, steel chimneys, trusses of different types and profiles, portal frames etc.; designs of different types of foundations such as: isolated spread footings, combined footings, strip footings, raft foundations, piled foundations, wells & caisson foundations etc.

Subsequent to the high intensity “Kutch Earthquake” on 26th January, 2001 several buildings were damaged to varying extents. Mr. Oza led a team of engineers in the “Evaluation & Assessment” of the buildings, particularly the damaged residential buildings. The task being on the spot examinations of the damaged structures and quickly assess the structural stability and suitability for occupying the premises or otherwise; thus helping the dislodged residents back to their homes.

Mr. Gautam H. Oza also worked extensively on several interesting assignments in the highly specialised field of Ports and Harbour Engineering and Water Transportation. He undertook / carried out several Feasibility Studies, Site Selection Studies, Studies Related to Movement of Cargo through Water Transportation, Detailed Project Reports etc. related to Ports and Harbour Engineering and also conceptualised and carried out Detailed Designs of Water-Front Structures.

Mr. Gautam H. Oza has been Additional Adviser to GPSC (Gujarat Public Service Commission) for selection of Professor of Applied Mechanics (A Class-I Post) – the highest level post in Teaching in Engineering. He has been an examiner and paper setter for several years (from 1975 to 1988) for different subjects for the final semester / year examinations leading to Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering for Gujarat University and Saurashtra University. He was a member of Ports and Harbour Sectional Committee BDC 66 of the Bureau of Indian Standards for the Indian Standards codes related to Ports and Harbours. He is a Co-Author of Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering (Book) (2nd Edition) published by Charotar Publishing House Pvt. Ltd., Anand.