The Department of Civil Engineering, UET Lahore, successfully hosted an insightful seminar on “Engineering Judgment on Risk of Repeated Slope Failure in Future after Gigantic Rainfall-Induced Disaster in Izu Oshima Volcanic Island, Tokyo” on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. The lecture was delivered by the distinguished geotechnical expert Prof. Dr. Ikuo Towhata from Japan.
Prof. Towhata, who holds Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Tokyo, shared his extensive research and professional experience with faculty members, students, and alumni. His illustrious career includes service at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver), the Asian Institute of Technology (Bangkok), the Public Works Research Institute (Japan), and the University of Tokyo, where he now serves as Professor Emeritus. He has been recognized with numerous awards and honors from international engineering societies for his contributions to geotechnical engineering.
During the session, Prof. Towhata discussed advanced approaches for understanding geotechnical earthquake behavior and the early warning mechanisms for rainfall-induced landslides. His talk provided valuable insights into assessing future risks of slope failures, particularly in the context of extreme rainfall events such as the disaster experienced in Izu Oshima Volcanic Island.
The seminar, held in the Transportation Seminar Hall at 11:00 AM, was part of CED’s ongoing efforts to enhance the academic and professional capacity of its students and faculty. The event was well attended, reflecting the strong interest of the CED community in contemporary geotechnical challenges and global research trends.
