September 26, 2024: WAPDA’s Central Material Testing Laboratory (CMTL) has successfully launched Pakistan’s largest triaxial machine, designed for geotechnical testing of rock foundations for major dam and hydropower projects. The machine was made operational through collaboration between WAPDA’s Technical Services Division and the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Lahore.
To commemorate this milestone, WAPDA Chairman, Engr Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd), and UET Vice Chancellor, Prof. Dr. Shahid Munir, visited the facility, accompanied by senior officials from WAPDA and UET. They toured the rock mechanics, soil mechanics, and cement and concrete labs, reviewing the advanced testing capabilities now available.
Chairman Ghani praised the partnership with UET, emphasizing WAPDA’s commitment to upgrading and digitalizing testing equipment. He noted that these improvements will eliminate the need for sending material samples abroad for testing, thus enhancing Pakistan’s internal capacity for mega projects.
The Vice Chancellor underscored the importance of industry-academia collaboration, and both leaders discussed initiatives such as establishing a WAPDA Chair at UET and introducing specialized courses for WAPDA professionals.
