About the author: dr. R. Vaidyanathan, visiting professor of civil engineering, mepco schlenk engineering college, sivakasi was formerly principal of government college of engineering, tirunelveli, tamil nadu. He has been teaching civil engineering for over four decades. After his retirement from government service, he served in various capacities such as advisor, principal and director in private colleges and has now chosen to revert to civil engineering as visiting professor. He graduated from a.c. College of engineering and technology in 1959 and took his masters degree in structural engineering from college of engineering, guindy where he was also teaching. He did his doctorate in the area of shell structures for iit, chennai in the early seventies. Dr. R. Vaidyanathan, has published several technical papers, organized technical seminars and continuing education programmes, guided u.g. And master projects and produced three ph. Ds. He has been a consultant on diverse civil engineer