Overview

Hilti India Private Limited, through its flagship knowledge platform Seismic Academy, convened its fifth Annual Conference on 28 October 2026 in New Delhi. The conference, themed “Seismic Strengthening: From Shake to Safe,” gathered national and international experts to discuss structural strengthening, retrofitting, evolving standards and multi‑hazard resilience for India’s built environment.

Core Programme

The two‑day programme comprised technical sessions on seismic damage assessment, India’s seismic zonation, retrofit strategy selection, fire‑performance improvement and the use of advanced high‑performance materials. Real‑world retrofit case studies illustrated practical application of strengthening solutions. An expert panel addressed assessment, policy, design and execution, while the Rising Engineers Competition provided a platform for emerging professionals and researchers.

Publications Launched

Hilti India launched two technical guidebooks during the event:

1. Seismic Academy Retrofitting Book – “Seismic Assessment and Fortification Essentials (SAFE)”

2. IAStructE Post‑Installed Rebar Guidebook

Both publications aim to bridge research, standards and field practice.

Key Speakers and Remarks

  • Mr. Jayant Kumar, General Manager & Managing Director, Hilti India, stated that India’s infrastructure ambitions require not only new construction but also safe, responsible strengthening of existing structures, emphasizing early assessment and appropriate strengthening strategies.
  • Dr. Venkatesh R. Kodur, University Distinguished Professor, Centre on Structural Fire Engineering and Diagnostics, Michigan State University, highlighted that seismic strengthening must be evaluated alongside fire‑resilience, as materials and systems introduced for earthquakes affect concrete behaviour under elevated temperatures.
  • Dr. Andreas Lampropoulos presented the potential of advanced high‑performance materials in structural retrofitting.
  • Dr. Harshavardhan Subbarao, Chairman & Managing Director, Construma Consultancy and President, International Association for Bridge and Structural Engineering (IABSE), stressed the need to balance structural behaviour, safety, constructability and long‑term performance across bridges, buildings and critical infrastructure.
  • Prof. Sriman Kumar Bhattacharyya, Vice‑Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University Chennai and former Director, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, emphasized that effective strengthening begins with a thorough understanding of a structure’s history and that research must be translated into routine engineering practice.
  • Mr. Pulkit Kukreja, Vice President – Engineering, Hilti India, closed the conference by urging sustained collaboration among academia, industry, professional bodies and policymakers to accelerate safer and more resilient engineering practices.

Hilti Group Context

Established in 2019, Hilti’s Seismic Academy has grown into a platform connecting government bodies, academia and industry through journals, webinars, research collaborations, capacity‑building workshops and the annual conference. The Hilti Group, a privately‑owned global construction‑tools provider, reported annual sales of more than CHF 6.4 billion in 2024 and employs about 33,000 team members in over 120 countries.

Significance

The conference reinforced the Academy’s focus on converting awareness of seismic strengthening into informed action, building technical capability across the engineering ecosystem, and promoting multi‑hazard‑resilient design for existing structures.