History
Since May 26, 1918, that Georgia re-established the statehood it was necessary to prepare national staffs for building of independent country. The issue of founding a Polytechnic faculty at the State University on the assignment of the Univerity Board was developed by the commission which included: I.Javakhishvili, A.Razmadze, A.Didebulidze and A.Javakhishvili. By decision of the same council a special commission was established under the chairmanship of prof. A.Didebulidze to develop the faculty structure and teaching plans. In the working process of the commission there were participating the representatives of Univerity and Georgian Technical society.: A.Razmadze, N.Muskhelishvili, G.Nikoladze, A.Benashvili, I.Tulashvili, A.Kharadze, B.Chichinadze, L.Diasamidze, G.Kurdiani, I.Vatsadze, M.Gedevanishvili, G.Tsulukidze, V.Kakabadze, I.Kipshidze. The project submitted by commission was approved by the University Board on 30 December, 1921. On January 16, 1922 the first session of the Polytechnic Faculty was held, which was led by the initiator and founder of the Polytechnic Faculty, professor I.Javakhishvili, where the first dean of the faculty, Prof. A.Didebulidze, was elected and Iv.Tulashvili as a secretary (deputy). The faculty consisted of three departments: construction, electromechanical, mining. The construction department was presented in three specialties: architecture, road and hydro technical. From that point of time it begins a heroic epoch and as a result construction department turned into the foundation home of the highest polytechnical education of Georgia. The Polytechnic Faculty began functioning from February 1922. Thare were 40 students for that time. The core of teaching staff was represented by Georgian specialists working in Georgia or invited from Russia. Different departments (mathematics, physics, chemistry, etc.) were served to create Georgian engineering home. At that time, it was especially difficult to conduct lectures in Georgian in special disciplines, as the majority of lecturers had educational knowledge in a foreign language, and thus there was no scientific terminology. That’s why the University’s leadership and leading representatives of society (N.Nikoladze and others) have decided to solve this problem in a short time. As a result of hard work they were able to recruit faculty with those staff of the professors who were able to carry out engineering disciplines in Georgian and simultaneously they published work paper “Technical Terminology”. In the following years, work on terminology was recognized as a state significance task and its development was duty of state-scientific council. The Georgian scientific-technical terminology was headed by: Iv.Javakhishvili, G.Nikoladze and other figures who have left indelible marks in science. The foloowing people are mentioned by generations of engineer-builders with gratitude: A.Razmadze, G.Nikoladze, A.Benashvili, I.Moseshvili, N.Muskhelishvili, A.Kharadze, G.Mukhadze, I.Tulashvili, G.Chubinishvili, I.Esman, N.Gvaramadze, G.Grynewski, L.Diasamidze, A.Kalgin, M.Machavariani, Al.Chiqovani, B.Chichinadze, P.Kheltuflishvili, G.Kurdiani, A.Gulisashvili, G.Amirejibi, G.Senizhensky and others. These are the people who have been subjected to gravity and responsibility for the beginning of the great work, which is called the creation and formation of the Georgian engineering school. In that epoch, our country’s farm was experiencing acute shortage of engineering and technical staff. A wide spectrum of society aware of the case was waiting for the first Georgian engineering school staffs. After six years founding of the faculty, a great Ilia’s dream was fulfilled about the training of engineering staffs in Georgia. In 1928 the diploma project defense was held, this was the first time in the history of the High School of Georgia. Among ten thoroughly trained engineers who successfully completed diploma works, only two were builders. The first national defenses of diploma projects were public, many interested persons were attended, and the process became a true holiday. This fact had a great historical significance. Since this event, the founders of the Georgian engineering school clearly demonstrated that it was possible to prepare special technical qualification specialists in Georgian language. Professor G.Tsulukidze, impressed with this story, said to Georgia: “1928 can be considered as a remarkable date as for Georgian techniques as well as future cultural life of the whole country. Happened what some years ago was only dream, and even after the opening of the polytechnic faculty, lots of people thought it was a suspicious deal. Among the national minorities of the former Russian Empire, we are the first in the whole Soviet Union, who have been able to use this great opportunity. The Polytechnical faculty was separated from Tbilisi State University in 1928 and the Polytechnic Institute of Georgia was founded at the base of it. Soon already existing Russian Polytechnic Institute incorporated into it. The construction department existed in Russian Polytechnic Institute was transformed into a construction faculty with Georgian and Russian sectors. Professor K.Zavryev served as the dean of the faculty. In 1930 due to separation of sectorial Institute from Polytechnic Institute on the basis of the Faculty of Construction was founded Construction – Engineering Institute of Georgia and in parallel with there was established – Railway Engineering Institute of Transcaucasus as the second spicenter of training construction engineers. In 1930s, there was conducted enlargement of sectorial institutes: Georgian Industrial Institute was founded on the basis of the Construcion and Electro-mechanical institutes, which was reorganized into Transcaucasus industrial Institite in a short time, and after 1936 – again into Industrial Institute of Georgia. From 1947 it was named Polytechnic Institute of Georgia. In 1959 the Faculty of Construction was further expanded as a result of affilation of Railway Engineering Institute with the Polytechnical Institute of Georgia. It was already preparing: architects, engineers and engineers-builders for industrial and civil constructions, engineer-hydro technicians, engineers-building plumbers, auto-road construction engineers.
In 1960s, two specialties were opened on the basis of new requirements: ,,Heat and gas supply and Ventilation” (1963) and “Production of Construction products and structures” (1967). From which the first one trained construction engineers in the field of heat and gas supply and ventilation, while the second – construction engineering techmologists for such important fields of building industry, as the production of concrete and reinforced concrete built-up structures is.
Intensive growth process caused necessity of separation of faculty of architecture from the construction faculty in 1969 and afterwards in 1971 the faculties of hydrotechnic and plumbing. As a result of fundamental changes, only two specialities remained at the faculty of construction: “Industrial and Civil Construction” and “Production of construction products and structures”. To which in 1976 was added engineering-pedagogica specialty “Construction”, for training engineer-teachers for construction disciplines of specialized secondary schools and vocational technical school.
In 2000 the chair of the new N122 “technical diagnostics and technical expertise of building” was created. The main direction of this department is research, diagnostics and technical expertise, which is very relevant today and is needed for our country and especially for Tbilisi. The faculty of construction prepared over 150000 thousand specialists at day, evening and absent teaching departments in its existence. At various times the faculty was headed by the following deans: G.Mukhadze, Sh.Tsotadze, P.Uridia, D.Dolidze, A.Kakushadze, K.Andghuladze, N.Danelia, G.Ninua, L.Gvelesiani, M.Adeishvili, R.Imedadze, G.Laghundaridze, Z.Gedenidze. Deputy of dean were: D.Megrelishvili, B.Dolidze, G.Kipiani, B.Togonidze, A.Berishvili, N.Motsonelidze, D.Kereselidze, N.Kutateladze, S.Vakhtangadze, N.Kuchaidze, G.Japaridze, A.Beraia, V.Javakhishvili, G.Makharadze, G.Lagundaridze, G.Iosebashvili, M. Dekanosidze.Currently dean of the faculty is Professor D.Gurgenidze, and Dean’s Deputies are: I.Kadaria and N.Murghulia. Dean’s position of Faculties of Hydraulics and Plumbing seperated from construction faculty was held: I.Amaghlobeli, N.Motsonelidze, T.Ambroladze, V.Chkhaidze, Z.Danelia, L.Ghogheliani. But the following were served as deputy of dean: M.Lomidze, I.Kadaria, T.Ambroladze. The graduates of the construction faculty are productive both in Georgia and abroad. Many of them were: A reputable scientist, head of the new building, project bureaus and scientific-research organizations. There were designed and built many civilian, industrial, communal housing and buildings, hydro-technical and transport facilities abroad by graduates of the Faculty of Construction.Most of the students and professor-teachers of the faculty participated in military operations during World War II. They have made a significant contribution for the defeat of the terrible enemy of humanity. Among the graduates of this faculty there were the heroes of the Soviet Union: Professor and chair of the department I. Tsitsihvili; famous engineer-builders K. Ukleba and T. Japaridze; Marshal of engineer military of the Soviet Union, deputy of Defense Minister A. Gelovani. At the time on national movement on January 5, 1990 Georgian Technical University was founded on the basis of Georgian Polytechnical Institute, professor G. Chogovadze was elected as its first rector and Prof. R. Imedadze as Dean of the Faculty of Construction. Graduate of the same faculty, head of GTU-Methodological Division, Business Promotion Center, Water Resources Protection, Government-Advisory Council of Rational Use, member of the United Nations Organization Development Program Committee, Chairman of the Dissertation Board of the Faculty of Construction, vice Rector of the University, professor Levan Klimiashvili has a great contribution to development of scientific-practical working. Professor D.Gurgenidze is currently leading the Faculty of Construction of Georgian Technical University, who continues the faculty traditions honourably.
Faculty today
There are over 2500 students at the Faculty of Construction. Each year, 600 students are enrolled at the Faculty Course I, who will be distributed from the course III in the 9 departments of faculty. These departments are:
1.Civil and Industrial Construction Department;
The department mainly works in the following directions:
a) Building construction designing of civil and industrial buildings;
b) Municipal farm and construction;
2. Department of production technology of Civil and Industrial Construction and Building Materials;
The department mainly works in the following directions:
a) Management of construction production;
b) Construction materials and products.
3. Department of Engineering Mechanic and Construction Technical Expertise.
The department mainly works in the following directions:
a) Theoretical mechanics;
b) Material durability and elastigity theory;
c) Construction mechanics and seismic resistance of buildings;
d) Buildings diagnostics and technical expertise;
4. Department of Hydroengineering:
The main directions of the Department’s work are:
a) Hydrotechnical construction of river buildings;
b) Construction and management of hydro power plants;
c) Construction of marine ports and cocentine shelf facilities;
d) Agrolery, hydrotherapy.
5.Department of water supply, wastewater, thermal power supply and buildings engineering equipment.
The department mainly works in the following directions:
a) Water supply, sewerage, rational use and protection of water resources;
b) Engineering equipping of buildings;
c) Thermal power supply and ventilation.
6. Road Department;
Field of wirk of department involves the following directions:
a) Railway construction, railways and a warehouse;
b) Construction of motor roads and aerodromes;
c) Bridges and transport tunnels.
7. Department of Computer Design of Construction;
The main direction of this department is:
a) Computer design systems in construction
8. Department of Construction Economics and Management;
The department mainly works in the following directions:
a) Department of Construction Management and Economics;
b) Construction economics and management;
9. Construction machinery department.
Main direction:
Calculation of construction machinery, designing, exploitation. These departments are headed by the Faculty Council and its chairman, dean, proffessor David Gurgenidze. The Departments of Construction Faculty consist of 283 employees, including 55 Doctors of Technology and Professor, 53 Associate Professors, 25 Assistant Professors, 10 Senior Teachers, 3 Laboratory Administrators, 14 Engineer-Technical Workers. Besides the main staff, eleven professor-specialists invited from the construction and project institutes are involved in the education sphere of the builders. In the past, the state-examination commission functioning at the faculty for the formation of highly qualified engineers staff was responsible for the defense of diploma projects. Famous specialists headed the State Examinations Commission at different times: G.Mukhadze, D.Demetradze, M.Gulua, G.Vashakidze, B.Lortkipanidze, T.Gegelia, V.Nijaradze, V.Chkhaidze, A.Targamadze, D.Shavishvili, I.Andriadze, T.Manjgaladze, O.Kvitsaridze, G.Okujava, O.Tukhareli, O.Kanchaveli, G.Mebuke, T.Bokeria, R.Topuria, I.Urushadze, D.Gurgenidze. Currently existing construction and manufacturing organizations in Georgia, the design institutions, the research and scientific institutions are almost entirely staffed by the graduates of the Faculty of Construction. Among them there are many eminent scientists and engineers. It should be emphasized that the absolute majority of scientific-pedagogical staff of the Construction faculty of the Technical University has completed above denoted faculty and they are prepared for scientific work at this faculty. At the faculty there is a powerful scientific-pedagogical collective, which, along with the providing of construction by engineering staff of the country, successfully participates in the solution of the issues of scientific and economic development of the country. As a result of the faculty scientific research work has been developed: generalization of Vlasov-Kandrovich’s method for tiles calculation;Theory of calculation of arched dams; Seismic resistance of spatial systems; Issues of improvement of methods of constructions account of industrial and civil construction structures; Objectives of the creation and experimental examination of new rational construction structures, taking into consideration their reliability and prolongation requirements; Determination of labor reserves in Georgia conditions and economic assessment; Continuous organization of reinforced concrete arrangements on energy facilities using conveyor equipment; Study of ground building properties in the territory of Georgia; Numerical solution of some experimental tasks of laying foundations on weak grounds; The heart rate integrity schemes of the tower and the numerical solution of some of the mathematical physics of their use; By using of heavy concrete properties (superplastics) and receipt of high strength concrete; achievement of light concrete water resistance properties by using of complex additives: small and non-conventional concrete survey using local raw material and production waste and many more. Implementation and realization of the results of experimental and scientific-theoretical studies has brought significant success to the Georgian economy. At the faculty there is created the Dissertation Board where the dissertations are protected in the following specialties: construction structures, building materials and products, construction mechanics, computer calculation methods, construction expertise and more. The rich tradition of technical literature output in Georgian language is a clear proof of the effectiveness and quality of training of teaching staff. It should be noted that the first textbook was created in Georgian language in the University of Tbilisi at the time of existance of the Polytechnic Faculty. It was ,,Short course of material; resistance” by A.Chiqovani. In the following years, the famous scientists and teachers were great contributors for creation of the first textbooks in Georgian language: G.Andronikashvili, G.Mukhadze, G.Omadze, D.Mshvenieradze and many others. The construction faculty of the Technical University of Georgia makes a special contribution to the preparation of building staffs in the educational sphere of Georgia. The confirmation of this is that proffessors of the construction faculty R. Imedadze and N. Mefarishvili are members of Accreditation Center for Higher Education Reforms existing with the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. Recently, the faculty is working on creation of manuals and supporting textbooks according to specialties. Theoretical mechanics, materials resistance, building technology, diagnostics of building-structures and construction structures and other directions are especially distinguished in this regard.
It is particularly noteworthy the caring of faculty leadership to improve the laboratory base. As a result of hard work, there are three modern laboratories where laboratory works are performed. Recently, a teaching-scientific laboratory was exploited which is equipped with modern equipments where bachelor’s and master’s students work.
Construction of hydro-technical laboratory will soon begin with the existing project which will be in compliance with modern world standards The faculty focused on transferring process according to modern demand of scientific knowledge. It primarily means the arrangement of specialized audiences equipped with the latest technical equipment. Currently existing technical and educational audiences carry famous scientists and public figures name: prof. J.Bakhtadze, prof. M.Mikeladze, prof. L.Gvelesiani, Prof. G.Kartsivadze, Prof. A.Razmadze, Prof. D.Dolidze, Prof. N.Danelia, Prof. N.Motsonelidze, Prof. Z.Gedenidze, Prof. L.Diasamidze, Prof. A.Zedgenidze, prof. A.Chanturia, prof. M.Todua, prof. N.Roinishvili. The library of the Faculty of Construction equipped with modern standard is very important, where all conditions are established for students and professors. It is possible to say that the library of construction faculty of Georgian Technical University is standing next to the world famous university libraries. The Faculty of Construction of Georgian Technical University is well aware of the tasks facing the future of the country. That is why it is improving curriculum, programs and teaching methods by faculty staff. The systemic approach to learning processes stimulates the increasing of organizational-methodological level, enhances students’ worldview, moral and esthetic forms in the teaching process. More and more broadly, especially in the course plan, students use modern computer techniques. It is noteworthy the correct way directed to scientific work and automation systems teaching process. Quality Assurance Service was established at the faculty in 2006. It was initially led by Professor R. Imedadze. Since 2009 until now, this service is led by professor M.Javakhishvili. The service continues to work vigorously to improve the development of new modern training programs of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs.During the development of training programs, European and world achievements of modern teaching have been taken into account, making it even more effective in the preparation level of students, masters and doctoral students.It is paid great attention to the students’ scientific work, which is an integral part of the learning process. The students having scientific research special interests are involved in it who are significant part of the students’ entire contingent. Students of the Faculty of Construction achieve significant results in the Annual Scientific-Technical Conference of the Technical University. Scientific works of MA and PhD students are dedicated to actual problems of construction. The work on them is conducted by the faculty professors and teachers. Artistic self-creativity collectives of faculty students do not give leadership positions that have success in different events. The faculty always had excellent sportsmen who have been dignified in the name of our university and country. At the faculty there are studying representatives of different ethnic origins. Among them about 40 students are foreigners. They participate in many exciting joint events and have variety creative ties with each other. Student self-government of this faculty is actively involved in studying, cultural and sports activities. The faculty has many successful students whose studies are funded by the Georgian state.