Recent Advances in Construction Materials: Select Proceedings of Nhce-icems 2024: Vol 1

This book presents assorted articles presented during NHCE-ICEMS 2024 and peer-reviewed by experts from industry and academia. The advances in structural materials with a focus on sustainability, efficiency, enhanced performance, and life cycle analysis are significant for present day infrastructure projects. A shift in the use of traditional construction materials to new generation smart materials gaining focus due to their reduced environmental footprint and contribution towards sustainable development. The chapters presented cover a wide range of structural construction materials and their innovative applications for modern-day infrastructure projects. Structural materials have been evolving in terms of mechanical properties, physical characteristics, and enhanced resistance to deleterious environments. Moreover, the recent trend towards achieving sustainability begins with the use of sustainable structural materials. The book contains several articles pertaining to the use of smart and sustainable materials in various structural applications like concrete, masonry elements, pavements, and the like. Recent advancements in materials go hand in hand with advanced technologies like 3D printing. Sustainable approaches adopted in using material selection using artificial intelligence and their impact on environments are also discussed.

Dr. Katta Venkataramana is currently a professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Surathkal, Mangalore. He obtained his B.E. (Civil) from NIE Mysore, Mysore University, and an M.Eng. in Ocean Civil Engineering from Kagoshima University, Japan, and a Ph.D. from Kyoto University, Japan. His major research interests include structural dynamics, earthquake engineering, offshore structures, and concrete technology in civil engineering applications. Dr. Katta Venkataramana has published more than 200 papers in reputed international journals. He has guided 21 research scholars and received the Research Excellence Award in 2014.

Dr. Akanshu Sharma is working as an associate professor at Lyles School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, Indiana, USA. He obtained M.Tech. from IIT Delhi and Ph.D. from Stuttgart University. From January 2017–September 2021, he worked as an assistant professor at the University of Stuttgart, sponsored by fischerwerke GmbH & Co. KG, Germany, and led the department on Innovative strengthening methods using fastenings. He worked as the head, Department of Fire Safety, Materials Testing Institute, University of Stuttgart, Germany, from March 2020 until December 2020, as a group leader and senior research engineer at the Institute of Construction Materials, University of Stuttgart, Germany, from May 2013–December 2016 and as a scientific officer at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India, from September 2004 to April 2013.

Dr. Shreelaxmi Prashant is currently an associate professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology Manipal, Udupi. She obtained his B.E. (civil) and an M.E in structural engineering from Rajarambapu Institute of Technology, Shivaji University Kolhapur, and Ph.D. from National Institute of Technology Karnataka. Her major research interests include alkali activated concrete (AAC), masonry structures, bond strength of AAC, and durability of AAC in civil engineering applications. Dr. Shreelaxmi Prashanth has published more than 22 papers in respected international journals. She has guided 3 research scholars and guiding 8 research scholars. She is a peer reviewer for several international journals.

Dr. Poornachandra Pandit is currently an associate professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal, Udupi. He obtained his B.E. (civil) from M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology Bengaluru, Visvesvaraya Technological University, and M.Tech. in structural engineering and Ph.D. from National Institute of Technology Karnataka. His major research interests include corrosion of reinforced concrete/prestressed concrete, alkali activated concrete (AAC), FEM modeling  and durability of AAC in civil engineering applications. Dr. Poornachandra Pandit has published more than 26 papers in respected international journals. He has guided 1 research scholar and is guiding 8 research scholars. He is a peer reviewer for several international journals. He is the faculty adviser for the ASCE student chapter in Manipal.