With growing economy, India is also witnessing the growth of education sector. However, Indian construction industry is not so convinced about the job-readiness of the graduates. There is an urgent need that Indian Construction Industries and Academia come together and address some of the underlying challenges.

Structural health monitoring and conditions assessment are essential components for safe and sustained operations of buildings and bridges. One of the most reliable techniques for this purpose is Kalman filter-based recursive algorithm. Although it was initially developed for tracking problems, it has been extensively used for inverse problems too. For this purpose, the model proposed by Kalman is augmented with unknown parameters, i.e., extended Kalman filter (EKF). The non-linear state-space model is linearized around the latest estimated state using a first-order Taylor series approximation. However, estimating the Jacobian matrix for linearization is a complex process that often generates erroneous results. Thus, a sigma point-based Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) is developed. However, the optimal performance of the identification algorithm depends on the nature of the input. In this context, the constrained minimum variance unbiased (CMVU) algorithm is more robust for simultaneous parameter and input identification. It is inherently capable of identifying hysteretic nonlinearity often exhibited by reinforced concrete structures and characterized either by phenomenological model [e.g., Bouc-Wen Bounded Input and Bounded Output (BIBO) property] at the macro-level or by material models at the micro-level. Besides different non-linear models, the sigma point generation scheme (viz. unscented transformed points, cubature quadrature points, and quasi-Monte Carlo points) also plays a vital role in the convergence and accuracy of the tracking algorithm. In general, these options have been extensively tested in different applications, which enforce the reliability of these algorithms. Civil infrastructures experience material degradation due to aging/weathering besides damages during natural calamities like earthquakes. Hence, the Kalman filter or its improved versions are often adopted for system identification and condition assessment of buildings and bridges. This presentation discusses the potential of Kalman or allied filters for identifying nonlinearities encountered in Civil engineering. It also highlights the advantages/disadvantages of this filtering algorithm along with future avenues for further development.

Waste management through upcycling is a promising means to drive sustainability in the urban built environment. Open burning and landfilling of biomass waste induce several negative environmental impacts, including leaching of toxic pollutants and emission of harmful gases. Processing of biomass waste to make biochar, and then utilizing it as a building material can contribute towards improved waste management, which will also “close the loop” between waste recycling and construction industry. The lecture will discuss the performance of biochar as a supplementary admixture in cement-based building materials. Specifically, the talk will focus on how the porosity, particle size and other key physical properties influence fresh state properties and improve hydration, mechanical and durability performance of cementitious composites. Carbon sequestration of biochar-cement would be discussed as a potential means of developing low-carbon building materials. This strategy can be a promising means to sequester carbon in concrete, promote local circular economy and reduce the demand for landfilling.

The concept of negative aerodynamic damping is adopted in Vickery and Basu method, widely recommended for predicting response of circular structures to vortex shedding. As an alternate approach, by using only structural damping, and by suitably reducing the bandwidth of the generalized lift spectrum, with a parameter called, “fact”, the author earlier suggested a closed-form equation for computing normalized across-wind response. It was successfully validated using several wind tunnel and full-scale chimney data from the literature. A modified form of conventional Scruton number was suggested which proved more useful for the prediction, for RC and steel chimneys. This paper discusses salient features of the author’s method including the similarity and contrasting behavior between the parameter, “fact” and the ratio of the aerodynamic coefficients, (ka/kao) in Vickery and Basu’s method. In this paper, few additional circular cylinder/chimney test data from literature are used which validate the potential of the proposed method.

The talk will discuss the different aspects and steps involved in the development of sustainable building products. Close coordination needed by Scientists and Technologists in developing sustainable building products will be deliberated. The development of a sustainable building product from ab initio by the scientists and technologists will be examined in detail as a case study.

Role of Civil Engineering in Emerging Economies with focus on Construction Management issues, challenges and opportunity with Quality Assurance while using advance materials and techniques. Also discussing financial prospects of construction for young Civil Engineer

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is one of the most common causes of concrete degradation globally. The structure and mechanical property of the ASR product is fundamental to the multiscale modeling of concrete behavior over the long term under ASR attack. Despite decades' study, these information are still widely unclear. Recently, using Synchrotron-Radiation based methods, e.g. X-ray absorption spectroscope and X-ray diffraction, we provide new insights into this problem.

Trillions of dollars are spent around the world to repair or rehabilitate concrete structures which have deteriorated due to metallic rebar corrosion. Fibre-reinforced polymer rebars have become an attractive replacement for steel rebars. The popularity of GFRP rebars is on the rise, particularly in applications where corrosion-resistant is a significant concern. FRP rebar has been used as internal reinforcement with great success for over thirty years. FRP rebars have been used to construct over 350 bridges across Canada and 90 in the United States. FRP rebar comprises two elements: a fibre (usually carbon, glass, aramid, or basalt) and a matrix resin (polyester, epoxy, or vinyl ester). The role of the matrix resin is to hold together, protect, and transfer the load between the fibres. This presentation will highlight the history and development of FRP rebars, their mechanical properties and design issues. It will also focus on recent research developments at IIT Hyderabad and around the world to tackle the challenges on the use of GFRP rebars as internal reinforcement.

The indenting Indian Plate collided with Eurasian Plate and formed the youngest and loftiest mountain chain known as the Himalayas. This collision and convergence resulted in crustal shortening and accommodation along major tectonic boundaries like the South Tibetan Detachment System (STDS), Main Central thrust (MCT), Main Boundary Thrust (MBT), and Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT). Continued Northward convergence of the Indian Plate and its under plating beneath the Eurasian Plate gives rise to high seismic activity in the region. It can be grouped under Zone V of the seismic zonation map of India. The occurrence of strong (6 < Mw < 7), major (7 < Mw < 8), and great (Mw + 8) earthquakes are common in the Himalayan region with the 1897 Assam-Shillong (Mw 8.2-8.3), the 1905 Kangra (Mw – 7.8), the 1934 Bihar-Nepal (Mw – 8.4), the 1950 Assam (Mw 8.5-8.7) has ruptured Himalayan regions. These earthquakes led to ground shaking and are responsible for structural damages and ground failures around the epicentral region. Himalaya also offers a panorama of building technology that evolved through human civilization. It started with stone houses, an adaption, and innovation with a “stone-only” environment to incorporate wood structures. Initially, stone houses had a placement in flat stones one over another with less mortar. The placement of flat stones comes basically from the structural ability of the building structure. Initially, when they made the stone walls, the roofs have been light. Later, the rooftops started with a heavy slate roof upon half logs. The load of the heavy insulating roofs was placed upon the lower frame with room to roll on it, where the load's motion dissipated. Rigidly connecting limitations have always been avoided. Instead, an integrated platform at the top supported the loose weight through beams, which have taken care of stress building due to even a little movement. The structural joints in the wood structure were also designed without the lockdown by nails. A combination of decoupled elements, flexibility, and judicious stiffening has been used to produce an elegant example of intuitive engineering design. In some of the buildings, the layered roof provided insulation, and its weight stabilizes the masonry wall with a central column anchoring the entire structural system. Houses often have irregular placement of beam compared to the systematic idealization. Many ridge beam fits into the grove. The top of this column holds the central roof ridge beam in a complex groove cut to fit both the logs and the ridge beam. The movable joints allow the tolerance for both weather shrinkages and expansion of wood and movements due to ground shaking (earthquakes). Using the motion of individual structural elements to fight ground motion is the crucial element for earthquake-resilient building structures. The buildings and houses that survived many centuries of weather and earthquakes testify to the clarity of thoughts and the mastery of materials available then. This mastery is a dying art with very few practitioners remaining, and therefore there is a need to document the Vernacular practices and adaption in the modern-day building skills.