Recent Developments in Structural Engineering, Volume 5

Dr. Manmohan Dass Goel completed his Bachelor of Engineering from Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering, Nagpur. He was awarded three gold medals by Nagpur University for academic excellence. He completed M.Tech. in offshore engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, Mumbai in year 2003. His Ph.D. is from Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and University of Federal Armed Forces, Munich, Germany, under German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Sandwich Fellowship in year 2013. He was awarded Surendranath Mukherjee Memorial Medal for best research paper by Institution of Engineers (India) in year 2009. He has been selected Young Ambassador by German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD) for consecutively for two years. His doctoral thesis has been awarded as the best thesis by the Indian National Academy of Engineering under "Innovative Student Project Award 2013" at doctoral level in Civil Engineering discipline. He has been awarded “CSIR Young Scientist Awards-2014” in Engineering Sciences by CSIR. He is recipient of “Young Engineer Award” from Institution of Engineers (India) in 2014. He has been nominated as “DAAD Research Ambassador” by German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD). He is also recipient of “Young Associate”, Maharashtra Academy of Sciences, Maharashtra in year 2015. His paper has been awarded IGS-HEICO Biennial Award- 2017 by Indian Geotechnical Society (IGS), India as a best paper on “Rock Mechanics” published in Indian Geotechnical Journal through Indian Geotechnical Society (IGS). He has been interviewed by Rajya Sabha TV under popular science program “Eureka” in recognition of contribution to the R&D in Engineering Sciences. He has been Senate Member of ACSIR (Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research) CSIR, Delhi. Currently, he is serving as Associate Professor, Department of Applied Mechanics, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT), Nagpur. Prior to this, he served CSIR-AMPRI Bhopal and CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) Nagpur, India as Scientist. He has more than 150 international and national journal/conference publications to his credit. His areas of research interest include blast analysis, blast resistant structures, lightweight materials, composite structures, low, medium, and high strain rate material characterization and computational mechanics. He is looking forward to contributing to the broader areas of structural protection systems used against blast and impact loading. Dr. Rahul Biswas is Assistant Professor in the Applied Mechanics Department at Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) Nagpur. He holds a distinguished academic background, having completed M.Tech and Ph.D. in structural engineering from the esteemed NIT Patna. Dr. Biswas's primary research interests center around concrete technology and the utilization of sustainable materials in concrete. Additionally, he is actively involved in exploring the application of machine learning in the field of structural engineering. His research has contributed significantly to the scholarly community, with publications in international journals, national journals, and presentations at various conferences. In recognition of his expertise, Dr. Biswas serves as Academic Editor for two reputable journals. His editorial role reflects a commitment to maintaining high standards in academic publications and fostering advancements in civil engineering. Furthermore, Dr. Biswas actively engages in the peer-review process, contributing as Reviewer for various international journals. Dr. Rahul Biswas's dedication extends beyond research and editorial responsibilities; he is a lifetime member of the Indian Concrete Institute (ICI). As Assistant Professor at VNIT Nagpur, Dr. Biswas plays a pivotal role in shaping the academic landscape, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to the applied mechanics department, and contributing to the broader scientific community. Dr. Sonal Dhanvijay is Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Mechanics at VNIT Nagpur. Her academic journey commenced at VNIT Nagpur, where she earned her B.E. in 2010. Seeking to expand her horizons, she pursued higher education at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore, culminating in the successful completion of her doctoral studies. Following her academic achievements, Dr. Dhanvijay transitioned to the industry, working as a software designer for mechanical testing equipment at ITW India Pvt Limited, BiSS Division, Bangalore, from 2019 to 2020. In 2020, she returned to academia and assumed the role of Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Mechanics at VNIT Nagpur. Dr. Dhanvijay's research interests encompass experimental structural dynamics, random vibration analysis, and hybrid simulation. Her commitment to advancing knowledge in these areas is evident through her active involvement in research projects and workshops. She has conducted a SERB-sponsored High-end workshop (KARYASHALA) on introduction to random vibrations and structural reliability and is currently engaged in a project titled "Real-Time Hybrid Simulation using Shake Table system," sponsored by SERB. Recognized for her academic excellence, Dr. Dhanvijay was awarded the IASSAR Scholarship, enabling her attendance at the 12th International Conference on Structural Safety and Reliability (ICOSSAR 2017) held at TU Wein, Vienna, Austria. Furthermore, she is a life member of the Association for Consulting Civil Engineers and the Indian Concrete Institute, showcasing her commitment to professional organizations in her field.