DEPARTMENT OF Civil Engineering

a. Remediation of Oil Contaminated Soil

Faculty member: Ms. Nishida A
In addition to the environmental problems, oil reduces the shear strength of soil. Many remedial measures are available, but many of them have practical difficulties and not environmental friendly. Therefore attempts are made to remediate the soil in-situ, using microbubble technique. A design layout of microbubble generated oil contaminated soil remediation setup is prepared using an innovative approach and a working model is developed.

b. Remediation of Heavy Metals Contaminated Soil

Remediation of heavy metals contaminated soil involves chemical treatments have its own side effects. Another method is electro remediation which is applicable only to soils with a high content of clay. Another environmental friendly method is the phytoremediation method. Many plants are not able to take heavy metals. Therefore chemical nano materials are added to the soil. Presently attempts are made to use an environmental friendly nano material which is prepared by biosynthesis.

Faculty member: Ms. Mary Lissy P. N.

The waste water effluents contains various heavy metals, which are a real threat to the environment and public health, because of their toxicity and persistence in the environment. Contamination of water with toxic metal ions (Hg(II), Pb(II), Cr(III), Cr(VI), Ni(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), Ag(I), As(V) and As(III)) is becoming a severe environmental and public health problem. In order to achieve environmental detoxification, various techniques like adsorption, precipitation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis, electrochemical treatments, membrane filtration, evaporation, flotation, oxidation and biosorption processes are extensively used. Among these, adsorption is a conventional but efficient technique to remove toxic metal ions and bacterial pathogens from water.

Performance of the synthesized Alumina- Iron Oxide nanocomposite as an adsorbent in the removal of Cu2+ and Cr (VI) from water has been investigated. The experimental studies revealed that alumina/iron oxide nano composite is less effective in the removal of copper and chromium ions from wastewater hence surface modification with polymer was carried out to improve the adsorption capacity of nanocomposite. Further studies were conducted with Polypyrrole coated Alumina/ Iron-oxide nanocomposite. Effects of pH, adsorbent dosage, and time of contact, initial concentration, and temperature were studied through batch mode adsorption system using PP_Y/Al₂O₃-Fe₂O₃nanocomposite for copper and chromium remediation. It is clearly evident that the adsorption of copper and chromium ions onto PP_Y/Al₂O₃-Fe₂O₃nanocomposite depends on pH. About 99.8 % of copper and 93.12% of chromium ions removal were achieved within 5 minutes with an adsorbent dosage of 0.1g and 0.05g respectively. Hence it can be concluded that PP_Y/Al₂O₃-Fe₂O₃nanocomposite is having high adsorption capacity within a short period of time and can be widely used for the removal of copper and chromium ions from aqueous solution.

a. Developing mesoscale models of reinforced concrete

Faculty member: Mr.Shaji M. Jamal and Mr.Dhileep M

Concrete is a heterogeneous material consisting of coarse aggregate, mortar matrix and interfacial zones. Due tothe highly heterogeneous nature of concrete at smaller levels, modelling of response of concrete members under loadingis a difficult process. It is generallyaccepted that the overall behaviour of concrete can be predicted well by the meso level models. Studies exploring simple procedure for generating a random aggregate structure are done by some of theresearchers using the constitutive model at meso-level. The study reveals the potential of the mesoscopic numericalsimulation using a modified micro truss model to predict the nonlinear response of reinforced concrete structures. Themodified micro truss model correctly predicts the load-deflection behaviour, crack pattern and ultimate load of reinforcedconcrete beams failing under different failure modes. The recent studies present a simple two phasemodel without any micro truss, since the aggregates are distributed randomly. The newly proposed model predicts thecrack pattern; load deflection curve and failure load fairly well for flexure beams and shear beams subjected to three-point loading. Therefore in the proposed study, an attempt will be made to extend the newly developed simple twophase meso scale model to reinforced concrete compression members.

b. Size Effects in Reinforced Concrete Beams

Reinforced Concrete deep beams are very much used in high rise buildings, bridges and infrastructure like water tanks, retaining walls, etc. According to IS-456 (2000), a simply supported beam is classified as a deep beam when the ratio of its effective span L to overall depth D is less than two. Due to geometric proportions the behaviour of RC deep beams is mainly governed by shear strength. But several parameters affect the strength of deep beams which include effective span to depth ratio, concrete strength, size effect etc. In real world, because of size effect, larger beams will fail at a lower stress than a smaller beam made up of same material. Several studies are being conducted to study the size effect on the strength of deep beams. Therefore attempts are made to evaluate the size effect on the strength of reinforced concrete deep beams and propose a new and effective model to find the shear strength of the beam.

a. Steel Fibre reinforced rubcrete

Faculty member: Dr. Sandeep M.S

The ductility of conventional concrete is very less. If structural members can be produced using materials having better ductility they will have better seismic performance. Recent researches have revealed that waste tyre rubber as a partial replacement for aggregates has the potential to improve the ductility of ordinary concrete. The major drawback for using rubcrete (Concrete containing rubber) was the reduction in compressive and flexural strength resulting due to the presence of rubber particles. A new cementitious composite material made by combining fibres and pozzolanic materials like fly ash and metakaolin with rubcrete will help in reducing the undesirable properties of rubcrete to a reasonable level. When such new composite materials with better ductility and lesser density are used for the construction of structural members, the intensity of damage caused by an earthquake can be reasonably reduced.

Moreover, one of the major components of such composite material is made from waste tyres. Its usage will side by side help in reducing one of the non-degradable waste materials which is generated in large quantity every year. Another noteworthy advantage of using these types of new composite material is the reduction in the amount of river sand for the production of concrete. Since rubber particles are used as a partial replacement for aggregates the total amount of river sand required for the construction will be reduced considerably and it also put a way for sustainable construction. Attempts are made to optimize the quantity of rubber without compromising the strength of concrete.

Clay brick manufacturing is a sector which involves a lot of firing processes requiring higher temperature. To maintain this temperature, large amount of fuel in the form of wood, coal, biomass etc. need to be burnt in the kiln causing serious issues of air pollution.  Also, with the increase in the number of industries coming up, large amount of un-disposable waste gets accumulated. If suitable remedies are not adopted for its safe disposal, it may pollute the water bodies through runoff. This project is an effort to reduce the brick firing temperature in the kiln to about 600⁰C thereby reducing the cost of production and making the whole process environmental friendly. This work will put forward a suitable alternative for the safe disposal of industrial debris like quarry dust and glass powder by incorporating them as a partial substitute for river sand which is one of the costly constituent of clay brick and thereby further reducing the cost of production. Experimental results showed higher compressive strength of 21.31 N/mm² when the brick was casted with mix proportion of Cement: Sand: Red earth: Glass Powder: Quarry Dust = 4:1:1:1.5:2.5. The strength measured at temperature 600⁰C met the requirements of the National Standards.

Proposed method for the manufacturing of energy efficient fired clay bricks using industrial derbies introduce an effective means for waste disposal. The clay brick samples fired in the muffle furnace at a reduced temperature of 600⁰C were tested for compressive strength after 3 days of firing which showed that the value ranges from 11N/mm² to 21N/mm². Experimental results inferred that glass powder and quarry dust in the ratio 1.5:2.5 gave higher compressive strength of 21.31 N/mm² with a standard deviation of 1.28. The water absorption of the sample was also checked and the results showed  less than 15% which corresponds to the water absorption of a first class brick.The compressive strength and water absorption results show that these  samples belong to first class bricks category with a class designation of 20 as per IS 1077:1992. These bricks casted with reduced temperature incorporating industrial debris will put forward a new aspect to revolutionize the clay brick manufacturing sector in India and can be used for the construction of external walls and load bearing structures.

Learning through Games is an ancient technique which was used for coaching soldiers for war in those times. But now a day, especially for the new generation kids, attention and making them engaged in the subject is a daunting task for the teachers or faculty. At the same time, mobile games seem to be making them addict irrespective of the theme or the story. Most of the kids like stories and simple game assisted learning make them more interested in the topic. It is seen from studies that, in addition to make them attentive, they will learn more facts and principles, they will retain the information learned, they will acquire more critical thinking and decision making skills, it helps to change their attitude significantly, etc., are some of the advantages of LTG over conventional mode of teaching and learning. Also this is can be a major change in the teaching/learning scenario prevailing for quite a long time.

a. seismic Analysis of Irregular Structures

Faculty member: Mr. Dhileep M

The rationale for using the code provisions for the number of modes to be used for dynamic analysis of irregular building structures using the response spectrum method is examined. The results of this study show that the fundamental mode approach for regular structures and ninety percent modal mass criterion for the number of modes to be considered for the dynamic analysis of irregular structures are not adequate. It is observed that the present criterion results in theunderestimation of shear forces in the top and bottom storey in the numericalexamples considered. An attempt is made to develop a simplified method for theelastic seismic analysis of irregular structures using the ability of the residual modeto approximate the damped periodic part of the response. The residual mode is suitably modified to take the contribution of truncated higher modes other than the first mode. The studies also show that for the pushover analysis of structures the90% modal mass criteria for the number of modes to be considered may not result in correct responses in all the structural members. The developed simplified“dynamic correction” method is extended to the nonlinear pushover analysis of structures. It is observed that in the numerical examples considered, a “dynamic correction” using the modified residual mode method is able to approximate themodal responses of the truncated higher modes other than the first mode.

b.Rigid Response Coefficient for Modal Response Combination of Non-Classically Damped Structures

Faculty members involved: Mr. Dhileep M and Mr. Binol Varghese

Using classical damping for non-classically damped systems like nuclear power plant piping systems supported by stiff structures, coupled building piping or equipment and soil structure interaction system of structures, may lead to inaccurate calculation of responses. In high frequency region of the spectrum modal responses are rigid and combine algebraically irrespective of whether the modes are near or far away. United States NuclearRegulatory Committee, USNRC 1.92, rev3 (2012) recommends the Gupta method for the modal combination of the responses which contains a rigid and damped periodic part. Theempirical expressions for rigid response coefficient are based on a straight-line fit between akey frequency and a rigid frequency which is independent of damping. The modal responsecombination of modal responses of non-classically damped structures involves modalcorrelation coefficients based on relative displacement-based spectrum and relative velocity-based spectrums. All the relevant parameters required for the modal response combination of non-classically damped systems whose response contains a rigid as well as periodic part are expressed in terms of empirical relations based on these earthquakes. The relative velocity-based parameters required for the modal response combination of non-classically damped structures are expressed in terms of relative displacement-basedparameters. Therefore, it is proposed to develop an expression for rigid response coefficients based on the numerical studies using real earthquake ground motions which can be used for different damping ratios for the modal response combination of non-classically damped structures. The corresponding key frequencies and rigid frequencies will be studied in detail.

a. Seismic Analysis of Bridges

Faculty member: Dr. Babu Kurian and Mr. Dhileep M

Analysis of structures under seismic loads and models for accurately predicting thestructural response has become an inevitable research area due to the increased frequency ofground disturbances all over the world. The accurate calculation of the response is verymuch important for structures like bridges, especially with long spans.Seismic building codes specify that the responses can be considered accurate if about 90%of the total structural mass participates in the number of modes considered. The studies conducted on nonlinear analysis of multi-framebridges show that the present codal criteria of 90% structural mass for the number of modesto be considered for the dynamic analysis of bridges is not adequate, especially in longbridges or bridges with high strength. It is also observed that this criterion is not sufficientfor estimating shear key forces, which plays a critical part during an earthquake.A great deal of work is done regarding the contribution of “missing mass” in nuclear pipingand buildings, but the studies in bridges are limited. Further the ability of the present codal provisions for the seismic analysis of stiff members like seismic arrester heavy pier caps…etc has to be investigated. Therefore it is proposed to develop a method to take the effect of “missing mass” due to the truncated modes in long span multi-frame bridges and a methodology to calculate the seismic forces in all parts of the bridge structure including the shear keys, seismic arrestor…etc.

b. A study on the cracks formed in the deck slab of Neelimangalam bridge

Cracks are observed on the deck slab of the Neelimangalam bridge(Location at Ch: 39+709 on Chengannur to Ettumanoor Ch:0+000 to Ch:47+700 of SH-1) after the casting of the slab. Various tests including load test were carried out to study the causes for the formation of cracks. The undersigned conducted a site visit and examined the structure thoroughly. After studying the available expert opinion and analysing the test results of various agencies, it is concluded that the cracks are formed due to drying shrinkage and are non-structural. The cracks formed are thin and shallow and are sealed off.The rebound hammer test and the core tests reveal that the super structure is having adequate compressive strength. This criterion given by IRC SP51:2015, is satisfied during the load tests. The measured deflections from the tests are analysed and it is found that the measured deflection at critical location after applying temperature correction is 3.797mm, which is less than the theoretical deflection (3.952mm) calculated for the bridge under consideration. As per IRC SP51:2015, the measured deflection and strains at critical location of particular structural member shall be equal to or less than the theoretical deflection and strains obtained from the respective designs. This criterion is satisfied for the present case.As per IRC 112 2011, , the limiting values of deflection under live loads for vehicular and pedestrian bridge is Span/1000, ie 15.4mm as calculated for the bridge which is greater than the theoretical and experimentally calculated values of deflection. Considering the above facts, it is recommended to open the bridge for public transport. The bridge is opened, withstand successfully the 2018 floods and used today for daily transport in SH1 without any problems. Further it is observed that the present criterion for temperature correction is not adequate for load tests. Further studies are conducted to develop an alternative criterion for temperature correction.

Faculty members: Ms. Serin Sara Roy and Ms. Remadevi M

This study aims to develop a Geographical Information System (GIS) based tool, as a web application. This will serve the purpose of delivering geographical features and details on the identified black spot, with provisions of updating the locations. This application can be used by governing and administrating authorities to reconsider the remedial actions and developments carried out in a particular location, and to alleviate their road safety interventions effectively.

Kochi and Trivandrum are two cities in Kerala, where the carriageway related development is more prominent. The identification of black spots and the related study in these areas can be effectively revamped and restructured and can be applied to other urban areas also. In this research, a new algorithm/process will be formulated to identify the black spots in urban areas, and effectively present it with more details. This project is to develop a GIS tool. Web application which can be patented and can be provided to transportation administration authorities to improve the locations identified with minimal cost.

Black spots are identified as locations in a roadway where maximum accident density occurs. The lack of area in the state of Kerala, for further developments of road is having an adverse effect on the road safety interventions. The developments carried out in major cities, within these limitations, cause a shift in the black spots, identified prior to developments. In this project, a detailed analysis on the shift in paradigms and practices on carriageway related developments are being studied and how it changes the black spot locations is going to be analysed. Many number of factors like, speed, alignment, curvature, lighting, surface roughness etc., are there, which can be used as pre-deterministic factors for identifying black spot along with accident data. Roads in two major cities in Kerala viz Kochi and Trivandrum are studied and the best available numerical method based on literature survey for identifying accident prone zones will be used, to analyse the black spot in these area. Based on different algorithms and Artificial Neural Network studies, the identified black spots can be correlated with other cities also.

Self Healing Concrete

Faculty member: Ms. Jereena Jawahar

Concrete is the most widely used construction material because of its high compressive strength, relatively low cost, etc. One adverse property of concrete is its sensitivity to crack formation as a consequence of its limited tensile strength. Although the steel reinforcement restricts the crack width, they are mostly not designed to completely prevent crack formation. Cracks can form at any stage of life of a concrete structure and most begin internally where they cannot be seen for years until major repairs are needed. Consequently, maintenance to concrete structures is frequent and costly.

Numerous methods and processes are available for self-healing cracks within damaged concrete. Natural healing occurs when a concrete crack is automatically and naturally blocked without use of a chemical matrix or design. The autonomic healing process is a method that utilizes a ‘specialized design matrix’ of specific man made materials to aid in the healing process. These materials assist in sealing the crack within in an expedited manner. The activated process utilizes a different mechanism, which is previously implemented and placed in the concrete beforehand. Although these methods are reliable and consistent, crack propagation plays a large role on its healing effectiveness.The self-healing microcapsule has self-healing chemicals which has the ability to independently resolve issues such as internal cracking and micro-cracking. When the cracks occur, they initiate imminent path towards structural failure. By filling these voids and cracks with self-healing materials, these structures will have a longer life cycle along with a less likelihood of destruction from unwanted moisture and corrosion wear.

Practical requirements of self-healing concrete material are low cost, passive smart and uniform distribution. A development of a smart concrete material should be directed towards engineering feasibility, high-performance and small-volume applications for engineering practice. Therefore, an effort in this work is to initiate an engineering approach for self-healing cement composite with microcapsules. This study is aimed to develop a new potential healing agent which can effectively heal cracks developed in cementitious materials to ensure safety and prolong lifespan of the structure.

a. Automated Infiltrometer

Faculty Member: Mr. Sunith John David

Infiltration is the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil. The rate of infiltration is affected by soil characteristics including ease of entry, storage capacity, and transmission rate through the soil. The double ring infiltrometer is a widely used method of infiltration test used in many applications such as the design of land drainage pipes, design of sports surfaces, golf courses, isolation layers of the communal wastes, etc.   The measurement of infiltration, especially in hilly areas, was very difficult since the depth of water was measured manually at different intervals of time. The infiltration capacity curve was also plotted manually during early times. In short, the system is highly un-automated and it is highly dependent to the user constant involvement for accurate reading. Therefore a double ring infiltrometer equipped with arduino is developed. The infiltration capacity curve is plotedusing the arduino board.   

b. Studies on Infiltration Models for Different Soils And Groundwater Seepage

Infiltration is treated as one of the important parameter of the hydrological cycle as far as groundwater recharge is concerned. It depends on soil characteristics such as soil texture, hydraulic conductivity, soil structure, vegetation cover, porosity, permeability, degree of saturation etc. Infiltration models are the empirical formulae developed using infiltration concepts which is used to determine the infiltration rate of soil. The research work aims to analyze the different infiltration model analysis using statistical parameters and its impact on groundwater seepage.

Faculty members: Dr.Babu Kurian and Mr. Dhileep M

From ancient times, the traditional architectural practice ‘Vastusastra’ is rigidly followed and practised in many parts of the Indian sub-continent and has a unique position in Indian architecture. In Indian traditional domestic architecture, a hand calculator table and an index number system are used for finding the proportion and orientation of the building. The mathematical and logical background of this traditional practice, which is not known at present, is investigated. The study reveals that there is a strong and complex mathematical background behind this traditional architectural practice.

Faculty members: Dr.Babu Kurian, Mr. Dhileep M and Dr Sandeep M.S

Most of the regions in the state of Kerala are seriously affected by flood that occurred during the month of August 2018. A number of houses in the flood-affected areas are found significantly damaged or destroyed beyond repair. The flood affected the livelihoods of lot of people, especially those belongs to the low income group. A lot of government and non-government agencies offered lot of schemes for the reconstruction of houses for the flood affected people. A framed structure is generally considered to be more effective when compared to a load bearing structure, for the reconstruction of houses in the flood affected area. The framed structure got the advantage of structural integrity when compared to the load bearing structure. The mitigation studies shows that in many of the framed structures the frame remains intact during floods, while the remaining parts got severely damaged or washed away. The failure of load bearing structures is mainly due to settlement. Under these circumstances the authors submitted an initial proposal to develop a suitable structure and to undertake the planning, design and execution of the developed low-cost houses for the benefit of the people who were homeless due to flood to the MuthootM.George Foundation. An amount of Five Lakh rupees is sanctioned for the development and construction of one house having an area of 500 sqft with a maximum project duration 90 days under MuthootAashiyana Scheme of the MuthootM.George Foundation. Till date a total of 13 houses are constructed with a budget of 65 lakhs for the flood affected people.

IOT Based Farming

Faculty member: Ms. Nishida A

Organic agricultural products are getting popular now days. The project aims to develop an app which can give all the details regarding an organic product which is supplied to the market. Various organic farms are visited and details are collected. An IOT based farm model is made with the aim of getting details of organic products from different farms. Sensors are placed and the results are discussed in a whatsapp group. This data is used for machine learning. The aim of this project is to increase the yield and to identify diseases with the help of IOT, Block chain and Machine learning. The work is done in collaboration with other departments in MITS and CTS.

Single Management Systems

Faculty members: Mr. Dhileep M and Mr. Sunith David John

The aim of this project is to develop systems which can be managed by a single person with the help of IT enabled tools and automation. Presently an E-Outlet is designed for banking purpose which can be managed by a single person with the help of IT enabled tools. The theoretical model which includes adequate security measures is developed and in the next stage a prototype will be made in the MITS campus for testing and trials. The concept will be used in future to facilitate automation in construction industry and other sectors.