Research and expertise
As a doctoral researcher in the Structures and Materials group, my research area is the development and characterization of high performance concrete mixes for 3D printing applications.
I have acquired skills and knowledge in various aspects of material testing, such as fresh and hardened properties, rheological behaviour, and acoustic emission monitoring. I have also developed methods and models for designing and optimizing 3D printable concrete mixes using simple tools and techniques.
My research interest lies in harnessing the potential of 3D printing technology to create innovative and sustainable structures with enhanced performance and durability. I aim to achieve this by incorporating waste products and recycled materials into the 3D printable concrete mixes, thereby reducing the environmental impact and improving the circular economy of the construction industry.
Current research activity
- Design and performance of high volume - low carbon printing materials for 3DCP and hybrid manufacturing processes
- Design of 3D printable concrete with coarse aggregates
- Analysing the fresh and hardened properties of the 3D printable concrete
Recent publications
- Giridhar, G., Prem, P.R. and Kumar, S., 2023. Development of concrete mixes for 3D printing using simple tools and techniques. Sādhanā, 48(1), p.16.
- Giridhar, G., Prem, P.R. and Jiao, D., 2023. Effect of varying shear rates at different resting times on the rheology of 3D printable concrete. Materials Today: Proceedings.
- Ravichandran, D., Giridhar, G., kumar Ramamurthy, V. and Prem, P.R., 2023. Influence of test protocol on determining the rheological properties of cement pastes mixtures for concrete 3D printing. Materials Today: Proceedings.
Profile
I joined ߲Ƶ as a doctoral researcher in 2023, under the supervision of Professor Richard Buswell, Dr Ana Blanco and Dr John (Temitope) Kolawole. My research project aims to design and evaluate high volume - low carbon printing materials for 3D concrete printing and hybrid manufacturing processes. I am interested in exploring the potential of 3D printing technology to create innovative and sustainable structures with enhanced performance and durability. I am also keen to collaborate with other researchers and stakeholders in this field.
I have a strong academic background in civil engineering, having completed my bachelor’s degree at APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University, Kerala, India.
During my undergraduate studies, I developed an interest in structural design and analysis, and participated in various projects and competitions related to this field. I also gained exposure to different software tools, such as STAAD Pro, AutoCAD, Primavera, and Quantity Take-Off.
I pursued my master’s degree in structural and construction engineering from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. My master’s dissertation focused on designing ultra high performance concrete mixes for 3D printing applications, using simple tools and techniques. I also studied the rheological, mechanical, and acoustic emission properties of the 3D printable concrete mixes. I published two research papers based on my dissertation work in reputed journals.
I gained teaching experience as an assistant for engineering mechanics and design of structures courses at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. I was responsible for coordinating and delivering the course modules, conducting examinations, and evaluating the students’ performance. I enjoyed interacting with the students and helping them to learn the concepts and applications of civil engineering.
I have acquired practical skills as an intern for design and drafting engineering at MASQUARE Engineering Services and also for Creative Structures. I worked on various projects involving structural design, analysis, and detailing of residential and commercial buildings. I learned how to use different software tools, such as Abaqus, Rheocompass, and Origin Pro, for design and simulation purposes. I have experience in industry standards and practices of civil engineering.
Professional affiliations
- Student Chapter, Indian Society of Civil Engineers, India
Awards
- Secured 3rd rank in the university for master’s degree in structural and construction engineering from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
- Received a scholarship for two years of Master’s studies for scoring high grades in the entrance examination and maintaining academic excellence throughout
External activities
- Assisted in the prepation and execution of the ISO Audit at CSIR-SERC, India, by assisting the documentation and organisation process (June 2023)
- Presented a paper titled Surface Water Quality Assessment Of Keno Reach Of Klamath River Using Pca-Entropy Model in the HYDRO-2020, 25th International Conference on Hydraulics, Water Resources, and Coastal Engineering (March 2021)
- Participated in International Symposium on Water Sustainability: Challenges, Technologies & Opportunities (IWSS2021), organized by Amrita Vishwa Vidhyapeetham and the India Water Partnership (March 2021)
- Completed one week short term training programme on Finite Element Analysis Using Abaqus, organized by the Malla Reddy Engineering College, in collaboration with AICTE (March 2021)
- Participated in 3D Modelling In Fusion 360 workshop, at Shaastra 2021, IIT Madras (March 2021)
- Rapid Visual Screening of Building Survey under Post-flooding Rehabilitation Programme, Kerala (Volunteering work August 2018)
Key collaborators
My research and enterprise activities are conducted with a range of academic and stakeholder partners, including:
- Professor Richard Buswell, Professor of Building Systems Engineering, Hybrid Concrete Printing Group lead, ߲Ƶ
- Dr Ana Blanco, Senior Lecturer in Infrastructure Engineering, ߲Ƶ
- Dr John (Temitope) Kolawole, EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellow, Research Associate in 3D Concrete Printing, ߲Ƶ