IIT Madras professor receives highest honour by construction materials body

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) professor Ravindra Gettu has been awarded RILEM’s (International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures), the highest recognition of honorary member, today September 25. Ravindra Gettu has previously served as RILEM’s president during 2018-21 and is the only Asian to do so in its 78-year-old history, IIT Madras statement said.

Ravindra Gettu was earlier the vice president and chair technical activities committee of the RILEM, which brings together researchers on construction materials from around the world, the IIT Madras statement added.

Apart from this, professor Ravindra Gettu is the VS Raju Chair professor in the department of civil Engineering at IIT Madras which led the technology development and implementation of ‘Fibre reinforced concrete’ (FRC) in India.

Since the past decade, 500 km of tunnels lined with fibre-reinforced concrete have been built in India with at least 30 laboratories have been sent up for testing FRC. Additionally, over the same period, about 19 million square metres of slabs-on-grade for factories, warehouses, roads, basements and ports also came up in the country, the IIT Madras statement added.

As per the IIT Madras statement, Ravindra Gettu’s vision has been to focus on technology and its implementation in the construction sector by taking on new developments from research and bringing them to practical application for improving quality and sustainability.

Also read IIT Madras Zanzibar plans new courses, shift to permanent campus in 2025

RILEM’s research projects

The current projects being worked on by Ravindra Gettu include textile-reinforced concrete and sustainability assessment of construction, among others. Professor's new projects include – large building construction with precast and prefinished components to improve quality, reduce wastage, increase the lifespan and lower environmental impact, the IIT Madras statement added.

The other areas of research projects are – fracture mechanics of concrete and rock; nonlinear behaviour of cement-based materials; high strength, fibre reinforced and self-compacting concretes; sustainability and the effective use of chemical admixtures, the IIT Madras statement adds.

“Professor's research has been funded by public organizations, as well as the construction industry, helping him focus on applied research and technology transfer. He has co-authored more than 500 publications, of which more than 130 are peer-reviewed journal papers.”

Thanking RILEM for his honour, Ravindra Gettu said: “Pride, Enthusiasm, and Inclusivity – these three words describe my feelings about RILEM. I have had the wonderful opportunity of leading the world’s most significant organization of researchers in construction materials, in a phase of growing global footprint and scope.”