Dr. P. Pravin Kumar Venkat Rao, Assistant Professor, Earthquake Engineering Research Centre (EERC), IIIT Hyderabad, delivered a guest lecture on “Strengthening Masonry, Redefining Resilience: Innovative Composite Systems” for diploma (polytechnic) students. The lecture was organized by the Department of Civil Engineering, Government Polytechnic, Nagpur, Maharashtra, on 10 September.

The lecture focused on the seismic vulnerability of masonry structures, contemporary strengthening techniques, and innovative composite systems for enhancing structural resilience. A key objective of the session was to emphasize the importance of understanding construction materials and their behavior as a fundamental aspect of civil engineering education and practice. Particular emphasis was placed on masonry, a widely used construction material whose mechanical behavior, failure mechanisms, and seismic vulnerability often receive limited attention in conventional civil engineering curricula and design-oriented courses.

The session aimed to bridge this knowledge gap by introducing students to the behavior of masonry under seismic actions and the principles of earthquake-resistant design and structural retrofitting, thereby encouraging a deeper understanding of materials, structural performance, and resilient construction practices.

September 2026