The following are the broad areas that our group is currently working on:
(i) Design and failure analysis of railway rolling stock: Our group is looking into how track irregularities, bogie design, track layout, operating conditions influence ride quality, rail-wheel contact forces, rail, wheel wear, and vehicle stability. To better understand mechanics at rail-wheel contact a six-degree of freedom rail-wheel simulator is being setup. Our group has also looked extensively into wheel gauge widening from heat dissipated during tread braking.
(ii) Design, fabrication, testing, and evaluation of metal-polymer-metal sandwich panels: A new joining technique has been developed by our group for achieving high interface strength for metal-polymer sandwich panels. We are currently look at effect of sandwich panel geometric parameters, weld parameters, phase properties on strength of the panels and on their formability.
(iii) Mechanics of fluid filled open cell porous elastomeric foams: These foams have applications in superfinishing, vibration isolation, and energy absorption. They are being studied experimentally as well as analytically.
(iv) Machine design: Our group does a lot of in-house design and development for testing equipment (e.g. creep setup, six degree of freedom rail-wheel contact simulator, bi-axial testing setup, etc.) and products relevant for rural development and sustainability (e.g. peanut desheller, electric three-wheeler).
(v) Friction stir welding and processing
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Detecting and classifying multiple track defects using clustering algorithm by Vishwakarma A., Dasgupta A. , Racherla V. Engineering Structures 334 120197- (2025)
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Investigation of derailment and wheel wear in a BEML metro coach under different operating conditions by Singh S.K., Das A.K., Singh S.R., Racherla V. Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering 46 - (2024)
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Influence of SiC interlayer on mechanical and electrical joint characteristics of Cu-Al-Cu sandwich spot welds obtained using a new friction processing technique by Maity D., Racherla V. Journal of Materials Processing Technology 337 118737- (2025)
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Melting phenomenon in Cu-Al joining using a novel friction processing technique: A molecular dynamics study by Maity D., Jha R.K., Mandal S., Racherla V. Materials Today Communications 42 111354- (2025)
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Analytical estimates for deformation behavior of fluid-filled elastomers with random microstructures by Singh V., Racherla V. International Journal of Non-Linear Mechanics 159 1-10 (2024)
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Delamination free forming of novel high interface strength metal-polymer laminates by Naik R.K., Panda S.K., Racherla V. Thin-Walled Structures 205 112416- (2024)
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Detection of Rail Fastener Assembly Defects Using Axle-Box Acceleration by Vishwakarma A., Singh . K., Racherla V. , Dasgupta A. Journal of Vibration Engineering & Technologies 1-21 (2024)
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Effect of SiC interlayer on microstructure and joint strength of Cu-Al welds obtained using a new friction processing method by Maity D., Racherla V. CIRP Journal of Manufacturing Science and Technology 52 73-85 (2024)
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Improvement in Mechanical and Corrosion Properties of Laser and electron Beam Welded AISI 304 Stainless Steel Joints by Laser Shock Peening by Chattopadhyay A., Sarkar S., Muvvala G., Ramadas H., Racherla V., Nath A.K. Lasers in Manufacturing and Materials Processing 11 946-983 (2024)
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Improving surface finish and wear resistance of electroless nickel plating using flexible abrasive tool by Kumar M., Sidpara A. M., Racherla V. Wear 546-547 205326- (2024)
Principal Investigator
- Design and Analysis of a Modular Orthotropic Weighbridge TULSI WEIGH SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD.
- Design and Development of an Automated Machine for Repairing Railway Turnouts CEMFIS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
- Health monitoring of weighbridges TULSI WEIGH SOLUTIONS PVT. LTD.
- National Initiative for Design Innovation MHRD
- Optimal Use of Friction Modifiers Through Machine Learning for Improved Safety and Reduced Running Costs in Metro Trains IIT KHARAGPUR AI4ICPS I HUB FOUNDATION
Co-Principal Investigator
- Centre of Excellence on Energy Aware Urban Infrastructure Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
- Te-Mobix: Safe and Degradation Controlled Batteries with Efficient Charging for Tropical e-Mobility Excellence Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)
Ph. D. Students
Anish Kumar Sarkar
Area of Research: Wire arc additive manufacturing
Desai Jayram Shivajirao Sangeeta
Area of Research:
Sayan Das
Area of Research: Plastic deformation of metals
Shreedhar Sahoo
Area of Research:
MS Students
Akshay Kumar
Area of Research: Slot die coating machine design and development