Research Interests and Expertise
- Application of structural geology on stability of slopes, underground openings and mineralization.
- Experimental studies of strength and deformational responses of anisotropic rocks and its application to prediction of strength and defomational responses of rock masses.
- Experimental evaluation of coupled hydro-thermo-mechanical properties of rocks and its application to nuclear waste repositories and geothermal energy.
Structural Geology
- Geological field mapping in lower Himalayas, analysis of fold system near thrust systems, analysis of enechelone/sigmoidal vein systems and their relationship with main principal stress direction in a thrust zone, analysis of joint systems in regional scale
- Analogue modeling techniques in structural geology, hot orogeny and strain partitioning in crustal zone using vice models; http://basalt.geology.utoronto.ca/tectonicslab/Vice.html
Rock Mechanics and Rock Physics
- Field mapping and investigation of discontinuities to determine/evaluate rock mass parameters and engineering classification of rock masses
- Numerical modeling of underground tunnels and caverns
- Laboratory and experimental approach to quantify the strength and deformational properties of anisotropic rocks; development of anisotropic failure criteria
- Characterization of micro structural fabrics and their influences on fracture toughness/roughness anisotropy
- Characterization of fracture damage zone under tensile and shear stress regimes
- Acoustic emission activity and seismic wave velocity measurements in rocks under mode I failure of rocks
- Laboratory observation of pre to post brittle failure of rocks: acoustic emission and transport properties of thermally treated rock specimens
- Physico-mechanical and seismic responses of carbonates rocks under hydrostatic and deviatoric stresses
Future Research Plans
- Fluid flow measurements in rocks under true triaxial testing environment: measurements of axial and lateral permeability under various principal stresses and foliation plane directions
- Application of engineering seismology techniques to evaluate the strength and deformational behavior of jointed rock specimens under triaxial and true triaxial testing set up
- Hydro-fracturing experiments under true triaxial set up
- Evaluation of fracture toughness index under confinement in true triaxial set up