Seismic analysis of multi-storey building with shear walls using ETABS Prem Kumar Vagestan, Manikandan Periyasamy, Sakthimurugan K, M. Poppurla Navaneeth Kumar, L. Venkata Datta Aamogh, Yeturu Shekar, Nagaraju Gari Sneha EPJ Web of Conferences, 2026 A load-bearing wall is a structural component designed to support vertical loads while resisting lateral forces acting parallel to its plane, such as those induced by wind, seismic activity, and earthquakes. These lateral forces can cause deflections, particularly critical in high-rise buildings, as they help prevent structural failure under seismic loads. Shear walls, commonly known as reinforced concrete (RC) structural walls, are crucial in enhancing a building’s resistance to earthquakes by acting as an effective lateral load-resisting system. The characteristics of the walls in a building have a strong influence on the overall structural performance of the building. Hence, a thorough understanding in the behavior of the walls under seismic loading is essential. Operational effectiveness of different structural arrangements such as conventional reinforced concrete (RCC) frames, arrangements using shear walls, arrangements using dampers, and combinations may be different to a significant extent when they are placed in seismic situations. This study examines how the position of shear walls in reinforced concrete constructions effect significant parameters like ground movement, base shear, and foundation forces especially in multi- storey structures. The effect that shear wall arrangement has on seismic behavior of such edifices is analyzed by a response-spectrum analysis which is based on seismic intensity. The analysis is done using the ETABS software with emphasis on the difference in bending moments, shear forces and axial loads, at varying shear -wall positions.
Experimental investigation on mechanical and durability characteristics of metakaolin-based fibre reinforced concrete Manikandan Periysamy, Prem Kumar V, Tamilarasan A, Dharanidharan Selvaraj, Suman Kumar Talapa Reddy, Narasimhulu K Australian Journal of Structural Engineering, 2026 This study investigates the combined effects of metakaolin (MK) and steel fibres (SF) on the mechanical and durability properties of M30-grade concrete. An experimental programme was designed comprising six concrete mixes with varying MK replacement levels (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%) and a constant 1% SF dosage. The experimental results showed that the mix containing 15% MK and 1% SF produced the highest compressive strength at both 7 days (37.06 MPa) and 28 days (58.13 MPa), with increases of 59.7% and 69.9% compared to the conventional M30 mix. Significant improvements were also observed in split tensile and flexural strengths, with increases of 106.1% and 129% at 7 days, and 98.2% and 129% at 28 days, respectively. Durability tests showed a 29.9% reduction in water absorption, a 28.7% decrease in chloride permeability, and a 156.1% increase in electrical resistivity for the optimal mix compared to the control. The UPV results rated the 15% MK + 1% SF mix as ‘Excellent’, with a pulse velocity of 4.781 km/sec. This research highlights that a 15% MK replacement level, combined with 1% SF, offers the best balance of strength and durability, making it a promising approach for enhancing the performance of concrete in construction applications.
Applications of bamboo fiber and bamboo stem ash with styrene butadiene rubber in cement mortar for sustainable structural application Prem Kumar Vagestan, Manikandan Periyasamy, V. Vasugi Scientific Reports, 2025 In several developing countries, rapid population growth has led to a shortage of adequate housing. This issue is further intensified by the overuse of traditional construction materials and the environmental concerns linked to their production, particularly the high levels of carbon dioxide emissions. Consequently, the search for environmentally sustainable alternatives has gained momentum. Bamboo, a traditional building resource, has re-emerged as a promising material due to its potential application in construction. This study explored the replacement of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) in mortar with bamboo stem ash and alkali-treated bamboo fibers. Various mix ratios were developed and analyzed using the Taguchi method, and the results were validated through analysis of variance (ANOVA), microstructural observations, and energy efficiency evaluation. The optimized mixes demonstrated notable improvements compared to conventional mortar, with an increase in compressive strength of up to 98.42%, flexural strength gains of up to 24%, a 21.7% decrease in dry density, and water absorption limited to 1.52%. Important characteristics of mortar mixes reinforced with bamboo fibers, including as compressive strength, flexural strength, water absorption, and dry density, were efficiently evaluated using the Taguchi technique and is recommend for sustainable bamboo reinforced wall panels.
Effect of various nano materials in enhancing the strength, microstructural, mineralogical, and durability properties of geopolymer binder–a comprehensive review Tamilarasan A, Yeswanth Sai T, Manikandan Periyasamy Composite Interfaces, 2025 The growing need for sustainable building materials has resulted in an increased academic and industrial emphasis on geopolymer concrete as a potential alternative to traditional Portland cement systems. However, substantial drawbacks, such as lower compressive strength at early ages, a shorter retention period, high porosity, efflorescence effects, and durability concerns, restrict the widespread use of geopolymer concrete. Recent literature shows the promise of introducing nanoscale additives, such as nano-silica, nano-alumina, nano-clay, carbon nanotubes, and titanium dioxide, in increasing the mechanical strength, microstructural integrity, and long-term functionality of geopolymer binder. This review provides a critical assessment of the role played by these nanomaterials in influencing mechanical properties, hydration kinetics, pore structure refinement, and longevity in the presence of hostile conditions. It focuses on their contribution to microstructure densification, improvement of interfacial bonding properties, and reduction of strength at high temperatures. The experimental findings from the extensive literature established that, with the right levels of nanomaterials, mechanical properties can be significantly enhanced to improve resistance to durability aspects. This review concludes that nanomaterials can improve the engineering performance of geopolymer binder, as well as its sustainability in construction practice, by reducing dependence on Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) and promoting the use of industrial by-products.
Application of Taguchi approach to optimize the waste glass powder in developing eco-friendly ternary blended aluminosilicate matrix N. Subhash Chandran, P. Manikandan, V. Vasugi, S. Narendra Case Studies in Construction Materials, 2024 This study investigated the effects of incorporating varying proportions of waste glass powder (WGP) and fly ash (FA) on the strength characteristics of ternary blended ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) based geopolymer matrix. The examination was conducted to explore the impact of different levels of substitution of WGP (ranging from 25 % to 40 %) and FA (ranging from 20 % to 35 %) in GGBS-based geopolymer concrete under conditions of ambient curing, employing Taguchi L16 optimization. An investigation into the influence of various input parameters on the compressive strength and workability results was carried out through the utilization of analysis of variance (ANOVA). The analysis based on signal to noise ratio (SNR) revealed that the most effective mix composition consisted of 30 % WGP, 20 % FA, 50 % GGBS, and an 8 M NaOH solution, yielding the highest compressive strength value of 48.3 MPa. Additionally, the examination of the microstructure and morphology of the geopolymer fragments was explored by utilizing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in conjunction with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), revealing the creation of a densely packed microstructure for the optimal blend.
Experimental investigation on utilization of substitute building materials in concrete using neural networks Prem Kumar V, Manikandan P, Matasugur Indu, Gutthi Reddy Thanusha, Kesamareddy Mounikareddy, Khodgaad Sameer Basha, Komera Madhusudhan E3s Web of Conferences, 2024 The replacement of cement with sugarcane bagasse ash in concrete is considered due to its rich properties of projecting pozzolanic activity. The availability of aggregates is becoming scarce as a result of the non-renewable characteristic of fine and coarse aggregates. The construction waste end products like demolishing waste also cause the problem of improper disposal. Hence a majority of the construction industries have preferred the usage of construction and demolition (C&D) waste as a replacement for coarse aggregate. Substitution of coarse aggregates by construction and demolition waste and fine aggregates by iron slag ash is considered. The Taguchi method is adopted for the determination of mix combinations. This paper focuses on determining the properties of concrete having pozzolanic properties by replacing the cement with sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA), coarse aggregate with demolished building waste (DBW), and Fine aggregate with iron slag ash (ISA). The experimental investigation proved that SBA, DBW and ISA have a potential sign to be used as an alternative sustainable building material. From the comparative analysis of experimental results with ANN, it is revealed that the concrete show an acceptable prediction of physical and strength properties.
Enhancing the strength properties of concrete using coconut fiber and coconut fiber ash Prem Kumar Vagestan, Manikandan Periyasamy, Prathyusha Pathikonda, Uday Kiran, Seshu Pavan Yadav, Mohammed Zahid, Dhanusree Avula Aip Conference Proceedings, 2024 Concrete is a building material obtained by mixing cement, water and a ratio in an appropriate ratio. As the cost of cement rises day by day, the need for building materials and other essentials to keep up with the growing population is increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of other binding materials which will replace the cement partially or fully. Building rubble, in this case coconut fiber ash, creates pollution in environment. Coconut fiber is collected, moisture content was removed and roasted in an open area. After that, the fiber disintegrates into ash powder. The ash powder is collected and processed with a 150 micron filter. Concrete blocks are poured and aged for 7, 14, and 28 days, using 0, 5, 10, and 15 percent instead of cement ash and adding 3 times the weight of the cement to random carp. The results show that concrete performance decreases with increasing CFA content and compressive strength increases with healing, but decreases with increasing CFA content. The introduction of coir to the cement has notably improved many of the technical properties of concrete in terms of compressive strength, durability and flexibility.
