Impact mechanics & protective structures
Low- and high-velocity impact, terminal ballistics, body armour, helmets, wave propagation and material failure.
Department of Applied Mechanics · IIT Delhi
Prof. Puneet Mahajan
Solid Mechanics HAG
Research in computational solid mechanics, impact mechanics, composite materials, and numerical methods for engineering materials and structures.
Room 250, Block IV
mahajan@am.iitd.ac.in
Research profile
Mechanics, materials and computation
Prof. Mahajan's work spans computational and experimental solid mechanics, with particular emphasis on the response of materials and structures under impact and other demanding loading conditions. Current and recent themes include protective systems, composite materials, wind-turbine blade erosion and repair, porous materials, and advanced numerical modelling.
The group combines mechanics-based modelling with finite element methods, material point methods, experiments and material characterization to address problems with direct engineering relevance.
Research
Selected research themes
Composite materials
Mechanical response, damage, fatigue, interface design and structural applications of fibre-reinforced composites.
Wind-energy structures
Leading-edge erosion, environmental degradation, repair strategies and life prediction for wind-turbine blades.
Snow & porous materials
Microstructure-informed mechanics, large deformation, imaging and numerical modelling of porous solids.
Computational mechanics
Finite element and material point methods for nonlinear solid mechanics, extreme loading and complex material response.
Applications of FEM
Mechanics-based simulation and image-informed modelling for selected biomedical and industrial applications.
Academic profile
Experience and education
IIT Delhi
- Professor2005–Present
- Associate Professor1998–2005
- Assistant Professor1993–1998
- Lecturer1992–1993
Education
- Ph.D., Mechanical EngineeringMontana State University, 1990
- M.E., Mechanical EngineeringDelhi University, 1985
- B.Sc., Mechanical EngineeringDelhi University, 1982
Academic leadership
- TRIPP/MoUD Chair ProfessorIIT Delhi
- Head, Applied Mechanics2018–2020
- Head, Applied Mechanics2014–2016
Publications
Selected recent work
Debonding and surface degradation of protective coatings of wind turbine blades due to fatigue in stochastic rain scenario
N. Kuthe, P. Mahajan, S. Ahmed, L. Mishnaevsky Jr. · Composite Structures
View DOIStatic and fatigue tensile performance of glass/basalt/epoxy hybrid and non-hybrid fiber composites
M. Agrawal, R. T. Durai Prabhakaran, P. Mahajan · Polymer Composites
View DOIExperimental and Numerical Evaluation of Dynamic Response of Novel Armor Grade Steel
V. Singh et al. · Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance
View DOIResearch group
Students, researchers and collaborators
Explore current Ph.D. researchers, alumni, former postdoctoral researchers and project staff associated with the group.