LafargeHolcim, a global specialist in building solutions, has partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad with the aim of collaborating on the development of innovative and smart building solutions.
The research project, which will be funded by LafargeHolcim Innovation Centre (LHIC), will focus on the “standardization of smart sensing technology for continuous assessment of internal state and compressive strength of concrete.”
The study will explore smart sensing technology for continuous on-site strength evaluation of a concrete structure that can eventually reduce the time span for the construction of buildings, and also ensure highly accurate real-time strength development.
“Smart construction practices is one of the key business pillars for the LafargeHolcim group. We consistently strive to expand our expertise in smart building solutions through extensive R&D. This transformation can be qualitatively accelerated by involving the ecosystem of talent around the world. Our academic collaboration with IIT Hyderabad brings us closer to our goal of creating a smarter and sustainable future, and we are enthused to synergize with some of the best minds in the country,” said LafargeHolcim India’s CEO Neeraj Akhoury.
IIT Hyderabad’s Professor KVL Subramaniam said: “We are excited to collaborate with one of the leading cement companies globally. We are certain that this research study will give immense exposure to the talent at IIT Hyderabad. Working alongside industry leaders to achieve their goal of creating a technology-backed sustainable future will be an exciting journey for us.”
The two companies are also partnering with the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) to develop green and sustainable building solutions. The collaboration with IITM is financially supported by the LafargeHolcim Innovation Center (LHIC), which focuses on “binder optimization of alternative reinforcements”. This study delves into the optimized use of low CO2 binders combined with alternative reinforcements as potential alternatives to traditional rebar, thereby significantly reducing the CO2 footprint of construction.
