In a significant breakthrough for India's engineering and infrastructure sectors, a team of researchers has unveiled a simple web-based tool that can calculate the tensile strength of rocks within seconds. This development promises to revolutionize how construction projects assess foundational materials, replacing a traditional laboratory process that typically takes three to five days.
A Collaborative Effort for Practical Solutions
The innovative research, published in a prestigious Elsevier international journal, is the result of a joint effort by experts from several premier Indian institutions. The team combined knowledge from the department of geology at Lucknow University, the Geohazards and Georesources Laboratory at Jawaharlal Nehru University's School of Environmental Sciences, and the department of geology at Banaras Hindu University. The project received crucial funding from the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and the Council of Science and Technology, Uttar Pradesh.
Accurately determining rock strength is a fundamental step in planning and constructing major infrastructure like roads, tunnels, dams, and bridges. Until now, engineers have primarily relied on the Brazilian Tensile Strength (BTS) test. However, this method is costly, time-intensive, and requires perfectly shaped rock samples, which are often difficult to procure from hilly or weathered terrains common in many parts of India.
How the New AI-Powered Tool Works
To overcome these practical hurdles, the research team, led by Rajesh Singh, assistant professor at Lucknow University's geology department, sought a method usable directly at project sites. The new tool estimates rock strength using three simple field measurements:
- Rock density
- Point load index
- Schmidt hammer rebound number (which indicates surface hardness)
The researchers analyzed 122 rock samples encompassing sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic types. They compared two computational approaches: a traditional Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) and an advanced AI-based Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). The results clearly showed that the ANFIS model delivered far more accurate predictions.
Boosting Infrastructure Development and Safety
The primary goal of this project was to move research from academic papers into the hands of practitioners. "Our aim was to take this research beyond academic papers," explained Professor Singh. "With these tools, anyone can estimate rock strength by entering just three values. This approach can save significant time and money while strongly supporting safe and efficient infrastructure development across the country."
The launch of this web-based tensile strength estimator marks a major step forward for India's construction and planning industries. By providing rapid, reliable, and on-site assessments, it empowers engineers to make faster, data-driven decisions, potentially reducing project delays and enhancing the structural safety of vital national infrastructure.
