(Swarnajayanti Fellowship, DST, 2017-2021)

Summary: This project aims to provide a new insight of the complex and transient rheological phenomena, that facilitates the rheological-transition, and to recognize the critical geological factors that control the catastrophic rupture dynamics, fluid flow and resultant physical properties. The hypothesis to be tested is “the plate-interface slip-mechanisms are functions of several parameters, which are multiply-connected, naturally-tuned and operate in micro-scale.

(Pan IIT-ONGC Research Grant, 2018-2021)

Summary: This proposal is designed to explore and quantify the enhanced CH4 (Unconventional Energy Resource, UER) recovery from Indian coal-basins and gas-rich-shale and tight-sediment reservoirs by studying the stress induced micro-mechanisms to maximize the gas flow under complex Thermal-Hydrological-Mechanical environment coupled with CO2 injection.

(IIT Kanpur Research Grant, 2017-2019)

Summary: This special grant has been received to developing a high pressure temperature experimental deformation laboratory in IIT Kanpur. The grant would support and strengthen the Swarnajayanti Research Grant and Pan IIT ONGC projects.

(Early Career Research Award, DST-SERB, 2017-2020)

Summary: The Himalaya, being one of the most dynamic regions on the Earth, display several geological features including variety of faults. Most the faults in Himalaya, exposed at various sections along the strike of the orogeny, are predicted to be active and have potential in generating earthquakes M > 4 or represent signature of past earthquakes. This project with consider three sets of faults exposed in Himalaya, from west to east, with an aim to develop a data set for frictional sliding and explore the strain response to the release of stress in the context of rate-and-state friction laws.

Rheology and tectono-metamorphic evolution of East Himalayan (Nagalanad, Manipur and Andaman Islands) ophiolite sequence and associated rocks

(Initiation Grant, IIT Kanpur, 2016-2018)

Summary: This research proposal aims to study the mechanical and thermal evolution of the Indo-Burma ophiolite bearing suture zone, a geological feature that preserves the history of the colliding Indian plate with Eurasia. The ophiolites exposed in this region are transported as nappe over the Paleogene flyschoid sediments and represent a significant shear displacement. The study area will cover mostly Nagaland, Manipur and Andaman Islands. The key questions in this proposal are mostly related to the sequence of thermo-mechanical conditions during and after the collision with a special focus on grain scale localization processes.

Earthquake Commission (EQC), New Zealand

Summary: The project developed a data set for frictional sliding of Wellington fault rocks to explore the strain response to the release of stress in the context of rate-and- state friction laws. To quantitatively understand the conditions under which strain localization occurs and its effects on rock strength, constitutive equations must capture the sets of conditions for which deformation is both stable and unstable. A series of mechanical tests were performed to quantify the rheology and frictional properties of rocks sampled from the principle slip and damage zones in the Wellington Fault. The tests aimed to quantify the constitutive framework of the stress-induced deformation mechanisms in controlling the deformation of asperities and their contacts in semi-brittle fault-zone flow.

GNS Science Internal

Summary: The proposal was developed to upgrade the Rock and Soil Mechanics laboratory in GNS Science, New Zealand. Apart from the implementation of an upgraded data capture and processing capability for all laboratory equipment as part of the Capital Expenditure, specific rock mechanics testing apparatus has been either installed (e.g. stiff load frame, high pressure and temperature triaxial cell). The PI was in charge of these upgrades. Development of these facilities and experimental set ups, including aspects such as measurement of seismic velocities (P and S waves), permeability promoted establishment of intra-GNS collaborations, particularly with geothermal, volcanology and petroleum research teams.

Swiss National Fond (SNF)

Summary: Projects 1-4 ran either simultaneously of in sequence with a continuity of a previous one. The primary aim of these projects was to study the link between deformation and metamorphism in the quartz-muscovite system at different conditions with reference to the KASH system. We have observed that the rate and amount of partial melt generation and growth of new minerals (K-feldspar, sillimanite and biotite) during torsion experiments are 1.7 times higher than in static experiments. The goal was to run deformation and static experiments (open and closed systems) in the andalusite and kyanite fields and redefine the phase diagram with an added parameter: Deformation. The projects also characterized the in- situ pore pressure increase during high strain torsion as a function of shear heating and mechanical weakening.

Swiss National Fond (SNF) (Extension of 7)

Summary: Projects 1-4 ran either simultaneously of in sequence with a continuity of a previous one. The primary aim of these projects was to study the link between deformation and metamorphism in the quartz-muscovite system at different conditions with reference to the KASH system. We have observed that the rate and amount of partial melt generation and growth of new minerals (K-feldspar, sillimanite and biotite) during torsion experiments are 1.7 times higher than in static experiments. The goal was to run deformation and static experiments (open and closed systems) in the andalusite and kyanite fields and redefine the phase diagram with an added parameter: Deformation. The projects also characterized the in- situ pore pressure increase during high strain torsion as a function of shear heating and mechanical weakening.

ETH Internal Research Grant

Summary: Projects 1-4 ran either simultaneously of in sequence with a continuity of a previous one. The primary aim of these projects was to study the link between deformation and metamorphism in the quartz-muscovite system at different conditions with reference to the KASH system. We have observed that the rate and amount of partial melt generation and growth of new minerals (K-feldspar, sillimanite and biotite) during torsion experiments are 1.7 times higher than in static experiments. The goal was to run deformation and static experiments (open and closed systems) in the andalusite and kyanite fields and redefine the phase diagram with an added parameter: Deformation. The projects also characterized the in- situ pore pressure increase during high strain torsion as a function of shear heating and mechanical weakening.

Swiss National Fond (SNF)

Summary: Projects 1-4 ran either simultaneously of in sequence with a continuity of a previous one. The primary aim of these projects was to study the link between deformation and metamorphism in the quartz-muscovite system at different conditions with reference to the KASH system. We have observed that the rate and amount of partial melt generation and growth of new minerals (K-feldspar, sillimanite and biotite) during torsion experiments are 1.7 times higher than in static experiments. The goal was to run deformation and static experiments (open and closed systems) in the andalusite and kyanite fields and redefine the phase diagram with an added parameter: Deformation. The projects also characterized the in- situ pore pressure increase during high strain torsion as a function of shear heating and mechanical weakening.