Specialization

Structural Engineering (Structural Health Monitoring)

Email

dattar.aulakh@thapar.edu

Contact: 9464129781

Biography:

Dr. Dattar Singh Aulakh is serving as an Assistant Professor (Research) in the Department of Civil Engineering at Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology. Dr. Dattar obtained his Ph.D. degree in Structural Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in March 2024. He obtained his master's in structural engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in 2018. After his Ph.D., he worked as a Research Associate at IIT Roorkee, with a focus on multimodal data fusion for integrated monitoring of structures and on seismic-resilient systems using sustainable materials.

Dr. Aulakh’s research interests cover vibration-based SHM, development of sensing solutions, statistical data fusion, numerical model updating, long-term performance and durability of advanced materials, seismic-resilient sustainable structural systems, and fiber-reinforced cementitious composites.

Research Interests:

• Structural Health Monitoring
• Non-destructive evaluation of structures
• Vibration based monitoring
• Fiber reinforced cementitious composites
• Sensing solutions for SHM

Education:

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Structural Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi-March 2024.
• M.Tech in Structural Engineering at Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee-2018.
• B.Tech in Civil Engineering at Punjab Technical University, 2015.

Experience:

• Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala (July 2025– present)
• Research Associate, Civil Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (April 2024 – June 2025)

Award/Honors:

• Seal of Excellence in Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowship 2024
• CSIR- International Travel award for attending 10th European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring, Italy.
• Research Excellence Travel Award (RETA) to attend an international conference by IIT Delhi.
• First prize in Transtech Blitz at Young Researchers Conclave 2023 at CSIR-CRRI.
• Registration Waiver Award from SPIE Smart Structures + Non-destructive Evaluation, 2021, Los Angeles, USA
• Merit Cum Means Scholarship by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India.

Reviewer for Scientific Journals:

• Engineering structures
• Measurement
• Mechanical systems and signal processing
• Smart materials and structures
• Journal of Structural Design and Construction Practice

Journal Publications:

• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2021), 3D Torsional Experimental Strain Modal Analysis for Structural Health Monitoring using Piezoelectric Sensors, Measurement, Volume 180, 2021, 109476,
• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2022),  Performance Evaluation Of Piezo Sensors With Respect to Accelerometers for 3D Modal Analysis of Structures, Smart Material and Structures Volume 31, 095043
• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2023), Piezo Sensor Based Strain Modal Flexibility for Multiple Damage Detection using Output Only Structural Identification, Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, Volume 180, 110272
• Aulakh, D. S. and Negi, P., (2023), Flexural Performance of Hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Ultrahigh-Performance Concrete with Locally Available Materials. Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, 28(4).
• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2024), Piezo Sensor Based Operational Strain Modal Analysis of Structures: Transition From Lab To Field Application. Measurement, Volume 239, 115398.

Conference Publications:

• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2021), Piezo Sensor-based Strain Modal Analysis for SHM, Proceedings of International conference on Futuristic Technologies, IIT Delhi, Delhi, New India.
• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2022), Piezoelectric Sensor-based 3D Modal Analysis Under Shaker Derived Random Excitations, Proc. SPIE Smart Structures + Non-Destructive Evaluation 2022, 12047, 1204714, USA
• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2020), Alternate Strain Based-modal Analysis Using Piezosensors, Proc. SPIE Smart Structures + Non-Destructive Evaluation 2020, 1138011, USA.
• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2022), Non-bonded piezo sensor configuration for strain modal analysis based SHM", Proc. SPIE SPIE Smart Structures + Non-Destructive Evaluation 2022, 1204812, USA.
• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2022), Piezo Sensors Based Operational Strain Modal Analysis for SHM. European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring. EWSHM 2022. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 253. Springer, Italy.
• Gupta, A., Rawat, D., Aulakh, D. S., and Bhalla, S. (2023), Reusable Miniature Piezo-magnetic Sensor for Rapid Application of Electro-mechanical Impedance Technique on Steel Structures, Eurodyn 2023, Journal of Physics.: Conference. Series., 2647 252026, Netherlands.
• Aulakh, D. S. and Bhalla, S., (2023), Operational Strain Modal Analysis of a Pedestrian Footover Bridge Using Piezo Sensors, UNIfied Conference of DAMAS, IncoME and TEPEN Conferences 2023, England.
• Sagar, C. Aulakh, D. S., Sharma, U. K. (2025), Machine learning-based framework for corrosion monitoring of reinforced concrete structures considering carbonation and cast-in-chlorides. International Conference on Condition Assessment and Retrofitting of Structures (CARRS).