Effect of Silica Fume and Fly Ash on Strength Development of High Strength Concrete
High-strength concrete (HSC) is increasingly used in modern infrastructure due to its superior mechanical performance and durability. However, low water–binder ratios often reduce workability and affect durability. This study examines the influence of partial replacement of cement with silica fume and fly ash on the strength development and durability characteristics of high-strength concrete. M60 grade concrete was produced using Ordinary Portland Cement, with silica fume and fly ash added in equal proportions as supplementary cementitious materials. Cement replacement levels of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% were considered. Fresh concrete properties were evaluated using slump and compaction factor tests, while hardened concrete performance was assessed through compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength, water absorption, sorptivity, and acid resistance tests. Results indicate that workability decreases with increasing replacement levels due to the high fineness of silica fume and fly ash. Mechanical strength properties improved significantly up to an optimum replacement level of 10%, beyond which strength reduced due to cement dilution. Durability tests showed a slight increase in water absorption and sorptivity at higher replacement levels, while acid resistance improved marginally at lower replacement levels. Overall, a combined replacement level of 10% silica fume and fly ash provides the best balance between strength enhancement and durability performance in high-strength concrete.
Published by: Priya Jha, Tarun Kumar Rajak, Alok Kumar Jain
Author: Priya Jha
Paper ID: V12I2-1168
Paper Status: published
Published: March 18, 2026
Tradition and Transformation: Contemporary Challenges of Prahllad Nataka
Prahllad Nataka is a prominent devotional theatre tradition of southern Odisha, particularly concentrated in the undivided Ganjam district and adjoining regions of Andhra Pradesh. While its literary evolution reflects royal patronage and regional adaptation, the continuity and institutional consolidation of the form have been primarily sustained through the guru–shishya parampara (teacher–disciple tradition). This study examines how decentralized pedagogical networks of Gurus transformed Prahllad Nataka from a localized devotional performance into a structured regional theatre tradition. Drawing upon historical accounts, oral narratives, and field-based documentation of Guru lineages, the paper analyzes the processes of revival, reform, and standardization initiated during the early twentieth century. Particular attention is given to the role of reformers who systematized rāga–tāla patterns, regulated performance duration, refined costume codes, and preserved ritual discipline. The Guru in Prahllad Nataka functions not merely as an instructor but as director, composer, ritual custodian, and community leader, thereby embodying a multidimensional cultural authority. The study argues that the survival of Prahllad Nataka in the face of modernization, economic precarity, and institutional neglect is largely attributable to its embedded guru-centric transmission model. By foregrounding lineage as a living institution, the article highlights the significance of ritual pedagogy and community-based knowledge systems in sustaining traditional theatre forms in contemporary South Asia.
Published by: Dr. Ajit Kumar Muni
Author: Dr. Ajit Kumar Muni
Paper ID: V12I2-1152
Paper Status: published
Published: March 18, 2026
Strategies to Increase the Adoption of Fintech among Retail Consumers Globally
This paper studies how the use of financial technology (fintech) can be increased among retail consumers across the world. It focuses on the role of financial literacy, differences in adoption between rural and urban areas, key reasons why people use fintech, and how these patterns vary across countries. Using survey data and global case studies, the paper finds that people with better financial and digital knowledge are more likely to use fintech services and continue using them over time. Financial literacy also helps build trust and confidence in digital financial products. The paper shows clear differences between rural and urban areas. Urban consumers adopt fintech faster due to better internet access, higher income levels, and greater exposure to digital services. In contrast, rural consumers often face challenges such as poor infrastructure, low digital skills, and a lack of trust. However, adoption in rural areas increases when fintech services are designed to meet local needs, such as using agent-based models, simple interfaces, and low-cost products. Global comparisons highlight that fintech adoption differs widely across countries depending on regulations, smartphone usage, and the strength of traditional banking systems. Based on these findings, the paper suggests strategies to increase adoption, including improving financial literacy, strengthening digital infrastructure, building consumer trust, and creating supportive regulations. Overall, the study provides practical recommendations for policymakers and fintech firms to promote wider and more inclusive use of fintech services.
Published by: Vihaan Pandey
Author: Vihaan Pandey
Paper ID: V12I2-1141
Paper Status: published
Published: March 18, 2026
Triple Deck Express Way
Triple-deck expressways are a modern transportation concept developed to manage heavy traffic congestion in highly populated urban areas where expanding roads horizontally is difficult. This system includes three vertically arranged levels of transport corridors within the same route. These levels may accommodate high-speed vehicle lanes, metro or railway lines, and local service roads. By utilising vertical space efficiently, triple-deck expressways increase road capacity, decrease travel time, and make better use of limited land. They are typically built using reinforced or prestressed concrete along with steel composite structures, supported by advanced foundation and seismic-resistant designs. Although the initial construction cost is high, such expressways provide a sustainable and long-term solution for improving urban transportation systems.
Published by: Darshan Badar, Deepak Salve, Jaysen Sahu, Omkar Mural, Suraj surve
Author: Darshan Badar
Paper ID: V12I2-1171
Paper Status: published
Published: March 16, 2026
Oily Wastewater Treatment using Adsorption Method
The rapid growth of industrialization has led to the generation of large quantities of oily wastewater containing free oil, dispersed oil, emulsified oil, and dissolved hydrocarbons. Major sources include petroleum refineries, automobile service stations, metal finishing industries, and food processing units. If discharged without adequate treatment, oily wastewater causes severe environmental pollution by forming surface films on water bodies, reducing oxygen transfer, and adversely affecting aquatic ecosystems. Conventional treatment methods such as gravity separation, chemical coagulation, flotation, and membrane filtration often exhibit limitations including high capital and operating costs, excessive sludge generation, and reduced efficiency in treating stable oil–water emulsions. This project presents a comprehensive study on the adsorption method as an effective and sustainable approach for oily wastewater treatment. The performance of commonly used adsorbents, including activated carbon and low-cost bio-adsorbents such as rice husk ash and sawdust, is reviewed and analyzed. The influence of critical operating parameters such as pH, contact time, adsorbent dosage, temperature, and initial oil concentration on adsorption efficiency is discussed. Reported experimental investigations demonstrate that adsorption can achieve oil and grease removal efficiencies ranging from 85% to 95% under optimized conditions. The findings highlight that adsorption is a technically feasible, economical, and environmentally friendly tertiary treatment method, making it suitable for integration into industrial wastewater treatment systems.
Published by: Khushi Ghadigaonkar, Karuna Gaikwad, Ranjana Waghmare, Jay Pujari, Sanskruti Dharmale
Author: Khushi Ghadigaonkar
Paper ID: V12I2-1156
Paper Status: published
Published: March 16, 2026
A Comprehensive Survey on Automated Concept Extraction and Prerequisite Dependency Detection in Educational Texts
Automated extraction of concepts and detection of dependencies are important for analyzing educational texts and supporting applications like curriculum development, learning path suggestions, and intelligent tutoring systems. The aim of these tasks is to automatically extract key domain concepts from educational materials and find dependencies or prerequisites between them. Several approaches are put forward in recent studies, such as weakly supervised methods based on semantic embeddings and clustering, distant supervision techniques that make use of domain-specific glossaries, and supervised transformer-based models. Supervised models frequently exhibit high accuracy, but they rely significantly on large, manually labeled datasets. On the other hand, weakly and distantly supervised approaches drastically lower annotation costs, but they also face issues with seed quality, dictionary coverage, and cross-domain applicability. In order to guide future work in automated educational concept analysis, this study offers a thorough overview of current methods, frequently used datasets, assessment metrics, and recognized limits. It also addresses important issues and unresolved research gaps.
Published by: Aditi Patil, Riya Hankare, Shreya Araganji, Nidhi Chaudhari, Siddharth K. Gaikwad
Author: Aditi Patil
Paper ID: V12I2-1151
Paper Status: published
Published: March 16, 2026
