INSWAREB proposes partnership with U.S. universities on irradiated construction materials

The Visakhapatnam-based Institute for Solid Waste Research and Ecological Balance (INSWAREB) is seeking to bridge the gap between industrial waste utilisation and nuclear infrastructure requirements through a proposed partnership with United States universities.

Founders N. Bhanumathidas and N. Kalidas, veterans in blended cement research, have developed concepts using irradiation to create ‘Irradiated Cementitious Construction Materials’ (ICCMs). By transforming industrial byproducts such as fly ash and rice husk ash into amorphised silica, they aim to produce high-strength concrete that could enhance grade strengths to 65-85 MPa, while offering a sustainable alternative to costly silica fume.

INSWAREB is also advocating the application of its patented ‘Nano Concrete’ (NAC), developed in 2010, for the construction of nuclear shield walls. The institute says NAC’s densified microstructure, which eliminates traditional aggregates and the associated cracks at the interstitial transition zone, could offer superior radiation attenuation.

These proposals recently gained traction after a meeting with U.S. Consul General Laura Williams during her visit to Visakhapatnam. Recognising the potential for academic and industrial synergy, the Consulate has encouraged INSWAREB to pursue research collaborations with American universities. Such partnerships could facilitate access to the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to validate the performance of ICCMs.

This initiative is in line with broader efforts to strengthen the India-U.S. techno-scientific ecosystem, with stakeholders pointing to its promise for both the nuclear sector and sustainable economic development.