Faculty

Professor Hemant Chouhan is a distinguished scientist with over 22 years of experience, specialising in defence-related technologies for the past 14 years. His expertise lies in developing critical components like Bullet Proof Jackets (BPJs) for safeguarding personnel in high-risk environments. With a PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, his research focuses on high-strain rate testing of Fiber Reinforced Polymer composites for ballistic applications.

Professor Chouhan holds eight patents and has published extensively in international journals and conferences. He has supervised many Bachelor's and Master's projects in materials, manufacturing, and automation.

Professor Chouhan's commitment to innovation is evident in his development of low-cost solutions tailored to the needs of the armed forces. His dedication extends to knowledge dissemination through expert lectures and academic engagements, enriching the academic landscape with his expertise in materials testing, ballistics, and low-cost automation.

In 2011, Professor Chouhan earned a place in the Limca Book of Records and garnered the Innovation Award from the former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Prem Kumar Dhumal. Acknowledged for his scholarly contributions, Professor Chouhan has represented India at international conferences and served as a speaker and jury member for academia and industries. His tireless efforts culminated in the Advanced Ballistic for High Energy Defeat - Bullet Proof Jacket (ABHED-BPJ) technology, exemplifying his dedication to national security and defence.

Professor Hemant Chouhan's research has significantly impacted the fields of unmanned and remote-operated devices, composite materials, and defence technology. He was instrumental in setting up the National Centre of Excellence – Personal Body Armour (CoE-PBA) at IIT Delhi for the indigenous design, development, manufacturing, and testing of ballistic and blast-resistant materials. This facility has been pivotal in advancing protective gear technologies, including developing Advanced Ballistic for High Energy Defeat - Bullet Proof Jacket (ABHED - BPJ).

Professor Chouhan's contributions to military automation projects include:

• the development of a low-cost bullet velocity measurement system,
• a tank target mechanism for war practice, and
• a Life-Buoy for water rescues.

Additionally, he converted an eight-seater electric boat into a remote-operated device, showcasing his expertise in enhancing security force capabilities and safety through advanced technological solutions.

Professor Chouhan amalgamates automation with composites manufacturing to develop superior products. By integrating low-cost automation techniques, he aims to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of composite materials, leading to innovative solutions that significantly improve safety and performance in various applications. This holistic approach promises to set new standards in the field, particularly in developing advanced protective gear and automated systems for defence and civilian use.

• Aswani Kumar Bandaru, Dinesh Kumar Kothandan, Hemant Chouhan, Hong Ma, Ronan M. O’Higgins "Ballistic impact performance of Kevlar®/UHMWPE hybrid composite panels with a liquid thermoplastic resin, Elium®." Materials & Design Vol. 252, 113706, 2025.
• Ram K., Kartikeya. K., Chouhan H., Prasad S., Mahajan P., and Bhatnagar N. "Effect of Supersonic Shock Wave Loading on Thin Metallic Sheets: Experimental and Numerical Studies". Int. J. Steel Struct vol. 23, no. 3, pp. 664–674, 2023.
• Prasad S., Chouhan H., et al. “An experimental investigation into the mechanical behavior of UHMWPE and basalt polyetherimide bonded composites at high strain rates.” Polym. Compos., vol. 43, no. 5, pp. 3242–3258, 2022.
• Bandaru K. A., Chouhan H., Prasad S., Weaver M. P., Bhatnagar N., and O’Higgins N. “Effect of weave pattern on high strain rate performance of glass/polytetrafluoroethylene composites.” Polym. Compos., no. July 2021, pp. 1–14, 2022.
• Bhalla A. N., Chouhan H., Yadav K. R., and Bhatnagar N. “Exploring the Effect of Dispersed Phase on the High Strain Rate Mechanical Response of Nanosilica Dispersions.” IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng., vol. 1248, no. 1, p. 012073, 2022.
• Kartikeya K., Chouhan H., Ram K., Prasad S., and Bhatnagar N. “Ballistic evaluation of steel /UHMWPE composite armor system against hardened steel core projectiles.” Int. J. Impact Eng., vol. 164, no. September 2021, p. 104211, 2022.
• Chouhan H., Bhalla A. N., Bandaru K. A., Gebremeskel A. S., and Bhatnagar N. “Quasi-static and high strain rate response of Kevlar reinforced thermoplastics.” Polym. Test., vol. 93, pp. 1–9, 2021.
• Prasad S., Chouhan H., Kartikeya K., Singh K. K., and Bhatnagar N. “An experimental investigation into mechanical behaviour of Basalt PEI laminates at various strain rates.” Compos. Struct., vol. 267, p. 113800, 2021.
• Chouhan H., Asija N., and Bhatnagar N. “High strain rate performance of UHMWPE composites_ Effect of moisture ingress and egress.” Mater. Today Commun., vol. 26, 2021.
• Chouhan H., Asija Bhalla N., Bandaru K. A., and Bhatnagar N. “Influence of conditioning on the high strain rate compression response of Kevlar thermoplastic composites.” Polym. Compos., vol. 42, no. 1, pp. 191–204, 2021.
• Bandaru K. A., Chouhan H., and Bhatnagar N. “High strain rate compression testing of intra-ply and inter-ply hybrid thermoplastic composites reinforced with Kevlar/basalt fibers.” Polym. Test., vol. 84, no. January, p. 106407, 2020.
• Kartikeya K., Chouhan H., Ahmed A., and Bhatnagar N. “Determination of tensile strength of UHMWPE fiber-reinforced polymer composites.” Polym. Test., vol. 82, no. September 2019, p. 106293, 2020.
• Chouhan T., Chouhan H., and Soni M. “High strain rate behavior of aluminum produced by powder metallurgy.” Procedia Struct. Integr., vol. 14, no. 2018, pp. 883–890, 2019.
• Ahmed A., Chouhan H., Kartikeya K., and Bhatnagar N. “Study on low and high strain rate behaviour of the adhesive bonds for armour application.” J. Adhes., vol. 96, no. 1–4, pp. 345–358, 2019.
• Chouhan T., Soni M., and Chouhan H. “Effect of milling time on the compressive high strain rate behavior of Al-SiC Composite.” J. Phys. Conf. Ser., vol. 1240, no. 1, 2019.
• Bhalla A. N., Chouhan H., Ahmed, Kartikeya A., and Bhatnagar N. “Study on the low and high strain rate behavior of fumed nano silica dispersions.” Procedia Struct. Integr., vol. 14, no. 2018, pp. 564–570, 2019.
• Chouhan H., Asija N., Ahmed A., Kartikeya, and Bhatnagar N. “Effect of moisture on high strain rate performance of UHMWPE fiber based composite.” Procedia Struct. Integr., vol. 14, no. 2018, pp. 830–838, 2019.
• Ahmed A., Asija N., Chouhan H., Kartikeya, and Bhatnagar N., “Study of polycarbonate based nano-composites at high strain rate impact.” Procedia Struct. Integr., vol. 14, no. 2018, pp. 507–513, 2019.
• Asija N., Chouhan H., Amare Gebremeskel S., and Bhatnagar N. “Impact response of Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) treated ultra high molecular weight poly ethylene composites – study of the effect of STF treatment method.” Thin-Walled Struct., vol. 126, no. December 2016, pp. 16–25, 2018.
• Gebremeskel A. S., Asija N., and Chouhan H. “Polypropylene Nano-composites at High Strain Rate Impacts : Characterization , Failure Modes , and Modeling.” Momona Ethiop. J. Sci., vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 28–50, 2018.
• Bandaru K. A., Mittal K. V., Chouhan H., Asija N., Bhatnagar N., and Ahmad S. “Characterization of 3D angle-interlock thermoplastic composites under high strain rate compression loadings.” Polym. Test., vol. 62, pp. 355–365, 2017.
• Asija N., Chouhan H., Gebremeskel A. S., and Bhatnagar N. “High strain rate characterization of shear thickening fluids using Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar technique.” Int. J. Impact Eng., vol. 110, pp. 365–370, 2017.
• Asija N., Chouhan H., Gebremeskel A. S., Singh K. R., and Bhatnagar N. “High strain rate behavior of STF-treated UHMWPE composites.” Int. J. Impact Eng., vol. 110, pp. 359–364, 2017.
• Chouhan H., Asija N., Amare S., and Bhatnagar N. “Effect of Specimen Thickness on High Strain Rate Properties of Kevlar / Polypropylene Composite.” Procedia Eng., vol. 173, pp. 694–701, 2017.
• Asija N., Chouhan H., Gebremeskel A. S., and Bhatnagar N. “Impact Response of Shear Thickening Fluid (STF) Treated High Strength Polymer Composites - Effect of STF Intercalation Method.” Procedia Eng., vol. 173, pp. 655–662, 2017.
• Gebremeskel A. S., Asija N., Chouhan H., and Bhatnagar N. “Appraisal of Strain Rate Sensitivity of Polypropylene Nanocomposites.” Procedia Eng., vol. 173, pp. 800–806, 2017.
• Asija N., Chouhan H., and Bhatnagar N. “Synthesis of Shear Thickening Fluids for Liquid Armour Applications Methods of Sample Preparation.” J. Manuf. Sci., vol. 06, no. 1, pp. 9–17, 2017.
• Asija N., Chouhan H., Gebremeskel A. S., and Bhatnagar N. “Influence of particle size on the low and high strain rate behavior of dense colloidal dispersions of nanosilica.” J. Nanoparticle Res., vol. 19, no. 1, 2017.
• Chouhan H., Singh D., Parmar V., and Kalyanasundaram D. “Laser machining of Kevlar fiber reinforced laminates - Effect of polyetherimide versus polypropylene matrix.” Compos. Sci. Technol., vol. 134, pp. 267–274, 2016.
• Gandhi A., Asija N., Chauhan H., and Bhatnagar N. “Ultrasound-Induced Nucleation in Microcellular Polymers.” Jr Appl. Polym., vol. 40742, pp. 1–5, 2014.
• Gebremeskel A. S., Asija N., Priyanshu A., Chouhan H., and Bhatnagar N. “Design Customization and Development of Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar for Light and Soft Armour Materials.” Glob. Jr. Res. Eng., vol. XIV, no. VII, pp. 62–75, 2014.
• Bhatnagar N., Nayak D., Singh I., Chouhan H., and Mahajan P. “Determination of machining-induced damage characteristics of fiber reinforced plastic composite laminates.” Mater. Manuf. Process., vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 1009–1023, 2004.

Graduate level courses: Composite Materials, Robotics, Mechatronics

Undergraqduate level courses: Computer Aided Manufacturing, Advanced Manufacturing Processes, Non-destructive Testing, Manufacturing Science